#31 – Geometry of Mind: lattices, quasicrystals, and hyperbolic hallucinations

In episode 31 of the Quantum Consciousness series, Justin Riddle discusses the role of geometry in our understanding of the universe. The discussion begins looking at the manifestation of geometric forms in the world around us in the form of crystals. Crystals are a cornerstone of modern technology as they increase the controllability of the physical world around us through their structure. Many researchers studying quantum biology theorize that when highly ordered structures, often by the creation of a lattice, might enable subtle quantum properties to be magnified. Other researchers look to geometry in their pursuit of a mathematical theory of everything. If only we could understand all of the driving forces in the universe, then we could build more advanced technologies. Surely, a theory of everything must be quite complex. In this pursuit, some researchers postulate that multidimensional geometric forms are the solution. For example, Klee Irwin claims the so-called E8-lattice serves as a unification of all forces and that all things are a projection from this higher dimensional system into our lower 3-dimensional reality. From this perspective, every superposition is a decision between multiple projections that could be selected. Critically, with the same unifying E8-lattice behind the scenes, humans are able to communicate and understand each other by virtue of a shared universal form underlying each of our expressions. My experience of love is the same as your experience of love, because love is a complex geometric form in the E8-lattice. But this has to make you wonder, can love be a geometric shape? Third, I highlight some of the inspiring work from Andres Gomez-Emilsson mapping out the stages of a DMT trip from the standpoint of geometry. During a breakthrough experience, trippers report a direct firsthand experience of viewing hyperbolic geometric objects. Hyperbolic geometry appears to be continuously folding outward. Look up some visualizers as these shapes are inherently bizarre. Could this geometric form explain the bizarreness of these altered states of consciousness? Furthermore, the experience of hyperbolic geometry in firsthand experience suggests that there might be a shift in the mental-space from which we are viewing the object. If we posit that the mind is quantum computer, then this may correspond to a warping of the geometric structure of the Hilbert space of our wave-function mind (the Hilbert space is the multidimensional probability distribution of a quantum system). There are a lot of thought-provoking theories presented in this episode – all of which utilize the principles of geometry as a fundamental aspect of physical reality, mathematics, or our inner experience.