Joining me to discuss AI, theurgy, the art of memory, and the alphabet of human thought is Jack Kausch, a PhD student in Information Science. We explore linguistics, the idea of a natural semantic meta-language, and creating a characteristica universalis. We delve into the challenges and potential of natural language generation, navigating latent spaces through glyphs, and the glass beat game's relation to Rosicrucianism. We also discuss user interface experiments and the intersection of ancient concepts and modern technology.
Creating a characteristic universalis using hieroglyphs can facilitate the translation of information across languages and domains of knowledge.
The Lullian Arts, with their connections to esotericism, alchemy, and encyclopedism, are relevant in the development of a characteristic universalis.
Defining concrete semantic universals for a universal language proves challenging, but machine learning models can help explore meaningful connections between data points.
Deep dives
The Search for Universal Language
Jack Couch discusses his project to create a characteristic universalis using hero glyphs to translate information between different languages and domains of knowledge. He combines 17th-century ideas about hieroglyphs and Lullian pansophia to imagine a user interface for exploring information through geometric spaces.
The Legacy of Lullian Arts
The Lullian Arts, developed by Ramon Llull, involve using wheels to combine attributes of God and explore logical propositions. The arts have connections to esotericism, alchemy, and encyclopedism. Jack Couch explores the relevance of the Lullian Arts in creating a characteristic universalis.
The Challenges of Semantic Universals
Defining a finite set of semantic universals for a characteristic universalis proves difficult. Researchers have attempted to create sets of semantic universals, but they often lack the concrete meaning required for a universal language. Jack Couch explores the challenges and potential solutions for defining semantic universals.
Exploring Geometric Spaces
Jack Couch uses machine learning models to create geometric spaces where information is positioned close to each other based on similarities. He has been developing user interfaces to explore these spaces and discover meaningful connections between data points, relying on intuition and active play to interpret the results.
Critiques of Artificial Intelligence
Jack Couch raises concerns about the limitations and dangers of relying too heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) models, such as ChatGPT. He questions the implications of creating technologies that mimic human-like conversation and divination, suggesting that employing people to provide accurate information may be a more ethical and reliable approach.
Joining me this episode to discuss artificial intelligence, theurgy, the art of memory, and the alphabet of human thought is my friend Jack Kausch.
Jack is a PhD student in Information Science at Western University of Ontario. His project is to create a characteristica universalis which uses hieroglyphs to translate information between different languages and domains of knowledge. He has also written esoteric fiction, including the novel Aretalogy, the story of how the historical figure of Imhotep lies at the origins of the Hermetic Tradition.
Our conversation explores linguistics and the ways in which language changes how we think. We discuss the idea of a natural semantic meta-language and whether or not such a thing is even possible! This is a crazy conversation, filled with ideas that are bound to give your personal ontology a bit of a shake-up. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com
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