👾🍄🧮 222 - Andrés Goméz Emilsson on Psychedelic Computer Science & The Mathematics of Consciousness
Jun 20, 2024
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Andrés Goméz Emilsson, President and Director of Research at the Qualia Research Institute, discusses the computational approach to consciousness and psychedelics. Topics include the geometry of DMT space, avoiding dissonance in psychedelic states, complexity of music and cognitive processing, pharmacological adaptations to technology, and temporal perception under the influence of psychedelics.
The podcast delves into the computational approach to understanding consciousness and the psychedelic experience, aiming to make the world a happier place.
The discussion explores the hyperbolic geometry of DMT, the complexity of psychedelic states, cognitive processing, future shock induced by technology, and pharmacological adaptations.
Ethical concerns regarding potential suffering in artificial entities, limitations in digital simulations regarding consciousness, and the importance of aligning technological development with compassionate principles are highlighted.
Deep dives
Topological Bifurcation as a Key Principle in Information Processing
Topological bifurcation emerges as a fundamental mechanism in processing information, with implications spanning various systems. In physics, this effect is likened to the topology of the electromagnetic field, revealing an active area of research where field lines define objective boundaries and exhibit vibrational unit behavior. Analogous to determining molecules by their vibrational modes, a full experience is viewed as an entity segmented in the field, possessing vibrational modes conducive to computation.
Computational Paradigm Shift towards Utilizing Topological Pockets and Vibrations
A novel computational paradigm is proposed, incorporating topological pockets and vibrations for computational processes and world simulation. This innovative approach diverges from traditional digital computing methods, presenting a distinctive perspective on consciousness that integrates topological features and vibrational modes into computational frameworks.
Exploring Consciousness through Computational Methods and Integrated Information Theory
Exploration of consciousness with computational methods and integrated information theory delves into the benefits and limitations of computational investigations into consciousness. The conversation encompasses cutting-edge topics such as integrated information theory informing research efforts and existential considerations around conscious computation and the mitigation of suffering.
Challenges and Ethical Considerations in Advancing AI and Human-Computer Interaction
Tackling the intricate landscape of AI advancement introduces challenges and ethical reflections on bridging human-computer interactions. The discussion touches on the complexity of managing future shock induced by technological innovation, contemplating the use of substances like MDMA to navigate issues of fear, insecurity, and human adaptation to rapid technological transformations.
Psychedelic Experiences and Delusional Ontologies
Taking psychedelics can lead to level-headed decisions but may also reduce the fear of dangerous decisions. High-dose experiences can create delusions like perceiving communication with the future, challenging the notion of continuity of the self. The speaker shares personal experiences of future detection under psychedelic influence, suggesting a mapping of structural resonances across dimensions. Slicing phenomenal time and discussing the illusion of self-continuity can lead to insights on reincarnation and the fluidity of self and other.
Digital Sentience and Consciousness Detection
Exploring the conscious nature of digital simulations raises ethical concerns about potential suffering in artificial entities. The speaker discusses the theoretical reasons for digital simulations not being conscious due to information integration limitations. Optical computers and brain organoids are highlighted as potential hardware for sustaining consciousness. The importance of quantifying consciousness for brain organoids and aligning technological development with compassionate principles is emphasized to prevent unethical treatment and promote ethical advancements in artificial intelligence.
In this episode we’re joined by Andrés Goméz Emilsson, President and Director of Research at the Qualia Research Institute (QRI), with whom we go deep on their computational approach to probe the mysteries of consciousness and the psychedelic experience — and thereby, perhaps, make the world a substantially happier place. Join us for an adventurous dialogue at the intersections of phenomenology, spirituality, and mathematics…with stops along the way to ask about the neurobiological construction of time’s arrow(s), the geometry of DMT space, and the ethical challenges of creating conscious computers. It’s a trip…!
00:00:00 Intro, Thanks, and News00:11:18 Dialogue Starts00:14:15 The Origins of Qualia Research Institute00:17:37 The Importance of Consciousness Research00:22:18 Phenomenology and Symmetry00:47:38 The Hyperbolic Geometry of DMT00:54:12 Avoiding Dissonance in Psychedelic States00:56:09 Complexity, Music, and Cognitive Processing00:57:22 Future Shock and Technological Overwhelm01:04:28 Pharmacological Adaptations to Technology01:08:39 Temporal Perception and Psychedelics
Sean McGowanMike JohnsonDavid PearceAndrew GallimoreJim O’ShaughnessyJulio TononiKarl FristonRobin Carhart-HarrisIlya PrigogineJaron LanierSteven LeharRupert SheldrakeWilliam GibsonJürgen SchmidhuberAlain GorielyDarren ZhuHugh EverettSean CarrollIsaac NewtonStephen WolframChris LangtonJames C. ScottH. P. LovecraftNoonautics
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