Guided Meditation: The Phenomenology of Ontology Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-10 | In this guided meditation Andrés guides you through what believing in different ontologies feels like.Without making any claim (implicit or otherwise) about the nature of reality, one can still explore the *phenomenology of ontology*. Namely, explore what it is like to inhabit a phenomenal word in which the building blocks of reality are rendered as being this or that.At a very high level, one key insight is that one can notice how different facets of one's experience reify, solidity, and rigidify an ontology. For example, this shows up in "dualism". In this ontology, one posits that the universe has both matter and mind. This has the tendency to trigger the feeling of being encased or trapped in your body. But pay attention! If you notice carefully, you will realize that this is implemented with somatic feelings that rigidify the sense of being caged inside your body. This sense is, ultimately, a fabrication, rather than a realization. It's just how the mind chooses to render that particular sense of reality.Following this insight, we notice how there is a transmutation from the ontology one believes in, into a characteristic phenomenology of existence (and back). In fact, "the pain of dualism" is a feedback loop that involves somatic sensations, and not something intrinsic to a belief system. Similarly, every other ontology tends to trigger phenomenological feedback loops for its rendering. Pay attention! :-)The ontologies we explore in this meditation include:(1) Dualism: Mind and matter.(2) Trinitarianism of matter, consciousness, and space.(3) Atomism - we know that science confirmed the ancient view of atomism, but notice how without some kind of holism/binding, only "mind dust" can exist.(4) Jain ontology (in which there are ~9 fundamental *kinds* of ontological building blocks of reality) - space, time, dynamism (movement and rest), atoms that can combine, the soul, and all kinds of "karma particles".(5) Monism - It's all qualia. It's all awareness. It's all information. It's all algorithms or computation. It's all belief. It's all a social construction (cf. Strong Tlon Hypothesis)(6) Ontologies of infinities.(7) Ontologies of Zero. In particular, we zoom in on David Pearce's Zero Ontology, in which the *reason* why there is something rather than nothing is that "zero information" is the case (and this implies the existence of all mutually-consistent universes of bound qualia).This last ontology is particularly powerful: when explored deeply, it can trigger the "rainbow God" phenomenology, where all of the flavors of qualia come together and "cancel each other out". This is highly related to the phenomenology of 5-MeO-DMT as well as that of the formless Jhanas.May all benefit from this meditation!-------Relevant links:Why Does Anything Exist? Zero Ontology, Physical Information, and Pure Awareness (Andrés Gómez-Emilsson discusses and expands upon David Pearce's theory for why there is something rather than nothing) - youtu.be/KdDNfTREQJUNo-Self vs. True Self (Daniel Ingram) - qualiacomputing.com/2017/11/26/no-self-vs-true-selfWHY DOES ANYTHING EXIST? (David Pearce) - hedweb.com/nihilism/nihilf01.htmJain Ontology - jaina.org/page/BasicJainConcept/Basic-Jain-Concept-of-Universe.htmBurning Man (Strong Tlon Hypothesis) - qualiacomputing.com/2017/09/12/burning-man
Coupling Kernels: Geometrizing Kuramoto Oscillators to Model Network Harmonics (seizure warning) Qualia Research Institute 2024-10-20 | [Seizure Warning - This video contains strobing colors and complex patterns of synchronization that might be best avoided by anyone worried about epileptic responses]Try it yourself! Coupling Kernels in 2D: qri.org/demo/coupled_kernelsCoupling Kernels in 2D + 2 Screens: qri.org/xe2lkm3qz5a1rj6/two_screens_connected_2Couopling Kernels in 3D/2D Interface: qri.org/demo/standing_wavesDescription: In this video we explore how Kuramoto oscillators can algorithmically reduce phenomenal states, focusing on the contrasting effects of DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. Using a 2D grid of oscillators with modulated coupling kernels for different spatial distances, we model 5-MeO-DMT as promoting global coherence—where everything synchronizes—leading to a "oneness" experience in which the kernel is wholly positive. In contrast, DMT creates competing clusters of coherence, resulting in the perception of distinct entities, an effect downstream of a sharp lateral inhibition kernel.This framework of Coupling Kernels builds on the concept of neural annealing, where the brain’s high-energy states facilitate transitions toward more harmonious, energy-efficient configurations. The video illustrates how it is possible to integrate these models with insights gathered from personal experiences and discussions at a recent retreat exploring altered states of consciousness. In particular, the Couplings Kernels paradigm goes beyond modeling annealing effects. It also can model the phenomenal texture of different high energy states. Read more about it here:Towards Computational Simulations of Cessation [especially if curious about the mathematical implementation of these system] - qri.org/blog/cessation-simulationsCessation states: Computer simulations, phenomenological assessments, and EMF theories (Chris Percy, Andrés Gómez-Emilsson & Bijan Fakhri) - philpapers.org/rec/PERCSCHigh Energy Awareness Research Team - heart.qri.orgSong Credits: Lyrics by Andrés based on the "computational models of cessation" writeup; music created via Suno.
The Hard Problem of Valence Qualia Research Institute 2024-08-19 | In this thought-provoking presentation, Asher Soryl (ashersoryl.com) discusses the "hard problem of valence" - why some experiences feel better or worse than others, and what mechanisms might ground these differences in affect. He outlines a framework for developing theories of valence, including key phenomena that need to be explained and different categories of potential theories. Asher argues that understanding valence is crucial for ethics, AI alignment, and expanding our scientific understanding of consciousness. This talk provides an overview of an upcoming paper co-authored with QRI researchers, aiming to catalyze more rigorous inquiry into the nature of positive and negative experiences.Key topics covered:- Defining valence and its importance- Proposed criteria for theories of valence- Overview of different types of valence theories- Challenges in grounding and measuring valence- Implications for ethics, AI, and consciousness researchFor those interested in consciousness, philosophy of mind, ethics, or the nature of experience, this presentation offers an intriguing look at an under-explored but vital area of inquiry.The Qualia Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute studying consciousness in a consistent, meaningful, and rigorous way. We rely on donations from watchers like you, please consider making a donation to our efforts if you appreciate our content and would like to further our research efforts visit qri.org/donate
A Tool to Visualize 4D Rotations Qualia Research Institute 2024-08-13 | Tool: qri.org/demo/4D_wave_control
A Tool to Visualize 4D Rotations Qualia Research Institute 2024-08-13 | Tool: qri.org/demo/4d_wave_control.htmlIn this video, we introduce the 4D Wave Control tool from the Qualia Research Institute. This tool helps you intuitively understand complex concepts like matrix transformations and four-dimensional rotations. We’ll guide you through manipulating the interface to explore how matrices affect objects in both 3D and 4D spaces.Whether you’re a student of linear algebra or just curious about higher dimensions, this tool offers a practical way to deepen your understanding. Try it out and let us know what you think in the comments!
World Simulations Qualia Research Institute 2024-06-05 | @QualiaResearchInstitute 's director of research Andrés Gómez Emilsson explains how we perceive an organism-generated approximation of reality, focusing only on survival-relevant features, rather than the full spectrum of physical phenomena
An Inutition for a Physics of Consciousness Qualia Research Institute 2024-06-04 | @QualiaResearchInstitute's director of research Andrés Gómez Emilsson draws parallels between physics and the science of consciousness
Grounding QRI in First Principles (Part I): Bridging Computation and Philosophy Qualia Research Institute 2024-06-03 | Join us for an in-depth discussion that bridges computational and implementation perspectives on the mind, grounding the Qualia Research Institute (QRI) from first principles for those already somewhat familiar with the philosophy of mind. Filmed after a QRI meetup in Berlin, this conversation between QRI collaborator Libor Burian and Andrés Gómez Emilsson provides an overview of our research and methodologies.00:00 Introduction and Berlin Meetup00:32 Exploring Functionalism and Implementationalism00:55 Philosophical Background and Assumptions02:55 Motivation and Goals of QRI06:24 Defining Consciousness and Qualia07:42 Qualia Formalism and Mathematical Modeling10:32 Oneness and Valence Realism14:54 Non-Materialist Physicalist Idealism20:40 Physics and Mathematics in QRI23:00 Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics33:45 Binding and Boundary Problems36:33 Marr's Levels of Analysis38:24 Implementation and Algorithmic Levels50:43 Simulations and Consciousness51:30 Interactions Between Levels52:07 Material Independence of Consciousness52:46 Quantum Mechanics and Algorithms53:27 Electromagnetic Field and Computation53:43 Hardware Accelerators in Computing55:54 Top-Down Effects in Neurodynamics57:47 Topology in Electromagnetic Fields01:01:03 Boundary and Binding Problems01:03:22 Weak vs. Strong Emergence01:05:31 Frame Invariance and Hard Boundaries01:07:59 Computational Classes and Consciousness01:42:03 Ethical Implications of Conscious ComputingQualia Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute studying consciousness in a consistent, meaningful, and rigorous way. Visit our website at qri.org for more information about our research and find out ways to contribute.Andrés Gómez Emilsson - https://x.com/algekalipsoLibor Burian - https://x.com/burny_tech
From Gemologist to Psychedelic Retreat Founder: Jessicas Journey of Healing Chronic Pain Qualia Research Institute 2024-05-08 | In this intimate interview with Andrés Gómez Emilsson of the Qualia Research Institute, Jessica Khurana, the founder of Eleusinia retreat center, shares her transformative journey from a successful gemologist to a pioneering facilitator of psychedelic healing for chronic pain sufferers. After being struck by the debilitating neurological condition hemicrania continua, Jessica found herself unable to work and failed by the medical system. In an act of desperation, she turned to psychedelics, which provided the first significant relief from her constant pain.During the conversation, Jessica discusses:- The nature of her pain and its devastating impact on her cognitive abilities and sense of identity.Her frustrating experience with the medical system and the unfulfilled promises of relief from various treatments.- How a chance encounter with the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community led her to psilocybin, and the dramatic effects it had on her pain.- The process of refining her psychedelic use, combining psilocybin with DMT to extend pain-free periods.- Her motivation for creating Eleusinia retreat center to help others suffering from chronic pain, driven by a sense of responsibility and psychedelic-inspired compassion.Throughout the interview, Jessica offers a raw and honest look at the invisible struggle of chronic pain sufferers and the transformative potential of psychedelics when the medical system currently falls short. Her story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of altered states to reframe suffering and inspire service to others. Andrés and Jessica's conversation sheds light on the urgent need for innovative approaches to treating chronic pain and the role that psychedelic retreats like Eleusinia can play in facilitating healing and recovery.See also:Eleusinia Retreat: eleusiniaretreat.comPain & Psychedelics: A World Without Severe Chronic Pain | Andrés Gómez Emilsson | TEDxMiami: youtube.com/watch?v=_gdtHXQW8OsTreating Cluster Headaches Using N,N-DMT and Other Tryptamines: forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/4dppcsbcbHZxyBC56/treating-cluster-headaches-using-n-n-dmt-and-other-1
Topological Segmentation of the EM Field: A New Approach to the Boundary Problem of Consciousness Qualia Research Institute 2024-05-08 | In this presentation from The Science of Consciousness conference in Tucson, Andrés Gómez Emilsson introduces a novel approach to addressing the boundary problem of consciousness through the lens of electromagnetic field topology. The talk covers three key points:1. The causal relationship between topological segmentation of the EM field and the emergence of phenomenal boundaries and resonant modes that are computationally significant.2. The deep connection between resonance and topology, and its potential to answer fundamental questions in the science of consciousness.3. A new perspective that likens individual subjects of experience to "pockets" in the EM field, each with unique resonant properties.Building on a recent publication in Frontiers by the Qualia Research Institute's Andrés Gómez Emilsson and Chris Percy, this talk encourages researchers to think topologically about consciousness and highlights the explanatory power of linking topology with resonance. The presentation concludes with philosophical reflections on the potential reasons for phenomenal differentiation and an invitation to further explore this promising directions in consciousness research.See also:Don't forget the boundary problem! How EM field topology can address the overlooked cousin to the binding problem for consciousness: frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1233119/fullDigital Sentience Requires Solving the Boundary Problem: qri.org/blog/digital-sentienceThe Science of Consciousness Conference: https://consciousness.arizona.edu/
Exploring Psychedelic Phenomenology: A Conversation with Andrés Gómez Emilsson & Josie Kins Qualia Research Institute 2024-01-23 | Qualia Research Institute founder Andrés Gómez Emilsson joins Josie Kins from the Subjective Effect Index to explore psychedelic phenomenology. Delving into how psychedelics interact with the mind, they discuss the unique effects “trips” can produce and explore bridging the gap between subjective experience and empirical research.For more information about their work check out the following links:Andrés Gómez Emilsson@AndresGomezEmilsson https://x.com/algekalipsoqualiacomputing.comqri.orgJosie Kinz@josikinz https://x.com/Josikinzeffectindex.comThe Qualia Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute studying consciousness in a consistent, meaningful, and rigorous way. To donate or get involved please visit qri.org
Guided Meditation: Dont Pay Attention Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | Normally in meditation we are focused on what IS in experience, but to be able to notice the absence of phenomena is key as well! Where there once were qualia, now there aren’t - what does that reveal to us about their nature?Roger Thisdell guides a meditation starting with a taste session on the major ingredients which make up our experience. Then after paying attention to these components, we deliberately try to not pay attention to them. What we find is the move to let go of paying attention to anything is a universal move - no matter the object of attention - how convenient!The ability to take attention off of more and more aspects of experience is an essential skill which eventually culminates in the ability to not pay attention to time, space and consciousness, resulting in cessation.For more guided meditations by Roger, check out his Patreon page where he releases a new guided meditation, on a variety of techniques, every week: patreon.com/rogerthis
Guided Meditation: Goldilocks Zone of Oneness Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | In this guided meditation, we dive into the phenomenology of various conceptions of personal identity. Specifically, we observe the experiential nuances of believing that we are individual souls (Closed Individualism), that we are a single universal consciousness (Open Individualism), that we represent ephemeral moments of experience (Empty Individualism), and that we encompass all these identities concurrently (Goldilocks Zone of Oneness).As with the "The Phenomenology of Ontology" meditation, our objective here is to discern the qualities of experience that shape a specific worldview. In essence, the phenomenology of personal identity is a pivotal subject for any holistic consciousness research initiative, regardless of the metaphysical veracity of these perspectives. The capacity of these conceptions to modify experiential attributes—such as refining internal boundaries or amplifying the choppiness of sensations—underscores the importance of this topic for both phenomenological and scientific exploration.More so, many exotic states of consciousness involve implicit alterations to our conceptions of personal identity. Therefore knowing how to detect the experiential features that make these beliefs feel more or less plausible is essential to successfully navigate exotic states of consciousness without compromising one’s epistemology.Relevant Links:Ontological Qualia: The Future of Personal Identity (qualiacomputing.com/2015/12/17/ontological-qualia-the-future-of-personal-identity)For more extensive definitions, see the Glossary of the Qualia Research Institute (qri.org/glossary)Guided Meditation: The Phenomenology of Ontology (youtu.be/QRExq_sf6No?si=G1cA1b0fAaE1oGjP)
Guided Meditation: A Clap of Thunder Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | In this guided meditation, our invited facilitator, Wystan, leads participants through meticulous body scanning techniques designed to cultivate an acute consciousness of the immediate present. Transitioning seamlessly from body scanning to methods of introspection, and further incorporating the nuanced technique of finger-following to “spread out the vision”, Wystan imparts a spectrum of methodologies that promise to augment the meditative practice of individuals across all levels of expertise.For more content from Wystan Bryant-Scott, see his YouTube channel: youtube.com/@wystantbs488/videos
Guided Meditation: Absorption Into Platonic Objects Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | This meditation explores the phenomenology of absorption into Platonic objects. We delve into what it feels like to imagine, embody, and generate the sense of knowing of classic geometric and mathematical constructs.One of the main takeaways from this meditation is that we can attune to the difference between (1) how we render a particular instance of a Platonic object and (2) the sense of knowing and existence of that object that arises as we do so.That is, (1) emphasizes the specific point of view from which a Platonic object (say, a cube) can be apprehended. Each point of view gives rise to, in a way, a completely different experience (cf. Borges’ Funes the Memorious). Namely, the experience of rendering such an object from that particular point of view, with all of the sensory and qualitative features that come along with it. In contrast (2) points to that which remains the same across all of these points of view. Namely, the ways in which holding these objects in one’s attention keeps aspects of our experience invariant (such as the intuitions and resonances that come with each particular Platonic object).In addition, we also explore how the geometry of attention affects one’s valence and sense of ease, with the goal of naturalizing “Sacred Geometry” for the cultivation of Qualia Mastery.Relevant Links:On Dark Rooms, Jhanas, Ecstasy, and the Symmetry Theory of Valence (qualiacomputing.com/2021/10/31/on-dark-rooms-jhanas-ecstasy-and-the-symmetry-theory-of-valence)Guided Meditation: The Varieties of Attention (youtu.be/YYSkKgwH4Bg?si=okgPbqKSGt8MvIHq)
Guided Meditation: Co-Arising Expansion and Contraction Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | Expansion and contraction are the subtlest distinguishing features of experience. This meditation on expansion and contraction, given by Roger Thisdell, is a guide for finding and synchronizing to the oscillatory nature of experience at different levels, and then realising the co-dependence on one another in order to exist. Where there is expansion there is contraction and vice versa. By having sufficient energy in the mind and being able to widen the ‘aperture’ of our present moment perception it is possible to notice contraction within attention, and expansion within awareness (and vice versa) at the same time!For more guided meditations by Roger, check out his Patreon page where he releases a new guided meditation, on a variety of techniques, every week: patreon.com/rogerthis
Guided Meditation: Self-Organizing Principles Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | There are many spiritual and yogic practices that utilize “elemental” objects of meditation. For example, the guided meditation by Michael Taft called “Five Elements Meditation” (link below) centers the mind around mental formations evocative of earth, water, fire, air, and space. Alas, it is natural to be skeptical of the value of these practices on the basis that science has shown that the universe is made up of particles, forces, and fields, and not the traditional elements of ancient ontologies.Nevertheless, within the paradigm of Qualia Mastery in meditation, we affirm the significance of specific states of consciousness, irrespective of the techniques used to induce them. Adhering rigidly to a modern scientific worldview might, in fact, impede one's engagement with such meditative practices. Engaging fully with a meditation that posits, for instance, fire as a fundamental entity, can often yield richer results when one genuinely subscribes to the idea. Continual internal rebuttals, such as "fire isn't foundational; electrons are!" can inhibit deep immersion into these states.So how can we rescue what is valuable from this style of meditation without having to buy into an implicit “elemental ontology”? Here is where the relevance of “self-organizing principles” comes into play. Namely, where we realize that the nervous system is capable of instantiating a cornucopia of diverse self-organizing principles that are used to render one’s inner world-simulation. Thus, when you imagine and embody “the element of fire” you are, in a way, instantiating a collection of self-organizing principles that roughly emulate the behavior of fire. Therefore, we can use a more generalized conception of “elemental meditation” as a window into these self-organizing principles. This is what this meditation does.Relevant Links:Five Elements Meditation by Michael Taft (youtube.com/live/p_1BPl39orA?si=uyF-hcVoDKp3IWgW)Digital Sentience Requires Solving the Boundary Problem, where the computational properties of self-organizing principles are discussed (qri.org/blog/digital-sentience)
Guided Meditation: Deeply Letting Go Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | It is often said that one of the most important meditative skills that one can cultivate is the practice of letting go. This means letting go of attachments, of cravings, of a sense of identity, and the need for things to be anything other than what they are. However, in practice doing this is more difficult than it sounds; we have a habit of holding tight to much more than we require for optimal wellbeing.This guided meditation emphasizes two key aspects of letting go. Namely, (1) tactical methods for letting go, such as the judicious use of unusual varieties of attention, higher order equanimity, imaginal practices, and precise technique (such as rhythm and timing). And (2) the fact that letting go can be practiced in much deeper ways and with a much wider scope than is usually realized. In particular, letting go can take place in the visual, tactile, auditory domains, in addition to the spacious, cognitive, spiritual, and intuitive levels of the mind.We conclude this meditation by listening to meditative music with the goal of experiencing it with complete equanimity and acceptance and putting our letting go techniques to practice:“936Hz Pineal Gland Activation Solfeggio Meditation w/ Binaural Beat frequencies” (youtu.be/3h2mJnvRbZ8?si=5puO7FnxNsT_wqz8)
Guided Mediation: Waves of Ever Becoming Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | In this meditation, Roger Thisdell guides us in a meditation of somatic scanning up and down the body using concurrent waves of awareness that pass through one another. We are trying to balance both the sense of grounding, stability with the sense of wakeful, levity.By the end of the meditation, the goal is to isolate and metacognize the sense of ‘becoming’ within experience, and notice that this signal is always presenting itself. We may question, if everything seems like it’s always ‘becoming’ (but never fully become), then what significance does this have with the goal of trying to have ‘arrived’ somewhere?For more guided meditations by Roger, check out his Patreon page where he releases a new guided meditation, on a variety of techniques, every week: patreon.com/rogerthis
Guided Meditation: Metta - Fabric Softener for Your Consciousness Qualia Research Institute 2023-10-19 | Metta is a Pali word that can be translated as benevolence, friendliness, or good will. It is a key state of mind for meditative practice; it has the capacity to heal, invigorate, and center the mind.The majority of guided Metta meditations emphasize the ways in which you can trigger this state of mind with semantic content and imagery. For example imagining a loved one, a pet, or even a beautiful scene, and tuning into the feeling of friendliness that such an image sparks.In this meditation we instead emphasize the phenomenal character of Metta as a way to develop it, establish it, and understand it deeply. For example, we discuss how one can use different varieties of attention in order to kindle this feeling. We also tune into one’s intentions and background mood in order to nudge the mind towards Metta. More so, we carefully study how technical phenomenological features such as rhythm, wave envelope, and energy affects the quality and intensity of Metta.May this meditation be of benefit to sentient beings!Relevant Links:Metta Practice, and a few things about Piti (Instructions), by Rob Burbea (dharmaseed.org/talks/60871)Guide to Writing Rigorous Reports of Exotic States of Consciousness (qri.org/blog/rigorous-reports)Guided Meditation: The Varieties of Attention (youtu.be/YYSkKgwH4Bg?si=okgPbqKSGt8MvIHq)Buddhist Annealing: Wireheading Done Right with the Seven Factors of Awakening (qualiacomputing.com/2021/04/04/buddhist-annealing-wireheading-done-right-with-the-seven-factors-of-awakening)Metta: The Fabric Softener of Reality (youtu.be/SN-Wfk8bYo0?si=jpSS3lYSvOR6V-7P)
Consciousness and Personal Identity: What does it feel like to believe we are all one? Qualia Research Institute 2023-08-11 | This was Andrés' second presentation at PhilaDelic 2023, shared on the panel of "Spirituality, Mysticism, & Theology" along with David Yaden (PhD) and Bryan McCarthy (PhD).The talk covers three main topics:1) The metaphysics and ontology of personal identity (walking through the taxonomy of views on personal identity introduced by Daniel Kolak in "I Am You").2) The phenomenology of personal identity (going over the difference between DMT and 5-MeO-DMT in terms of competing clusters of coherence vs. global coherence). And3) How the metaphysics and the phenomenology of personal identity are connected to each other.We thank the event organizers for giving us this presentation/panel spot. We are very grateful. See event website: philadelic.orgAlso thanks to Maggie from QRI for putting together this video by blending the slides and the audio.------------Relevant Links:5-MeO-DMT vs. N,N-DMT: The 9 Lenses - qri.org/blog/5meo-vs-dmtBurning Man Theme-Camps of the Year 2029: From Replicator to Rainbow God - qualiacomputing.com/2019/02/24/burning-man-theme-camps-of-the-year-2029-from-replicator-to-rainbow-god-1-2 Ontological Qualia: The Future of Personal Identity - qualiacomputing.com/2015/12/17/ontological-qualia-the-future-of-personal-identity
On Connectome and Geometric Eigenmodes of Brain Activity Qualia Research Institute 2023-07-24 | Join us (QRI's 2023 Visiting Scholars - Ethan Kuntz, Riccardo Volpato, Carlos Martinez Quintero) as we explore a paradigm shift in understanding how the physical structure of the brain shapes its function. Recent work shows how deriving "geometric eigenmodes" from the intrinsic curvature of cortical and subcortical structures can better capture brain dynamics than traditional connectome-based methods.In this video, we will cover:- Background on the Connectome Specific Harmonic Waves model and its limitations- Computing geometric eigenmodes using the Laplace-Beltrami operator on surface meshes and tetrahedral meshes- Comparing geometric and connectome eigenmodes- The surprising match between subcortical geometric eigenmodes and functional gradients- Possible interpretations and future directions for the geometric eigenmodes paradigmUnderstanding the brain as a physical dynamical system governed by its geometry provides new insights into constraints on neural computation. Join us as we explore this geometric perspective on the link between brain structure and function.The presentation covers key concepts and visuals from recent papers at the frontiers of computational neuroscience. We strive to balance clarity, accessibility, and depth in communicating these cutting-edge ideas. Your feedback is welcome - please like, comment, and subscribe!References:Atasoy, Selen, Isaac Donnelly, and Joel Pearson. 2016. “Human Brain Networks Function in Connectome-Specific Harmonic Waves.” Nature Communications 7 (1): 10340.Atasoy, Selen, Leor Roseman, Mendel Kaelen, Morten L Kringelbach, Gustavo Deco, and Robin L Carhart-Harris. 2017. “Connectome-Harmonic Decomposition of Human Brain Activity Reveals Dynamical Repertoire Reorganization Under LSD.” Scientific Reports 7 (1): 17661.Flipper, and Scry. 2023. “An Introduction to Steven Lehar, Part III: Flame Fronts and Shock Scaffolds.” Smoothbrains. qri.org/blog/flame-fronts-and-shock-scaffolds.Glomb, Katharina, Morten L Kringelbach, Gustavo Deco, Patric Hagmann, Joel Pearson, and Selen Atasoy. 2021. “Functional Harmonics Reveal Multi-Dimensional Basis Functions Underlying Cortical Organization.” Cell Reports 36 (8).Gómez Emilsson, Andrés. 2017. “Quantifying Bliss.” Qualia Computing. qualiacomputing.com/2017/06/18/quantifying-bliss-talk-summary/.Gómez-Emilsson. 2022. “Nonlinear Wave Computing: Vibes, Gestalts, and Realms.” Qualia Research Institute. qri.org/blog/nonlinear-wave-computing.Johnson, Mike. 2016. “Principia Qualia.” OpenTheory 100 (013): 002.———. 2017. “A Future for Neuroscience.” OpenTheory. opentheory.net/2018/08/a-future-for-neuroscience/.Lehar, Steven. 2008. The Constructive Aspect of Visual Perception.Murray, James D. 1988. “How the Leopard Gets Its Spots.” Scientific American 258 (3): 80–87.Pang, Joyce C, Kevin M Aquino, Marianne Oldehinkel, Peter A Robinson, Ben D Fulcher, Michael Breakspear, and Alex Fornito. 2023. “Geometric Constraints on Human Brain Function.” Nature, 1–9.Xu, Y, CM Vest, and JD Murray. 1983. “Holographic Interferometry Used to Demonstrate a Theory of Pattern Formation in Animal Coats.” Applied Optics 22 (22): 3479–83.===The Qualia Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute studying consciousness in a consistent, meaningful, and rigorous way. The institute combines theoretical paradigms with empirical evidence to advance this new era in consciousness research.If you would like to learn more about our work, contribute to our efforts, or find out other ways you can help, please visit our website at qri.orgArticle on QRI.org: qri.org/blog/eigenbasis-of-the-mind
Neural Field Annealing and Psychedelic Thermodynamics Qualia Research Institute 2023-07-24 | Abstract: The paradigm of Neural Annealing developed at the Qualia Research Institute (QRI) by Andrés Gómez Emilsson and Michael E. Johnson has a lot of explanatory power in the context of meditation and exotic states of consciousness such as those induced by psychedelic agents. The theory posits that there is a sense in which each state of consciousness has an associated level of energy, that there are specific energy sinks and sources in the nervous system, and that internal representations can be modified (and indeed "internal stress" released) with an appropriate heating and cooling schedule (aka. neural annealing). More recently, the theory has been enriched with "non-linear wave computing", which might be capable of formalizing the concept of a (phenomenal) "vibe" for internal representations. Of special interest for the scientific community studying psychedelics and meditation is the recent QRI model of Neural Field Annealing, which combines Hebbian learning with Neural Annealing in order to explain why "highly annealed brains" can instantiate harmonic field behavior (such as the Jhanas). In this talk Andrés will provide an overview of the theory, share empirical results, and discuss its testability based on its unique predictions.Relevant links: Overview of the Theory presented at The Stoa (youtu.be/ndjbeF4EqRs)Neural Annealing writeup (opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everything)Application of the Theory for Healing Trauma (qri.org/blog/neural-annealing)A fun video with a conceptual demonstration based on the harmonic modes of a cold-worked metal before and after undergoing annealing (youtu.be/tqRA2m9zlns).===The Qualia Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute studying consciousness in a consistent, meaningful, and rigorous way. The institute combines theoretical paradigms with empirical evidence to advance this new era in consciousness research.If you would like to learn more about our work, contribute to our efforts, or find out other ways you can help, please visit our website at qri.orgA big thank you to the organizers of PhilaDelic 2023 for inviting Andrés to give this talk! More information about PhilaDelic can be found here: philadelic.org
QRI Workshop at Vibe Camp: Guided Meditation Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-28 | Followup to: youtu.be/VdOweKGG48QThis guided meditation is about *energy* and *equanimity*:- Energy is raised by sensory stimuli, valence, attention, and surprise! Energy can be channeled to internal representations to re-anneal them and reduce internal stress - Equanimity enhances valence over time even though in the moment it feels like you're embracing negative states. It increases the stress dissipation capacity of the nervous system.After this meditation we followed the first two recordings of the Mettannealing playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzYD1QVbq6PEqri4A6OY-gClBu71CWnRoWim Hof to raise energy, and then metta to apply that energy in positive ways. People reported strong positive synergy, including people for whom meditation hadn't really done anything before. Great! That was the intention.----See also:Vibe Camp - https://vibe.camp/Buddhist Annealing: Wireheading Done Right with the Seven Factors of Awakening - qualiacomputing.com/2021/04/04/buddhist-annealing-wireheading-done-right-with-the-seven-factors-of-awakeningOpen Sourcing Qualia Mastery: QRI’s First Guided Meditation Series - qualiacomputing.com/2023/06/13/open-sourcing-qualia-mastery-qris-first-guided-meditation-seriesPractising the Jhānas (Rob Burbea) - dharmaseed.org/retreats/4496Thank you to Maggie for editing the audio of the workshop videos. Also thank you to all of the Vibe Camp organizers for their amazing work. Long Live Vibe Camp!
QRI Workshop at Vibe Camp: Main Speech Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-28 | On Saturday of June 17th, 2023, at Vibe Camp, Andrés provided a workshop.Workshop name and time/location:EXPLORE THE STATE-SPACE OF CONSCIOUSNESS WITH QRI7:00 PM - 9:00 PMNear Cabin UAndrés Gómez EmilssonWorkshop description:Come and learn useful techniques to navigate the state-space of consciousness and pick up your Vibe Camp Recorder-a scent created in honor of this event-to "record" this day forever in your memory. It is both pleasant and very distinctive, so that every time you smell it again you will vividly remember this day.---The workshop covered:* Qualia Mastery. In a nutshell: (1) Explore the state-space of consciousness because you want to know it for yourself, (2) Study it from many points of view because you want to understand it intellectually at a deep level, (3) Intend to apply it for the benefit of all beings* The State-Space of Scents: (1) tactile feelings (cold, spiky, dry, dusty, wet, creamy, etc.; mint, cinnamon, violet, rose, etc.), (2) flavors (sweet, sour, etc.; pear, vanilla), and (3) signal processing effects (reverb, echo, etc.; musks, ambers).* How State-Spaces can have exotic geometry: e.g. musks added to other things demonstrate curvature in the JNDs of the space.* The reason behind the scent exploration: it is not because Andrés is a "scent person", but because it's a safe and relatable playground where you one test phenomenological frameworks.* We unveil the "Vibe Camp Recorder" (VCR): smoky rose, peony, galaxolide, pineapple and guava, vanilla and key lime, plus a few "magician perfume tricks" to make it totally unique.* How meditation is often taught leaves a lot to be desired. In a way, it is taught similarly to how math is often taught. You need to solve problems you're engaged with, that are fun, that tell you something new about your mind. Not rote learning.* With meditation, we encourage you to use your intelligence. Ask yourself every time: "What do I need to do *right now* to make this more pleasant, concentrated, tranquil, etc. [whichever you're cultivating]". Be creative!* Sometimes metta will arise with the image of a happy dog, sometimes with remembering a movie, sometimes by imagining you're getting a hug. Be creative, explore, experiment, be sensitive to how the mental movements affect you in the moment. And above all... Enjoy!* Psychedelic research in academia is... Suboptimal. With current methods MDMA + LSD looks the same as LSD alone. We can do better.* The Super-Shulgin Academy is akin to the group of people who figured out the equations of electromagnetism: we didn't figure out electromagnetism by having people who have never seen a magnet go in a room, play with magnets for 5 minutes, and then fill out a questionnaire about their experience. We did it by having super smart technical and complementary people play with magnets, electricity, metals, for years, talking to each other, making drawings, proposing mechanisms, writing equations, making predictions (cf. The Maxwellians).* Super-Shulgin Academy qualifications for being a candidate (4/6+):- Very strong technical skills in physics, math, and to a lesser extent computer science- Advanced meditator (access to Jhanas, stream entry, paths, have gone to many retreats, etc.)- Very experienced with psychedelics (e.g. 100+ substantial [not micro or low dose] experiences with LSD, psilocybin, DMT, etc.)- Excellent mental and physical health (this is a gradient, of course, and a requirement above a certain level for everyone)- Advanced artistic skills, especially technical accomplishments in: writing, video, audio, visual- Extremely curious, motivated, and *confused* about consciousness. We want people who really, really, really want to figure out what is going on with qualia and binding and valence, and who are deeply dissatisfied with the current models, and who have already spent a good amount thinking about it (having read all of QRI/Qualia Computing a big plus)If you "qualify" as a candidate and would like to get involved, reach out! :-)---See also: Vibe Camp website - https://vibe.camp/QRI Scents - qri.org/scentsQualia Mastery Guided Meditation Series - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbmYHvGI-YSvnpbh3ppQqcG72lpw4aQdE _and_ qualiacomputing.com/2023/06/13/open-sourcing-qualia-mastery-qris-first-guided-meditation-seriesQRI/Qualia Computing at: Vibe Camp 2023, Psychedelic Science 2023, PhilaDelic 2023, Front Page of Vice and HackerNews, Solution to the Boundary Problem, and Qualia Mastery Series - qualiacomputing.com/2023/06/11/qri-qualia-computing-at-vibe-camp-2023-psychedelic-science-2023-philadelic-2023-front-page-of-vice-and-hackernews-solution-to-the-boundary-problem-and-qualia-mastery-seriesBill Hicks: Positive LSD Story - youtu.be/IdatGhm_WE4?t=88Bill Hicks + George Carlin: The Big Electron - youtu.be/cvz9uSK3zXo
Can You See Us Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-07 | Symmetric Vision's Psychedelic Cryptography ("PsyCrypto" for short) contest entry, which won the first prize.Learn more about this particular contest: qri.org/blog/psycrypto-contestUnveiling QRI’s Consciousness Art Contests: Immerse, Innovate, and Inspire - qri.org/blog/contest"How to secretly communicate with people on LSD" (the original article that introduced this idea, by Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qualiacomputing.com/2015/05/22/how-to-secretly-communicate-with-people-on-lsdSymmetric Vision's website: https://www.symmetric-vision.xyz/Symmetric Vision's YouTube channel: youtube.com/@SymmetricVision
Guided Meditation: Harmonic Meditation - Calibration Exercises Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-04 | In this guided meditation Andrés walks you through a series of exercises that illustrates harmonic resonance in the energy body and then channels excess energy into high-valence tactile sensations (cf. Piti), which can be a possible foundation practice for the 1st Jhana.The meditation focuses on the inner and outer "feel" channels of (see, hear feel) X (inner, outer) formulation of the "factorization experience" introduced by Shinzen Young in his Unified Mindfulness framework. When necessary feel free to use the inner and outer "see" channel for support, but try to keep "feel" primary. We explore the following kinds of oscillations:- On/off- Left/right- Top/bottom- Front/back- Expand/contract- Toroidal flow (up, down, both at once)- Checkerboard pattern- Zebra pattern- Homogenous attention in space- Space qualities: solid, liquid, magnetic, viscosity, gaseous, plasma- Pleasure, joy, peace- Laminal flow and energy management techniquesIt is recommended that one first listens to the guided meditations about Energy, Attention, and Valence of this Qualia Mastery series before doing this one.Relevant Links:Developing Piti, Developing Focus, Developing Wellbeing (Rob Burbea) - dharmaseed.org/talks/60864Representational and Computational Properties of Resonance (Steven Lehar) - http://slehar.com/wwwRel/HRezBook/HRezBook.htmlThe Resonance and Vibration of [Phenomenal] Objects - qualiacomputing.com/2019/03/09/the-resonance-and-vibration-of-phenomenal-objects
Psychedelic Replication Contest Winner Forest Synesthesia (by Symmetric Vision) Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-04 | Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness Contest: Replication (Immerse) [writeup] - qri.org/blog/replication-contestScore: 81.5Artist: Raimonds Jermaks (Symmetric Vision)Title: MultiSensory MemoriesDescription: “That moment when your senses start blending together and you realize that it wasn’t a microdose.”Effects: Color shifting, visual drifting, embedded geometry, patterning, enhanced pattern recognition, audio distortions, synesthesiaWebsite: symmetric-vision.xyzCommentary by the international panel of expert phenomenologists selected by QRI to evaluate the contest entries:Every judge was deeply impressed with this piece. They reported that there was a lot to love about it. A number of them immediately realized that the piece was supposed to be experienced by gently focusing at the center of the screen and absorbing the effects by letting them seep into one’s peripheral vision. That said, even looking around the piece by shifting the location of one’s fovea is really compelling 2 .The replication does many effects really well in a technically proficient and accurate way. It is clearly not made with AI, except for perhaps the texture of the embedded geometry of hexagons at 0:28, and the triangle overlay that starts around 0:56.One of the most salient features of this replication was the very technically accurate way in which the layers of effects interact with one another. One common problem with psychedelic replications that detracts from their accuracy is when they use multiple effects at once in an uncoordinated way. Meaning that, even if each of the effects (say, tracers and wallpaper symmetries) are accurate, when they are not properly coupled with each other, the overall replication doesn’t look realistic. The judges agreed that this is one, if not the best, replication they have ever seen of psychedelic synesthesia in the category that goes from sound to vision. Listen carefully: when the birds chirp, the Newton rings in peripheral vision flicker. But not only do they flicker in synchrony with the sound, but they also seem to echo, strobe, and reverberate in a way that the judges described as uncannily realistic.Another effect worth noting is that this replication approximates really well the sense of an underlying “master clock signal” or metronome that dictates the evolution of the patterns in tandem with the sensory input. In particular, it is not a simple metronome, but more along the lines of a musical syncopation, which is more realistic. Or think of the time signature of a song (4/4, 4/6, etc.). Indeed it is rare for psychedelic experiences to be guided by a simple metronome; they tend to have a degree of underlying musicality, and this replication is great at achieving an impression of this effect.A judge pointed out that this replication was the best at striking the right balance between showing effects in their full strength while avoiding making a caricature out of them. The effects fade in and out in a natural way that feels organic and appropriate. Finally, it was also pointed out by a number of them that the embedding of the geometries into the scene was done very precisely.Symmetric Vision's website: https://www.symmetric-vision.xyz/Symmetric Vision's YouTube channel: / @symmetricvision
Guided Meditation: Divine Qualia - Open Sourcing God Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-02 | Without making any ontological, philosophical, or metaphysical assertions or assumptions, we point out that the phenomenology of the divine and in particular the *concept* of “God” has an important **resonance** for the human soul. Therefore exploring this phenomenology is essential for a complete direct understanding of consciousness.In this guided meditation Andrés walks you through an exploration of the phenomenology of different conceptions of the divine. The key guiding question for this exploration is: what does it *feel like* to inhabit the phenomenal world in which God is conceived in this or that way? Rather than pursuing a specific conception, we instead engage in an open ended exploration of the divine for the sake of developing Qualia Mastery*. We call this approach “Open Sourcing God”, where one is not dependent on other’s interpretations or rules to access the God of one’s own understanding.Conceptions of the diving explored include Chaos, Ingroup, Hierarchy, Creator, The Law, Archetype, Replication, Dynamics, Life, Energy, Coincidence and Synchronicity, Love, Compassion, Witness, Consciousness, Awareness, Oneness, Axis of Annealing, and Valence.—————Relevant links:Simulations of God: The Science of Belief (1975) by John Lillygoodreads.com/en/book/show/1981073The True Beauty of Your "Soul" by Shinzen Young [a secular conception of the soul worth paying attention to] - youtu.be/K50i1AYPl7wKey Ideas of a Soulmaking Dharma (Part 2 - The Eros-Psyche-Logos Dynamic) by Rob Burbea - dharmaseed.org/talks/51517—————*Qualia Mastery, in a nutshell:1) Explore the state-space of consciousness because you want to know it for yourself2) Study it from many points of view because you want to understand it intellectually at a deep level3) Intend to apply it for the benefit of all beings
Psychedelic Cryptography Contest Winner (by Symmetric Vision) Qualia Research Institute 2023-06-02 | This is a longer version of Symmetric Vision's Psychedelic Cryptography ("PsyCrypto" for short) contest entry, which won the first prize.Learn more about this particular contest: qri.org/blog/psycryptoUnveiling QRI’s Consciousness Art Contests: Immerse, Innovate, and Inspire - qri.org/blog/contest"How to secretly communicate with people on LSD" (the original article that introduced this idea, by Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qualiacomputing.com/2015/05/22/how-to-secretly-communicate-with-people-on-lsdSymmetric Vision's website: https://www.symmetric-vision.xyz/Symmetric Vision's YouTube channel: youtube.com/@SymmetricVision
Guided Meditation: High-Valence Calisthenics - Exploring the Heaven Worlds Qualia Research Institute 2023-05-31 | In this guided meditation Andrés walks you through a wide range of possible high-valence states of consciousness, aka. phenomenal "heaven worlds".Calisthenics are exercises that you can perform with minimal equipment and that are intended to exercise every muscle group in the body. Now what would it mean to do "meditation calisthenics"? Well, that you exercise every kind of meditative approach in order to keep all of your "meditation muscles" fit. More specifically, "high-valence calisthenics" would be the practice of engaging with every kind of positive valence state of consciousness achievable without the aid of external aids (whether chemical, sensorial, or situational).In this guided meditation we go through the high-valence configurations of "see, hear, feel" (inner & outer), artistic states of consciousness, social mindsets, metta, "cosmic party mode", the worlds of insight, intellectual understanding, realization, and the modes of being of refined and purified high-valence (Jhanas).We conclude by dedicating these beautiful qualities of the mind for the benefit of all beings.Infinite bliss! --------------Relevant links: High-Valence Meditation - qualiacomputing.com/2021/12/03/high-valence-meditationOn Dark Rooms, Jhanas, Ecstasy, and the Symmetry Theory of Valence - qualiacomputing.com/2021/10/31/on-dark-rooms-jhanas-ecstasy-and-the-symmetry-theory-of-valence--------------"Calisthenics (American English) or callisthenics (British English) (/ˌkælɪsˈθɛnɪks/) is a form of strength training consisting of a variety of movements that exercise large muscle groups (gross motor movements), such as standing, grasping, pushing, etc. These exercises are often performed rhythmically and with minimal equipment, as bodyweight exercises. They are intended to increase strength, fitness, and flexibility, through movements such as pulling, pushing, bending, jumping, or swinging, using one's body weight for resistance in pull-ups, push-ups, squats, etc. Calisthenics can provide the benefits of muscular and aerobic conditioning, in addition to improving psychomotor skills such as balance, agility, and coordination." - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calisthenics
Guided Meditation: The Thermodynamics of Consciousness and the Ecosystem of Agents Qualia Research Institute 2023-05-27 | In this guided meditation Andrés walks you through QRI's recent work on:* The Thermodynamics of Consciousness: how energy flows from energy sources (sensory stimulation, valence, attention, surprise, and the background noise signature) towards the bound field of consciousness, which is then shaped via the energy sink landscape of symmetry and recognition, and then exit via motor action or "outer field radiation".And,* The Ecosystem of Agents: our minds work somewhat similar to a next-token prediction engine like GPT-4, where the existing constraints help resolve the ambiguity of the regions of experience which remain amorphous. In order to make accurate predictions of the world, we need to actually simulate agentive behavior (because the world of full of agents). To do this we create "subagents" that play the role of agentive forces so that we can predict them (and ultimately remain safe).The meditation also walks through a series of strategies for dealing with subagents in order to harmonize them and experience a healthy and wholesome ecosystem of friendly subagents that help each other in beautiful ways: 1. Improve the training data2. Practice the meditation where you guide lost subagents to a pool of love that re-absorbs them3. Good vibes as base: your mood provides the evolutionary selection pressures for agentive forces, so cultivating beautiful mindsets will enable more friendly agents to arise4. More Dakka on equanimity and metta5. Reward clean intentions before flattery (there's a vibe to transparent intentions)6. Explore different network structures for agents that are more easily manageable---------------To learn more read:Good Vibe Theory - qualiacomputing.com/2023/02/25/good-vibe-theoryAligning DMT Entities: Shards, Shoggoths, and Waluigis - qualiacomputing.com/2023/03/05/aligning-dmt-entities-shards-shoggoths-and-waluigis
Guided Meditation: Local Binding and the PageRank of Attention Qualia Research Institute 2023-05-25 | In this guided meditation Andrés helps you explore the way in which attention constructs local binding connections between phenomenal features and how the flow of attention and awareness can be modeled with the graph algorithm called PageRank.Topics covered:- Review of the nature of attention: what you pay attention gets stronger, gets locally bound, and gets connected to what you were paying attention right before- Noticing local binding in See, Hear, Feel (inner & outer)- Cross-modal coupling: divide and conquer technique for preventing negative valence and a coherence technique to enhance positive valence- Oscillatory complementarity between awareness and attention- How objects of perception can play the role of witnesses and witnessed elements of a scene- Hybrid attentional modes- Chains of witnessing and Nth-order intentionality- PageRank of attention- Space witnessing spaceThese are all very helpful techniques and insights to practice and add to your Qualia Mastery* toolkit.----------Relevant links:Attention & Awareness: Oscillatory Complementarity, Non-Linearities, and the Pointlessness of It All - youtu.be/TNJrJEA8sEMAlgorithmic Reduction of Psychedelic States - qualiacomputing.com/2016/06/20/algorithmic-reduction-of-psychedelic-statesThe Constructive Aspect of Visual Perception (Steven Lehar) - http://slehar.com/www/ConstructiveAspect/ConstructiveAspect.htmlVisual demonstration of PageRank - https://graui.de/pageRank.htm----------*Qualia Mastery, in a nutshell:1) Explore the state-space of consciousness because you want to know it for yourself2) Study it from many points of view because you want to understand it intellectually at a deep level3) Intend to apply it for the benefit of all beings
Guided Meditation: Textures of Valence - Consonance, Dissonance, and Noise Qualia Research Institute 2023-05-25 | In this guided mediation Andrés walks you through:- A factorization of experience into three main channels with their corresponding inner and outer versions: "see", "hear", and "feel".- Using your energy body as an antenna capable of picking both shapes and frequencies of internal representations: the duality between form and vibration in the phenomenal world.- Symmetry & smooth geometry as the foundation for valence.- Consonance, dissonance, and noise as a way to obtain a readout of the valence of our world-simulation.- A number of pragmatic strategies for addressing phenomenal dissonance.Relevant links/references:High-Valence Meditation - qualiacomputing.com/2021/12/03/high-valence-meditationMichael Johnson's Principia Qualia first introduced the Symmetry Theory of Valence, valence structuralism, and qualia formalism - opentheory.net/principia-qualiaThe Consonance Disonance Noise Signature framework first introduced by Andrés Gómez Emilsson in Quantifying Bliss - qri.org/blog/quantifying-blissThe Symmetry Theory of Valence (@The Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London) - youtu.be/tSPZ4xt5f2kNeural Annealing by Michael Johnson - opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everythingHealing Trauma With Neural Annealing - qri.org/blog/neural-annealingThe Constructive Aspect of Visual Perception by Steven Lehar - http://slehar.com/www/ConstructiveAspect/ConstructiveAspect.htmlSee, Hear, Feel by Shinzen Young - youtu.be/zEAWweizGCcPracticing the Jhanas by Rob Burbea - dharmaseed.org/retreats/4496Geometry Through the Eyes of Felix Klein - qualiacomputing.com/2020/05/11/geometry-through-the-eyes-of-felix-klein
Guided Meditation: Playing with the Energy Parameter Qualia Research Institute 2023-05-23 | In this guided meditation Andrés walks you through a variety of methods to modulate the "energy parameter" of experience. This is a building block for the framework of Neural Annealing in the nervous system, which explores how (suitably defined) energy impacts internal representations, facilitates solving constraint satisfaction problems, and has the potential to lead to sustainable high valence states of consciousness by reducing internal stress.We explore energy sources such as (a) sensory input, (b) pleasure and pain, (c) attention, (d) and surprise. Additionally a wide range of techniques for how to build, manage, and skillfully deploy the energy are discussed and practiced.Enjoy!--------Relevant Links:The Hyperbolic Geometry of DMT Experiences: Symmetries, Sheets, and Saddled Scenes - qualiacomputing.com/2016/12/12/the-hyperbolic-geometry-of-dmt-experiencesPeaceful Qualia: The Manhattan Project of Consciousness - qualiacomputing.com/2016/03/29/peaceful-qualia-the-manhattan-project-of-consciousnessNeural Annealing (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everythingHealing Trauma with Neural Annealing - qri.org/blog/neural-annealingGood Vibe Theory - qualiacomputing.com/2023/02/25/good-vibe-theoryThe Brain as a Non-Linear Optical Computer: Reflections on a 2-Week Jhana Meditation Retreat - youtu.be/ELp0904CjLwQRI's Tracer Tool (as an example for how to measure an aspect of the visual energy parameter) - psychophysics.qri.org
Guided Meditation: The Varieties of Attention Qualia Research Institute 2023-05-21 | This is a guided meditation provided by Andrés in order to enrich one's conception of the nature of "attention".Attention is typically thought of as a fuzzy "spotlight" that redirects cognitive resources to a region of one's experience. But this is just one of many varieties of attention. In fact, many changes to one's state of consciousness have very little to do with changes to perceptual features like color, brightness, auditory pitch, tactile sensations, or the texture of thought. At times, one can tell that one's state of consciousness has changed dramatically and yet it is very hard to pin-point exactly what that change consists of. In many of those cases, that's because the change is primarily attentional. Thus, learning about alternative modes of attention is an important tool to enable higher quality phenomenological reports and replications. It has the added bonus that knowing a broad range of attentional modes can radically enhance one's meditation practice.Join us in this guided meditation to get acquainted with a much broader set of attentional modes. Relevant Links:Attention & Awareness: Oscillatory Complementarity, Non-Linearities, and the Pointlessness of It All - youtu.be/TNJrJEA8sEMGuide to Writing Rigorous Reports of Exotic States of Consciousness - qri.org/blog/rigorous-reportsQRI Glossary - qri.org/glossaryHigh-Valence Meditation (Rob Burbea) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/12/03/high-valence-meditationDeveloping Piti, Developing Focus, Developing Wellbeing (Rob Burbea) - dharmaseed.org/talks/60864
Exploratory Haptic Research at QRI: Valence, Arousal, Phenomenal Complexity, and Loving-Kindness Qualia Research Institute 2022-10-23 | Sean McGowan's 2021 presentation about the haptic research ("Heart Notes Discovery Project") he did at QRI together with Ryan Ferris, Andrés Gómez Emilsson (ALGE), and Quintin Frerichs. The full project took place between January and June of 2021. The first part involved exploring a wide range of possible haptic patterns in a systematic way, and the second part consisted of creating "haptic tracks" for healing purposes leveraging our insights from the first part. We showcased the resulting tracks at the June 2022 QRI Summer Party titled "The Future of Consciousness".Abstract of the presentation:Fostering auspicious conditions for psychedelic therapy is an active area of research. Much of this work focuses on the semantic content of a session's set and setting. However, increasing the likelihood of healing states is not just a matter of the content of a participant's thoughts and feelings, but also the texture. Sensory stimulation can have a profound influence on this texture, as has been noted with the use of music in psychedelic treatment. We believe that this should not stop with audio, however. Incorporating several forms of sensory stimulation, such as haptic vibration, can profoundly impact the likelihood of a positive session. Thus, we explored the phenomenology of haptic stimulation for healing and pleasing patterns that could stand as the foundation for use in psychedelic treatment.Credits:Sean McGowan (principal researcher), Ryan Ferris (artist and collaborator), Andrés Gómez Emilsson (developed the research plan, supervisor, phenomenological feedback provider, and evaluator), Quintin Frerichs (phenomenological feedback provider).Relevant Links:- "QRI’s Heart Notes Discovery Project" (Original Research Plan by ALGE) - docs.google.com/document/d/1svTUxlOM0DDn_3EX36qziCJkGURrOOYEsPc3-FGHs50/edit?usp=sharing- Neural Annealing (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everything- The Theory of Neural Annealing by ALGE @ The Stoa (youtu.be/ndjbeF4EqRs)- Healing Trauma with Neural Annealing (ALGE) - qri.org/blog/neural-annealing- Quantifying Bliss (ALGE) - qri.org/pdf/Quantifying-Bliss.pdf- The Future of Consciousness (ALGE) - youtu.be/SeTE8vtJufA- Ryan Ferris' Music - ryanferrismusic.com- Sean's Twitter handle: @seanqualia Thanks to:- Nemo Godebski-Pedersen who invited us to present about QRI research topics at Psychedelic Studies Imperial (youtube.com/channel/UC00Pgx70tpu0je6zAARDsyg) for which this presentation was originally made.- Margareta Wassinge for video and audio editing.- Michael Johnson for suggesting exploring fractal noise in this project.- Daniel Clelland and James Ormrod for operating the sessions at the QRI party in June, and to Scott Jackisch (healingexperiencelab.com) for lending us extra haptic pillows.
David Pearce and Andrés Gómez Emilsson Chat About the Nature of Reality Qualia Research Institute 2022-09-07 | David Pearce and Andrés Gómez Emilsson chat about the nature of reality.Along the way, they discuss the early days of David's HedWeb, the Abolitionist Project, the Three Supers of Transhumanism (Superhappiness, Superintelligence, and Superlongevity), philosophy and history of science, the nature of intelligence, field theories of consciousness, anesthesia, empathogens, anti-tolerance drugs, and much more.Some of the key essays discussed:Utopian Pharmacology - "Mental Health in the Third Millennium - MDMA and Beyond" - mdma.netFuture Opioids: The Quest for a Drug-Free Society - opioids.comThe Biointelligence Explosion - "How recursively self-improving organic robots will modify their own source code and bootstrap our way to full-spectrum superintelligence" - biointelligence-explosion.comThe Zero Ontology - David Pearce on Why Anything Exists (by Arthur Witherall) - hedweb.com/witherall/zero.htmEarly Days of HedWeb (first Internet Archive snapshot, in 1998): web.archive.org/web/19980701135020/http://www.hedweb.com/confile.htmThe Hedonistic Imperative - hedweb.comThe Qualia Research Institute - qri.orgThank you mQuery for editing this video together!
The Ontological Dinner Party w/ Daniel Ingram, Andrés Gómez Emilsson, Frank Yang, & Ryan Ferris Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-29 | In this video, Andrés Gómez Emilsson from the Qualia Research Institute, Daniel Ingram from the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC), Frank Yang (body-builder turned meditator) and Ryan Ferris from The Good Timeline (TGT) come together to discuss the ontology of reality. Ryan affectionately referred to this event as the Ontological Dinner Party.The occasion stands out in that the discussion was an opportunity for Andrés to bring onto the table numerous QRI paradigms (Neural Annealing, Non-Linear Wave Computing, the Symmetry Theory of Valence, CDNS, etc.) to test their explanatory power and consistency with the first-person experience of Daniel and Frank. The conversation was very fruitful to this end, given that both Daniel and Frank are really advanced and accomplished meditators determined to communicate their phenomenology with the world, which means that they have a very wide experience base that informs their understanding of what is possible in the realm of consciousness. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we did!Many thanks to Ryan Ferris (Beacon Bloom; The Good Timeline) for allowing us to post this video on this channel.-----------------------------------Relevant links:The Qualia Research Institute (QRI) - qri.orgQRI Glossary - qri.org/glossaryThe Good Timeline (Ryan Ferris) - thegoodtimeline.com/aboutBeacon Bloom (Ryan Ferris, James Allen, & Joss Doge) - beaconbloom.comFULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路 (Frank Yang) - youtu.be/4t8KvdMtT4AFrank Yang's Instragram - instagram.com/being_frank_yang/?hl=enDaniel Ingram's website - integrateddaniel.infoMastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha (Daniel Ingram) - mctb.orgHigh-Valence Meditation (Rob Burbea) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/12/03/high-valence-meditationThe Supreme State of Unconsciousness: Classical Enlightenment from the Point of View of Valence Structuralism (Andrés’ conversation with Roger Thisdell) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/11/23/the-supreme-state-unconsciousness-classical-enlightenment-from-the-point-of-view-of-valence-structuralismOn Dark Rooms, Jhanas, Ecstasy, and the Symmetry Theory of Valence (Andrés responds to Scott Alexander) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/10/31/on-dark-rooms-jhanas-ecstasy-and-the-symmetry-theory-of-valencePrincipia Qualia (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/PrincipiaQualia.pdfNeural Annealing (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everythingHealing Trauma with Neural Annealing (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/05/08/healing-trauma-with-neural-annealingThe Zero Ontology - David Pearce on Why Anything Exists (Arthur Witherall) - hedweb.com/witherall/zero.htmWhy Does Anything Exist? Zero Ontology, Physical Information, and Pure Awareness (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - youtu.be/KdDNfTREQJUQuantifying Bliss: Talk Summary - Qualia Research Institute (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qri.org/pdf/Quantifying-Bliss.pdfDigital Sentience Requires Solving the Boundary Problem - qri.org/blog/digital-sentienceNonlinear Wave Computing: Vibes, Gestalts, and Realms - qri.org/blog/nonlinear-wave-computingModeling Psychedelic Tracers with QRI’s Psychophysics Toolkit: The Tracer Replication Tool - qualiacomputing.com/2020/10/09/modeling-psychedelic-tracers-with-qris-psychophysics-toolkit-the-tracer-replication-tool
What is the Upper Bound of Valence? Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-28 | This is an excerpt from the upcoming podcast episode (titled "The Ontological Dinner Party") by Ryan Ferris for The Good Timeline featuring Daniel Ingram, Frank Yang, and Andrés Gómez Emilsson. The entire video will be released next week, and deals with the topic of "models of enlightenment". In this excerpt Andrés discusses the possibility that the “peak valence state” is in fact the one that has zero information content. The total valence of an experience can be approximated in terms of the energy located in the pinch points, sheer surfaces, stresses, strains, etc. of the state, which add up to the negative valence channel, and the total amount of symmetry, smoothness, geometric regularity, etc., of the state, which add up to the positive valence channel. In a sense, all of the negative valence features of an experience are the result of "symmetry breaking" in one way or another. Therefore, the "perfect state" would be the one with zero symmetry breaking, and as a consequence, zero information. Phenomenal nothingness and bliss might ultimately unite at the asymptote.Daniel comments: “Pretty much what the Buddha said.” And Andrés retorts: “According to Shinzen Young, relative to Nirvana… everything hurts.”Relevant links:The Qualia Research Institute - qri.orgThe Good Timeline (Ryan Ferris) - thegoodtimeline.com/aboutFULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路 (Frank Yang) - youtu.be/4t8KvdMtT4ADaniel Ingram's website - integrateddaniel.infoHigh-Valence Meditation (Rob Burbea) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/12/03/high-valence-meditationThe Supreme State of Unconsciousness: Classical Enlightenment from the Point of View of Valence Structuralism (Andrés’ conversation with Roger Thisdell) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/11/23/the-supreme-state-unconsciousness-classical-enlightenment-from-the-point-of-view-of-valence-structuralismOn Dark Rooms, Jhanas, Ecstasy, and the Symmetry Theory of Valence (Andrés responds to Scott Alexander) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/10/31/on-dark-rooms-jhanas-ecstasy-and-the-symmetry-theory-of-valencePrincipia Qualia (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/PrincipiaQualia.pdfThe Zero Ontology - David Pearce on Why Anything Exists (Arthur Witherall) - hedweb.com/witherall/zero.htmWhy Does Anything Exist? Zero Ontology, Physical Information, and Pure Awareness (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - youtu.be/KdDNfTREQJUQuantifying Bliss: Talk Summary - Qualia Research Institute (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qri.org/pdf/Quantifying-Bliss.pdf
On the Medium of Thought Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-27 | This is an excerpt from the upcoming podcast episode (titled "The Ontological Dinner Party") by Ryan Ferris for The Good Timeline featuring Daniel Ingram, Frank Yang, and Andrés Gómez Emilsson. The entire video will be released next week, and deals with the topic of "models of enlightenment". In this excerpt Andrés discusses the influence that the “medium of thought” has on the content of thought. In brief, the very way in which thoughts *feel* influences what it is that we can thing *about*. We don’t usually realize this, but it impacts everything we talk about at a deep level.Relevant links:The Qualia Research Institute - qri.orgThe Good Timeline (Ryan Ferris) - thegoodtimeline.com/aboutFULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路 (Frank Yang) - youtu.be/4t8KvdMtT4ADaniel Ingram's website - integrateddaniel.infoOn the Medium of Thought (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qualiacomputing.com/2020/12/12/on-the-medium-of-thoughtTheir Scientific Significance is Hard to Overstate (David Pearce) - qualiacomputing.com/2017/03/11/their-scientific-significance-is-hard-to-overstate
Total Agnosticism and the Information Content of Experience Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-26 | This is an excerpt from the upcoming podcast episode (titled "The Ontological Dinner Party") by Ryan Ferris for The Good Timeline featuring Daniel Ingram, Frank Yang, and Andrés Gómez Emilsson. The entire video will be released next week, and deals with the topic of "models of enlightenment". In this excerpt Frank, Daniel, and Andrés talk about how the lens of the “perspective of no perspective”/“don’t know mind”, i.e. total ontological agnosticism, can take you “deeper” in meditation. Andrés argues that this is the result of the fact that agnosticism minimizes the information content of an experience (cf. Zero Ontology).Relevant links:The Qualia Research Institute - qri.orgThe Good Timeline (Ryan Ferris) - thegoodtimeline.com/aboutFULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路 (Frank Yang) - youtu.be/4t8KvdMtT4ADaniel Ingram's website - integrateddaniel.infoThe Zero Ontology - David Pearce on Why Anything Exists (Arthur Witherall) - hedweb.com/witherall/zero.htmWhy Does Anything Exist? Zero Ontology, Physical Information, and Pure Awareness (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - youtu.be/KdDNfTREQJUA Conversation with Roger Thisdell about Classical Enlightenment and Valence Structuralism (Andrés Gómez Emilsson and Roger Thisdell) - qri.org/blog/classical-enlightenment-and-valence-structuralism
Daniel Ingram and Andrés Gómez Emilsson: From an Alchemy of the Mind to a Chemistry of Consciousness Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-26 | This is an excerpt from the upcoming podcast episode (titled "The Ontological Dinner Party") by Ryan Ferris for The Good Timeline featuring Daniel Ingram, Frank Yang, and Andrés Gómez Emilsson. The entire video will be released next week, and deals with the topic of "models of enlightenment". In this excerpt Daniel and Andrés discuss the phenomenology of “elemental meditations”. Why is it that during meditation it is possible to experience the feeling of “becoming fire” (or earth, water, wind, and space)? Andrés argues that these are some examples of a much larger “table of self-organizing principles” that our nervous system instantiates, while Daniel plays Devil’s Advocate for the notion that there is something really baked in that makes these elements essential building blocks of phenomenological rendering. They arrive at a synthesis.Relevant links:The Qualia Research Institute - qri.orgThe Good Timeline (Ryan Ferris) - thegoodtimeline.com/aboutFULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路 (Frank Yang) - youtu.be/4t8KvdMtT4ADaniel Ingram's website - integrateddaniel.infoThe Fire Kasina Meditation Site - firekasina.orgFire Kasina: Color Control Experience Report by Daniel Ingram - qualiacomputing.com/2020/05/28/fire-kasina-color-control-experience-report-by-daniel-ingramDigital Sentience Requires Solving the Boundary Problem (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) - qri.org/blog/digital-sentienceAre there Similarities Between Crystals and States of Mind? (Anders & Maggie) - youtu.be/2d4CFxnwxSE
Frank Yang on the Symmetry Theory of Valence Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-25 | This is an excerpt from the upcoming podcast episode (titled "The Ontological Dinner Party") by Ryan Ferris for The Good Timeline featuring Daniel Ingram, Frank Yang, and Andrés Gómez Emilsson. The entire video will be released next week, and deals with the topic of "models of enlightenment". In this excerpt Frank Yang talks about how symmetry, in his own experience, is connected to valence. Importantly, this is *both* at the level of surface aesthetics, as well as in the context of the deep structure of meditative experiences and, ultimately, "enlightenment" (4th Path).Relevant links:The Qualia Research Institute - qri.orgThe Good Timeline (Ryan Ferris) - thegoodtimeline.com/aboutFULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路 (Frank Yang) - youtu.be/4t8KvdMtT4ADaniel Ingram's website - integrateddaniel.infoOn Dark Rooms, Jhanas, Ecstasy, and the Symmetry Theory of Valence (Andrés Gómez Emilsson responds to Scott Alexander) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/10/31/on-dark-rooms-jhanas-ecstasy-and-the-symmetry-theory-of-valenceThe Supreme State of Unconsciousness: Classical Enlightenment from the Point of View of Valence Structuralism (Andrés' conversation with Roger Thisdell) - qualiacomputing.com/2021/11/23/the-supreme-state-unconsciousness-classical-enlightenment-from-the-point-of-view-of-valence-structuralismThe Symmetry Theory of Valence: 2020 Presentation (Andrés presents to Robin Carhart-Harris)- qualiacomputing.com/2020/12/17/the-symmetry-theory-of-valence-2020-presentationPrincipia Qualia (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/PrincipiaQualia.pdf----------------------------------------------------------------------And just for fun:Toy Story 4 – 20 Movie Review (Frank Yang) - qualiacomputing.com/2019/11/05/toy-story-4-20-movie-review
Harmonic Gestalt by Steven Lehar Qualia Research Institute 2022-08-16 | We are delighted to share Steven Lehar's Magnus Opus, "Harmonic Gestalt".In this video Lehar provides an overview of the core insights of his life's work. It covers, among other things: Indirect vs. direct realism about perception, modal vs. amodal perception, the projective nature of experience, encoding vs. rendering, gestalt principles, standard computational paradigms, resonance as a principle of computation, (reverse) grassfire algorithm, resonance in biological systems, cymatics, psychedelic states of consciousness, the connection between resonance and aesthetic experiences, Prägnanz, and sonification.Posted with his permission, we are excited to make his insights available to the broader consciousness research community.For context --- Steven Lehar was added as a QRI Lineage in 2021: qri.org/research-lineagesTIMESTAMP00:00:00 Intro00:00:30 Part 1: The Paradox of Visual Experience00:02:41 Part 2: Amodal perception and Perceptual Reification00:07:51 Part 3: The Ontology of Visual Experience00:13:02 Part 4: Perceptual Modeling00:16:36 Part 5: Gestalt Theory00:28:07 Part 6: Properties of Harmonic Resonance00:35:22 Part 7: What can you Do with Resonance?00:55:05 Part 8: Harmonic Gestalt01:07:45 Part 9: Feedforward and Feedback Model01:12:45 Part 10: Grassfire Algorithm and Harmonic Gestalt01:27:26 Part 11: Cortical Maps01:35:27 Part 12: Predictions for Neuroscience01:38:53 Part 13: Motor Control01:55:25 Part 14: Resonance in Visual Experience02:00:00 Part 15: Conclusion----------------------------------------Resources:“Cartoon Epistemology.” ———. 2003. Steven Lehar’s Homepage. http://slehar.com/wwwRel//cartoonepist/cartoonepist62.html“Harmonic Resonance Theory: An Alternative to the "Neuron Doctrine” Paradigm of Neurocomputation to Address Gestalt Properties of Perception.” ———. 1999. Steven Lehar’s Homepage. http://slehar.com/wwwRel/webstuff/hr1/hr1.html“The Grand Illusion: A Psychonautical Odyssey into the Depths of Human Experience.” ———. 2010. Steven Lehar’s Homepage. http://slehar.com/wwwRel/GrandIllusion.pdf“Clifford Algebra: A Visual Introduction.” ———. 2014. Steven Lehar’s Blog. slehar.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/clifford-algebra-a-visual-introduction“Steven Lehar - Do We Live in the Real World? (@Harvard Science of Psychedelics Club).” ———. 2019. Zuck This YouTube Channel. youtu.be/WPZ9WMvtbi0"A Future for Neuroscience"———. 2018, Michael Johnson, Open Theoryopentheory.net/2018/08/a-future-for-neuroscience"Memetic Vaccine Against Interdimensional Aliens Infestation" ———. qualiacomputing.com/2017/03/08/memetic-vaccine-against-interdimensional-aliens-infestation"Free-Wheeling Hallucinations" ——— 2019, Andres Gomez Emilsson, Qualia Computing qualiacomputing.com/2019/01/06/free-wheeling-hallucinations"The Resonance and Vibration of [Phenomenal] Objects"———. Andres Gomez Emilsson, Qualia Computing qualiacomputing.com/2019/03/09/the-resonance-and-vibration-of-phenomenal-objects
Andrés Gómez Emilsson Answers Questions from a QRI Discord Channel Qualia Research Institute 2022-07-31 | Andrés Gómez Emilsson from the Qualia Research Institute (qri.org) responds to questions from members of an unofficial QRI Discord channel on July 24th, 2022.Links:The Symmetry Theory of Valence (@The Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London) - youtube.com/watch?v=tSPZ4xt5f2kDigital Sentience and the Binding and Boundary Problems - qri.org/blog/digital-sentienceGuide to Writing Rigorous Reports of Exotic States of Consciousness - qri.org/blog/rigorous-reportsQRI’s Psychophysics Tracer Toolkit - http://psychophysics.qri.orgThe Pseudo-Time Arrow - qri.org/blog/pseudo-time-arrowWhy I Don’t Prioritize Consciousness Research by Magnus Vinding - magnusvinding.com/2022/07/07/why-i-dont-prioritize-consciousness-researchYou Can’t Argue with a Zombie by Jaron Lanier - http://www.jaronlanier.com/zombie.htmlKant and Spacetime - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-spacetime/Thank you Libor Burian for helping organize the event and everyone else who attended and asked questions!TIMESTAMPS0:42 How is progress on the Symmetry Theory of Valence going and how can people get involved?09:10 Have you read Why I Don’t Prioritize Consciousness Research by Magnus Vinding?10:33 What are your thoughts on S-Risks?19:20 Have you read You Can’t Argue with a Zombie by Jaron Lanier?31:30 Can a simulated human brain-body system be conscious?39:20 What do you think Kant’s interpretation of time?47:45 Thoughts on transmission meditation?58:05 What are QRI’s thoughts on animal consciousness?1:04:19 Is virtual field behavior possible?1:07:32 Is knowing how to anneal someone else an info-hazard?1:12:37 What is the medium in which mental phenomena are presented?1:22:50 What evidence for the Symmetry Theory of Valence is there?1:25:05 Could Gestalts be detected in neural networks?1:29:00 Could salvia provide insight into purely negative experiences?1:33:45 Has QRI done research on game of life and cellular automata?1:40:17 Who does Andres identify as?1:42:45 What is phenomenal space?1:44:25 Does QRI believe that dissociative identity disorder is a result of topological segmentation? 1:49:50 What might schizophrenia be a disorder of?1:53:05 Do you think a general consciousness system is possible?2:00:03 Could two binary bits be bound together?2:06:00 What are the building blocks of a political theory based on consciousness?2:12:35 What makes things more symmetrical than others?2:18:22 What kind of structure do we need to quantify valence?2:23:40 Where should people submit their trip reports to QRI?2:26:40 If every experience corresponds to a mathematical object, what about the converse?2:29:15 Thoughts on rejuvenation?2:32:40 Do you consider superhappiness to be the least funded out of the Triple S?2:36:02 What is the importance of meditation hygiene?2:41:55 What is a good positive argument for the Symmetry Theory of Valence?2:45:50 Will a superhappiness pill end all wars?2:48:00 Does QRI have any open source projects?2:52:05 Are shared experiences possible topologically?2:55:15 When can we expect Andres’ next video?2:56:41 Is there any value in suffering?2:59:37 Why aren’t more women interested in QRI?
Psychedelic Epistemology: Novel Epistemological Paradigms for Studying Exotic Modes of Consciousness Qualia Research Institute 2022-02-15 | Andrés Gómez Emilsson from the Qualia Research Institute presents about Psychedelic Epistemology at Psychedelic Studies Imperial (December of 2021).Abstract:In this talk Andrés will discuss some of the current limitations of research paradigms for studying exotic states of consciousness and offer several novel approaches he believes can meaningfully transcend such limitations. First of all, it is important to note that in the realm of consciousness, historically we have observed that theories define facts as much as the other way around. While predictive processing, the free energy principle, connectionism, and notions of neural causality are clearly more advanced and refined than behaviorism and functionalism, historical precedents should make us suspicious about their supposed explanatory scope. Indeed, we risk overlooking (and perhaps even denying) key particularly weird but reliable phenomena disclosed by exotic states of consciousness if we cannot "fit them" into our framework. Andrés will share some of the most egregiously bizarre properties of experience as relayed by high-quality and reliable phenomenological observations of exotic states of consciousness. In turn, he will argue that such properties require us to rethink the nature of consciousness. In particular, Andrés will dive into the nature of visual tracers, the structural properties of valence, and holistic field behavior exhibited by the visual field on high-dose psychedelic states. Additionally, he will discuss free-wheeling hallucinations, dualities, and a family of "annealing effects" easily noted if one knows what to look for. Scientific paradigms of consciousness will have to integrate such findings in order to be complete. Andrés will conclude with ideas for how to study these phenomena in systematic ways and hint at explanatory frameworks actually capable of making sense of them.You can find the LIVE version of this presentation here: youtu.be/MPK6o6CjIYsFor more, read about Qualia Research Institute at: thequaliaresearchinstitute.orgThanks to Nemo for providing a spot for the presentation, and to Maggie for editing this video (apologies for the occasional sound disturbances!).-----------Relevant links:QRI's Psychophysics Toolkit: psychophysics.thequaliaresearchinstitute.orgGuide to Writing Rigorous Reports of Exotic States of Consciousness - thequaliaresearchinstitute.org/blog/rigorous-reportsNeural Annealing (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everythingA Future for Neuroscience (Michael Johnson) - opentheory.net/2018/08/a-future-for-neuroscienceThe Control Interrupt Model of Psychedelic Action (James L. Kent) - http://psychedelic-information-theory.com/The-Control-Interrupt-Model-of-Psychedelic-ActionThe Grand Illusion (Steven Lehar) - http://slehar.com/wwwRel/GrandIllusion.pdfWelcoming Steven Lehar as a QRI Lineage - thequaliaresearchinstitute.org/blog/steven-lehar-lineageFree-Wheeling Hallucinations - qualiacomputing.com/2019/01/06/free-wheeling-hallucinationsThe Resonance and Vibration of [Phenomenal] Objects - qualiacomputing.com/2019/03/09/the-resonance-and-vibration-of-phenomenal-objectsThe Fact That We Can Smell Functional Groups is Just Such a Thing (Luca Turin) - qualiacomputing.com/2020/08/25/the-fact-that-we-can-smell-functional-groups-is-just-such-a-thingJosikinz Channel (referenced in the presentation) - youtube.com/channel/UCUJnH-MsFgAgvCVHplxqJOQ/videosJunk Bond Trader Channel (referenced in the presentation) - youtube.com/c/JunkBondTrader/videos
Parameterizing Psychedelic Effects with QRI’s Psychophysics Toolkit Qualia Research Institute 2022-02-06 | Andrés Gómez Emilsson from the Qualia Research Institute presents about how to parametrize visual phenomenology with an emphasis on psychedelic experiences.Try the tool yourself: psychophysics.qri.orgAbstract:In this talk we will discuss preliminary quantitative and qualitative findings about the nature of “visual tracers” on altered states of consciousness as uncovered by QRI’s Tracer Replication Tool (Wu et al, 2020), which is the first of a battery of experiments specifically designed to capture the unique phenomenal properties of psychedelic experiences (QRI’s Psychophysics Toolkit (Gomez Emilsson, 2020)). “Visual tracers”, or palinopsia, are a family of visual disturbances involving alterations to the duration, quality, recurrence, and flickering of after-images. People often remark that, e.g. on LSD, after-images of bright lights can last a remarkable amount of time in one’s visual field (for instance, staying present for 15 seconds rather than merely 2). Early research suggested that LSD’s tracers have specific qualitative properties such as a characteristic flickering of roughly 15-20hz (Dubois & VanRullen, 2011). In this work, we tackle the problem of measuring these effects in precise qualitative (e.g. type of tracers) and quantitate (e.g. frequencies of flickering) ways by radically enriching our conception of visual phenomenology. To do so we (a) develop a fine-grained vocabulary for each visual alteration, and (b) create an interactive tool to allow users to replicate the effects in detail, which they can do from memory or during the experience itself. Concretely, we will explain how tracers can be broken down in terms of quantitative properties like flicker frequency, decay functions, and envelope characteristics, as well as drastically different qualitative behaviors such as stroboscopic, replay, pulsing, and color shifts between positive and negative afterimages. We argue that the tool can be conceptualized as a sort of Photoshop of Tracers (not unlike how e.g. the open-source graph visualization tool Gephi has been described as the Photoshop of Graphs) giving the user a wide range of degrees of freedom to characterize palinopsia phenomenology. We will share our most up-to-date understanding of the characteristics of the tracers of each of the conditions for which we have datapoints (HPPD, THC, LSD, 2C-B, MDMA, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT). Additionally, we will argue that psychedelic tracers are in fact not only scientifically significant: they might even have unexpected applications, as exemplified by the suggestion that they can be used for secure communication, aka. Psychedelic Cryptography (Gomez Emilsson, 2015). Finally, we will explain how to generalize this paradigm to other core psychedelic effects in order to reverse engineer the inner workings of the mind/brain.References: * Dubois, J., & VanRullen, R. (2011). Visual Trails: Do the Doors of Perception Open Periodically? PLoS Biology, 9(5), e1001056. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001056* Wu, L., Gomez Emilsson, A., Zuckerman, A. (2020). QRI Psychophysics Toolkit, Qualia Research Institute. psychophysics.qualiaresearchinstitute.org* Gomez Emilsson, A. (2020). Modeling Psychedelic Tracers with QRI’s Psychophysics Toolkit: The Tracer Replication Tool. Qualia Computing. qualiacomputing.com/2020/10/09/modeling-psychedelic-tracers-with-qris-psychophysics-toolkit-the-tracer-replication-tool* Gomez Emilsson, A. (2015). How to secretly communicate with people on LSD. Qualia Computing. qualiacomputing.com/2015/05/22/how-to-secretly-communicate-with-people-on-lsdNote 1: Early results were first discussed on the 7th episode of A. M. Houot’s Iboganautics Podcast (amhouot.com/76-ep2-7_tracers-trails-and-stroboscopic-effects_andres-gomez-emilsson)Note 2: Relevant background for the theoretical significance of this tool found in James L. Kent’s “Control Interrupt Model of Psychedelic Action” (http://psychedelic-information-theory.com/The-Control-Interrupt-Model-of-Psychedelic-Action) and Steven Lehar’s book “The Grand Illusion” (http://slehar.com/wwwRel/GrandIllusion.pdf). See also PsychonautWiki's "Subjective Effect Index": psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Subjective_effect_index - as explained in the video, we claim that the "zoo of psychedelic effects" can be successfully compressed with algorithmic reductions where a few core effects act in synergy. "Tracer effects" are not superficial; they are a window into how experience is constructed recursively with a layering process. This tool allows us to study this mechanism.————Presentation originally given at the Amsterdam Psychedelic Research Association (https://apra.science/) on February 2nd 2022. You can see a longer version of this video (together with its Q&A and video stream and slightly different audio) here: youtu.be/Rw977YdPQns
Neural Annealing (Presented to Dr. Karl Friston @ the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging @ UCL) Qualia Research Institute 2021-05-08 | Quintin Frerichs from the Qualia Research Institute presents on Neural Annealing: A Theory for Emotional Belief Updating in the Brain. This presentation was given to Dr. Karl Friston at the Theoretical Neurobiology Meetings of the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging.Michael Edward Johnson first wrote about Neural Annealing in "Neural Annealing: Toward a Neural Theory of Everything": opentheory.net/2019/11/neural-annealing-toward-a-neural-theory-of-everythingFor more, read about Qualia Research Institute at: thequaliaresearchinstitute.org
The Symmetry Theory of Valence (@The Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London) Qualia Research Institute 2020-12-18 | Andrés Gómez Emilsson from the Qualia Research Institute presents on the Symmetry Theory of Valence (STV) to Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris and his team at The Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London.You can find a transcript and slides from this talk here: qualiacomputing.com/2020/12/17/the-symmetry-theory-of-valence-2020-presentationHere is the Consonance - Noise - Dissonance - Mixed Spectra audio: soundcloud.com/user-143546163/consonance-noise-dissonance-mixed-spectraSee Principia Qualia by Mike Johnson, where STV was first proposed: opentheory.net/principia-qualiaFor more, read about Qualia Research Institute at: thequaliaresearchinstitute.orgAndrés blogs at Qualia Computing: qualiacomputing.com
