Search results for "consciousness"
showing 10 items of 338 documents
The Dawning of Computational Psychoanalysis
2014
In this paper, the author wishes first to highlight, within the general cultural context, some possible elementary computational psychoanalysis formalizations concerning Matte Blanco's bi-logic components through certain very elementary mathematical tools and notions drawn from theoretical physics and algebra. Afterwards, on the basis of recent work of Giampaolo Sasso (1999; 2005; 2011), relying on the crucial crossroad between neurosciences and psychoanalysis, it will be possible to identify some hints for further formalization attempts turned toward a computational psychoanalysis outlook. Lastly, possible interesting relationships with cognitive informatics are also outlined.
Is formal thought disorder in schizophrenia related to structural and functional aberrations in the language network? A systematic review of neuroima…
2018
Formal thought disorder (FTD) is a core feature of schizophrenia, a marker of illness severity and a predictor of outcome. The underlying neural mechanisms are still a matter of debate. This study aimed at 1) reviewing the literature on the neural correlates of FTD in schizophrenia, and 2) testing the hypothesis that FTD correlates with structural and functional aberrations in the language network. Medline, PsychInfo, and Embase were searched for neuroimaging studies, which applied a clinical measure to assess FTD in adults with schizophrenia and were published in English or German in peer-reviewed journals until December 2016. Of 412 articles identified, 61 studies were included in the rev…
The Minimal Phenomenal Experience questionnaire (MPE-92M): Towards a phenomenological profile of “pure awareness” experiences in meditators
2021
Objective To develop a fine-grained phenomenological analysis of “pure awareness” experiences in meditators. Methods An online survey in five language versions (German, English, French, Spanish, Italian) collected data from January to March 2020. A total of 92 questionnaire items on a visual analogue scale were submitted to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results Out of 3627 submitted responses, 1403 were usable. Participants had a median age of 52 years (range: 17–88) and were evenly split between men and women (48.5% vs 50.0%). The majority of meditators practiced regularly (77.3%), were free of diagnosed mental disorders (92.4%) and did not regularly use any psychoactive s…
Orders of Consciousness and Forms of Reflexivity in Descartes
2007
Not all high-alexithymia individuals are risk-takers: private self-consciousness moderates the relationship between alexithymia and risk-taking behav…
2016
This article concerns the influence which alexithymia exerts on risk-taking. In particular, alexithymia is seen as a factor which encourages risk-taking as it allows high-alexithymia individuals to feel emotions which are sufficiently intense to compensate for their deficit of emotional awareness. In this connection, we make the hypothesis that alexithymia’s influence is moderated by private self-consciousness (SC). This is because private SC increases the likelihood that high-alexithymia individuals become aware of their risk-taking tendency and that this tendency is discrepant with their pro-safety standards (‘putting someone in danger is bad’) or self-schemas (‘I am a responsible person’…
Introduction—Feelings Matter
2020
Emotions are a hot topic in design, human–computer interaction and any area of business these days. Their significance in areas in which people make choices, decisions and engage in action has been undeniable for at least the last 40 years of psychology and consumer scholarship. What once was an extremely contested, fuzzy and (almost) easily scientifically avoidable area, is now at the centre of everyone’s interest. In an era of cognitive computing, artificial intelligence (so-called learning and thinking machines), and optimization, all attention is placed on what makes us human, and the ways in which human thought actually operates. This emotional logic, intentionality and consciousness i…
Reflection 2008: The State of Science, Religion and Consciousness
2008
2008 is a year in which the world’s economical, financial and even political systems are going through unprecedented turmoil and earth-shaking transformations. Yet, it seems that nothing has changed in Science except that many scientists are sadly loosing there jobs and/or funding. Religion also seems to be stagnant with the exceptions that various hastened prophecies of 2012 are flourishing and charitable contributions are in drastic declines. Under these historical, uncertain, sad but hopeful circumstances, it is appropriate and even urgent that we further reflect on the state of Science and Religion. It is also appropriate that we reflect on the state of consciousness research because ou…
Conscious Machines: A Possibility? If So, How?
2020
The scope of the paper is to encourage scientists and engineering to avoid to do what Einstein pointed out as being the hallmark of folly. Machine consciousness scholars must be brave enough to step out of the beaten path. There must be some big recurrent conceptual mistakes that prevent science and technology from addressing machine consciousness.
Natural world physical, brain operational, and mind phenomenal space–time
2010
Concepts of space and time are widely developed in physics. However, there is a considerable lack of biologically plausible theoretical frameworks that can demonstrate how space and time dimensions are implemented in the activity of the most complex life-system - the brain with a mind. Brain activity is organized both temporally and spatially, thus representing space-time in the brain. Critical analysis of recent research on the space-time organization of the brain's activity pointed to the existence of so-called operational space-time in the brain. This space-time is limited to the execution of brain operations of differing complexity. During each such brain operation a particular short-te…