2nd Nov 2024 Gemini 1.5 Pro
This podcast features a conversation with Mike Johnson exploring his theories on vasocomputation, the philosophy of Wittgenstein, and the nature of reality. Johnson's insights offer a unique perspective on the intersection of neuroscience, philosophy, and contemplative practice.
Johnson expresses his admiration for Wittgenstein, emphasizing the philosopher's view that language is a constructed system of "games" with meaning defined within each game. He appreciates Wittgenstein's radical approach to dismantling philosophical confusion by highlighting the limitations and potential manipulations inherent in language. This perspective resonates with Johnson's view of language as a technology, capable of both liberation and control. He sees Wittgenstein's work as a tool for cognitive freedom, particularly valuable in an age of pervasive social influence.
Johnson explains that understanding the constructed nature of language allows us to question its use and uncover potential manipulations. He suggests that by analyzing the origins and evolution of words, we can gain clarity and resist being misled by shifting definitions. This relates to the concept of "rectification of names," where the true referents of words are clarified and restored. He also discusses the distinction between "wordcels" and "shape rotators," arguing that wordcels excel at manipulating language to shape narratives, while shape rotators prioritize a more literal and grounded understanding of reality.
"Wittgenstein's observation, and I think it's just true, is that language gets used not necessarily in ways that illuminates reality, but that control people. And this isn't necessarily good or bad, it just is. And sort of the limits of your language are the limits of your world, to paraphrase, I guess, many people now."
Johnson argues that neuroscience is currently in a pre-paradigmatic state, akin to alchemy before the emergence of chemistry. While there are numerous models, they often lack coherence and fail to integrate into a unified understanding of the brain and nervous system. He highlights the importance of "good taste" in navigating this pre-paradigmatic landscape, suggesting that an intuitive sense of beauty and elegance can guide researchers towards promising avenues of inquiry.
He critiques the tendency to apply neurotechnologies like TDCS without a solid theoretical foundation, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of what it means to be human. Johnson believes that truly impactful neurotech will emerge from a deep understanding of the human being, rather than from ad-hoc experimentation. He points to the work of researchers like Mike Levin and Solonet Tsui, who explore the body as a complex, interconnected system, as promising directions for future research.
"Pre-paradigmatic models are dominated by bullshit and the only antidote is good taste. Because there isn't a paradigm, you can’t necessarily systematically break down every claim, you can’t break down where did this come from and what does this depend on, and so on. And partly that’s due to how early neuroscience theories are, and partly due to how complex the situation is."
Johnson proposes a model of the human being as an embodied LLM, a large language model grounded by the body's sensory inputs. He sees the brain as a hallucination machine, constantly generating predictions about the world, while the body, through its nerve clusters or "chakras," provides error codes that refine these hallucinations. Modernity, according to Johnson, disrupts this mind-body connection, leading to a disembodied state where individuals become overly reliant on external validation and social signals.
He argues that modern schooling, with its emphasis on sedentary behavior and suppression of bodily impulses, contributes to this disembodiment. This disconnection leaves individuals vulnerable to manipulation, as their brains seek grounding in external sources rather than internal cues. Johnson advocates for practices that reconnect individuals with their bodies, such as spending time in nature and minimizing exposure to "super stimuli" like social media.
"If we're grounded by our organs, and they're sort of the place where we get our information about what we should be thinking about, what we should be feeling, what we should be doing, what's important, I would say that, I mean, especially, we can say, the modern schooling system...actively penalizes you when you listen to your body. It's staggeringly terrible."
Johnson uses the analogy of treasure maps to describe the value of traditional wisdom systems, particularly Buddhism, in navigating the pre-paradigmatic landscape of neuroscience. He suggests that these traditions offer valuable insights into the nature of mind and consciousness, pointing towards areas of potential growth and highlighting potential dangers.
He emphasizes the concept of enlightenment within Buddhism, suggesting that it represents a significant and attainable treasure, a state of being far superior to ordinary experience. He cites Nick Cammarata's argument that the transformative potential of enlightenment is often understated, urging listeners to consider its profound benefits. Johnson's research focuses on understanding the neural correlates of meditative states and the potential for discrete, irreversible shifts in consciousness.
"A lot of people have meditated over the years. Buddha was a pretty smart guy. And so were the scholars who came after him as well. And so what did they say about what the landscape looks like? But also, especially, where are the good parts?"
Johnson introduces his theory of vasocomputation, a model that links Buddhist phenomenology, active inference, and the vasomuscular system. He argues that the Buddhist concept of tanha, or grasping, corresponds to the process of active inference, where individuals make predictions and then act to make them true. This grasping, he believes, is implemented through the vasomuscular system, specifically the smooth muscles surrounding blood vessels.
He explains that smooth muscles have a unique "latch" mechanism, allowing them to maintain a contracted state without expending energy. These latches, he hypothesizes, control the dynamic range of neurons by regulating blood flow. Trauma, according to Johnson, can result in persistent latches that restrict neural flexibility and contribute to suffering. He proposes that practices like meditation can decondition these muscle reflexes and release the latches, potentially leading to states of greater well-being and even enlightenment.
"Most of your suffering is probably due to your latches. And most of the limits to your cognitive, emotional, behavioral freedom are also due to these smooth muscle latches. And maybe you’ve heard of, like, heart openings, or whatever, in some esoteric practices, or somebody goes to ayahuasca, it’s an opening. Well, what does that do? Is that real? And I think it is real. It’s a literal release of these smooth muscle latches."