Temporal Thickness

> There are many phenomena in the natural sciences that are predicated on the notion of “self”; namely, self-information, self-organization, self-assembly, self-evidencing, self-modeling, self-consciousness and self-awareness. To what extent does one entail the others? This essay tries to unpack the relationship among these phenomena from first (variational) principles. Its conclusion can be summarized as follows: living implies the existence of “lived” states that are frequented in a characteristic way. This mandates the optimization of a mathematical function called “surprise” (or self-information) in information theory and “evidence” in statistics. This means that biological processes can be construed as an inference process; from evolution through to conscious processing. So where does consciousness emerge? **The proposal offered here is that conscious processing has a temporal thickness or depth, which underwrites inferences about the consequences of action.** This necessarily lends inference a purposeful and self-evidencing aspect that has the hallmarks of consciousness. Finally, we will touch on the distinction between consciousness and self-consciousness; by asking whether self-consciousness only emerges when inferring or disambiguating the author of my sensations; in other words, “did I cause that or did you?” source

The term "memory machine" can be interpreted in different ways, but if we consider it as a device or system that stores and retrieves information, then the concept of a wiki could indeed be seen as a form of a memory machine.

What is a wiki and how might it increase temporal thickness as a memory machine?

related to

Learning Vector Wikis and Temporal Thickness Strange Loop

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Bard

This article by Karl Friston and James Clark titled "Active inference explains embodied perception on an active time scale" provides context for understanding his meaning of "temporal thickness." Here are some specific highlights to consider: * **Active inference and the importance of timescales:** The article posits that the brain actively infers the causes of sensory input to minimize free energy. This inference process happens on multiple timescales, with faster processing for immediate perception and slower timescales for integrating broader contextual information. Friston argues that **ignoring this temporal hierarchy of inference leads to an overly static understanding of perception.** * **Embodied perception and temporal couplings:** The article emphasizes that perception isn't just passive processing of sensory information. Instead, it's an active process where the brain uses its body and past experiences to predict and shape its interactions with the environment. **Temporal thickness in this context refers to the intricate couplings between brain states, body actions, and environmental changes that unfold over time.** * **Interoception and the "self" as a temporal attractor:** The article also mentions interoception, the sense of our internal bodily state. This internal information plays a crucial role in shaping our predictions and perception of the external world. **Temporal thickness could encompass the dynamic interplay between interoceptive signals and exteroceptive stimuli, contributing to the emergence of a sense of "self" as a stable entity across time.** Overall, Friston's use of "temporal thickness" in this article highlights the dynamic and multi-scale nature of active inference in embodied perception. It goes beyond a simple flow of information and emphasizes the rich tapestry of prediction, action, and environmental feedback that unfolds over time. Remember, "temporal thickness" is a nuanced concept, and its precise meaning might vary depending on the specific context and discussion within Friston's work. I encourage you to explore the article further and consider how this concept aligns with your own understanding of perception and brain function.