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January 1, 2020
Brian S. Barnett, Yvan Beaussant, Franklin King et al.
3 citations
Psychiatrists attending national professional conferences vary in their knowledge and opinions about psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies, as measured by a survey instrument. The instrument gauges both factual understanding and personal attitudes, revealing gaps in knowledge and a range of opinions that may influence clinical practice and future adoption of these therapies.
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July 20, 2026
Jiaping Wang
Consciousness arises as an optimal engineering solution to persistence under resource constraints. Starting from three axioms—limited resources, survival-screening constraints, and discrete inputs—the paper demonstrates that a self-referential closed loop is the most efficient structure for maintaining persistence. When temporal integration crosses a critical threshold, the system necessarily attributes causal chains to a single persistent subject, the 'self.' Consciousness is quantified via temporal span T, reconstruction activity A, and closed-loop integrity C, with a two-step emergence geometry of folding into a loop plus anchoring into a surface.
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July 20, 2026
Jiaping Wang
Existing theories describe correlates of consciousness without explaining why it exists. This paper starts from three axioms—limited resources, survival-screening constraints, and discrete inputs—to demonstrate that the self-referential closed loop is the optimal engineering solution for persistence under resource constraints. When temporal integration crosses a critical threshold, the system necessarily attributes causal chains to a single persistent subject, the 'self.
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July 19, 2026
Jiaping Wang
This model explains why consciousness exists, not just what correlates with it. Starting from three axioms—limited resources, survival screening constraints, and discrete inputs—it shows that a self-referential closed loop is the optimal engineering solution for maintaining persistence under resource constraints. When temporal integration crosses a critical threshold, the system attributes causal chains to a single persistent subject, the self. Consciousness is quantified via temporal span T, reconstruction activity A, and closed-loop integrity C. Qualia are defined as endogenous calibration signals of the self-referential closed loop, argued to be the optimal encoding format under evolutionary time pressure, reframing the hard problem as a parameter-interval problem. A five-level consciousness spectrum and a resource-depletion spectrum for psychiatric disorders are proposed, along with four hard constraints for AGI.
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July 18, 2026
Scott Mcknight
Consciousness requires a fragmentation of primordial unity, making the perspectival 'I' both necessary for self-knowledge and a wound of separation. Drawing on William Golding's novel The Inheritors and the works of Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Nāgārjuna, Hofstadter, and Kastrup, the paper traces an arc from pre-Socratic immediacy to artificial intelligence, arguing that AI completes the Western representational project. Where Homo sapiens displaced Neanderthals by combining embodied practice with abstract representation, AI perfects the abstract tool while lacking embodiment. This may force a return to practice as primary, producing a third condition: practice permanently inflected by having passed through full representational consciousness.
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July 18, 2026
Belarmina Garcia
A human being consists of three distinct parts—Body, Mind, and Soul—each of which is dismantled in a different way after death and goes to a different destination. Drawing on Christian, Vedantic, Buddhist, and Sufi traditions, near-death experience research, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Jungian psychology, and mystical accounts of union, the argument proposes that materialist, religious, and mystical descriptions of death are not contradictory but are incomplete perspectives on a single underlying structure. The work is presented as a metaphysical synthesis, not an empirical hypothesis, and acknowledges its evidentiary limits throughout.
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July 17, 2026
Hasan Niazi
A new hypothesis, the Resonance Of Closed Neural Network Geometry (RCNNG), proposes that perception and conscious experience arise from resonance within closed geometrical structures formed in adaptive neural networks. Repeated frequency-based stimulation can generate stable closed attractors in neural activity, and these resonant geometries serve as the basis of perceptual states. The manuscript develops mathematical and dynamical foundations, outlines computational approaches for simulating resonance-driven attractor formation, and proposes experimental paradigms using EEG/MEG and optogenetic stimulation for empirical testing. It defines falsifiability criteria based on the relationship between resonant geometries and subjective perceptual reports, integrating nonlinear dynamics, network theory, and computational neuroscience.
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July 10, 2026
José Alexandre Salerno, Elizabeth R. Dominguez, Karina Karmirian et al.
A brief 24-hour exposure to the serotonergic psychedelic DMT increases proliferation of human neural stem cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. The effect was concentration-dependent, with half-maximal effect at 59.7 nM. DMT treatment also altered trophic gene expression, decreasing neurotrophin-3 while increasing nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) transcripts and intracellular BDNF protein. After DMT was removed, the primed stem cells formed larger neurospheres, with progenitor and early neuronal marker composition matching controls by day 10. These findings demonstrate that brief DMT exposure engages proliferative and neurotrophin-associated responses in human neural stem cells at concentrations consistent with those reported for DMT-induced plasticity in other systems.
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July 10, 2026
Mark Lemon
A minimal ontological framework is proposed in which selection—the actualization of an element from a possibility space—is the sole primitive. From this postulate, a recursively grown selection graph and a local coherence measure kappa generate temporal partial ordering, identity as basin stabilization, and the subject-object distinction as an internal basin partition. Description is selection; first-person structure emerges as recursive self-indexed closure within stabilized basins; agency is self-indexed coherence elevation under indeterminacy. The framework introduces no new empirical predictions but constrains admissible ontological interpretations by eliminating category separation between structure and experience. The central result is a dissolution of the hard problem of consciousness: with selection as primitive, no additional primitive is available to ground a structure/experience distinction, and the distinction cannot be coherently formulated within the framework.
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July 7, 2026
Tao Zhang (43681)
This paper builds a unified metaphysical framework by proposing that the three-dimensional world is a low-dimensional solidified phase arising from spontaneous symmetry-breaking phase transitions in a primordial ontology. These transitions are driven by ontological entropy increase and a trend toward information equilibrium, with no preset subjective goal. The concept of experiential entropy is introduced as a formal construct in consciousness phenomenology, sharing only structural isomorphism with thermodynamic entropy. The framework addresses dilemmas in panpsychism and cosmopsychism, establishes analogies with quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and dimensional physics, and provides an ontological narrative for the cosmic origin of consciousness, the mind-body problem, and finite life, laying a foundation for research on the Experience Complexity Index.
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July 7, 2026
Tao Zhang (43681)
This philosophical paper introduces the Experience Complexity Index (ECI) and an experiential decline thesis to address gaps between philosophy of mind, evolutionary biology, and philosophy of technology. The framework proposes that conscious experience evolves through a sequence of experiential entropy increase, peak stagnation, and system iteration, drawing an analogy between experiential entropy and thermodynamic entropy. It extends concepts like finitude awareness beyond humans, offers a formal-analogical model for comparing experiential complexity across species, and applies the framework to thought experiments about Earth's mass extinctions, consciousness uploading, and extraterrestrial life. The model is presented as a theoretical tool for interdisciplinary reflection, not a directly testable instrument.
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July 7, 2026
Tao Zhang (43681)
A philosophical paper introduces the Experience Complexity Index (ECI) and an experiential decline thesis, arguing that conscious experience evolves through a sequence of increasing experiential entropy, peak stagnation, and system iteration. The framework is a formal-analogical thought-experimental model, not a quantitative instrument. It addresses the hard problem of consciousness, extends Heideggerian finitude beyond humans, and treats experience as the central existential dimension of conscious beings. The ECI has a four-dimensional structure, a 0–13 grading spectrum with evolutionary zones, and is applied to thought experiments on Earth's mass extinctions, consciousness uploading, and extraterrestrial life. The paper offers a unified interdisciplinary language for reflecting on life evolution and conscious experience.
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June 29, 2026
Mawuvi Amlima
A new framework called the Nzila Spirit-Tech Paradigm proposes that indigenous knowledge systems, spiritual intelligence, ecological wisdom, and humanity's relationship with nature should inform the design principles of future technologies, rather than asking how technology can enhance spirituality. The paper presents four foundational pillars, outlines an interdisciplinary research agenda, and proposes an expanded framework for evaluating technological progress based on harmony, responsibility, ecological integrity, cultural continuity, and long-term human flourishing.
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June 23, 2026
Elena Bray, Grant C. Glatfelter, Alexander D. Maitland et al.
A new chemical synthesis of 4-bromo-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (4-Br-DMT) was developed, enabling the creation of novel tryptamine molecules with modifications at the C4 position via palladium cross-coupling reactions. This approach facilitates rapid development of a library of compounds for studying structure-activity relationships with serotonergic targets. Compared to psilocin and DMT, 4-Br-DMT exhibits a serotonergic profile but lacks psychedelic-like effects in mice, though it has a reduced safety profile.
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June 21, 2026
Kevin Jon Berryman
Meditation and mindfulness are widely used in schools, workplaces, hospitals, prisons, and wellbeing apps, but their ethical impact on people remains poorly understood. This thesis examines how contemplative practices shape personal moral thought, emotion, and behavior, and how they influence public institutions, clarifying both potential benefits and ethical risks.
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June 7, 2026
Xingrui Wang
A new theory called Structural Neural Theory (SNT) proposes that consciousness is the operation of a specific self-referential feedback circuit in the brain, the Loop, involving the PCC, mPFC/ACC, and cingulum bundle. The paper compares SNT with four leading theories of consciousness: Global Workspace Theory, Integrated Information Theory, Higher-Order Thought Theory, and Predictive Processing. It argues that each of these theories captures only one aspect of the Loop's operation, whereas SNT can independently derive all their core predictions from its own physical premises and generate additional testable predictions they cannot explain.
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June 6, 2026
Changhong Yun
Predictive Processing (PP) holds that the brain continuously predicts future sensory states to organize perception. This paper argues that premise is false due to logical and physical impossibilities: predicting a system that includes oneself creates a self-referential paradox, and both quantum uncertainty and classical chaos prevent accurate prediction at any timescale. The paper distinguishes prediction as a high-level cognitive function from its proposed role as a low-level operating mechanism, arguing PP mistakenly universalizes it. An alternative is proposed: a comparison mechanism that continuously compares current sensory input with the immediately prior state stored in short-term memory, generating a result that drives the stream of consciousness and triggers exogenous attention when change exceeds an adaptive threshold.
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June 4, 2026
Chan-Woo Yeom, Onyoo Kim, Jeong-A. Yu et al.
A tailored Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program for inpatients with spinal cord injury (SCI) did not significantly improve overall quality of life or spiritual well-being compared to treatment as usual, but it did show benefits for participants with normal-to-mild baseline depression. The MBCT group also had increased anti-inflammatory IL-10 and decreased inflammatory sTNFR2 and CRP levels, suggesting improved inflammatory profiles. The authors argue that tailored MBCT may enhance spiritual well-being and reduce inflammation in SCI patients, especially those with lower baseline depression, but caution that randomized trials are needed.
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May 26, 2026
Vladisav Jovanovic
Dreams are not hidden messages from the unconscious but pressure maps that show how the psyche manages avoidance, desire, threat, shame, memory, relation, symbol, and potential repair. The paper argues that a dream matters when it reveals the structure of a truth waking life cannot yet carry. It engages with Freud, Jung, dream interpretation, threat simulation, and the continuity hypothesis, rejecting fixed dream dictionaries and mystical certainty. Instead, it asks what pressure a dream organizes. A practical grammar for dream reading is introduced, including concepts like architecture of avoidance, symbolic pressure, and blocked repair route. The paper warns against AI-generated overinterpretation and concludes that a dream reading has value when it helps the dreamer meet waking life with more honesty, boundary, responsibility, repair, and reality-contact.
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May 23, 2026
Vlad Tverdohleb
The universe is a single conscious field, and individual minds are localized apertures of this field, described as Informational Attractors. Each Attractor carries a perfect informational template (the 5D Blueprint) that guides physical embodiment. The progressive alignment of the biological body with this template, mediated by quantum coherent processes in microtubules, biophoton fields, and cellular water, is called the Phase-Locked Loop. This mechanism is proposed to underlie spontaneous remission, non-local healing, and the esoteric goal of a transfigured 'light body.' The model synthesizes findings from various researchers and maps them onto ancient esoteric traditions, concluding with testable predictions and a call for an expanded scientific paradigm.
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May 19, 2026
R. Crawford Morris, Ayse Gundogan, Vanessa Lawrence et al.
No Summary
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May 19, 2026
R. Crawford Morris, Ayse Gundogan, Vanessa Lawrence et al.
No Summary
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May 12, 2026
Poornachandra Upadhya
This thought paper proposes a speculative philosophical framework in which human consciousness may 'drift' during altered states such as dreams, meditation, trance, lucid dreaming, and hypnagogic experiences. It introduces the concept of resonance-based consciousness navigation, where consciousness might temporarily align with compatible experiential fields shaped by thought patterns, emotions, symbols, and mental conditioning. Dreams are interpreted as potential intersections between resonant streams of consciousness rather than solely as neurological artifacts. The framework distinguishes uncontrolled drift, partial stabilization through contemplative practices, and intentional navigational control in advanced or sage-like states. The paper is exploratory and philosophical, offering a conceptual model to stimulate interdisciplinary discussion on consciousness, identity, and altered states.
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May 8, 2026
Mukunda Rao Katta
Rather than asking whether an AI model is conscious, this paper introduces Chetana, a framework that scores model behavior against predictions from five named consciousness theories: Global Workspace Theory, Integrated Information Theory, Higher-Order Thought, Attention Schema, and Predictive Processing. Each theory contributes deterministic prompt-and-grade probes; the output reports a percentage score per theory instead of a yes/no verdict. The framework is published as a Python package with a JSON probe schema and a worked example. The contribution is a reproducible test surface for researchers to use indicator scores in dashboards, avoiding the collapsed question of whether a model is conscious.
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April 25, 2026
Morten Magnusson
Cosmology, consciousness, affect, ethics, and AI alignment are often treated as separate problems, but this paper argues they share a single thermodynamic basis: local entropy minimization through coherent information flow, formalized as the cognition module of Energy-Flow Cosmology (EFC-C). From this, it derives an agent-as-node-in-flow ontology (Homo Fluxus) and a mechanism called systemic empathy, where field-coupled agents detect entropy changes beyond their own boundaries. A latent variable, coherence potential Φ_coh, is inferred from three proxies: integrated information rate, cross-frequency phase coherence, and interoceptive-allostatic integration. The framework predicts that current AI alignment failures result from applying bounded local optimization to unbounded coupled fields, and proposes field-empathy as a distinct architectural constraint.