5. Hive and Distributed Mind
Paul Matthews
Open Book Publishers October 17, 2023 DOI: 10.11647/obp.0348.05 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that science-fiction depictions of telepathy and joint consciousness can be assessed through cognitive theory and brain-to-brain communication technology, and distinguishes between possession and mind manipulation, exemplified by Aldiss's power-hungry fungus, and an equitable, beneficent sharing of consciousness, exemplified by Sturgeon's superhuman Gestalt in which the whole is more than the sum of its parts and moral conscience is the capstone. |
Abstract
Telepathy and joint consciousness have long been a feature in SF stories. Here, we sample several visions and see how cognitive theory and brain-brain communication technology relate to the scope and plausibility of these fictional portrayals. One dimension of variation here is between possession and mind manipulation on the one hand, and an equitable and beneficent sharing of consciousness on the other. The former is exemplified in Aldiss’s power-hungry fungus, the latter in Sturgeon’s vision of a superhuman Gestalt where the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and the moral conscience is the capstone.