DIGITAL TELEPORTATION
A Philosophic Journey in Virtuality
THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION | 25 DISTINCT EPISODES
A Philosophic Journey in Virtuality
THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION | 25 DISTINCT EPISODES
SPECIAL BONUS FICTION
Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.
How does the concept of "Maya" relate to our perception of reality according to the text?
What is the significance of the John-Dylan Haynes study mentioned in the text regarding decision-making?
How does the text explain the phenomenon of phantom limb pain?
How does the text use Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) to illustrate how the brain creates its own realities?
What is the role of "theoretic prefiguring" in shaping our experiences, as discussed in the text?
How does the author use the example of Steven Weinberg's concepts of grand and petty reductionism?
What is the author's critique of a limited understanding of science?
How does John Lilly's sensory deprivation tank experiments inform his views about beliefs?
How does the text argue that the brain operates as a "virtual simulator"?
What does the author mean by the "great data seduction" and how does this relate to virtual reality?
"Maya" is presented as a concept that describes how our perceptions are often illusions or misrepresentations of true reality. The text suggests that our experiences are often "not that," meaning they betray their true origin and lead us to believe false causations.
The John-Dylan Haynes study demonstrates that some decisions are made unconsciously up to 10 seconds before we are aware of them. This challenges the idea of free will and suggests that our sense of conscious control may be an illusion.
Phantom limb pain illustrates how the brain acts as a modeling system, maintaining a neural image of the limb even after it is gone. This suggests that our experiences are based on internal models rather than direct sensory input.
NDEs are seen as examples of the brain creating a narrative to give a person a reason or purpose to continue living, based on their biographical circumstances and beliefs. The text argues that the visions in NDEs are projections of personal concerns rather than an objective reality.
"Theoretic prefiguring" refers to how our existing beliefs and theories shape our experiences. This idea emphasizes that our prior assumptions limit the range of available experiences and influence how we interpret them.
The text uses Steven Weinberg's ideas to explain that reductionism in science has limits and sometimes new physical principles provide more adequate explanations. Petty reductionism is considered less useful, and a broader perspective is often necessary.
The author critiques limiting science to specific functions or aspects, emphasizing that science is multiform and open-ended, not defined by a single procedure. A complete understanding needs to include many different views and considerations.
Lilly's experiments in the sensory deprivation tank demonstrated that beliefs can shape one's experiences of inner realities. Depending on what someone believes, the same experience can be seen as real or unreal.
The text argues that our brains act as virtual simulators by constantly creating interpretations of reality based on filtered information. This suggests that much of what we experience is a simulation or an interpretation, not a direct perception of the world.
The "great data seduction" refers to the way digital information is presented in appealing and enticing ways to draw us in. The text suggests that we are being increasingly captivated by digital content and virtual experiences that offer a version of reality.
Instructions: Develop a well-structured essay in response to each of the following prompts. Be sure to use textual evidence to support your claims.
Explore the implications of the text's assertion that "the mind is a simulator par excellence." Discuss how this idea challenges traditional notions of reality and consciousness.
Compare and contrast the views of Richard Feynman and John Lilly on out-of-body experiences, and evaluate the text's suggestion that Feynman's view may also apply to religious visions.
Analyze the concept of "Global Positioning Intelligence (GPI)" as presented in the text, and discuss its potential impact on privacy, relationships, and social interaction.
Discuss the challenges of studying consciousness, as highlighted in the text, and explore how insights from virtual reality might change the ways in which we approach these challenges.
Examine how the text explores the connection between meditation, virtual reality, and the nature of human consciousness. How does technology potentially aid (or hinder) the quest for self-awareness?
Maya: A Sanskrit term meaning illusion or magic. In the text, it refers to the idea that the world and our perception of it are often deceptive or misleading.
Theoretic Prefiguring: The idea that our existing beliefs and theories shape and limit the range of our experiences and how we interpret them.
Phantom Limb Sensation: The phenomenon where amputees still feel pain or sensations in a limb that has been removed, showing the brain has an internal image of it.
Grand Reductionism: An approach in science that aims to explain phenomena through new physical principles, not necessarily their constituent parts.
Petty Reductionism: A type of reductionism that attempts to explain phenomena solely through its parts, often leading to insufficient understanding.
Global Positioning Intelligence (GPI): A hypothetical future technology combining GPS with personalized data to create real-time profiles of individuals.
Samsara: In Hinduism and Buddhism, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, often associated with suffering.
Virtual Simulator: The idea that the brain constructs its own internal model of reality.
The Great Data Seduction: The enticing way digital information is presented to draw us into its worlds.
Subtle Realm: In Ken Wilber's theories, a state of consciousness beyond the merely rational, often associated with visions and astral experiences.
Neti, neti: A Sanskrit phrase meaning "not this, not that," used in Indian philosophy to negate false notions of reality.
Frameshift mutation: A type of genetic mutation caused by the insertion or deletion of a number of nucleotides, changing how the DNA code is read.
Conscious Agents: In Donald Hoffman's theories, the concept that consciousness may be fundamental, rather than material.
Neural Paradox: The idea that we are often judged not by an experience but by our beliefs about said experience.
Shabd Yoga: An ancient technique that focuses on listening to subtle inner sounds while meditating.
Simran: In shabd yoga, a meditation technique focused on the repetition of sacred words.
Bhajan: In shabd yoga, a practice that emphasizes devotional singing.
Dhyan: In shabd yoga, a practice involving focused contemplation.
Sunyata: A Buddhist concept referring to emptiness or void, emphasizing the lack of intrinsic existence of all things.
Satori: A Japanese term referring to a moment of sudden enlightenment or awakening in Zen Buddhism.
Presence: In the context of VR, the feeling of actually being there, immersed in the virtual environment.
Intentionality: In philosophy, the aboutness of mental states; the capacity of minds to be directed toward or about something.
Non-Player Character (NPC): A character in a video game that is not controlled by a human player.
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Okay, here is a detailed briefing document synthesizing the main themes and ideas from the provided text excerpts.
Briefing Document: Exploring Reality, Consciousness, and Virtuality
Introduction
This document summarizes the key concepts, ideas, and arguments presented in the provided excerpts from "VRFINALBOOK.pdf." The text explores the nature of reality, consciousness, and the implications of virtual reality, drawing from diverse fields like philosophy, neuroscience, physics, and religious studies. The overarching theme is the illusory nature of our perceived reality, the limitations of our senses, and the power of the mind to create its own "virtual" worlds. The document emphasizes the notion that our brains are powerful simulators that create our experiences, both in and outside of virtual environments.
Key Themes and Ideas:
The Illusory Nature of Reality (Maya):
The text introduces the concept of "Maya" from Indian philosophy, emphasizing that our perception of reality is not a true reflection of what exists. "Maya in this sense means that which betrays its real origin and thus tricks us at each and apparently every turn into believing something about an event's causation that is not true." Our senses provide a filtered and edited version of the world, not a direct representation. For instance, we see a sunset as happening right now, but it is actually light that took 8 minutes to reach us.
The text suggests a more literal understanding of Maya as "not that," signifying how reality is not what it seems on the surface.
This theme is reinforced by examples like time delays in perception, phantom limb sensations, and perceptual "filling-in," all demonstrating that our brains actively construct our experience rather than passively receiving it.
“Our brains were not designed to understand the universe as it is, but rather to eat it.” The purpose is survival, not objective truth.
The Brain as a Simulator:
The text repeatedly emphasizes that the brain is a modeling system, a "simulator par excellence," that creates our subjective experience of reality. It actively constructs models of the world based on limited sensory input and pre-existing beliefs.
"The brain is a modeling system and even if an arm has been amputated the image of that arm (and its attendant connections to pleasure or pain) still resides within the Rolodex of remembered sensations."
This applies not just to sensory experiences but also to decision-making, as evidenced by the study from the Max Planck Institute which suggests that unconscious processes determine our choices up to 10 seconds in advance.
The Power of Belief and Interpretation:
Our beliefs and pre-existing models of the world profoundly shape our interpretation of experiences, including altered states of consciousness and "out-of-body" encounters. John Lilly's research indicates that "your theories or explanations will determine which experiences you will or will not have, no matter what experiments you perform."
This is illustrated by the contrast between John Lilly, who interpreted his sensory deprivation tank experiences as real encounters with other beings, and Richard Feynman, who dismissed them as hallucinations. Feynman stated that “If you see golden globes, or something, several times, and they talk to you during your hallucination and tell you they are another intelligence, it doesn't mean they're another intelligence; it just means that you have had this particular hallucination.”
A person may be diagnosed as psychotic based not on the experience itself but on how they interpret their experience. "One is judged not by the experience itself but rather by one's 'beliefs or opinions about his experience.'"
The text also points to the cultural specificity of near-death experiences, where visions of Jesus appear only to Christians, Buddha only to Buddhists, etc. This suggests these experiences are shaped by personal beliefs and cultural background.
Science as a Method of Systemic Disbelief:
The document contrasts traditional religious dogmas with the method of science, describing science as a path of "systemic disbelief," and a consistent method of "doubting what we think we know." "Science, in other words, is a path of systemic disbelief, which like the very literal meaning of Maya, looks askance at disparate phenomena (and its attendant explanations which invoke affirmations of “I believe, I believe”) and proclaims something inherently more radical, neti, neti: “not this, not that.”
Science operates with the understanding that its current models are open to revision. As Einstein is quoted as saying, "Yes; But this year the answers are different." The greatest strength in science is that it is always open to being wrong.
The need for both reductionism and integration in understanding complex systems is noted, where it is sometimes necessary to study the components, but sometimes this is not helpful, as with Einstein's explanation of Newton's theories. "Sometimes things can be explained by studying their constituents––sometimes not."
The Convergence of Technology and Consciousness:
The text discusses the emergence of Global Positioning Intelligence (GPI), where nano-sized devices could track not only one’s physical location but also personal information. This could lead to a "psychic sphere," based on data, and an unprecedented level of transparency of human cognition and connectivity.
“The psychic template, even though it may seem to be imputing a spiritual realm, is algorithmically layered level by level upon electronic data streams prefigured in the laws of quantum mechanics.”
The evolution of virtual reality and its impact on our perception of reality is a key topic. VR is a "self-created form of chosen reality" with the potential to blur the lines between what is real and what is simulated to the point of meaninglessness.
The document argues that VR technology has the potential to revolutionize meditation. Devices like MUSE (a brain-sensing headband) can provide feedback on brain activity and facilitate deeper meditative states.
"VR is astral travel for nerds," suggesting that this technology will allow one to experience simulated realms similar to those described in mystic traditions.
The Information-Based Universe:
The universe is described as being composed of bits of information that are constantly processed. The universe computes, and because the universe is governed by quantum mechanics, it computes in a quantum mechanical fashion.
Life and consciousness, from this perspective, are seen as complex systems arising from the interplay of information. "The primary consequence of the computational nature of the universe is that the universe naturally generates complex systems, such as life."
This informational approach suggests a way of understanding matter and mind without relying on mythic animism.
Consciousness as a Virtual Simulator and the Nature of Self:
The text proposes that consciousness itself is a kind of virtual simulator. "Consciousness or self-awareness, which if it is anything is another name for a self-navigating system with the ability to virtually simulate that which is not there presently."
The limitations of our cognitive bandwidth and the filtering processes of our brains are highlighted, emphasizing that we never see "reality" directly. This idea ties back to the idea of Maya - it is a layered and filtered reality.
There is a discussion of Sam Harris’ perspective that the self is an illusion, a constructed entity that lacks permanence. “All things are empty of intrinsic existence and nature.”
The document also notes that our brains have the tendency to create a multitude of thoughts and simulations, even while asleep, and that this is an evolved advantage.
The Limits of Perception and the Quest for Truth:
The text suggests that the "great illusion of consciousness is spatial." We perceive our experience from inside the confines of our skull, even as our sciences suggest a wider reality.
The idea of an internally generated model of reality is discussed, and how this internal model is what our senses modulate. Our senses are less like recording devices and more like filters. "Our senses– eyes, ears, skin, nose - only modulate an internally generated simulation of what the brain expects is out there.”
The text explores the idea of a "consciousness-first" model, where conscious agents create the physical world rather than the other way around, but notes that this theory requires further testing. It suggests that this hypothesis may be tested in situations where the filtering mechanisms of the brain break down, such as with epilepsy and other neural degenerations.
The Death of the Book:
The text posits that the book as a physical object is dead, and its death was not brought on by the internet or e-readers, but will eventually occur with the advent of fully interactive VR experiences. *The author recounts his own obsession with books as a personal anecdote, but suggests that the nature of the book will evolve as we become able to immerse ourselves within the texts.
Quotes to Ponder:
"In the province of the mind, what is believed to be true is true, or becomes true within certain limits to be learned by experience and experiment. These limits are further beliefs to be transcended. In the province of the mind. There are no limits."
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself––and you are the easiest person to fool.”
“I became free of Maya when I realized that I could never escape from her.”
“If you see golden globes, or something, several times, and they talk to you during your hallucination and tell you they are another intelligence, it doesn't mean they're another intelligence; it just means that you have had this particular hallucination.”
"That all phenomena are transitory, are illusionary, are unreal, and non-existent save in the samsaric mind perceiving them... That in reality there are no such beings anywhere as gods, or demons, or spirits, or sentient creatures––all alike being phenomena dependent upon a cause."
"Virtual reality is a self-created form of chosen reality. Therefore it exists."
“What the computer in virtual reality enables us to do is to recalibrate ourselves so that we can start seeing those pieces of information that are invisible to us but have become important for us to understand.”
"The universe is made of bits. Every molecule, atom, and elementary particle registers bits of information. Every interaction between those pieces of the universe processes that information by altering those bits. That is, the universe computes, and because the universe is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, it computes in an intrinsically quantum mechanical fashion; its bits are quantum bits."
"With VR, we are merely tinkering with our own neurological presets in order to refashion and reframe the perceived physical limits of the world that surrounds us."
"By the end of this decade, computers will disappear as distinct physical objects, with displays built in our eyeglasses, and electronics woven in our clothing, providing full-immersion visual virtual reality."
Conclusion
These excerpts paint a picture of a world where our perception of reality is not fixed, but rather a construct of our brains, influenced by beliefs, experiences, and cultural narratives. The advent of virtual reality and advanced technology creates both incredible opportunities for exploration and significant challenges to our understanding of self and reality. The document emphasizes the power of both scientific and experiential inquiry to probe these profound questions, while noting the limitations of our inherent human biases and perceptions. Ultimately, the text suggests that to understand the universe, we must first understand the very nature of our own minds.
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How does the concept of "Maya" relate to our understanding of reality, and how does this tie into virtual reality?
The term "Maya," originating from Indian philosophy, refers to the illusory nature of reality and how our perceptions often betray the true origins and causes of events. It suggests that we do not perceive the world as it truly is, but rather through a filtered lens that deceives us. This directly connects to virtual reality, which, like Maya, creates simulated environments that our minds perceive as real, demonstrating how easily our perceptions can be manipulated. Both concepts highlight the subjective and constructed nature of our experience.
Why are our brains considered filtering mechanisms, and how does this affect our perception of the universe?
Our brains act as filtering mechanisms to prevent us from being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sensory information constantly available. This filtering is based on evolutionary needs, focusing only on what is necessary for our survival and ignoring a vast range of information. As a result, our perception of the universe is limited and edited, offering a severely curated view of reality rather than a complete and accurate depiction. This is demonstrated by phenomena like our limited range of hearing, seeing, and smelling. We are not seeing the universe as it is, but as it needs to be to survive.
How do unconscious processes and neural prefiguring influence our decisions and experiences?
Unconscious processes play a significant role in shaping our decisions, often determining our actions even before we become consciously aware of them. Research suggests that decisions can be made up to 10 seconds in advance of our conscious awareness. Additionally, "neural prefiguring," or our pre-existing beliefs and interpretations, profoundly affects how we perceive and understand our experiences. This means that our understanding of a given experience (e.g. a hallucination) will be deeply shaped by our pre-existing worldview or theory and not the experience itself. This prefiguring can cause us to view similar experiences in vastly different lights based upon those pre-conceived beliefs.
What is the significance of the "neural paradox," and how does it challenge our understanding of sanity and mental health?
The "neural paradox" highlights the fact that our mental state isn't determined by experiences themselves, but by our beliefs and opinions about those experiences. If one has a certain type of hallucinatory experience, they may be deemed psychotic by the medical profession if they profess to believe it real but not if they say it is unreal. This paradox reveals a profound challenge in defining sanity, as it suggests that our mental health assessments are subjective and can be influenced by cultural norms and pre-existing theories. This creates a problem in determining mental health status because similar experiences may be seen as healthy or unhealthy dependent on the belief systems attached to them.
What is the concept of Global Positioning Intelligence (GPI), and what impact could it have on society?
Global Positioning Intelligence (GPI) involves the merging of GPS tracking technology with personalized data, creating a system where people's locations are tracked and their personal information is instantly accessible. This could lead to an unprecedented transparency of human cognition and connectivity, where people might be able to instantly access a stranger's data profile upon encountering them. This technology has the potential to be incredibly invasive, but could also create socially aligned universes where people are brought together by shared interests and views. GPI has the potential to fundamentally alter social interactions by creating social bubbles mediated by technology.
How does the text suggest that scientific understanding is different than traditional religious beliefs, and how does that relate to the concept of "neti, neti"?
The text argues that science is a consistent method of doubting what we think we know rather than relying on our wishes or preexisting beliefs. This emphasis on doubt and testing distinguishes it from traditional religions, which rely more on assertions of faith. The idea of "neti, neti" which means "not this, not that" is also a methodology to understand truth by negation. It also demonstrates the scientific idea of systemic disbelief and constant revision. Both of these highlight a radical approach to knowledge where assertions should always be questioned.
How does Virtual Reality relate to experiences like Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) or Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs)?
The text positions both NDEs and OBEs as internally generated, like virtual reality. They are examples of the brain's ability to create immersive experiences with powerful emotional impact. While some may interpret them as evidence of an afterlife or spiritual realms, the document argues they are projections of personal concerns and neurological phenomena. VR, therefore, is a physical analogy for the brain's own ability to create immersive experiences and highlight the subjective interpretation of experiences whether those are in VR or via OBEs and NDEs.
Given our brains are simulators, how does the text approach the concept of "self," and how is meditation relevant?
The text presents the self as an information-processing system built of bits of information and suggests that it is a construct rather than a fixed entity. This is analogous to a sandcastle made up of many grains of sand but it is the total sum of the parts that makes it a self and not the individual components. Meditation is presented as a tool to examine the self and explore our consciousness and the workings of this simulator. By observing our thoughts without judgment, and understanding the process of the simulation itself, the text suggests that we can loosen our attachment to the illusion of a permanent self. It also proposes that meditation allows one to realize that the self, like a virtual experience, can be changed through awareness and training.
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NotebookLM can be inaccurate, please double check its responses.
Okay, here's the timeline and cast of characters based on the provided text:
Timeline of Main Events and Concepts
Ancient Times: The concept of Maya originates in Vedic India, emphasizing that the world is not as it appears, and that appearances betray their real origins.
Early 20th Century:1920's and onwards: Paramahansa Yogananda and the study of Indian Philosophy influences the author.
Early 1950's: John Lilly begins research into sensory deprivation tanks.
1950s: John Lilly pioneers sensory deprivation tanks, leading to explorations of consciousness.
1960's: Richard Feynman and John Lilly meet, leading to Feynman's experiments with sensory deprivation. The two come to clash on how to interpret the meaning of these experiments.
1965: Richard Feynman wins the Nobel prize in physics.
1969: NASA's computers send the first man to the moon.
1970's: The author reads Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi.
1980's:Lewis Thomas publishes "Late Night Thoughts on Listening to Mahler’s Ninth Symphony," discussing the surprising nature of scientific progress.
1987: The author receives an OGSR grant from UCSD to track down obscure texts in Northern India.
1989: Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web.
Early 2000s:2004: The author experiences a severe vertigo attack due to a negative reaction to Vioxx.
2007: The author is teaching at CSULB and shows students the Amazon Kindle.
2010's:Early 2010's: The author's book collection has doubled from 10,000 to 20,000 books since writing an earlier essay.
2016: The market is flooded with a new generation of VR products.
Recent Years (No Specific Dates Given):The concept of Global Positioning Intelligence (GPI) emerges, potentially combining GPS tracking with personal data.
The author experiments with the MUSE EEG headband and explores various meditation techniques.
The author encounters Kenneth, a quadriplegic, who serves as a beta tester of various VR apps.
The author discusses the computational nature of the universe and its relation to consciousness.
The book discusses the death of the printed book.
The concept of digital teleportation is introduced as a future possibility.
The author experiments with various virtual reality applications, which leads to profound and transformative insights.
Cast of Characters
John-Dylan Haynes: A neuroscientist at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig. His research suggests that some decisions are made unconsciously up to 10 seconds in advance of conscious awareness.
John Lilly: A neuroscientist and pioneer in dolphin research who developed sensory deprivation tanks. He believed out-of-body experiences had ontological significance, particularly after his own experiences with Ketamine. He clashed with Richard Feynman over interpretation of out-of-body experiences.
Aldous Huxley: Author and philosopher who argued that the mind is a filtering mechanism that prevents our consciousness from being overwhelmed by incoming data streams.
Steven Weinberg: A physicist who emphasizes the distinction between grand and petty reductionism.
Lewis Thomas: Author who discussed the surprising nature of scientific progress.
Albert Einstein: Famous physicist whose ideas highlight the tentative nature of scientific progress. A fictional anecdote is shared illustrating this.
Richard Feynman: A Nobel prize-winning physicist known for his work in quantum electrodynamics (QED). He explored out-of-body experiences but interpreted them as mere hallucinations. He was friends with John Lilly, but disagreed on the interpretation of such phenomena.
Evans-Wentz: Author of The Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Shiv Brat Lal: Faqir Chand's guru.
Faqir Chand: An Indian mystic and guru who had visions of deities but came to believe that they were manifestations of his own mind and not external realities.
Jensen Huang: CEO of NVIDIA, quoted as saying that VR and AI is the closest we can get to science fiction.
Tim Berners-Lee: Inventor of the World Wide Web.
John Searle: A philosopher at U.C. Berkeley known for his contrarian views on consciousness. He criticized Christof Koch's panpsychism.
Christof Koch: A neuroscientist known for promoting integrated information theory as an explanation for consciousness.
Watson and Crick: Scientists who unraveled the double helix structure of DNA.
Craig Venter: A genomic scientist who predicts biological teleportation via transfer of a complete digital blueprint.
Seth Lloyd: A physicist who studies quantum computation and believes the universe naturally generates complex systems.
Max Tegmark: A physicist whose work on the Mathematical Universe Hypothesis is discussed.
Nick Bostrom: A philosopher who discusses the idea of "superintelligence".
Elliot Benjamin: A theorist who says that if he becomes "transhuman" he would not consider that to be the "real" him.
Ken Wilber: Philosopher who has discussed the idea of psychic and subtle realms of consciousness.
Paramahansa Yogananda: Indian guru and author of Autobiography of a Yogi. This work heavily influences the author's worldview.
Douglas Adams: Author quoted as discussing how computers in VR can help us see previously invisible information.
Carl Sagan: Famous astrophysicist. His book Dragons of Eden was read by the author.
Steve Jobs: Founder of Apple who introduced the iPhone.
Jeff Bezos: Founder of Amazon who introduced the Kindle.
Steven Wright: Comedian famous for his deadpan humor, who is used here in a joke about a seashell collection.
Immanuel Kant: Philosopher whose work is discussed in the context of the limits of our cranial capacity and its impact on understanding the world.
Ludwig Wittgenstein: Philosopher who discusses the limitations of language.
David Eagleman: A neuroscientist whose work is discussed concerning how the brain constructs our reality.
Shirley MacLaine: Actress who has promoted the idea of consciousness existing independently of the brain.
Brandon Gillett: A student of the author's who is well-versed in computational devices. He points out that if Hoffman's theory of consciousness as a mask were true, there should be signs of it.
Shaun: The author's oldest son, who was four during the author's vertigo attack.
Morpheus: A character from The Matrix who offers Neo a choice between taking the red pill or the blue pill, symbolizing the choice between truth and illusion.
Kenneth: A quadriplegic who is currently testing VR applications in the author's office.
Gerald Edelman: Neuroscientist who used the term "dissociating" when referring to our mind wandering from the present moment.
Sam Harris: A neuroscientist, atheist, and podcaster who discusses meditation. He posits that the self is an illusion.
Peter Williams: A good friend of the author, who wrote the book, You Cannot Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought.
St. Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus: Catholic theologians known for metaphysical discussions, though the author uses a fictionalized version of their ideas to point out how much human consciousness can create.
Father Costello: The author's freshman religion teacher at Notre Dame High School.
John Wheeler: Physicist known for his "it from bits" concept.
Nick Mokey: Writer quoted as discussing the power of VR in experiencing another perspective.
Daniel Dennett: Philosopher who discusses the evolutionary reasons for imputing intention to others.
Ryan Reynolds: Actor in the movie "Free Guy".
Joan Lowery Nixon: Author who made a statement regarding virtual reality as a self-created form of reality.
Sri Ramakrishna: An Indian mystic who described his visions of the Mother as an overwhelming oceanic experience of consciousness.
Baba Faqir Chand: Indian mystic who saw God as an internal manifestation rather than external.
Terence McKenna: Author and psychedelic advocate who promoted the significance of inner experience.
Palmer Luckey: Inventor of the Oculus Rift.
Ray Kurzweil: Futurist who said computers will disappear and become fully integrated into our bodies.
EXTRA CREDIT BOOK (not required, but encouraged)
Estimated reading time 3 hours
Required Films
1. The Disneyland of Consciousness
2. Consciousness as a Mobius Strip
5. Brain Burn
6. Patricia Churchland Interview
7. The Sandcastle of Awareness
10. Ray Kurzweil
11. The Time Machine
15. The Complexity of Consciousness
16. Global Positioning Intelligence
All films are available as closed caption (just click on the CC button when watching)