Thoughtforms Life

Lisa Barrett, psychologist and affective neuroscientist who developed the theory of constructed emotion, and Karen Quigley, psychophysiologist specializing in bodily signaling, explore relational realism, allostasis, and predictive processing. They discuss rethinking emotion universals, how the brain anticipates bodily needs, predictive models of sensation, shifting body-world boundaries, and the relational meaning of neural signals.

Thomas Seyfried, a mitochondrial metabolic cancer researcher; Derek Lee, who defined mitochondrial substrate-level phosphorylation; and Tomás Duraj, a clinician-scientist translating metabolic oncology into practice. They explore the mitochondrial theory of cancer, ketogenic and glutamine-targeting metabolic therapies, bioelectric and ion-channel links to metabolism, and translational challenges from mice to humans.

Borjan Milinkovic, a postdoc in multiscale neural modeling and information-theoretic emergence, explores how biology shapes computation. He contrasts algorithmic, von Neumann-style views with hybrid continuous-discrete neural processing. Topics include metabolic constraints, dendritic and field-based computations, scale integration across brain states, and criteria for creating biologically inspired synthetic consciousness.

A wide-ranging conversation about Platonic forms, constraints, and whether biological systems store or generate abstract structures. They debate free lunches in evolution, pretrained-like substrates, and when competencies arise in xenobots. The group explores play, exploration, affordances, and how observers and coarse-grainings reshape what counts as life and intelligence.

Darren Iammarino, researcher on Platonic Space and mathematical/biological models of cognition, discusses small ODE networks that show conditioning-like behaviors and whether patterns are fixed or dynamic. He explores how immaterial patterns might interact with physics, the role of randomness as a creative resource, and prospects for cyborg minds and unconventional substrates for intelligence.

A deep dive into how bioelectric signals coordinate tissue-level decision making and goal-directed morphogenesis. Short demonstrations show creating ectopic organs, triggering limb regeneration, and rewriting planarian anatomy. The talk explores electrical approaches to detect and reprogram cancer, tools for reading/writing tissue bioelectric states, and AI-driven platforms and anthrobots for steering form and repair.

Dive into a thought-provoking discussion about the role of mathematics in identity and physics. Explore the intersection of atemporal pattern spaces and memory, and debate whether mathematical frameworks converge or diverge. Unpack the implications of Platonic spaces on experimental mapping and predictive power. Delve into the nature of agency beyond humans, and consider the evolution of mathematical creativity across cultures. The conversation challenges conventional boundaries and scales, promoting a richer understanding of our universe and its complexities.

In this engaging discussion, Mijail Serruya, a physician-scientist focused on brain-computer interfaces, and Wesley Clawson, a senior scientist in neuroscience, dive into groundbreaking topics. They explore the concept of living electrodes made from collagen and the idea of expanding brain functions beyond the skull. The duo also discusses the intriguing potential of crowd-sourcing in optimizing neural interfaces and the impact of vagus nerve stimulation on brain plasticity. The conversation culminates in the intersection of hypnosis and BCIs, revealing transformative possibilities for rehabilitation.

In this lively discussion, psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett shares her insights on constructed emotions and allostasis. The conversation dives into the concept of bioelectricity as a conduit for collective intelligence in cells. They explore how cells solve problems collectively and the fascinating idea that anatomical changes can be guided by global electrical signals. Topics include how context affects development, the interplay between genetic specifications and environmental influences, and the potential of bioelectric patterns to dictate healing and growth.

This is a ~50 minute video on evolution from the perspective of diverse intelligence. I discuss 3 main things: the nature of the mapping between genotype and phenotype (an intelligent, problem-solving process that interprets genomic prompts, not simply a complex mechanical mapping), the implications for evolution of operating over such a multi-scale agential material, and a few recent findings about the origin of the intelligence spiral taking place before differential replication dynamics kick in. Editing by https://x.com/DNAMediaEditing CHAPTERS: (00:00) Framing evolution and intelligence (06:26) Morphogenesis as collective intelligence (12:06) Regeneration and downward causation (16:10) Bioelectric patterning and memory (21:05) Reprogrammable adaptive anatomies (26:06) Interpretation, plasticity and evolution (31:58) Competent matter and evolvability (35:45) Novel beings and emergence (41:54) Prebiotic learning and agency (46:43) Mind beyond life PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing SOCIAL LINKS: Podcast Website: https://thoughtforms-life.aipodcast.ing YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3pVafx6EZqXVI2V_Efu2uw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thoughtforms-life/id1805908099 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7JCmtoeH53neYyZeOZ6ym5 Twitter: https://x.com/drmichaellevin Blog: https://thoughtforms.life The Levin Lab: https://drmichaellevin.org