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Mindsponge Theory
Despite the remarkable cognitive power, humans are not alien beings living in their isolated universe but part of the Earth’s biosphere – a dynamic, intelligent system. The working of the human mind and society is built upon and follows the principles of the natural world. In today’s modern society, where technological advancement has significantly increased information accessibility to new knowledge, social sciences can greatly benefit from discoveries in natural sciences. In this book, the latest findings in life sciences are used as evidence to demonstrate and explain the mechanisms of psychological and social information processes. Mindsponge is a novel theory of information processing in the human mind. The mechanisms of information processing are present in all levels of the natural world – from ecological and physiological down to cellular and molecular. As a subset of nature, humans express these patterns in the way we think, believe, behave, and establish social constructs. By looking at the intelligent “minds” of nature, a more accurate framework for human cognition can be logically derived. The mindsponge theory reflects the physical, chemical, and biological laws upon the mental world, not the other way around. Throughout the book, readers will find interesting, often hilarious, stories of both the natural and social world, accompanied by clear scientific explanations and evidence. Each story brings to the table yet another angle to look at the unified principle of information processing within the survive and thrive! The book also provides original quantitative findings employing the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) to demonstrate the consistency and applicability of the theory in studying psychological and social phenomena.
198 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2023
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 24, 2022
A relatively longer review of this book: "A novel perspective on thinking about thinking: Review of Mindsponge Theory" is available here: https://mindsponge.info/posts/129
May 1, 2023
--- Mindsponge theory: a way of life ---
Mindsponge theory is a book introducing how we should see and understand minds through the lens of information processing. When pondering what a mind is, we might refer to them as a human mind or brain. However, have you ever thought that other biological organisms other than humans, our societies, and ecological systems have minds too?
It is common to think other biological organisms, like our animal friends, also have minds, but societies or ecological systems having minds are so fictional. Nevertheless, such seemingly “fictional” thinking becomes legitimate following the innovative definition of mind in the book. If we perceive a mind as an “information collection-cum-processor,” it can be seen at any level of complexity in nature, from the unicellular organism to our countries and the Earth system. The processor, metaphorized as a sponge, absorbs and ejects information to sustain the continuous existence of the whole information-processing system (manifested as survival, growth, and reproduction).
This unique perception of seeing minds can make readers ponder whether they are minds or just a part of a larger mind. For me, I am both.
Despite the broad definition, the mindsponge theory of mind does not try to explain other biological organisms’ or ecological systems’ minds. Instead, it uses the newest evidence from natural sciences, especially evolutionary biology, and neuroscience, to create a strong foundation for the human mind’s information processing. For this reason, after reading the book, readers can be well-informed with rich, up-to-date scientific content regarding humans’ brains, sensory systems, and trust, as well as other non-human life and ecological systems around us.
In general, the harmonious combination of the unique perception of the mind, the knowledge of natural sciences, and the set theory logical reasoning can provide us (readers) with precious contemplation moments of who we are and how the world works.
To me, the book is not only a theory or a worldview, but it also implies a way of life. Through it, I come to know that we experience the outer world through our inner mental realm
Mindsponge theory is a book introducing how we should see and understand minds through the lens of information processing. When pondering what a mind is, we might refer to them as a human mind or brain. However, have you ever thought that other biological organisms other than humans, our societies, and ecological systems have minds too?
It is common to think other biological organisms, like our animal friends, also have minds, but societies or ecological systems having minds are so fictional. Nevertheless, such seemingly “fictional” thinking becomes legitimate following the innovative definition of mind in the book. If we perceive a mind as an “information collection-cum-processor,” it can be seen at any level of complexity in nature, from the unicellular organism to our countries and the Earth system. The processor, metaphorized as a sponge, absorbs and ejects information to sustain the continuous existence of the whole information-processing system (manifested as survival, growth, and reproduction).
This unique perception of seeing minds can make readers ponder whether they are minds or just a part of a larger mind. For me, I am both.
Despite the broad definition, the mindsponge theory of mind does not try to explain other biological organisms’ or ecological systems’ minds. Instead, it uses the newest evidence from natural sciences, especially evolutionary biology, and neuroscience, to create a strong foundation for the human mind’s information processing. For this reason, after reading the book, readers can be well-informed with rich, up-to-date scientific content regarding humans’ brains, sensory systems, and trust, as well as other non-human life and ecological systems around us.
In general, the harmonious combination of the unique perception of the mind, the knowledge of natural sciences, and the set theory logical reasoning can provide us (readers) with precious contemplation moments of who we are and how the world works.
To me, the book is not only a theory or a worldview, but it also implies a way of life. Through it, I come to know that we experience the outer world through our inner mental realm
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews