An early depiction of the brain as a modularity system - where each component emerges cognition; Phrenology (a science outdated)
The reach of our explanations is bounded only by the laws of physics. Therefore, anything that is physically possible can be achieved given the requisite knowledge. - David Deutsch; The Beginning of Infinity
If my mind’s design was physically possible, and the reach of such phenomena is bounded by the laws of physics, then could I design my own mind?
Anything which can be designed can likely be built. Trains were thought to be impossible at some point, I've heard. Travel at speeds faster than horseback riding would apparently suck out all the oxygem. Of course, Da Vinci and Tesla had better ideas, predicting aircraft and video-calls surprisingly early. Say, for example, the phenomena of flight. Birds, empirically showed us the nature of flight is physically true. One could design a bird-like machine that replicates flight. Our understanding of the world is indeed limited by the laws of physics. However, when we gather sufficient knowledge about a particular phenomenon, we can then use that understanding to create technologies or solutions that mimic or take advantage of the natural processes at play.
Reverse Engineering Nature.
Imagine, we had the ability to explore the stars and explored an unknown planet in a far-away galaxy, a team of science explorers encountered a frightening discovery - an alien species that had one mechanism that we thought was impossible - time traveling. Could one design a time machine apparatus - as it is empirically plausible?
Imagine, we had the ability to explore the stars and ventured to an unknown region in a far-away galaxy. The team of scientist encountered a fascinating observation - An alien species that lived not on a planet, but within the vastness of space itself. This species had evolved an extraordinary ability - the capability of hyper-drive as an innate part of their biology! Rather than utilizing an external apparatus or technology, these unique creatures had developed the power of hyper-drive through millions of years of evolution. Their very nature allowed them to manipulate spacetime, creating shortcuts through wormholes, which enabled near-instantaneous travel between points in the universe. Their bodies were finely tuned to withstand the forces and energies involved in such rapid displacement. Alas, just like how we utilize horses for traveling far distance lands, we used these alien species to travel space itself! And thus begins our innate pursuit of inventing tools to capture that very functionality of nature’s design.
Stepping back to our seemingly boring reality where no species are yet to be discovered, it seems that any phenomena we’ve encountered, we could design things to replicate such physical and natural process. If nature could do it, we can too? Just like how birds showed us the phenomenon of flight, we can capture that very same functionality with aerodynamics.
Bootstrapping Intelligence
If nature made my mind’s design, could I design my own mind again? It seems very meta - Letting nature build a mind, to which the mind is tasked to design its very own mind. Then, to showcase its exceptional ability, letting the artificial mind create an advanced artificial mind, and have that advanced mind creates a better version of a new advanced advanced artificial mind, so fourth. Ad Infinitum of my mind’s design.
Science, Epistemology or Reality the same since
The phrase "The reach of our explanations is bounded only by the laws of physics. Therefore, anything that is physically possible can be achieved given the requisite knowledge" suggests that science, epistemology, and reality have remained the same since the laws of physics dictate what is possible and what is not. Yet, our understanding of science, epistemology, and reality is constantly evolving as we gain new knowledge and insights into the world around us, our knowledge paradigm is only bounded by the shoulders of giants.
As we continue to push the boundaries of our understanding, we may discover new laws of physics or revise our current ones, leading to a shift in our understanding of what is physically possible. This, in turn, can lead to new scientific discoveries and advancements.
Furthermore, our understanding of epistemology - the study of knowledge and belief - has also evolved over time. As we gain new information and insights, we may question our previous beliefs and revise our theories to better reflect our current understanding. This process is constantly ongoing, and we can never claim to have a complete understanding of the world around us.
Reality, too, is constantly evolving as we gain new perspectives and insights into the world. Our understanding of reality is shaped by our experiences, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds, and as these factors change, so too does our perception of reality and ourselves.
While the laws of physics provide a framework for what is physically possible, our understanding of science, epistemology, and reality is constantly evolving as we gain new knowledge and insights. As such, our understanding of the world is always subject to revision and refinement as we continue to explore and discover new facets of the world around us. And with this connection - leads to our endless pursuit of knowledge to create one of the many, yet seemingly complex nature’s apparatus - the human brain.
Cognition
Cognition is a Latin term that means “the faculty of knowing.” In practice, however, it refers to the set of processes (cognitive functions) that allow humans and many other animals to perceive external stimuli, to extract key information and hold it in memory, and ultimately to generate thoughts and actions that help reach desired goals.