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diff --git a/essays/concept_art.tex b/essays/concept_art.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bfe4c79 --- /dev/null +++ b/essays/concept_art.tex @@ -0,0 +1,214 @@ +\chapter{Concept Art} +{ \raggedleft (1961) \par } + + +Concept art is first of all an art of which the material is concepts, as the +material of e.g. music is sound. Since concepts are closely bound up with +language, concept art is a kind of art of which the material is language. That +is, unlike e.g. a work of music, in which the music proper (as opposed to +notation, analysis, etc.) is just sound, concept art proper will involve +language. From the philosophy of language, we learn that a concept may as +well be thought of as the intension of a name; this is the relation between +concepts and language.\footnote{The extension of the word 'table' is all +existing tables; the intension of 'table' is all possible instances of a table.} +The notion of a concept is a vestige of the notion of +a platonic form (the thing which e.g. all tables have in common: tableness), +which notion is replaced by the notion of a name objectively, metaphysically +related to its intension (so that all tables now have in common their +objective relation to table). Now the claim that there can be an objective +relation between a name and its intension is wrong, and (the word) concept, +as commonly used now, can be discredited (see my book, Philosophy +Proper). If, however, it is enough for one that there be a subjective relation +between a name and its intension, namely the unhesitant decision as to the +way one wants to use the name, the unhesitant decisions to affirm the names +of some things but not others, then concept is valid language, and concept +art has a philosophically valid basis. + +Now what is artistic, aesthetic, about a work which is a body of +concepts? This question can best be answered by telling where concept art +came from; I developed it in an attempt to straighten out certain traditional +activities generally regarded as aesthetic. The first of these is structure art, +music, visual art, etc., in which the important thing is "structure." My +definitive discussion of structure art is in my unpublished essay \essaytitle{Structure +Art and Pure Mathematics}; here I will just summarize that discussion. Much +structure art is a vestige of the time when \eg music was believed to be +knowledge, a science, which had important things to say in astronomy \etc +Contemporary structure artists, on the other hand, tend to claim the kind of +cognitive value for their art that conventional contemporary mathematicians +claim for mathematics. Modern examples of structure art are the fugue and +total serial music. These examples illustrate the important division of +structure art into two kinds according to how the structure is appreciated. In +the case of a fugue, one is aware of its structure in listening to it; one +imposes relationships, a categorization (hopefully that intended by the +composer) on the sounds while listening to them, that is, has an (associated) +artistic structure experience. In the case of total serial music, the structure is +such that this cannot be done; one just has to read an analysis of the +music, definition of the relationships. Now there are two things wrong with +structure art. First, its cognitive pretensions are utterly wrong. Secondly, by +trying to be music or whatever (which has nothing to do with knowledge), +and knowledge represented by structure, structure art both fails, is +completely boring, as music, and doesn't begin to explore the aesthetic +possibilities structure can have when freed from trying to be music or +whatever.The first step in straightening out e.g. structure music is to stop +calling it music, and start saying that the sound is used only to carry the +structure and that the real point is the structure--and then you will see how +limited, impoverished, the structure is. Incidentally, anyone who says that +works of structure music do occasionally have musical value just doesn't +know how good real music (the Goli Dance of the Baoule; Cans on Windows +by La Monte Young; the contemporary American hit song Sweets for My +Sweets, by the Drifters) can get. When you make the change, then since +structures are concepts, you have concept art. Incidentally, there is another, +less important kind of art which when straightened out becomes concept art: +art involving play with the concepts of the art such as, in music, the score, +performer vs. listener, playing a work. The second criticism of structure art +applies, with the necessary changes, to this art. + +The second main antecedent of structure art is mathematics. This is the +result of my revolution in mathematics, presented in my 1966 \essaytitle{Mathematical +Studies}; here I will only summarize. The revolution occured first because for +reasons of taste I wanted to deemphasize discovery in mathematics, +mathematics as discovering theorems and proofs. I wasn't good at such +discovery, and it bored me. The first way I thought of to de-emphasize +discovery came not later than Summer, 1960; it was that since the value of +pure mathematics is now regarded as aesthetic rather than cognitive, why not +try to make up aesthetic theorems, without considering whether they are +true. The second way, which came at about the same time, was to find, as a +philosopher, that the conventional claim that theorems and proofs are +discovered is wrong, for the same reason I have already given that 'concept' +can be discredited. The third way, which came in the fall-winter of 1960, +was to work in unexplored regions of formalist mathematics. The resulting +mathematics still had statements, theorems, proofs, but the latter weren't +discovered in the way they traditionally were. Now exploration of the wider +possibilities of mathematics as revolutionized by me tends to lead beyond +what it makes sense to call mathematics; the category of mathematics, a +vestige of Platonism, is an unnatural, bad one. My work in mathematics leads +to the new category of concept art, of which straightened out traditional +mathematics (mathematics as discovery) is an untypical, small but +intensively developed part. + +I can now return to the question of why concept art is art. Why isn't it an +absolutely new, or at least a non-artistic, non-aesthetic activity? The answer +is that the antecedents of concept art are commonly regarded as artistic, +aesthetic activities; on a deeper level, interesting concepts, concepts +enjoyable in themselves, especially as they occur in mathematics, are +commonly said to have beauty. By calling my activity art, therefore, I am +simply recognizing this common usage, and the origin of the activity in +structure art and mathematics. However: it is confusing to call things as +irrelevant as the emotional enjoyment of (real) music, and the intellectual +enjoyment of concepts, the same kind of enjoyment. Since concept art +includes almost everything ever said to be music, at least, which is not music +for the emotions, perhaps it would be better to restrict art to apply to art for +the emotions, and recognize my activity as an independent, new activity, +irrelevant to art (and knowledge). + +\section*{Concept Art Version of Mathematics System 3/26/61 (6/19/61)} + +An element is the adjacent area (with the figure in it) so long as the +apparent, perceived, ratio of the length of the vertical line to that of the +horizontal line (the element's associated ratio) does not change. + +A selection sequence is a sequence of elements of which the first is the one +having the greatest associated ratio, and each of the others has the associated +ratio next smaller than that of the preceding one. (To decrease the ratio, +come to see the vertical line as shorter, relative to the horizontal line, one +might try measuring the lines with a ruler to convince oneself that the +vertical one is not longer than the other, and then trying to see the lines as +equal in length; constructing similar figures with a variety of real (measured) +ratios and practicing judging these ratios; and so forth.) + +[Observe that the order of elements in a selection sequence may not be the +order in which one sees them.] + + +\img{implications} + +\section*{Implications---Concept Art Version of Colored Sheet Music No. 1 3/14/61 (10/11/61)} + +[This is a mathematical system without general concepts of statement, +implication, axiom, and proof. Instead, you make the object, and stipulate +by ostension that it is an axiom, theorem, or whatever. My thesis is that +since there is no objective relation between name and intension, all +mathematics is this arbitrary. Originally, the successive statements, or sheets, +were to be played on an optical audiorecorder.] + +\begin{sysrules} +The axiom: a sheet of cheap, thin white typewriter paper + +The axiom implies statement 2: soak the axiom in inflammable liquid which +does not leave solid residue when burned; then burn it on horizontal +rectangular white fireproof surface---statement 2 is ashes (on surface) + +Statement 2 implies s.3: make black and white photograph of s.2 in white +light (image of ashes' rectangle with respect to white surface (that is, of the +region (of surface, with the ashes on it) with bounding edges parallel to the +edges of the surface and intersecting the four points in the ashes nearest the +four edges of the surface) must exactly cover the film); develop film---s.3 is +the negative. + +s.2 and s.3 imply s.4: melt s.3 and cool in mold to form plastic doubly +convex lens with small curvature; take color photograph of ashes' rectangle +in yellow light using this lens; develop film---s.4 is color negative. + +s.2 and s.4 imply s.5: repeat last step with s.4 (instead of 3), using red +light---s.5 is second color negative + +s.2 and s.5 imply s.6: repeat last step with s.5, using blue light---s.6 is third +color negative + +s.2 and s.6 imply s.7: make lens from s.6 mixed with the ashes which have +been being photographed; make black and white photograph, in white fight, +of that part of the white surface where the ashes' rectangle was; develop film +--- s.7 is second black and white negative + +s.2, s.6, and s.7 imply the theorem: melt, mold, and cool lens used in last +step to form negative, and make lens from s.7; using negative and lens in an +enlarger, make two prints, an enlargement and a reduction--enlargement and +reduction together constitute the theorem. +\end{sysrules} + +\section*{Concept Art: Innpersegs (May--July 1961)} + +\begin{sysrules} +A "halpoint" iff whatever is at any point in space, in the fading rainbow halo +which appears to surround a small bright light when one looks at it through +glasses fogged by having been breathed on, for as long as the point is in the +halo. + +An "init`point" iff a halpoint in the initial vague outer ring of its halo. + + +An "inn`perseq" iff a sequence of sequences of halpoints such that all the +halpoints are on one (initial) radius of a halo; the members of the first +sequence are initpoints; for each of the other sequences, the first member (a +consequent) is got from the non-first members of the preceding sequence +(the antecedents) by being the inner endpoint of the radial segment in the +vague outer ring when they are on the segment, and the other members (if +any) are initpoints or first members of preceding sequences; all first members +of sequences other than the last [two] appear as non-first members, and +halpoints appear only once as non-first members; and the last sequence has +one member. +\end{sysrules} + +\section*{Indeterminacy} + +\begin{sysrules} +A $\ulcorner$totally determinate innperseq' iff an innperseq$\urcorner$ in which one is aware of +(specifies) all halpoints. + +An $\ulcorner$antecedentally indeterminate innperseq' iff an innperseq$\urcorner$ in which one is +aware of (specifies) only each consequent and the radial seqment beyond it. + +A $\ulcorner$halpointally indeterminate innperseq' iff an innperseq$\urcorner$ in which one is +aware of (specifies) only the radial segment in the vague outer ring, and its +inner endpoint, as it progresses inward. +\end{sysrules} + +\subsection*{Innperseqs Diagram} + +In the diagram, different positions of the vague outer ring at different times +are suggested by different shadings. The radial segment in the vague outer +ring moves down the page. The figure is by no means an innperseq, but is +supposed to help explain the definition. + +\img{innperseqsdiagram} + diff --git a/essays/dream_reality.tex b/essays/dream_reality.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aab289d --- /dev/null +++ b/essays/dream_reality.tex @@ -0,0 +1,661 @@ +\chapter{The Dream Reality} + +\section{Memo on the Dream Project} + +Original aim: To recreate the effect of e.g. Pran Nath's singing---transcendent +inner escape---in direct life rather than art. I needed material which could +function as an alien civilization (since the source of Pran Nath's expression is +an alien civilization relative to me); yet which was encultured in me and not +an affectation or pretense. I decided to use dreams as the material, assuming +that my dreams would take me to alien worlds. But mostly they did not. +Mostly my dreams consist of long periods of tawdry, familiar life interrupted +occasionally by senseless, unmotivated anomalies. In contrast, my original +aim required alluring, psychically gratifying material. + +The emphasis shifted to redefining reality so that dreams were on the same +level as waking life; so that they were apprehended as what they seem to be: +literal reality (and not memory, precognition, or symbolism). The project +was still arcane, but in a drastically different way. I was getting into an +alternate reality which was extremely bizarre but not psychically gratifying. +It was boringly frightful and sometimes obscene. I became concerned with +analytical study of the natural order of the dream world, a para-scientific +investigation. As I grappled with the rational arguments against treating +dreams as literal reality, the project became a difficult analytical exercise in +the philosophy of science. The original sensuous-esthetic purpose was lost. + +Now I would like to return to the original aim, but how to do it? Obtain +other people's dreams---see if they are more suitable? Work only with my +very rare dreams which do take me to alien worlds? Try to alter the content +of my raw dreams? Attempt to affect content of dreams by experiment in +which many people sleep in same room and try to communicate in their +sleep? The most uncertain approach to a solution: set up a transformation +on my banal dreams, so that to the first-order activity of raw dreaming is +added a second-order activity. The transformation procedure to somehow +combine conscious ideational direction---coding of the banal dreams---with +alteration of my experience, my esthesia, my lived experience. + + +\section{Dreams and Reality---An Experimental Essay} + +Excerpts from my dream diary which are referred-to in the essay that +follows. + +\dreamdate{12/11/1973} + +I notice a state between waking and dreaming: a waking dream. I have +been asleep; I wake up; I close my eyes to sleep again. While not yet asleep, I +experience isolated objects before me as in a dream, but with no +background, only a dark void. In this case, there are two pocket combs, both +with teeth broken. In the waking world, I threw away one of my two pocket +combs because I broke it; the other comb is still in good condition. + +\dreamdate{12/30/1973} + +I am chased by the police for one block west on West Market Street in +Greensboro. I reach the intersection with Eugene Street, and in the north +direction there is a steep hill rather than the street. The surface of the hill is +bare ground and grass. I run up the hill, sensing that if I can get over the hill +I will find Friendly Road and the general neighborhood of my mother's +houses on the other side. The police start shooting. If I can get a few yards +farther on the top of the hill I will be past the line of fire. I take a headlong +dive and awaken in the middle of the dive to find myself diving forward on +my mattress in the front room of my apartment. The action is carried on +continuously through waking up and through the associated change of +setting. + + +\dreamdate{1/12/1974} + +Just before I go to sleep for the night, I am lying in bed drowsy. I think +of being, and suddenly am, at the south edge of the Courant Institute plaza, +which is several feet above the sidewalk. The edge of the plaza and the drop +are all I see. It is night; and there is only a void where the peripheral +environment should be. (Comment: It is of great theoretical importance that +while most of the internal reality cues were present in this experience, some, +like the peripheral environment, were not. In my dream experiences, all +reality cues are present.) The drop expands to twenty or thirty feet, and I +start to fall off. Fright jolts me completely awake. I have had something like +a waking nightmare and have awakened from being awake. I thought of the +scene, was suddenly in it (except for peripheral reality cues), lost control and +became endangered by it, and then snapped back to my bedroom. + +\dreamdate{1/1-/1974} + +One or two nights after 1/12/74 I was lying in bed just before going to +sleep. I could see women standing on a sidewalk. The scene was real, but I +was not in it; I was a disembodied spectator. Also, the peripheral +environment was absent. The reality was between that of a waking +visualization and that of the Courant Institute incident of 1/12/74. +Comment: The differences between this experience and a waking +visualization are that the latter is less vivid than seeing and is accompanied +by waking reality cues such as cues of bodily location. + + +\dreamdate{1/16/1974} + +\begin{enumerate} +\item I am in an apartment vaguely like the first place in which I lived, at +1025 Madison Avenue in Greensboro. I am a spy. I am teen-aged and short; +and I am in the apartment with several enemy men, who are middle-aged and +adult-sized. My code sheets look like the sheets of Yiddish I have been +copying out in waking life. Eventually the men discover me in the front +room with the code sheets on a fold-up desk. They chase me out the front +door and onto the west side of the lawn, and shoot me with a needle gun. At +that moment my consciousness jumps from my body and becomes that of a +disembodied spectator watching from an eastward location, as if I were +watching a film. + +\item I am living in a dormitory in a rural setting with other males. At one +point I walking barefoot in weeds outside the dormitory, and Supt. Toro +tells me I am walking in poison ivy. My feet begin to show the rash, but I +recognize that I am in a dream and think that the rash will not carry over to +the waking state. I then begin to will away the rash in the dream, and I +succeed, +\end{enumerate} + + +\dreamdate{1/20/1974} + +For some reason the dream associates Simone Forti with flute-like +music. It is shortly before midnight. In the dream I believe that Simone lives +in a loft on the east side of Wooster Street. The blocks in SOHO are very +small. If I walk through the streets and whistle, she will hear me. I start to +whistle but can only whistle a single high note. I half awaken but continue +whistling, or trying to; the dream action continues into waking. But I cannot +change pitch or whistle clearly because my mouth is taped. As I realize this, I +awaken fully. + +Comments: I tape my mouth at night so I will sleep with my mouth closed. I +experimented at trying to whistle with the tape on while fully awake. The +breath just hisses against the tape. The pitch of the hiss can be varied. + + +\dreamdate{2/1/1974} + +1. I try to assist a man in counterfeiting ten dollar bills by taking half +of a ten, scotch taping it to half of a one, and then coloring over the one +until it looks like the other half of the ten. The method fails because I bring +old crumpled tens rather than new tens, and the one doilar bills are new. + + +Comments: There are no natural anomalies in this dream at all. What is +anomalous is that this counterfeiting method seems perfectly sensible, and I +only begin to question it when we try to fit the crumpled half-bill to the +crisp half-bill. Why am I so foolish in this dream? I retain my identity as +Henry Flynt, and yet my outlook, my sense of what is rational, is so +different that it is that of a different person. More generally, the person I am +in my dreams is much more limited in certain ways that I am in waking life. +My waking preoccupations are totally absent from my dreams. Instead there +is bland material about my early life which could apply to any child or +teen-ager. Thus, I must warn readers who know me only from this diary not +to try to make the image of me here fit my waking life. + + +\dreamdate{2/3/1974} + +3. I have had several dreams that I am taking the last courses of my +student career. (In waking life I have completed all course work.) I am +usually failing them. Tonight I dream that I have gone all semester without +studying (in a course in English?). Now I am in the final exam and sinking. I +will have to repeat these courses. Subsequently, I am sitting in a school +office (of a professor or psychologist?), giving him a long list (of words, a +foreign vocabulary?). (I mention this episode because I remember that while +I retained my nominal identity as Henry Flynt, I had the mind of a different +person. I experienced another person's existence instead of mine. Professor +Nell also appeared somewhere in this dream; as he has in several school +dreams I have had recently. + + +\dreamdatecomment{2/3/1974}{This is the date I recorded, but it seems that it would have to be later.} + +I get up in the morning and decide to have a self-indulgent breakfast +because of the unpleasantness of working on my income tax the day before. +So I put two slices of pizza in the oven, and also eat two bakery sweets, +possibly \'{e}clairs. Then I think that a Mexican TV dinner would have been +better all around, but it is too late; I have to eat what I am already preparing. +Subsequently, I go with John Alten to a Shoreham Cafeteria at Houston and +Mercer Streets. The cafeteria chain is a good one, but this cafeteria is dark +and extremely dingy upstairs where the serving line is. John complains that +there is no ventilation and that he is suffocating, and he stalks out. + +Comment: When I awoke, my first thought was that the pizza in the oven +would be burning. (I assumed that I had arisen, put the pizza in the oven, +and gone back to sleep.) But then I realized that the breakfast was a dream. I +got up and prepared the Mexican dinner which I had decided was best in the +dream, but I also ate one \'{e}clair. + +\dreamdate{7/8/1974} + +I am caught out in a theft of money, and I feel that the rest of my life +will be ruined. + +Comment: The quality of the episode depended on my +strong belief in the reality of the social future and in my ability to form +accurate expectations about it. When I awakened, the whole misadventure +vanished. + + +End of excerpts from my dream diary. + +\begin{quotation} +"... It is correct to say that the objective world is a synthesis of private views +or perceptions... But ... inasmuch as it is the common objective world that +renders ... general knowledge possible, it will be this world that the scientist +will identify with the world of reality. Henceforth the private views, though +just as real, will be treated as its perspectives. ... the common objective +world, whether such a thing exists or is a mere convenient fiction, is +indispensable to science ... +."\footnote{A. d'Abro, The Evolution of Scientific Thought (New York, Dover, 1950), pp. 176--7} +\end{quotation} + + +\textbf{A.} We wish to postulate that dreams are exactly what they seem to be +while we are dreaming, namely, literal reality. Naively, we want to get closer +to literal empiricism than natural science is. But science has worked out a +very comfortable world-view on the assumption that both dreams and +semi-conscious quasi-dreams are mere subjective phenomena of individual +consciousness. If we wish to carry through the postulate that dreams are +literal reality, then we will have to adopt a cognitive model quite different +from that of natural science. It is of crucial importance that we are not +interested in superstition. We do not wish to adopt a cognitive model which +would simply be defeated in competition with science. We wish to be at least +as rational, as empirical, and as cognitively parsimonious as science is. We +want our cognitive model to be compelling, and not to be a plaything which +is easily taken up and easily discarded. + +The question is whether there can be a rational empiricism which +differs from science in placing dreamed episodes on the same level as waking +episodes, but which stops short of the "nihilistic empiricism" of my +philosophical essay entitled \essaytitle{The Flaws Underlying Beliefs}. (In effect, the +latter essay rejects other minds, causality, persistent objective entities, past +time, the possibility of objective categories and significant language, and so +forth, ending up with ungraded immediate experience.) + +As an example of our problem, the waking scientific outlook assumes +that a typewriter continues to exist even when we turn our backs on it +(persistence of objective entities). In many of our dreams we make the same +sort of assumption. In other words, in some of our dreams the natural order +is not noticeably different from that of the waking world; and in many +dreams our conscious world-view has much in common with waking +common sense or scientific pragmatism. On 2/3/1974 I had a dream in which +a typewriter was featured. I certainly assumed that the typewriter continued +to exist when my back was turned to it. On 7/8/1974 I dreamed that I was +caught out in a theft of money, and I felt my life would be ruined because of +it. I certainly assumed the reality of the social future, and my ability to form +accurate expectations about it. These examples illustrate that we are not +nihilistic empiricists in our dreams. The question is whether acceptance of +the pragmatic outlook which we have in dreams is consistent with not +regarding the dream-world as a subjective phenomenon of individual +consciousness. Can we accept dreams as "literal reality"; or must we reject +the very concept of "reality" on order to defend the placing of the dream +world on the same level as the waking world? + +In summary, the question is whether we can place dreams on the same +fevel as the waking world while stopping short of nihilistic empiricism. A +further difficulty in accomplishing this aim is that neurological science might +succeed in gaining complete experimental control of dreams. Scientists might +become able to produce dreams at will and to monitor them. The whole +phenomenon of dreaming would then tend to be totally assimilated to the +outlook of scientists. Their decision to treat dreams as subjective phenomena +of individual consciousness would be greatly supported by these +developments. Would we have to go all the way to nihilistic empiricism in +order to have a basis for rejecting the neurologists' accomplishments? + +Still another difficulty is presented for us by semi-conscious +quasi-dreams such as the ones described in my diary. Semi-conscious +quasi-dreams exhibit some reality cues, but lack other important internal +reality cues. Science handles these experiences easily, by dismissing them +along with dreams as subjective phenomena of individual consciousness. +Suppose we accept that the semi-conscious quasi-dreams are illusory reality. +But if they can be illusory reality, how can we exclude the possibility that +dreams might be also? If, on the other hand, we accept the quasi-dreams as +literal reality, what about the missing reality cues? Can we justify different +treatment for dreams and quasi-dreams by saying that all reality cues have to +be present before an experience is accepted as non-illusory? If we propose +to do so, the question then becomes whether we should accept the weight +which common sense places on reality cues. + +Why do we wish to stop short of nihilistic empiricism? Because we do +wish to assert that dreams can be remembered; that they can be described in +permanent records; that they can be compared and studied rationally. We do +want to cite the past as evidence; we do want to distinguish between actual +dream experience and waking fabrications, waking lies about what we have +dreamed; and we do want to describe what we experience in intersubjective +language. + +As easy way out which would offend nobody would be to treat dreams +as simulations of alternate universes. But this approach is a cowardly evasion +for several reasons. It excludes the phenomenon of the semi-conscious +quasi-dream, which poses the problem of internal reality cues in the sharpest +way. Further, we cannot give up the notion that our project is nearer to +literal empiricism than natural science is. We cannot accept the notion that +we must dismiss some of our experiences as mere illusions, but not all of +them. We do not see dreams as simulations of anything. Some of the most +interesting observations I have made about connections between adjacent +dreamed and waking episodes in my own experience are noticeable only +because I take both dreamed and waking experience literally. + +\gap + + +\textbf{B.} Before we continue our attempt to resolve our methodological +problem, we will provide more detail on topics which we have mentioned in +passing. We begin with the purported empiricism of natural science. The +philosopher Hume postulated that experience was the only raw material of +reality or cognition. However, he did not content himself with ungraded +experience. He insisted on draping the experiential raw material on an +intellectual framework in such a way that experience was used to simulate +the inherited conception of. reality, a conception which we will call +Aristotelian realism. Similarly for the purported empiricism of natural +science. In fact, the working scientist learns to think of the framework or +model as primary, and of experiences and verification procedures as ancillary +to it. The quotation by d'Abro which heads this essay concedes as much. + +What we are investigating is whether experiences can be draped on a +different intellectual framework in which dreamed and waking life come out +as equally real. Some examples of alternate verification conventions follow. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item Accept intersubjective confirmation of my experience of the dream world +which occurs within the dream as confirmation of the reality of the dream +world. + +\item Accept intersubjective confirmation of the past of the dream world which +occurs in the dream itself as confirmation of the reality of the dreamed past. + +\item Recognize that there is no infallible way to tell whether other people are +lying about their dreamed experience or their waking experience. + +\item Develop sophisticated interrogation techniques as a limited test of +whether people are telling the truth about their dreams. + +\item Accept that a certain category of anomalies occurs in dreams only when +several people have reported experiences in that category. +\end{enumerate} + +The principal characteristic of the approach which these conventions +represent is that each dream is treated as a separate world. There is no +attempt to arrive at an account, for a given "objective" time period, which is +consistent with more than one dream or with both dreamed and waking +periods. Thus, many parallel worlds could be confirmed as real. As our +discussion proceeds, we will move away from this approach, probably out of +a sense that it is pointless to maintain a strong notion of reality and yet to +forego the notion of the consistency of all portions of reality. + +\textbf{C.} Something that I have learned from a study of my dream records is +that while dreams are not chaotic, while they can be compared and +classified, it is not possibie to apply the method of natural science to them in +the sense of discerning a consistent, impersonal natural order in the dream +world. It is not that the natural order is different in dreams from what it is in +the waking world; it is that the dream worlds are incommensurate with the +discernment of a natural order in the scientific sense. Here are some specific +observations which relate to this whole question. + +\begin{enumerate} + \item Some dreams are not noticeably anomalous. The laws of science are not +violated in them. This observation is important in giving us a normal base for +our investigation. Dreams are not all crazy and chaotic. + +\item In some dreams, it is impossible to abstract an impersonal natural order +from personal experiences and anecdotes. There are no impersonal events. +There is no nature whose order can be defined impersonally. The dreams are +full of personal magic which cannot be generalized to a characteristic of an +impersonal natural order. + +\item As a special case of (2), in some dreams, we jump back in time and move +discontinuously in time and space. Chronological personal magic. + +\item In dreams, the distinction between myself and other people is blurred in +many different ways. Also, I sometimes become a disembodied +consciousness. + +\item As a generalization of (4), sometimes it becomes impossible to distinguish +objects from our sensing and perceiving function. The mediating sensory +function becomes obtrusively anomalous. Stable object gestalts cannot be +identified. + +\item Sometimes we experience the logically impossible in dreams. My father +was both dead and buried, and alive and walking around, in one dream. + +\item The possibility of identifying causal relationships is sometimes lacking in +dreams. It is not just that actions have unexpected effects. It is that events +are strung together like beads on a string. There is no sense of willful acting +on the world or manipulation of the world which can be objectified as a +causal relation between impersonal events. +\end{enumerate} + +The possibility arises of using dreams as philosophical experiments in +worlds in which one or more of the preconditions for application of the +scientific method is absent. (But in the one case in which Alten and I tried +this, we reached opposite conclusions. Alten said that dreams in which one +can jump around in time proved that the irreversibility of time is the basis +for distinguishing between time and space; I said that the dreams proved that +time and space can be distinguished even when the irreversibility of time is +lacking.) + +Observation (2) above can lead us to an insight about the waking world. +Perhaps science insists on the elimination of personal anecdotes from the +natural order which it recognizes because the scientist wants results which +can be transferred from one life to another and which will give one person +power over another. At any rate, science excludes anecdotal anomalies which +cannot be made somehow into "objective" events. As an example, I may be +walking down the street and suddenly find myself on the other side of the +street with no awareness of any act of crossing the street. + +What dreams provide us with is worlds in which anecdotal anomalies +cannot be relegated to limbo as they are in waking science. They are so +prominent in dreams that we can become accustomed to identifying them +there. We may then learn to recognize analogous anomalies in the waking +world, where we had overlooked them before because of our scientific +indoctrination. + +Of course, we run the risk that superstitious people will misuse our +theory to justify their folly. But the difference between our theory and +superstition is clear. When the superstitious person says that he +communicates with spirits, he either lies outright; or alse he misinterprets his +experiences---embedding them in an extraneous pre-scientific belief system, +or treating them as controversions of scientific propositions. We, on the +other hand, maintain more literally than science does that the only raw +material of cognition is experience. We differ from science in draping +experiences on a different organizational framework. The "reality" we arrive +at is incommensurate with science; it does not falsify any scientific +proposition. As for science and superstition, we headed this essay with the +quotation by d'Abro to emphasize that the scientist himself is superstitious: +he is determined to believe in the common objective world, even though it is +a fiction, because it is necessary to science. The superstitious person wants +you to believe that his communication with spirits is intersubjectively +consequential. Thus our theory, which tends toward the attitude that +nothing is intersubjectively consequential, offers him even less comfort than +science does. + +\textbf{D.} We next turn to semi-conscious quasi-dreams. Referring to my +experience on the morning of 1/12/1974, I describe the experience by saying +that I was on the Courant Institute plaza. But I cannot conclude that I was +on the Courant Institute plaza. The reason is that important internal reality +cues are missing in the experience. For one thing, the peripheral environment +is missing; in its place is a void. Referring to my experience on 1/1-/1974, +still other cues are missing. I am awake, and the scene is unstable and +momentary. The slightest attention shift will cause the scene to vanish. + +When we recognize that we have disallowed falling asleep, awaking, and +anomalous phenomena in dreams as evidence of unreality, a careful analysis +yields only two types of reality cues. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item Presence of the peripheral environment. + +\item "Single consciousness." This cue is missing when we see a +three-dimensional scene and move about in it, and yet have a background +awareness that we are awake in bed; and lose the scene through a mere shift +of attention. Its absence is even more marked if the scene is a momentary +one between two waking periods. +\end{enumerate} + +Let us recall our earlier discussion of the empiricism of science. Science +does not content itself with ungraded experience. it drapes experience on an +intellectual framework in such a way as to simulate Aristotelian realism. It +feeds experience into a maze of verification procedures in order to confirm a +model which is not explicit in ungraded experience. It short, science grades +experience as to its reality on the basis of standards which are +"intellectually" supplied. Internal reality cues are thus characteristics of +experience which are given special weight by the grading procedure. The +immediate problem for us is that ordinary descriptive language implicitly +recognizes these reality cues; one would never say without qualification that +one was on the Courant Institute plaza if the peripheral environment was +missing and if one was also aware of being awake in bed at the time. (In +contrast, it is fair to use ordinary descriptive language with respect to +dreamed episodes when our consciousness is singulary, that is, when +everything seems real and unqualified.) + +For purposes of further comparison I may mention an experience I +have had on rare occasions while lying on my back in bed fully awake. It is +as if colored spheres whose centers are located a few feet or yards in front of +my chest expand until they press against me, one after the other. I use the +phrase "as if" because reality cues are missing in this experience, and thus I +cannot use the language of stable object gestalts without qualification in +describing it. The colors are not vivid as real colors are. They are like +visualized colors. The spheres pass through each other, and through me---with +only a moderate sensation of pressure. I can turn the experience off by +getting out of bed. The point, again, is that it is inherent in ordinary +language not to use unqualified object descriptions in these circumstances. +Yet the only language I have for such sensory configurations is the language +of stable object gestalts-this is particularly obvious in the example of the +Courant Institute plaza. (Is "ringing in the ears' in the same class of +phenomena?) + +An insight that is crucial in elucidating this problem is that when I +describe episodes, the descriptions implicitly convey not only sensations but +beliefs, as when I speak of a typewriter in a dream on the assumption that it +persisted while I was not looking at it. The peculiar quality of a quasi-dream +comes about not only because it is an anomaly in my sensations but because +it is an anomaly in the scientific-pragmatic cognitive model which underlies +ordinary language. If I discard this cognitive model and then report the +event, it will not be the same event: the beliefs implicit in ordinary language +helped give the event its quality. As a further example, now that I have +recognized experiences such as that of 1/12/1974, I am willing to entertain +the possibility that they are the basis for claims by superstitious persons to +have projected astrally. But to use the phrase "astral projection" is to embed +the experiences in a pre-scientific belief system extraneous to the +experiences themselves. If we learn to report such experiences by using +idioms like "ringing in the ears" and blocking any comparison with notions +of objective reality or intersubjective import, we will have flattened out +experience and will have moved in the direction of ungraded experience and +nihilistic empiricism. + +\textbf{E.} We next take up connections between adjacent dreamed and waking +periods. As a preliminary, we reject conventional notions that dreams are +fabricated from memories of waking reality; or that dreams are precognitions +of waking reality; or that dreams are mental phenomena which symbolize +waking reality. We reject these notions because they conflict with the placing +of the dream world on the same level as the waking world. + +Connections between dream and waking periods are important in this +study because we may wish to create such connections deliberately, and even +to attribute causal significance to them. Initially, we define the concept of +dream control: it is to conduct one's waking life so that it is supportive of +one's dreamed life in some sense. We also define controlled dreaming: it is to +manipulate a person "from outside" before sleep (or during sleep) so as to +influence the content of that person's dreams. (An example would be to give +somebody a psychoactive sleeping pill.) + +A careful analysis of connections between dream and waking periods +yields the following classification of such connections. + +\begin{enumerate} + \item I walk around the kitchen in a dream, then awaken and walk around the +kitchen. Voluntary continued action. + +\item Given a project with causally separate components, voluntarily +assembled, I can carry out the project entirely while awake, entirely in +dreams, or partly while awake and partly in dreams. + +\item I walk around the kitchen while awake, then sleep. I may then walk +around the kitchen in a dream. Also, I draw a glass of water while awake. I +may have the glass of water to use in the dream. We could postulate that +such connections are not mere coincidences, if they occur. However, we +certainly cannot produce such connections at will. We call these connections +echoes of waking actions in dreams. Note the case in which I taped my +mouth shut before sleeping, and could not whistle in the subsequent dream. + +\item We next have connections from dreamed to waking periods which can be +postulated to have causal significance. First, misfortune or danger in dreams +is regularly followed by immediate awaking. Secondly, I have had +experiences in which a headlong dive or an attempt to whistle continued +from dream to waking, right through waking up. These experiences are +causally continuous actions. However, I cannot bring them about at will. + +\item We can manipulate a person "from outside" before sleep (or during sleep) +so as to influence the content of that person's dreams. The dream is not an +echo of the waking action; the causal relationship is manipulative. Examples +are to give someone a psychoactive sleeping drug or to create a special +environment for sleep. The case in which I taped my mouth shut before +sleeping was a remarkable borderline case between an echo and a +manipulation. +\end{enumerate} + +in conclusion, dream control is any of the connections described in +(1)--(4). Controlled dreaming is (5). We have analyzed these concepts +meticulously because we want to exclude all attempts at magic, all +superstition from the project of placing dreamed and waking life on the same +level. There must be no rain dancing, no false causality, in this project. + +\textbf{F.} Until now, we have analyzed our experience episode by episode. We +could make this approach into a principle by assuming that each episode is a +separate and complete world, which has its reality confirmed internally. In +particular, the notion of objective location in space and time would be +maintained if it appeared in a dream and was intersubjectively confirmed in +the dream, but the notion would be purely internal to each episode. The +objection to these assumptions, as we mentioned at the end of (B), is that +they propose to maintain the notion of objective location, and yet they +forego the notion of the consistency of all portions of reality. if we adopt +these assumptions and then compare all the reports of our dreamed and +waking periods, we may find that we have experienced different events +attributed to the same location---and indeed, that is exactly what we do +experience. + +One of the main discoveries of this essay has been that dreamed and +waking periods are more symmetrical than our scientific-pragmatic +indoctrination would have us suppose. The reality of the dream world is +intersubjectively confirmed---within the dream. Anecdotal anomalies can be +found in waking periods as well as in dreams. Entities which resemble +common object gestalts but which lack some of the reality cues of object +gestalts can be encountered whicle we are fully awake. Now we can +recognize a further symmetry between dreamed and waking life. A dreamed +misfortune is usually "lost" when we awaken, and its disappearance is taken +as evidence of the unreality of the dream (the nightmare). But we can also +"lose" a waking misfortune by going to sleep and dreaming. Further, just as +a waking misfortune can persist from one waking period to another, a +dreamed misfortune can persist from one dream to another (recurrent +nightmares). Thus, we conclude that in regard to the consistency of episodes +with each other, there is no basis for preferring any one episode, dreamed or +waking, as the standard by which the reality of other episodes will be judged. +Of course, rather than maintaining the reality of each episode as a separate +world, we can block all attributions of events to objective locations. This +approach would alter the quality of the events and bring us closer to +nihilistic empiricism. + +A further problem arises if we take the dream reports of other people as +reports of reality. Suppose I am awake in my apartment at 3 AM on +2/6/1974, but that someone dreams at that time that I am out of my +apartment. Multiple existences which I do not even experience are now being +attributed to me. (My own episodes also pose a problem of whether +"multiple existences" are being attributed to me, but that problem concerns +events I experience myself.) What we should recognize is that the problem of +"multiple existences" is not as unique to our investigation as may at first +appear. Natural science has an analogous problem in disposing of the notion +of other minds. The notion of the existence of many minds, none of which +can experience any other, is difficult to assimilate to the cognitive model of +science. On the other hand, to deny the existence of any mind, as +behaviorists do, is to repudiate the scientist's observations of his own mental +life. And if the scientist's observations of his own mental life are repudiated, +then there is no good reason not to repudiate the scientist's observations of +his budily sensations and of external phenomena also; that is, to repudiate +the very possibility of scientific observation. Further, when behaviorists try +to convince people that they have no awareness, whom (or what) are they +trying to convince? And what is the behaviorist explanation of the origin of +the fiction of consciousness? Who benefits from perpetuating this fiction, +and how does he benefit? + +We must emphasize that the above critique is not applicable to every +philosophical outlook. It applies specifically to science---because the scientist +wants to have the benefits of two incompatible conceptual frameworks. +Some of the common sense about other minds is necessary in the operational +preliminaries to formal science; and the scientist's role as observer is +indispensable to formal science. Yet the conceptual framework of science is +essentially physicalistic, and can allow only for external objects. What this +difficulty reveals is that the cognitive model of science has stabilized and +prevailed even though it has blatent discrepancies in its foundations. The +foremost discrepancy, of course, is that the scientist is willing to have his +enterprise rest on a fiction, that of the common objective world. Thus, the +example of science suggests an additional way of dealing with the problems +which arise for our theory: we can allow discrepancies to persist unresolved. + +There is an interesting observation to be made about one's own dreams +in connection with multiple existences. I have found that the person I am in +my dreams is significantly different from the waking identity I take for +granted, as in my dream of 2/1/1974. As for the problem of other people's +dreams, one way of handling them would be simply to reject the existence of +other people's dream worlds and of their consciousnesses, and to limit one's +consideration to one's own dreams. But perhaps the most productive way to +handle the problem would be to construe it as one involving language in the +way that the problems concerning quasi-dreams did. Our descriptive language +is a language of stable object gestalts, of scientific-pragmatic reality. If we +accept reports of other people's dreams in language which blocks any +implications concerning objective reality, then our perceptual interpretations +will be different and the quality of the events will be fundamentally +different. The experience-world will be flatter. But maybe this is a +revolutionary advance. Maybe reports of our appearances in other people's +dreams, in language which blocks any implications about reality, are what we +should strive for. And if ve cease to be stable object gestalts for others, +maybe our stable object gestalts will not even appear in their dreams. + + +\section*{Note on how to remember dreams} + +The trick in remembering a dream is to fix in your mind one incident or +theme in the dream immediately upon awaking from it. You will then be +able to remember the whole dream well enough to write a description of it +the next day, and you will probably find that for weeks afterwards you can +add to the description and correct it. + + diff --git a/essays/energy_cube1961.tex b/essays/energy_cube1961.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf2ac5d --- /dev/null +++ b/essays/energy_cube1961.tex @@ -0,0 +1,256 @@ +\chapter{Representation of the Memory of an Energy Cube Organism (Original 1961 Version)} + +\section*{Foreward} + +I have refrained from editing the Original Version except where +absolutely necessary. It is full of inconsistencies and inadequate +explanations, but I have flagged only two major ones, by placing them +between the signs $\ltimes$ and $\rtimes$. Part of the fourth paragraph is flagged because a +sequence of units is not analogous to a sequence of inflected words; it is +rather more like permutations of letters which form words ('rat', 'tar', 'art'). +Most of the seventh paragraph is flagged because I promise to define intervals +by their lengths and ends, but instead give their beginnings and ends. + +In the fourth paragraph, there are two different versions of the +correspondence between possible methods and sequences of units, and of +why any sequence is acceptable. Passages belonging exclusively to the +"multiplex" version are set off by the sign \#. Passages which belong +exclusively to the "style" version and which should be deleted if the +"multiplex" version is used are placed between slashes (\slash). The "style" version is +the main version. In the fifth paragraph, a notion appears which is +interesting, but unconvincingly explained. It is not clear whether this notion +relates only to the "multiplex" version, or whether it would relate to the +"style" version if the word 'multiplex' were omitted. The passages suggesting +this notion are placed in brackets. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item Energy cube organisms are conscious organisms which are cubical +spaces containing only energy. The particular energy cube organism of +concern here has, for an indefinitely long time, been in a body of liquid, +"resting on' a rectangular energy slab also in the body of liquid; the +organism's "bottom" face is separated from the slab by only a very thin film +of the liquid. The "universe" the organism and slab are in is made up of four +infinite triangular right prisms, prismatic spaces, as defined geometrically by +two intersecting planes almost perpendicular to each other. The prismatic +spaces defined by the vertical obtuse dihedral angles are empty. The other +spaces, defined by the vertical acute dihedral angles, are infinite bodies of a +stationary, colorless liquid--the "upper" body of liquid being what the +organism and slab are in. The two opposite shorter edges of the slab are at +the faces of the body of liquid, the planes, near their intersection; the slab is +"slanted," so that the edges are at slightly different distances from the line +of intersection. The organism and slab are the only "objects" in the bodies +of liquid. (See the illustration.) The organism can move (the energy cube can +continuously change position) without creating currents in the liquid. For +almost as long as it has been in the liquid, the organism has devoted all its +"intelligence," all its "energies," to moving across the slab, from one of the +shorter edges to (any point on) the other. + +\item The organism's conscious, distinct memory is entirely concerned +with, is entirely of, its efforts to cross the slab. (I am using 'memory' +narrowly to refer to an organism's memory of its past. I am counting its +"general information," for example knowing a language, not as part of its +memory but as imagings not memories. Thinking the sequence 1, 2, 1, 2 is +not in itself remembering.) The total memory consists of a large number of +units (tens of thousands), of which the organism can be attentive to precisely +one at a time. "Total recall," the total memory, involves considering, having, +all units in any succession, which the organism can do very rapidly. Now +from one point of view, the memory consists of its content; from another, it +consists of symbols, just as human memories often consist of language. In +describing the memory, I will go from considering primarily the content, +what the memory is of; to considering the specific character of the units, +specific symbolism used in the memory, and specific content. Each unit is +first a memory of the amount of progress made toward the destination edge +in a particular interval of time. The amount of progress is the difference +between the minimum distance of the organism from the destination edge at +the beginning of the interval, and the minimum distance at the end of the +interval. The total of intervals, in the total of units, cover the "absolute" +interval of time from the earliest to the most recent remembered event; as +time passes, more units are added to the memory. + +\item Now the memory is temporally dual: the interval of time for each +unit is first, an interval of 'absolute' time; defined by its duration, and the +"absolute" time of its end (stated with respect to an "absolute event" such +as the appearance of the organism on the slab); and secondly, an interval +defined by its duration, and how far from the present instant its end is. It is +like remembering that so much progress was made during one year which +ended at January 1, 1000 A.D.; as well as remembering that it was made +during one year which ended 1,000 years ago. In the second temporal +memory, the absolute time of the end of the interval to which the progress is +assigned changes according as the absolute time of the present instant +changes. For example, it is like remembering \said{that so much progress was +made during one year ending 1,000 years ago,} and, 100 years later, +remembering---\said{that so much progress was made during one year ending +1,000 years ago}; and in general, always remembering \said{that so much +progress was made during one year ending 1,000 years ago.} Both temporal +memories are in their own ways "natural," the first being anchored at an +"absolute beginning," the second at the present instant. When a unit is added +to the memory, the interval of time of the first temporal memory is added at +the end, exactly covers the time not already covered, up to the absolute time +when the unit is added; so that the total of intervals of the first temporal +memory exactly cover, without overlap, the absolute total time. In contrast, +although the intervals of the second temporal memory do not overlap at any +time, there can be gaps between them; so that when a unit is added to the +memory, the interval for the second temporal memory may be placed +between existing intervals and not have to cover an absolute time which they +have left behind, that is, not have to be placed farther back than all of them. +Intervals of both temporal memories are of different sizes, a "natural +complexity." (See the graph.) Incidentally, the condition for coincidence of +the two temporal intervals of a unit is: if the two intervals are of the same +duration, they will coincide at the absolute time which is the sum of the +absolute time of the end of the first interval, and the distance from the +present instant of the end of the second interval. The two temporal +memories complement each other; aside from this comment I will not be +concerned to "explain" the duality with respect to when the amounts of +progress were made, whether when they were "really" made stayed the same +and changed, or whether the memory is inconsistent about it, or what. + +\item I will now turn to the aspect of the memory concerned with the +method the organism has used to move itself. \# Methodologically, the +memory is a multiplex symbol. \# A "single method" is everything to be done +by the organism, to move itself, throughout the total time it takes to reach +the destination edge; so that the organism could not use two different +"single methods," must, after it chooses its method, continue with it alone +throughout. The organism has available different (single) methods, has +different methods it could try. The different sequences, of all units, are +assigned to the different (single) methods available to the organism to signify +them; are symbols for them. (Thus, the number of available methods +increases as units are added to the memory.) \slash Now all this only approximates +what is the case, because contrary to what I may have implied, which +method is used is not a matter of "fact" as are the temporal intervals and +amounts of progress. As I have said, having all units in any succession +constitutes the total memory, total recall ("factually")--different sequences +of all units are each the total memory, total recall, $\ltimes$ but, as language, the +total memory in different styles (like words in different orders in a highly +inflected language); and the matter of method (which might better be said to +be "manner") corresponds to the matter of style, rather than factual +content, of language. Different styles exclude each other, but not what is +said in each other's being true.$\rtimes$ Thus it is that the number of available +methods can increase; and that any sequence of all units can constitute the +total memory, total recall ("factually"), although different sequences signify +different methods used. \slash \# As an indicator of the method used, the whole +memory is a multiplex symbol. Names for each of the methods are combined +in a single symbol, the totality of units. In remembering, the organism +separates any single name by going through all the units in succession, and +that name is the complete reading of the multiplex symbol, the complete +information about the method used. I will not be concerned to "explain" +the matter of the increasing number of available methods; or the matter of +any sequence of all units' constituting the complete reading, the total +memory, total recall, but different sequences' signifying different methods +used. \# + +\item I will give just an indication of what the available methods [and +their relations through the multiplex memory] are like. Throughout this +description, there has been the difficulty that English lacks a vocabulary +appropriate for describing the "universe" I am concerned with, but the +difficulty is particularly great here, in the case of the methods [and their +relations through the multiplex memory]; so that I will just have to +approximate a vocabulary with present English as best as I can. The +methods, instruments of autokinesis, are all mental, teleportation, result in +teleportation. The "consciousnesses" available to the organism to be +combined into methods are infinitely many. It has available many states of +mind (as humans have non-consciousness, autohypnotic trance, dizziness, +dreaming, clear-headed calculation, and so forth), corresponding to different +forms its energy can assume. To give this description more content I will +differentiate its states of mind by referring to them with the names of the +human states of mind (rather than just with letters). It has available an +indefinite variety of contents, as humans have particular imagings, in its +conscious states of mind. I will outline the principal contents. There are +"visualized" fluid regions of color (like colored liquids), first-order contents. +There are 'visualized' radient surfaces, and non-radient surfaces or regions +("holes"), the intermediate contents. The second-order contents are +"projective" constructs of imaged geometric surfaces, "covers," "lattices," +and "shells." Fluid colors can be stationary or flowing. They can occur in +certain series, "channels"; and in certain arrays, "reservoirs." A channel can +be "closed" or "open"; two channels can be "crossed," or +"screw-connected" (earlier members of each channel flowing into later +members of the other). First-order contents (fluid colors) often occur on or +within second-order ones (projective surfaces). Second-order contents can be +"held" or "growing." States of mind have depth, 'deeper' being 'farther from +the forefront of attention'; and contents can be at different depths. A state +of mind as a unity can be "frozen," which is more than just unchanging (in +particular having its contents stationary or held). It can be projected into +"superstate," remaining a state of mind but being superenergized. [Most +interesting, states of mind, in different methods signified by different +symbols combined in the multiplex methodological memory, can have +contact with each other, for example be "interfrozen."] A partial description +of a method will give an idea of the complexity of the methods. Channels are +generated by a frozen non-conscious state, and become fixed in the surface +layer of an [inter] melted trance. The screw-crossed channels erode crevices +in a held shell, which breaks into growing sheets (certain covers). The sheets +are stacked, and held in a frozen dream thawed at intervals for reshuffling. +The dream becomes melted, and proceeds in a trajectory which shears, and +closes, open channels. If no violation of the channels cross-mars the melt, the +stack meshes with the sharp-open channels. The dream becomes [inter] +frozen, and mixed calculation states compress the closed channels which +were not surface-fixed in it. A fused exterior double-flash (a certain +maximally radient surface) is expand-enveloped by a trance, which becomes +dizziness; and oblique lattices are projected from the paralinear deviation of +guided open channels in it. Growing shells are dreamed into violet +sound-slices (certain fluid colors) by the needed jumped drag (a certain +consciousness), a [cross] frozen dream. Channels in a growing trance enspiral +concentric shells having intermixed reservoirs between them, during cyclic +intersection of the trance in superstate. I will not say more about the +available methods, because in a sense the memory does not: a sequence of +units is a marker arbitrarily assigned to a method to signify it, like an +arbitrary letter, say 'q', assigned to a certain table to signify it; it no more +gives characteristics of the method than 'q' does of the table. In fact, the +available methods and sequences do not have any particular order; one +cannot speak of the "first" method, the "second," or the like. + +\item I will now concentrate on the character of the memory as a mental +entity, and the rest of the symbolism used in it and specific content. A unit +is a rectangular plane ("visualized") radient surface (! ---the terminology is +that introduced in the last paragraph), which has two stationary plane +reservoirs (!) on it, and has a triangular hole (!) in it. The triangular hole is +a simple symboi not yet explained: its perimeter equals the amount of the +organism's progress, the difference in its minimum distances from the +destination edge, in the interval the unit is concerned with. Absence of the +hole indicates zero perimeter and no progress. + +\item As for the symbols for the temporal interval. The colors in each of +the two reservoirs on each unit are primary, and are mixed together. +Speaking as accurately as possible in English, in each reservoir there is +precisely one point of "maximum mixture' of the primary colors. (The rest +of the reservoirs are not significant: the primary colors are mentally mixed in +any way to get the right amount of mixture, as pigments are mixed on a +palette.) $\ltimes$ For the first temporal memory, these points are two points on a +scale of amounts of color mixture. For the second memory, the points are +two points on a scale of vertical distances from the imaginary horizontal line +which bisects the rectangular surface, divides it into lower and upper halves. +The units are marked in their lower halves only; because for the second +memory the imaginary dividing line represents the present instant, distances +below it represent distances into the past, and distances above it distances +into the future (lower and upper edges representing equal distances from the +present). Now a scale is required so that it can be told what temporal +intervals the interval on the amount of mixture scale and the interval on the +distance scale represent. The parts of the scale which may vary from unit to +unit and have to be specified in each unit are the "absolute" time +corresponding to the maximum possible color mixture, the number of units +of absolute duration per unit difference in amounts of mixture, and the +number of units of absolute duration per unit difference in distances from +the imaginary dividing line. The markers arbitrarily assigned to the triples of +information giving these parts of the scale are average radiences per unit +areas of the units (excepting the holes). $\rtimes$ + +\item A final aspect of interest. Not too surprisingly, the transformation +which is inverting all units gives, if one considers not the first temporal +memory but its reflection in the present instant, the organism's precognized +course of action in the future, specifically, what progress will be made when. +\end{enumerate} + + +\section*{The Representation} + +With this background, it is not surprising that the method of +representation I have chosen is visual representation of the units, the +"visualizations." Units are represented by rectangular sheets of paper of +different translucencies with mixtures of inks of primary colors on them and +holes cut in them, together in an envelope. Only one sheet should be out of +the envelope at a time. A sheet should be viewed while placed before a white +light in front of a black background, so that the light illuminates the whole +sheet as evenly as possible without being seen through the hole, only the +black being seen at the hole. The ultimate in fidelity would be to learn to +visualize these sheets as they look when viewed properly; then one could +have the memory as nearly as possible as the organism does. I have +represented eleven of the tens of thousands of units in the total memory. + diff --git a/essays/energy_cube1966.tex b/essays/energy_cube1966.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d925445 --- /dev/null +++ b/essays/energy_cube1966.tex @@ -0,0 +1,189 @@ +\chapter{Representation of the Memory of an Energy Cube Organism (1966 VERSION)} + +The energy cube organism is a conscious organism which is nothing but +energy confined to a cubical space. It rests on a rectangular energy slab, in a +stationary, colorless liquid, separated from the slab by a thin film of liquid. +It has been on the slab for an indefinitely long time. There are in fact two +infinite bodies of the liquid, alternating with two infinite empty spaces; the +four volumes are outlined by two intersecting planes which just miss being +perpendicular. The slab is poised, at a slant, on the faces of the upper body +of liquid, near where they meet. There are no other objects in the bodies of +liquid. The slab, liquid, and spaces are the energy cube organism's entire +cosmology. (See the illustration.) + +\img{energycube} + +The energy cube organism can continuously change position, +continuously and instantly moving the liquid from its path into its wake so +as to make no current in the liquid. For almost as long as it has been on the +slab, the organism has devoted itself to crossing the slab, from the slab's edge +on one face of the liquid to its edge on the other. + +The energy cube organism has a conscious memory (by which I mean +strictly a memory of what it did and what happened to it, the past events of +its existence). The memory consists of symbols which are given "meaning" +by their extra-linguistic mental associations---in human terms, it consists of +language. The complete memory contains tens of thousands of partial +memories, which the organism can only have one at a time. Going through +the partials---which it does as if they were the phonemes of one long +word---constitutes its one complete memory. Each partial is a memory of the +difference in the organism's minimum distances from the destination edge, at +the beginning, and at the end, of some interval of time. Call the difference its +"progress." The total of time intervals in all the partials completely covers +the interval from the earliest remembered event to the most recent +remembered event. As time passes, more partials are added to the complete +memory. The production of partial memories is an involuntary process of +the organism. + +The memory is temporally dual. The interval for each partial is an +interval of fixed time, defined by its duration, and the distance from the +fixed time when the energy cube organism appeared on the slab up to the +interval's end. But it is also a sliding interval, defined by its duration, and a +constant distance from the present instant back to the interval's end. When +partials are added to the memory, each of the former intervals exactly covers +the tire not already covered, up to the absolute time when the partial is +added. But the latter intervals, while they never overlap, can have gaps +between them. The intervals generally are of different durations. The energy +cube organism lacks any independent extra-linguistic memory, any mental +reliving of the past, which could conflict with the dual temporal memory. +There is no form to the past other than that of the memory's language. (See +the graph.) + +The order of the partials in the complete memory is a linguistic +phenomenon which indicates the method the organism has been using to +move itself---and thus the order (with its extra-linguistic associations) is the +memory of the method. A single method" is everything to be done by the +energy cube organism to move itself, throughout the entire time it takes to +reach the destination edge. There are different possible methods, and each +could get the organism across; but the methods cannot be combined in any +way. Every order of all partials signifies a different possible method. These +possible methods are in no special order. When a partial is added to the +memory, the number of possible methods is increased by a factor equal to +the new number of partials. + +\img{energycubegraph} + +{ + \centering + \textsc{Graph} showing a possible relationship in the dual temporal memory + \par +} + + +Now the complete memory is obtained by going through the partials---in +any order! Any order gives the memory. This feature, which can be +precisely characterized in terms of the memory language, is perhaps the most +remarkable feature of the whole cosmology. An approach to this feature in +human terms is to say that when the organism goes through the partials, (it +dreams that) it has been using the method indicated---and is presently using +it. It (does not remember the dream, and) does not remember going through +the partials. It has no other memory of which method it has been using. + +The organism moves itself by mental exertion, teleports itself. The +"possible methods" are mental routines. These routines draw on the +following standard mental resources. The organism can assume at will many +"mental states." By 'mental state' I refer to a mental "stage" or "space" or +"mood" in which visualizing, remembering, and all imaging can be carried +on. Some human mental states are general euphoria, stupor, general anxiety, +dreaming, dizziness, empathy with another person, and clearheadedness, the +normal state in which work is performed. These states are not defined by +specific imagings, but are "spaces" in which imaging is carried on. The +organism changes its state by changing from one form of energy to another, +gravity, magnetism, electric energy, radiated heat, or light. In these states, +the organism has an unlimited capacity to image; in human terms, to +visualize. There are visualized regions of colored liquids. Call them "fluid +colors." There are visualized glowing surfaces, and there are black regions or +"holes." There are visualized "covers," "lattices," and "shells," which are all +formed from transparent planes, spherical surfaces and the like. Call them +"orojected surfaces." The fluid colors can be stationary or flowing. There are +"channels," which are strung-out series of fluid colors. There are +"reservoirs," which are clusters of fluid colors. A channel can be closed or +open. Two channels can cross each other. There are pairs of channels such +that earlier members of each channel flow into later members of the +other---called "screw-connected" channels. Fluid colors often occur on or +within projected surfaces. Projected surfaces can be growing or held. A +visualization can be at the forefront of attention, or in the back of the mind. +That is, states have depth, and visualizations can be at different depths. The +state as a whole can be "frozen" or "melted." A human approach is to say +that a "frozen" state is set or fixed; while a "melted" state is fluid---the state +itself flows. A state can be projected into "superstate," gaining an abnormal +amount of mental energy and becoming superdizziness or superanxiety, for +instance. + +Most interesting, states in different possible methods can have contact +with each other. A human approach is to say that dreams are so flexible that +the organism can dream that an actual state is\slash was in contact with a state in +a possible method. One sort of cross-method contact is for states to be +"interfrozen"---more easily frozen because they are somehow mixed. They +can also be "intermelted." + +I will describe a method, as the organism would be conscious of it in +remembering. For concreteness, I will refer to the different states with the +names of human states rather than with letters. Channels are generated in a +frozen stupor, and become fixed at the forefront of attention of euphoria +intermelted with a possible state. The screw-crossed channels erode crevices +in a held lattice, which breaks into growing sheets (a variety of covers). The +sheets are stacked, and held in a frozen dream thawed at intervals for +reshuffling of the stack. The dream becomes melted, and proceeds in a +trajectory which shears, and closes, open channels. If no violation of the +channels cross-mars the melt, the stack meshes with the sharp-open channels. +The dream becomes interfrozen, and mixed clear-headed states compress the +closed channels which were not fixed at the dream's surface. A fused +exterior double-flash (a certain maximally "glowing surface") is +expand-enveloped by euphoria, which becomes dizziness; and oblique +lattices are projected from the paralinear deviation of guided open channels +in it. Growing shells are dreamed into violet sound-slices (certain synesthetic +"fluid colors") by the needed jumped drag (a generic state), a crossfrozen +dream. Channels in a growing anxiety enspiral concentric shells having +intermixed reservoirs between them, during cyclic intersection of the anxiety +in superstate. And on and on. Time is here the time it takes to carry out the +successive steps of the routine. + +The energy cube organism language, the symbols constituting the +partials, are themselves mental entities. A partial is a rectangular plane +glowing surface, which has two stationary plane reservoirs on it, and has a +triangular hole in it. As a mental entity, in other words, a partial is a +visualization like those which are part of the methods. The perimeter of the +triangular hole equals the organism's progress in the corresponding time +interval. Absence of the hole indicates zero progress. + +The fluid colors in each of the reservoirs on each partial memory are +primary colors, and are mixed together. Speaking as accurately as possible in +human terms, in each reservoir there is precisely one point of "maximum +mixture" of the primary colors. The primary colors are mentally mixed in +any way until the right amount of mixture is reached. There is a scale of +measurement for amounts of mixture of the colors. There is a scale for +vertical distances on the surface---for how far one point is below another. The +difference in amounts of mixture at the two points of maximum mixture +corresponds to the length of the first temporal interval; and the difference +between the maximum possible amount of mixture and the lesser of the two +amounts of maximum mixture on the surface corresponds to the distance +from the fixed beginning time to the interval's and. The vertical distance +between the two points of maximum mixture corresponds to the length of +the second temporal interval; and the vertical distance from the middle of +the surface to the point nearer it corresponds to the constant distance from +the present instant back to the interval's enc. The middle of the surface +represents the present, and the upper half represents the future; the +reservoirs are all in the lower half. For each partial it is necessary to +determine (1) the number of units of duration per unit difference in +amounts of mixture; and (2) the number of units of duration per unit +difference in vertical distances. The average glow per unit area of each +glowing surface (excepting the hole) is correlated with a pair of numbers +constituting this information. + +Finally, turning all the partial memories upside down---and reflecting the +first temporal memory in the present instant, so that the intervals' absolute +distances from the present are preserved---gives the precognition of the +organism's future course of action, tells what progress will be made when +and by which method. + + +\section*{The Representation} + +This essay accompanies a representation of the energy cube organism's +memory---hence its title. The way to picture the memory, naturally, is to +make something that looks like the partials. I have represented the partials +by rectangular sheets of paper of different translucencies with mixtures of +inks of primary colors on them and holes cut in them; together in an +envelope, which bears the injunction not to have more than one sheet out at +a time. Three of the tens of thousands of partials are represented. diff --git a/essays/exercise_awareness_states.tex b/essays/exercise_awareness_states.tex index a904da1..c65964d 100644 --- a/essays/exercise_awareness_states.tex +++ b/essays/exercise_awareness_states.tex @@ -1,64 +1,57 @@ -HENRY FLYNT -Exercise Awareness-States (July 1961) +\chapter{Exercise Awareness-States (July 1961)} - -The July 1967 issue of IKON contained Henry Flynt’s “Mock Risk Games.” -This work was a reconstruction, from memory, of Flynt’s 1961 work, “Exer- -cise Awareness-States,” which Flynt had disavowed and discarded in 1962. +{ +\itshape +The July 1967 issue of IKON contained Henry Flynt's \essaytitle{Mock Risk Games}. +This work was a reconstruction, from memory, of Flynt's 1961 work, +\essaytitle{Exercise Awareness-States}, which Flynt had disavowed and discarded in 1962. In 1981 Flynt obtained a copy of the original 1961 piece in the possession -of Tom Constanten. |n this issue IKON publishes, for the first time, the -original “Exercise Awareness-States.” Preceding the text, we reprint the -introduction from “Mock Risk Games” because of its clarity in explaining the -work. Flynt read “Exercise Awareness-States” during his July 15, 1961 -appearance in the legendary series at George Maciunas’ A/G Gallery, NYC. +of Tom Constanten. In this issue IKON publishes, for the first time, the +original \essaytitle{Exercise Awareness-States.} Preceding the text, we reprint the +introduction from \essaytitle{Mock Risk Games} because of its clarity in explaining the +work. Flynt read \essaytitle{Exercise Awareness-States} during his July 15, 1961 +appearance in the legendary series at George Maciunas' A/G Gallery, NYC. This was the only documented public presentation of the work in that period. -The reconstruction “Mock Risk Games” has been printed a number of -times—it was included in Flynt’s book, Blueprint For a Higher Civilization +The reconstruction \essaytitle{Mock Risk Games} has been printed a number of +times --- it was included in Flynt's book, \booktitle{Blueprint For a Higher Civilization}\footnote{That's this!} (Milan, 1975). +} -INTRODUCTION (from “Mock Risk Games”—1967 Version) +\section*{INTRODUCTION (from "Mock Risk Games"---1967 Version)} Suppose you stand in front of a swinging door with a nail sticking out of it pointing at your face; and suppose you are prepared to jump back if the door suddenly opens in your face. You are deliberately taking a risk on the -assumption that you can protect yourself. Let us call such a situation a “risk -game.” Then a “mock risk game” is a risk game such that the misfortune +assumption that you can protect yourself. Let us call such a situation a "risk +game." Then a "mock risk game" is a risk game such that the misfortune which you risk is contrary to the course of nature, a freak misfortune; and thus your preparation to evade it is correspondingly superficial. lf the direction of gravity reverses and you fall on the ceiling, that is a freak -misfortune. If you don’t want to risk this misfortune, then you will anchor +misfortune. If you don't want to risk this misfortune, then you will anchor yourself to the floor in some way. But if you stand free so that you can fall, and yet try to prepare so that if you do fall, you will fall in such a way that you won't be hurt, then that is a mock risk game. If technicians could actually effect or simulate gravity reversal in the room, then the risk game would be -a real one. But | am not concerned with real risk games. | am interested in +a real one. But I am not concerned with real risk games. I am interested in dealing with gravity reversal in an everyday environment, where everything -tells you it can’t possibly happen. Your “preparation” for the fall is thus -superficial, because you still have the involuntary conviction that it can’t +tells you it can't possibly happen. Your "preparation" for the fall is thus +superficial, because you still have the involuntary conviction that it can't possibly happen. Mock risk games constitute a new area of human behavior, because they -aren't something people have done before you don’t know what they will be +aren't something people have done before you don't know what they will be like until you try them, and it took a very special effort to devise them. They -have a tremendous advantage over other activities of comparable sig- -nificance, because they can be produced in the privacy of your own room +have a tremendous advantage over other activities of comparable +significance, because they can be produced in the privacy of your own room without special equipment. Let us explore this new psychological effect; and let us not ask what use it has until we are more familiar with it. Instructions for a variety of mock risk games follow. (I have played each game many times in developing it, to ensure that the experience of playing it will be compelling.) For each game, there is a physical action to be - - -71 - - -72 - - performed in a physical setting. Then there is a list of freak misfortunes which you risk by performing the action, and which you must be prepared to evade. The point is not to hallucinate the misfortunes, or even to fear @@ -69,75 +62,72 @@ of your head on the floor. In preparing for this risk, you should clear the path of objects that might hurt you if you fell on them, you should wear clothes suitable for falling, and you should try standing on your head, taking your hands off the floor and falling, to get a feeling for how to fall without getting -hurt. After you have mastered the preparation for each misfortune separate- -ly, you perform the action prepared to evade the first misfortune and the +hurt. After you have mastered the preparation for each misfortune +separately, you perform the action prepared to evade the first misfortune and the second (but not both at once). You must prepare to determine instantly which of the two misfortunes befalls you, and to react appropriately. After you have mastered pairs of misfortunes, you go on to triples of misfortunes, and so forth. +\section*{Exercise Awareness-States (July, 1961)} -EXERCISE AWARENESS-STATES (July, 1961) - - -| am concerned here to introduce an activity which | will call, for want of -a better term, “exercise,” and the states of awareness one has in exercise, -“exercise awareness-states.” Incidentally, this activity is based on wrong, -although common, philosophical assumptions, but | hope the reader will play +I am concerned here to introduce an activity which I will call, for want of +a better term, "exercise," and the states of awareness one has in exercise, +"exercise awareness-states." Incidentally, this activity is based on wrong, +although common, philosophical assumptions, but I hope the reader will play along with them for the sake of the activity; philosophical rightness is not the main concern here. Exercise should be thought of first as training to help prepare one for dangerous situations of a very special kind (which the -reader is admittedly not likely to encounter). (Incidentally, ’danger’ here +reader is admittedly not likely to encounter). (Incidentally, 'danger' here should not be an emotive word; my concern is with the theory of defense, not with giving the reader vicarious experience.) Suppose that the adults in a society occasionally have to be in situations, such as walking across a -bare metal floor in a certain “building,” during which dangers, very unusual -and unpredictable, may arise. Suppose that they know nothing of the -provenance of the dangers, just that they may be there, so that they can’t +bare metal floor in a certain "building," during which \emph{dangers}, very unusual +and \emph{unpredictable}, may arise. Suppose that they know nothing of the +provenance of the dangers, just that they may be there, so that they can't prevent them (or predict what they will be); the persons are somewhat like animals trying to defend themselves against a variety of modern (human) weapons. They cannot adequately prepare for the dangers by practicing responses to specific dangers so that they become habitual, because of the extreme unpredictability of the actual dangers. However, the dangers are -such that when one arises a person can figure out what he needs to do to -defend himself fast enough and carry it out. +such that when one arises a person \emph{can} figure out what he needs to do to +defend himself \emph{fast enough} and carry it out. Finally, suppose that although it is desired to train persons [to be prepared] -to defend themselves in the situations, there isn’t the technology to simulate -dangers, so that they can’t be given a chance to actually figure out and carry +to defend themselves in the situations, there isn't the technology to simulate +dangers, so that they can't be given a chance to actually figure out and carry out defenses against simulated dangers. Then it would seem that the best -preparation in the situations (until a danger appeared) would be the state -of mind—"unpredictably-dangerous-situation awareness state"—of lack of +preparation in the situations (until a danger appeared) would be the \emph{state +of mind}---"unpredictably-dangerous-situation awareness state"---of lack of preconceptions as to what one might encounter, emotionlessness (except for the small amount of fear and confidence needed to make one maximally alert), very very heightened awareness of all sensory data, and readiness to figure out (quickly) whether they indicated a danger and [to figure out] a - - defense against it. After all, it might be best to stay away, or at least get away, from the preparation resulting from practice with simulated dangers, just because the actual ones are so unpredictable. Training for the situations -would then be to help persons achieve this best dangerous-situation aware- -ness- state when in the situations. Then (one should first think) the purpose -of “exercise,” or the “exercises,” is to help persons to achieve the best +would then be to help persons achieve this best dangerous-situation +awareness-state when in the situations. Then (one should first think) the purpose +of "exercise," or the "exercises," is to help persons to achieve the best dangerous-situation awareness-state in the situations by teaching them to -achieve “u/timate exercise awareness-states,” which are as similar as pos- -sible to the best dangerous-situation states within the limitations | have +achieve "\emph{ultimate} exercise awareness-states," which are as similar as +possible to the best dangerous-situation states within the limitations I have given. Exercise may secondly be thought of as something to be done for its own sake, so that ultimate exercise awareness-states are achieved for their own -sake, in particular, as an unusual way of “appreciating” the sensory date -while in them. This is the way | suppose the reader will regard exercise. Thus +sake, in particular, as an unusual way of "appreciating" the sensory date +while in them. This is the way I suppose the reader will regard exercise. Thus exercise, rather than unpredictably dangerous situations, is the principal subject of this paper. However, it should not be lost sight of that exercise could be useful in the first way; and the development of exercises should be controlled by concern with whether they are useful in the first way. -| will now give some explanations and general instructions for exercise. -An “exercise” is what the general instructions, and a specification of a(n -exercise) “situation” one is to place oneself in and of several “given dan- -gers” to anticipate in the situation, refers to; an “exercise awareness-state” +I will now give some explanations and general instructions for exercise. +An "exercise" is what the general instructions, and a specification of a(n +exercise) "\emph{situation}" one is to place oneself in and of several +"\emph{given dangers}" to anticipate in the situation, refers to; +an "\emph{exercise awareness-state}" is any state of mind throughout an exercise. In first doing an exercise, one anticipates given dangers; the point of having specific dangers to anticipate at first is to keep one from anticipating nothing, being indifferent in the @@ -146,43 +136,34 @@ exercise, the dangers should be interesting to anticipate, one should find it easy to anticipate them strongly, and it should be clear what is dangerous in them and how they can defended against. It is only when one can anticipate the given dangers strongly that one does the exercise, places -oneself in the situation, without thinking of specific dangers, trying to strong- -ly anticipate unpredictable danger; when one can do this one will be achiev- -ing “ultimate exercise awareness-states.” +oneself in the situation, without thinking of specific dangers, trying to +strongly anticipate unpredictable danger; when one can do this one will be +achieving "ultimate exercise awareness-states." The general instructions for the exercises follow. First place oneself in the situation, anticipate one of the given dangers as strongly as possible (short of getting oneself in a state of fright), be very very aware of all sensory data, and be ready to figure out (quickly) whether they indicate the danger and to start defending against it. Try to achieve the greatest anticipation of and -readiness for the one danger. The result is an “initial exercise awareness- -state.” Finally one can do the exercise forgetting the given dangers; place +readiness for the one danger. The result is an "initial exercise +awareness-state." Finally one can do the exercise forgetting the given dangers; place oneself in the situation, try to anticipate [unpredictable] danger strongly (short of getting oneself frightened), without preconceptions as to what form it will take, be very very aware of all sense data, and be ready to figure out (quickly) whether they indicate a danger, and a defense against it. This is -an “ultimate exercise awareness-state.” A final point. So that one will not be +an "\emph{ultimate} exercise awareness-state." A final point. So that one will not be distracted from the exercise, there must be a minimum of familiar events extraneous to it during it, such as the sight of a door opening, talking, cooking smells. For this reason, unless otherwise stated exercise should be taken in environments as inanimate, quiet, odorless, etc. as possible. One will fail to achieve interesting exercise awareness-states if one cannot play - - -73 - - -74 - - along and (for the sake of the exercise) strongly anticipate danger; [because -one doesn’t expect it,] but rather remains relaxed, indifferent, or worse is +one doesn't expect it,] but rather remains relaxed, indifferent, or worse is sleepy, physiologically depressed (indifferent, depressed exercise states). It should be clear that one has to really try the exercises, not just read about them, in order to appreciate them. - -EXERCISE 1 +\section*{Exercise 1} The situation: You walk across the floor of a medium-sized brightly lighted square room, from the middle of one side to the middle of the other, in a @@ -191,27 +172,28 @@ the room and the path of walking should be clear [of obstructions]; ideally the room should be bare. The given dangers to anticipate: -(1) Heavy invisible objects falling around you, making a whirring noise as +\begin{enumerate} +\item Heavy invisible objects falling around you, making a whirring noise as they do. -(2) Immovability of whichever foot presses most strongly on the floor, and -a steel cylinder two feet in diameter with sharp edges’ falling down, around +\item Immovability of whichever foot presses most strongly on the floor, and +a steel cylinder two feet in diameter with sharp edges' falling down, around you (hopefully). -(3) Instantaneous inversion of yourself so that you rest on whatever part of +\item Instantaneous inversion of yourself so that you rest on whatever part of your surface was uppermost in walking, and doubling of the gravitational force on you. -(4) Sudden dizziness, change of equilibrium to that of one who has been -turning around for a long time, and the floor’s vanishing except for a narrow +\item Sudden dizziness, change of equilibrium to that of one who has been +turning around for a long time, and the floor's vanishing except for a narrow strip, where you have walked, shortening from the front. -(5) Change of field of vision to behind your head, instead of in front, -something’s coming to hit you from the side in an erratic path, and loud +\item Change of field of vision to behind your head, instead of in front, +something's coming to hit you from the side in an erratic path, and loud noises on the side of you opposite it. -(6) What you see’s suddenly becoming two-dimensional instead of three so +\item What you see's suddenly becoming two-dimensional instead of three so that you bump into it, while the room fills from behind with a mildly toxic gas; -and going forward’s requiring that you guess the unpredictable action, +and going forward's requiring that you \emph{guess} the unpredictable action, symbolic of getting past the barrier, which will enable you to get forward. +\end{enumerate} - -EXERCISE 2 +\section*{Exercise 2} You stand, in a dark room, facing a wall and pulling medium hard with both hands on a horizontal bar running along the wall and attached to it, for five @@ -222,32 +204,30 @@ and ears will be assaulted with a blinding light and a deafening sound, except in the case of certain dangers. The dangers: -(1) Loss of your kinesthetic sense. (body-movement or muscle sense) -(2) Suspension of the “normal” “cause and effect” relationship between +\begin{enumerate} +\item Loss of your kinesthetic sense. (body-movement or muscle sense) +\item Suspension of the "normal" "cause and effect" relationship between pulling and keeping the light and sound from appearing, so that you just have to guess what to do to keep them from appearing and it changes with time, with the restriction that it will be closely related to pulling on the bar, -e.g. letting go of the bar. -(3) Suspension of the “normal” “cause and effect” relationship between what +\eg\ letting go of the bar. +\item Suspension of the "normal" "cause and effect" relationship between what you will and what your body does, so that you just have to guess what to will to keep your arms (and hands) pulling on the bar and it changes with - - time, with the restriction that it will be closely related to willing to pull on -the bar, e.g. willing to let go of the bar. - -(4) Having the tactile, cutaneous sensation of being under water, so that -you will “drown”’—"cutaneously"—unless you cutaneously swim to the top; +the bar, \eg willing to let go of the bar. +\item Having the tactile, cutaneous sensation of being under water, so that +you will "drown"---"cutaneously"---unless you cutaneously swim to the top; your sight and hearing being lost except for sensitivity to the light and sound if you stop pulling. +\end{enumerate} - -EXERCISE 3 +\section*{Exercise 3} The situation: You lie on your back, barefoot, on a bunk, your arms more or less at your sides, with a pillow on your face so that you can breathe but not easily, for five minutes. Do not change your position; the assumption is -that you can’t except in the case of certain dangers. Have an alarm clock +that you can't except in the case of certain dangers. Have an alarm clock to let you know when the time is up. The room should be dark and there should be no other animal in it. Ideally you should be lying, in the middle and along the longitudinal axis of a not uncomfortably hard rectangular @@ -255,18 +235,19 @@ surface a yard above the floor and having an area almost that of the room, in a very long room, which should otherwise be bare. The dangers: -(1) The gravitational force’s becoming zero and the room’s getting un- -bearably hot towards the ceiling. -(2) Having to press the pillow against your face with your arms and hands, +\begin{enumerate} +\item The gravitational force's becoming zero and the room's getting +unbearably hot towards the ceiling. +\item Having to press the pillow against your face with your arms and hands, except for one angle of your face wherein you can roll your face from under the pillow, your head and neck becoming movable. -(3) The surface you are lying on’s and the pillow’s turning into a two-part +\item The surface you are lying on's and the pillow's turning into a two-part living organism, of which the lower part is so delicate that unless you distribute your bodily pressure on it as evenly as possible, it will be injured and the upper part will pull you off of it by the skin of your face in self-protection, the organism being sufficiently telepathic that you can sense when it is hurting. -(4) Division of your body (and clothing) just below the ribs. The two halves +\item Division of your body (and clothing) just below the ribs. The two halves separate by 114 feet and a metal wall one inch thick appears between them. Matter and so forth are transmitted between halves and they remain in the usual position relative to each other so that it is rather as if you simply grew @@ -277,17 +258,12 @@ metal blocks come crashing against the wall from far in front of and behind it, starting slowly and speeding up as they get near the wall, and then draw back to where they came from. Blocks of the first kind come from the front (the side the upper part of your body and the pillow are on) only; they are -“vertical,” tall and narrow so that they can be avoided by moving from side +"vertical," tall and narrow so that they can be avoided by moving from side to side. Blocks of the second kind come in pairs, one in front, one behind. -They are “horizontal,” two feet high (thick), and very wide (long). The ones +They are "horizontal," two feet high (thick), and very wide (long). The ones in front hit low and the ones in back high, so they can be avoided by standing up (necessarily in a stooped position). Each time the pair hits higher and higher. There are long indentations in the back side of the wall in which one can get footholds to climb the wall. If one gets to the top of the wall, gets -both halves of one’s body above the wall, they will rejoin. - - -75 - - - +both halves of one's body above the wall, they will rejoin. +\end{enumerate} diff --git a/essays/mock_risk_games.tex b/essays/mock_risk_games.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d8d325 --- /dev/null +++ b/essays/mock_risk_games.tex @@ -0,0 +1,218 @@ +\chapter{Mock Risk Games} + + +Suppose you stand in front of a swinging door with a nail sticking out of it +pointing at your face; and suppose you are prepared to jump back if the +door suddenly opens in your face. You are deliberately taking a risk on the +assumption that you can protect yourself. Let us call such a situation a "risk +game." Then a mock risk game is a risk game such that the misfortune which +you risk is contrary to the course of nature, a freak misfortune; and thus +your preparation to evade it is correspondingly superficial. + +If the direction of gravity reverses and you fall on the ceiling, that is a +freak misfortune. If you don't want to risk this misfortune, then you will +anchor yourself to the floor in some way. But if you stand free so that you +can fall, and yet try to prepare so that if you do fall, you will fall in such a +way that you won't be hurt, then that is a mock risk game. if technicians +could actually effect or simulate gravity reversal in the room, then the risk +game would be a real one. But I am not concerned with real risk games. I am +interested in dealing with gravity reversal in an everyday environment, where +everything tells you it can't possibly happen. Your 'preparation' for the fall +is thus superficial, because you still have the involuntary conviction that it +can't possibly happen. + +Mock risk games constitute a new area of human behavior, because they +aren't something people have done before, you don't know what they will be +like until you try them, and it took a very special effort to devise them. +They have a tremendous advantage over other activities of comparable +significance, because they can be produced in the privacy of your own room +without special equipment. Let us explore this new psychological effect; and +let us not ask what use it has until we are more familiar with it. + +Instructions for a variety of mock risk games follow. (I have played +each game many times in developing it, to ensure that the experience of +playing it will be compelling.) For each game, there is a physical action to be +performed in a physical setting. Then there is a list of freak misfortunes +which you risk by performing the action, and which you must be prepared +to evade. The point is not to hallucinate the misfortunes, or even to fear +them, but rather to be prepared to evade them. First you work with each +misfortune separately. For example, you walk across a room, prepared to +react self-protectingly if you are suddenly upside down, resting on the top of +your head on the floor. In preparing for this risk, you should clear the path +of objects that might hurt you if you fell on them; you should wear clothes +suitable for falling; and you should try standing on your head, taking your +hands off the floor and falling, to get a feeling for how to fail without +getting hurt. After you have mastered the preparation for each misfortune +separately, you perform the action prepared to evade the first misfortune +and the second (but not both at once). You must prepare to determine +instantly which of the two misfortunes befalls you, and to react +appropriately. After you have mastered pairs of misfortunes, you go on to +triples of misfortunes, and so forth. + +The principal games are for a large room with no animals or distracting +sounds present. + +\textbf{A.}Walk across the lighted room from one corner to the diagonally +opposite one, breathing normally, with your eyes open. +\begin{enumerate} +\item You are suddenly upside down, resting on the top of your head on the +floor. You must get down without breaking your neck. + +\item Although the floor looks unbroken and solid, beyond a certain point +nothing is there. If you step onto that area, you will take a fatal fall. Thus, as +you walk, you must not shift your weight to your forward foot until you are +sure it will hold. Put the ball of the forward foot down before the heel. + +\item Something happens to the cohesive forces in your neck so that if your +head tips in any direction, it will come right off your body, killing you +immediately. Otherwise everything remains normal. Thus, as you walk, you +must "balance" your head on your neck. When you reach the other side of +the room, your neck will be restored to normal. (Prepare beforehand by +walking with a book balanced on your head.) + +\item Invisible conical weights fall around you with their points down, each +whistling as it falls. You must evade them by ear in order not to be stabbed. +Walk softly and fast. + +\item The room is suddenly filled with water. You have to control your lungs +and swim to the top. Wear clothes suitable for swimming. +\end{enumerate} + +\textbf{A'.} Play game A while on a long walk on an uncrowded street. The floor +is replaced by the sidewalk. The fifth misfortune becomes for space suddenly +to be filled with water to a height of fifteen feet above the street. + +\textbf{B.} Lie on your back on a pallet in the dimly lit room, hands at your +sides, with a pillow on your face so that it is slightly difficult to breathe, for +thirty seconds at a time. +\begin{enumerate} +\item The pillow suddenly hardens and becomes hundreds of pounds heavier. It +remains suspended on your face for a split second and then "falls," bears +down with full weight. You must jerk your head out from under it in that +split second. + +\item The pillow adheres to your skin with a force greater than your skin's +cohesion, and begins to rise. You must rise with it in such a way that your +skin is not torn. +\end{enumerate} + +\textbf{C.} Lie on your back on the pallet in the dimly lit room. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item Gravity suddenly disappears completely, so that nothing is held down by +it; and the ceiling becomes red-hot. You must avoid drifting up against the +ceiling. + +\item The surface you are lying on becomes a vast lighted open plane. From the +distance, giant steel spheres come rolling in your direction. You must evade +them. + +\item Your body is split in half just above the waist by an indefinitely long, +rather high, foot-thick wall. Your legs and lower torso are on one side, and +your upper torso, arms, and head are on the other side. Matter normally +exchanged between the two halves of your body continues to be exchanged +through the. wall by telekinesis. It is as if you are a foot longer above the +waist. In order to reunite your body, you must first roll over and get up, +bent way forward. There are depressions in the wall on the same side as your +feet. You have to climb the wall, putting your feet in the depressions and +balancing yourself. You will be reunited when you reach the top and your +waist passes above the wall. +\end{enumerate} + +\textbf{D.} Sit in a plain, small, straight chair, on the edge of the seat, hands +hanging at the sides of the seat, feet together in front of the chair, in the +lighted room, for about thirty seconds at a time. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item The chair is suddenly out from under you and sitting on you with Its legs +straddling your lap and legs. You have to get your weight over your feet so +you won't take a hard fall. + +\item The direction of gravity reverses and the chair remains anchored to the +floor. You have to grab the seat and hold on in order not to fall on the +ceiling. + +\item You are suddenly in a contra-terrene universe, in which the atmosphere is +unbreathable and prolonged contact with either the atmosphere or the +ground will disintegrate you. The seat and back of the chair become a +penetrable hyperspatial sheet between the alien universe and your own. As +soon as you feel the alien atmosphere, you must jerk your feet off the +ground and deliberately sink or plunge through the seat and back of the chair +in the best way that you can. You will end up on the floor under the chair in +your universe. + +\item You are suddenly in dark empty space in a three-dimensional lattice of +gleaming wires. Segments of the lattice alternately burst into flame and cool +off. You adhere to the chair as if it were part of you. With your hands +holding onto the seat, you can move yourself and the chair forward by + +\end{enumerate} + +\plainbreak{2} + +\textbf{[NOTE: TWO PAGES MISSING HERE IN SCAN]} + +\plainbreak{2} + +from blundering into a radiation beam, you have to communicate +pre-verbally to the other mind by every means from vocal cries to +pantomine, and get your-body/his-mind out of range of the radiation. When +the body is out, you will both be restored to normal. (The first thing to +anticipate is the basic shift in viewpoint by which you will be looking at +your own body from the other's position. There is no point in tensing your +muscles in preparatiton for the misfortune, because if it occurs, you will be +working with a strange set of muscles anyway. The next thing to prepare to +do is to spot the radiation beams; and then to yell, gesture, or +whatever--anything to get the "other" to avoid the radiation. Note finally +that neither player prepares for the possibility that he will be surrounded by +radiation. Each player prepares for the same role in an asymmetrical pas de +deux.) + +\emph{Asymmetry:} The two of you play a given duo game, but each prepares +to evade a different misfortune. + +\textbf{AB.} Stay awake with eyes closed for an agreed upon time between one +and fifteen minutes. Use a timer with an alarm. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item Each suddenly has the other's entire present consciousness in addition to +his own, from perceptions to memories, ideologies, ambitions, and +everything else---threatening both with psychological shock. + +The couple must take up positions such that their sensory perceptions +are as nearly identical as possible. Beforehand, each must discuss with the +other the aspects of the other's attitude to the world which each must fears +having impused on his consciousness. During the game, each must think +about these aspects and try to prepare for them. + +\item Each suddenly relives the other's most intense past feelings of depression +and suicidal impulses. In other words, if five years ago the other attempted +suicide because he failed out of college, you suddenly have the consciousness +that "you" have just failed out of college, are totally worthless, and should +destroy yourself. Presumably the other has since learned to live with his past +disasters, but you do not have the defenses he has built up. You are +overwhelmed with a despair which the other felt in the past, and which is +incongruous with the rest of your consciousness. In summary, both of you +risk shock and suicidal impulses. Beforehand, of course, each must tell the +other of his worst past suicidal or depressed episode; and discuss anything +else that may minimize the risk of shock. +\end{enumerate} + +\section*{Intrusions in Duo Games} + +As before, distractions and modulations can be openly studied by +consent of the players. As for bogies, it is possible in duo games for one +player to create a bogy without warning, in effect acting as a saboteur. As +soon as a game is sabotaged, though, confidence is lost, and each player just +watches out for the other's bogies. Here are some sample intrusions. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c c c } + \textsc{Game} & \textsc{Distraction} & \textsc{Bogy} & \textsc{Modulation} \\ + AA 1. & cough & shout in other's face & each take a different drug \\ + 2. & talk and laugh \linebreak get out of step & $\rightarrow$ \linebreak (stomp hard) & \\ + 3. & spin around & $\rightarrow$ & \\ + AB 1. & cough \linebreak talk and laugh & gasp \linebreak silently pass palm back \& forth in front of other's face & \\ + 2. & & & \\ +\end{tabular} + + diff --git a/essays/perception_dissociator.tex b/essays/perception_dissociator.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69e1b59 --- /dev/null +++ b/essays/perception_dissociator.tex @@ -0,0 +1,808 @@ +\chapter{Exhibit of a Working Model of a Perception-Dissociator} + +\section{\textsc{Statement of Objectives}} + +To construct a model of a machine a thousand years before the machine +itself is technologically feasible---to model a technological breakthrough a +thousand years before it occurs + +\begin{sysrules} +(Analogies: constructing a model of an atomic power plant in ancient +Rome; chess-playing-machine hoaxes of 19th-century Europe as +models of computers; Soviet Cosmos Hall at Expo 67 as model +of anti-gravity machine) + +To construct the model almost entirely from the visitors coming to see it, so +that each visitor regards the others as the model! + +What the hypothetical perception-dissociator will do that is not +possible now: +\end{sysrules} + +\begin{itemize} +\item Physically alter the world (relative to you): sound disappears; sights and +touches are dissociated; other people unconsciously signal you. + +\item Physically, "psychoelectronically" induce conditioned reflexes in your +nervous system. Physically break ddwn your sense of time. +\end{itemize} + +{ \centering + \large + [\textsc{Invitation}] \par} + +{ \centering +Because of your interest in technology and science, you are invited to visit \\ + \textsc{Exhibit of a Working Model of a} \\ + \textsc{Perception-Dissociator} \\ +Sponsored by (legitimate sponsor) Open continuously from (date) \\ +to (date) At (lunar colony or space station) \par + } + +"The perception-dissociator is a machine which is the product of a +technology far superior to that of humans. With it, a conscious organism can +drastically transform its psychophysical relation to objects and to other +conscious organisms\ldots The exhibit spotlights the technical interest of the +perception-dissociator, giving the visitor a working model of the machine +which he can use to 'transform' himself." ---from the Guidebook + +It isn't possible for this exhibit to be open or public, because of the nature of +the model. You have been invited in the belief that you will be a cooperative +visitor. Come alone. Don't discuss the exhibit at all before you see it; and +don't discuss it afterwards except with other ex-visitors. Come prepared to +spend several hours without a break. There will be absolutely no risk or +danger to you if you follow instructions. + +\section*{\textsc{To the Director}} + +Exhibit requires two adjacent rooms, on moon or other low-gravity +location, so that humans can easily jump over each other and fall without +being hurt. First room, the anteroom, has "normal" entrance door leading in +from "normal" human world. Is filled with chairs or school desks. At far +corner from normal door is two-step lock, built in anteroom, connecting +rooms. Normai door on hinges leads from anteroom into first step of lock. +Sliding panel door leads into second step; and smooth curtain with slit in +middle leads into the exhibit hali. Another sliding door leads from lock's +first step directly back out to normal human world, bypassing anteroom. +Shelf required in first lock to check watches and shoes. + +Exhibit hall large and empty with very high ceiling (Fuller dome?). I +Room must be strongly lighted, so that objects in front of closed eyes will +cast highly visible shadows on eyelids. Room's inner surfaces must be +sound-absorbing, and moderate noise must be played into room to mask +accidental sounds; thus humans will cease to notice sound. Floor must be of +hard rubber or other material that will not splinter, and will not be too hard +to fall and crawl on. + +Exhibit open continuously for days. Invite people who will seriously +try to play along---preferably engineers; and invite many of them, because +is better to have many in exhibit. Sample invitation enclosed. Attendants +working in shifts must be at two posts throughout. Try to keep surprising +features of exhibit secret from those who have not been through it. + +Procedure. Visitor arrives and enters anteroom. Entrance attendant +gives him a Guidebook and sends him to sit down and start reading. Then +visitor goes to lock. Lock attendant must try hard to see that no more than +one visitor is in lock at a time. If lock is empty of visitors, attendant lets +entering visitor into first step, checks his watch and shoes, and sends him +alone into second step and on to exhibit room. When visitor comes out of +exhibit hall for any reason, he must be gotten into first step, and then +attendant sends him out the exit. When a visitor comes out, he just goes out +and doesn't go back in. + +\img{dissociatordiag} + + +\clearpage + +\textsc{Exhibit of a working model of a perception-dissociator (conceived by Henry Flynt)} + + +\img{guidebook} + + +\textsc{Read this guidebook as directed---straight through or as otherwise directed. Don't leaf around.} + + +\textsc{Read pages 2--3 before you go in to see the exhibit.} + +\clearpage + +Introduction. The perception-dissociator is a machine which is the +product of a technology far superior to that of humans. With it, a conscious +organism can drastically transform its psychophysical relation to objects and +to other conscious organisms. When the organism has transformed itself, +sound disappears, time is immeasurable; and the relation between seeing and +touching becomes a random one. That is, the organism never knows whether +it will be able to touch or feel what it sees, and never knows whether it will +be able to see what it touches or what touches it. The world ceases to be a +collection of objects (relative to the physically altered organism). Further, +the machine induces a pattern of communication in the organism's nervous +system, an involuntary pattern of responses to certain events, to help the +organism cope with the invisible tactile phenomena. A dimension is added of +involuntarily relating to other organisms as unconscious signalling devices. +The transformation induced by the machine is permanent unless the +organism subsequently uses the machine to undo it. + + +The perception-dissociator is not conscious or alive in any human sense. +The components of the machine that the user is aware of are: +\begin{enumerate} + \item Optical phenomena that are seen---"sights." + \item Solid or massive phenomena that are felt cutaneously---"touches." +\end{enumerate} +If the user tries to touch a sight, he may not be +able to feel anything there. If he looks for a component that touches him, he +may not be able to see it. + + +(Keep reading) + +\clearpage + +In other words, from the beginning the machine has properties that the +entire world comes to have to the transformed organism. + +The exhibit spotlights the technical interest of the +perception-dissociator, giving the visitor a working model of the machine +which he can use to "transform" himself. Nothing is said about the purpose +of the perception-dissociator in the society that can make one. The model is +sophisticated enough that it can run independently of the visitor's will, and +can affect him. In fact, the visitor may be hurt if he doesn't follow the +instructions for using the machine. + + +When you have absorbed the above, go to the entrance and be admitted +to the exhibit. You must check your shoes, and your watch (if you have +one), with the attendant. As you enter, turn this page and begin reading Page +4. + +\clearpage + +\textsc{Do not talk or make any other uncalled-for noise.} + + +Be prepared for the touch of pulling your feet out from under you +from behind. Don't resist; just fall forward, break your fali with your arms +(and retrieve this Guidebook). The floor is not hard and the gravity is weak, +so the fall should leave you absolutely unhurt. + +\plainbreak{2} + +\textsc{Avoid all touches (except floor and yourself) unless directed otherwise.} +(You have been directed not to resist having your +feet pulled out from under you.) +\textsc{In effect, if you bump into a solid object or step on one, draw back. Remember +that you avoid touches by your tactile senses alone.} +Whether your eyes are open or closed makes no difference. It is not necessary to avoid +sights unless you touch something. + +\plainbreak{2} + +There may be the touch of being pushed forward at your shoulder +blades. Don't resist; just move forward. + +\plainbreak{2} + +As for the sights in this model, it happens that they will be humanoid. +All the human appearances other than you in the exhibit hall are sights from +the machine. This is just the way the model is; don't give it a thought. Sights +may appear or disappear (for example, at the curtain) while you are looking. + +\plainbreak{2} + +I am referring to the components of the model with the names of the +components of the perception-dissociator. + +\plainbreak{2} + +As soon as you understand the above and are prepared to remember +and follow the instructions, go immediately to Page 6. + +\clearpage + +\img{dissoceqns} + +\clearpage + +You will now begin the first phase of perception-dissociation by the +machine. Throughout this phase, you walk erect. + +Instructions for operating the machine and for protecting yourself from +it will be given both in English and in an abbreviated symbolism. It is +important to master the symbolism, because later instructions can't be +expressed without it. + +\begin{itemize} +\item u means you + +\item $s$, $s_1$, $s_2$, $s_3$ mean different sights from the machine + +\item $t$, $t_1$, $t_2$, $t_3$ mean different touches from the machine + +\item $a\wedge$ means a's eyes are open or a opens its eyes + +\item $a\vee$ means a's eyes are shut or a shuts its eyes + +\item $a\equiv b$ means a blows on b's hand + +\item $a\sqsupset b$ means a pushes b, typically from behind +(a holds Guidebook under arm or elsewhere) + +\item $a\overbracket{b}$ means a jumps over b, crossing completely above b (weak gravity +should make this easy) + +\item $a^\infty b$ means a rapidly waves both hands in front of and near b's eyes so that +moving shadows are cast on b's eyes (a "shadows" b) + +\item $a\overbrace{b}$ means a pulls b's ankles back and up and immediately lets them go, so +that b falls forward (a "tackles" b) + +\item $a\longdivision{b}$ means a jumps and falls on b, or a steps on b + +\item $a\lrcorner$ means a rapidly moves aside + +\item $()$ parentheses around the symbol for an action mean the action will +probably happen + +\item A line of action symbols constitutes an instruction. The order of symbols +indicates the order of events. If one symbol is right above another, the +actions are simultaneous. +\end{itemize} + +\textsc{You may always turn back to these explanations if you forget them.} + +(Keep reading) + +\clearpage + +Instructions 1--3 apply \textsc{when your eyes are open.} + +\begin{enumerate} +\item If you see a sight close its eyes, a heavy touch from the machine +may be falling toward you. You must instantly jump aside. + +\begin{tabular}{ c c } + \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $s_1\wedge$ & $s_1\vee$ \\ + $u\wedge$ & $(t\longdivision{u})$ \\ + \end{tabular} & + $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\textsc{You must follow this and succeeding instructions as long as you stay in the exhibit. Stay with each instruction until you have it thoroughly in memory; and check out the symbolic version so you learn to read the symbols.} + +\item If a sight in front of you jumps over you, a touch may be about to +tackle you. You must instantly jump to one side. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s\overbracket{u}$ \\ + $(t\overbrace{u})$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item If a sight waves its hands in front of your open eyes, a touch may +be about to shove from behind. Jump to one side. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s^\infty u$\\ + $(t\sqsupset u)$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\textsc{If there are any sights, try standing around and following these instructions for a short while.} + +\item If you close your eyes, you must keep them closed until a touch +tackles you, a touch shoves you, or you can't keep your mind on the exhibit +(which you should also consider to be an effect of the machine). Then you +immediately open your eyes. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t\overbrace{u}$ \\ \midrule + $t\sqsupset u$ \\ \midrule + $u$ inattentive \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\wedge$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\emph{(A horizontal line between action symbols means \emph{or.} With it, instructions can be combined)} + +\textsc{The next three instructions tell you what to do when your eyes are closed. Learn them well.} + +\item If you feel a breath blowing on one of your hands, a touch may be +falling on you. You must instantly jump to the side away from the breath. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_1\equiv u$ \\ + $t_2\longdivision{u}$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +(Turn page and continue) + +\clearpage + +\item If your closed eyes are shadowed, a touch may be about to tackle +you. You must instantly jump aside. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s^\infty u$ \\ + ($t\overbrace{u}$) \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item If you sense a massive touch going above your head, another touch +may be about to shove you from behind. Jump aside. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_1\overbracket{u}$ \\ + ($t_2\sqsupset u$) \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item If you have any time left over from following other instructions, +close your eyes and go around with your hands in front of you, shoving +touches whenever you feel them. + +\begin{tabular}{ c c } + $u\vee$ & $u\sqsupset t$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\textsc{Now try instr. 8, remembering and following the other instructions about closed eyes (instr. 4--7). +When you have to open your eyes again, as per instr. 4, check anything you forgot: and then go to the +succeeding instructions. Now---close your eyes.} + +\textsc{The next three instructions apply when your eyes are open.} + +\item If you see a sight falling toward or about to step on another sight +whose eyes are open, run until you face the sight on the ground and close +your eyes. + +\textsc{Before you follow this instruction you must have mastered the preceeding instructions about closed eyes.} + +$$ +u\wedge\ s_2\wedge(s_1\longdivision{s_2}) u\vee +$$ + +(Keep going) + +\clearpage + +\item If you see a sight about to tackle another whose eyes are open, run +until you face the sight about to be tackled and jump over both sights. If the +sight about to be tackled has closed eyes, you must immediately shadow +them. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $s_2\wedge$ & $s_1\overbrace{s_2}$ & $u\overbracket{s_1s_2}$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee$ & $(s_1\overbrace{s_2})$ & $u^\infty s_2$ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item If you see a sight about to push another with open eyes from +behind, you must shadow the sight about to be pushed. But if the sight +about to be pushed has closed eyes, you must immediately jump over both +sights. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $s_2\wedge$ & $(s_1\sqsupset s_2)$ & $u^\infty s_2$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee$ & $(s_1\sqsupset s_2)$ & $u\overbracket{s_1s_2}$ \\ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} +\end{enumerate} + +You must now put all the instructions into practice until you have +learned them thoroughly by doing as they say. In other words, carry out +Instr. 8, and the other instructions as they apply. + +If you can't practice the instructions because you still have not seen a +sight or felt a touch, skip directly to Page 18. + +Learning the instructions in practice should take a good while. When +you have mastered them, the first phase is over. Turn to Page 10 and begin +the second phase. + +\clearpage + +{\centering \textit{Page 10} \par} + +\subsection*{Second Phase} + +You are now in the second phase of transforming yourself with the +perception-dissociator. Throughout this phase, you must stoop or crouch +somewhat. That is, you must keep yourself below the height of your neck +when you stand straight---except when you jump over a sight. The symbol is +$u\sfrac{3}{4}$. $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ means that you crouch and close your eyes. Now crouch. + +The numbered instructions for this phase are so similar to those in the +preceeding phase that they will be given in symbols only. Changes are noted +parenthetically. You may turn back if you forget symbols. + +\begin{enumerate} +\item \begin{tabular}{ c l } + \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $s_1\wedge$ & $s_1\vee$ \\ + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ & $(t\longdivision{u})$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s\overbracket{u}$ \\ + $t\overbrace{u}$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t\equiv u$ \\ + $t_2\sqsupset u$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\emph{(change component blows on you instead of shadowing you)} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t\overbrace{u}$ \\ \midrule + $t\sqsupset u$ \\ \midrule + $u$ inattentive \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\wedge$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_1\equiv u$ \\ + $(t_2\longdivision{u})$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s^\infty u$ \\ + $(t\overbrace{u})$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}v$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_1\overbracket{u}$ \\ + $(t_2\sqsupset u)$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\vee$ & $u\sqsupset t$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +The big change comes next. + +\emph{(Keep going)} + +\clearpage + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge s_2\wedge (s_1\longdivision{s_2}) u\vee$ & and also \\ + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge s_2\vee (s_1\longdivision{s_2})$ & $u\equiv s_2$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +That is, if you see a sight falling or stepping on another sight with closed +eyes, you must immediately blow on the sight on the ground. This is an +addition. + +\item \begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s_2\wedge (s_1\overbrace{s_2}) u\overbracket{s_1s_2}$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee (s_1\overbrace{s_2}) u^\infty s_2$ \\ + \end{tabular} +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s_2\wedge (s_1\sqsupset s_2) u\equiv s_2$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee (s_1\sqsupset s_2) u\overbracket{s_1s_2}$ \\ + \end{tabular} +\end{tabular} +\emph{(change: you blow on $s_2$)} + +So far there have been only three changes in the instructions. Memorize +them. Then go on to Instr. 12, which is new, and carry it out along with the +other eleven instructions. + +\textsc{As soon as you have put any changed instruction (3, 9, or 11) into practice, +the second phase is over. Turn to page 12 and the third phase.} + +If you can't practice the instructions because all the components have +vanished, skip to Page 18. + +\item Adding to Instruction 8, if you have time left over from following +other instructions, you may also keep your eyes open and jump over, blow +on, or shadow sights. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{3}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $u\overbracket{s}$ \\ \midrule + $u^\infty s$ \\ \midrule + $u\equiv s$ \\ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} +\end{enumerate} + +\clearpage + +\emph{(page 12)} + +\subsection*{Third Phase} + +Throughout the third phase, you must squat or move on your hands +and knees. That is, you must always keep yourself below the height of your +waist when you stand straight---unless you are able to jump over a sight from +your low position. The symbol is $u\sfrac{1}{2}$. Now get down. + +Instr. 1--7 from the last phase apply here without change. They are thus +stated in the most abbreviated form. + +1--3. +(i will put these in when im confident in my interpretation of the syntax) + +4--7. +(i will put these in when im confident in my interpretation of the syntax) + +The biggest change comes next. + +8. If you have any time left over, close your eyes and go around with +your hands in front of you. If you encounter touches standing higher than +you, tackle them. If you encounter touches as near the ground as you, shove +them. You must be sensitive and judge heights with eyes closed. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{1}{2}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_\greater u\overbrace{t}$ \\ \midrule + $t_\less u\sqsupset t$ \\ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} + +\emph{($t\greater$ means "if t stands high relative to you" \\ +$t\less$ means "if t is near ground relative to you")} + +9. No change. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{1}{2}$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s_2\wedge (s_1\longdivision{s_2}) u\vee$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee (s_1\longdivision{s_2}) u\equiv s_2$ \\ + \end{tabular} +\end{tabular} + +10. The previous Instr. 10 applies if $s_2$ is near the ground, that is, it +applies unless $s_2$ is too high for you to jump or shadow it. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{1}{2}$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s_2\wedge\less\ (s_1\overbrace{s_2}) u\overbracket{s_1 s_2}$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee\less\ (s_1\overbrace{s_2}) u^\infty s_2$ \\ + \end{tabular} +\end{tabular} + +(Keep going) + +\clearpage + +11. $u\sfrac{1}{2}\wedge\ s_2\wedge\ (s_1\sqsupset s_2)\ u\equiv s_2$ + +The second half of the previous Instr. 11 is dropped. + +Except for the instruction to tackle touches, the changes are simply +limitations to make the instructions feasible for $u\sfrac{1}{2}$. They should be easy +to remember. + +You will next go on to Instr. 12, and carry it out along with the other +instructions. As soon as you encounter an actual situation where you cannot +act because $u\sfrac{1}{2}$, the third phase will be over. +\textsc{At that point you must turn to page 14 and the fourth phase.} + +If you can't carry out the instructions because all the components have +vanished, the third phase is over. Turn to Page 14 and the fourth phase. + +12. Adding to Instr. 8, if you have time left over, you may also keep +your eyes open and blow on sights. You may also shadow or jump over +sights unless they are too high. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{1}{2}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $u\equiv s$ \\ \midrule + \begin{tabular}{ r c } + $s\less$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $u^\infty s$ \\ \midrule + $u\overbracket{s}$ \\ + \end{tabular}\\ + \end{tabular} \\ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} + +\subsection*{Fourth phase} + +You are in the fourth phase of perception-dissociation. Throughout this +phase, you must crawl on your stomach (keep below knee height). The +symbol is $u\sfrac{1}{4}$. Now get on the floor. + +You can no longer be tackled, nor can you jump. Thus, the numbered +instructions are greatly limited, and they will be restated fully. + +\textsc{The first two instructions apply when your eyes are open.} + +\begin{enumerate} +\item If you see a sight close its eyes, a touch may be falling or stepping +on you, and you must immediately scramble aside. + +\begin{tabular}{ c l } + \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $s_1\wedge$ & $s_1\vee$ \\ + $u\sfrac{1}{4}\wedge$ & $(t\longdivision{u})$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\sfrac{1}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_1\equiv u$ \\ + $(t_2\sqsupset u)$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\textsc{The next three instructions tell you what to do when your eyes are closed.} + +\item When to reopen your eyes. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\sfrac{1}{4}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t\sqsupset u$ \\ \midrule + $u$ inattentive \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\wedge$ +\end{tabular} + +\item If your closed eyes are shadowed, a touch may be falling or +stepping on you. Scramble aside. + +\begin{tabular}{ r c l } + $u\frac{1}{4}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $s^\infty u$ \\ + $(t\longdivision{u}$ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\frac{1}{4}\vee$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $t_1\overbracket{u}$ \\ + $(t_2\sqsupset u)$ \\ + \end{tabular} & $u\lrcorner$ \\ +\end{tabular} + +\item \begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{1}{4}\vee$ \begin{tabular}{ c c } + $t\greater$ & $u\overbrace{t}$ \\ \midrule + $t\sfrac{1}{4}$ & $u\sqsupset t$ \\ + \end{tabular} +\end{tabular} + +\textsc{Try instr. 6, remembering and following instr. 3--5.} \\ +\textsc{When you have to reopen your eyes as per instr. 3, check on anything you forgot. + Then go to page 15. Now---close your eyes.} + + +The rest of the instructions apply when your eyes are open. + +\item \begin{tabular}{ r c } + $u\sfrac{1}{4}\wedge$ & \begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $s_2\wedge$ & $(s_1\longdivision{s_2})$ & $u\vee$ \\ \midrule + $s_2\vee\less$ & $(s_1\longdivision{s_2})$ & $u^\infty s_2$ \\ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} + +If $s_2$'s eyes are closed, you must shadow them unless they are too high. + +\item $$u\sfrac{1}{4}\wedge\ s\wedge\less\ (s_1\sqsupset s_2)\ u\equiv s_2$$ + +You blow on $s_2$'s hand unless it is too high. + +\item Adding to Instr. 6, if you have time left over from following +instructions, you may also shadow or blow on sights if they aren't too high. + +\begin{tabular}{ c c c } + $u\sfrac{1}{4}\wedge$ & $s\less$ & \begin{tabular}{ c } + $u^\infty s$ \\ \midrule + $u\equiv s$ \\ + \end{tabular} \\ +\end{tabular} +\end{enumerate} + +You must now put these nine instructions into practice until you have +learned them thoroughly in practice; and even continue after that until you +have difficulty keeping your mind on the exhibit. + +\textsc{If you can't practice the instructions because all the components have vanished, skip to page 18.} + +Otherwise, stay with this phase until you have difficulty keeping your +mind on it. Then turn to Page 16 and the final phase of +perception-dissociation. + +\clearpage + +\subsection*{Final Phase} +\emph{(Page Sixteen)} + +You are now in the final phase of transforming yourself with the +perception-dissociator. When you finish transforming yourself, you will have +lost track of time, and will have ceased to notice sound. You will be dealing +with sights and touches as unrelated phenomena; and you will be responding +by reflex action to unconscious signals from "other people." + +For this last phase, you will turn to Page 5. You will go through the +symbols there in any order you like as if they were one long instruction, +carrying out that instruction. You are to "use" each symbol once. There +have been enough precedents in the interpretation of the symbols that you +should now be able to interpret any combination of them. Continue to +follow the previous numbered instructions as they apply, depending on +whether you are 1, \sfrac{3}{4}, \sfrac{1}{2}, or \sfrac{1}{4}. +(But forget the instructions for time left +over; you won't have any extra time.) +\textsc{Remember the instructions about when to reopen your eyes if you close them.} + +When you are through, you will be transformed. +\textsc{Now turn to page 5 and begin.} + +\clearpage + +If you have found these words and are reading them in desperation +because you are completely confused; or because you have lost interest in +the exhibit; or because you have finished; then you are transformed. + + +If you want to use the model to simulate the reversal of your +transformation before you leave the exhibit, do the following. Spend 50 +seconds erect, with open eyes, walking up to sights and pushing +them---assuming that you will find touches where you see sights. Count the +seconds "one-thousand-and-one," "one-thousand-and-two," etc. + + +Then you will close your eyes. If you are blown on or pushed before +250 seconds have passed, you will open your eyes and--assuming that you +will find a sight where you were touched--you will shadow it. Otherwise you +will open your eyes when the 250 seconds have passed. Now close your eyes +and do as instructed. + + +It is now suggested that you leave the exhibit. Go out through the +curtain. + +\clearpage + +Stay in the exhibit and follow every instruction that is relevant, until +you become thirsty. + + +If you begin to encounter components, return to the page you were on +before you turned to this one. + + +lf you still don't encounter components, the model must be broken. +Leave the exhibit by the same passage through which you entered. + +\clearpage + + +2/22/1963 + + +Henry Flynt and Tony Conrad demonstrate against the Metropolitan Museum of Art, +February 22, 1963 + + +(foto by Jack Smith) + |