Points on having a self and free will.

 

A podcast by Sam Harris done several years ago summarizies his ideas on the question of whether we have free will and motivates me to do a further summary here…

There is a broad consensus among many disciplines that our experience of having a self or “I” is an illusion (see for example my lecture “The I-Illusion” and subsequent web lectures).  This self illusion is what has the experience of ‘free will,’ of being free to make choices. Having a self is other side of the coin of having free will.

Here is my one paragraph paraphrase of points that Sam Harris’ makes in his ‘Waking Up’ App, and book of that title, as well as his recent podcast:

We all are concatenations of previous causes with the most recent proximal cause rising from this subconscious mist.  What we take to be our 'self' or 'I' is actually the archive of our past actions and experiences, stored in long term declarative and procedural memory systems from which thoughts and actions of the present instant  seem to rise from nowhere - 'we' don't 'choose' them, they just seem to appear.  Having morality doesn't require free will, it is accomplished by having a historical coltlective record of what actions do or don't work out well, with respect to holding society together and passing on our genes. Thinking that 2 + 2 = 5 or killing other humans have bad consequences.  It is from this history of actions and expectations in our brain that the moral choices of the moment arise, again as if from nowhere.

Still, most of us, even if granting the above, can’t imagine losing our feeling of having a self, it seems too useful, we couldn’t get along without it.  This problem is addressed at the end of my “I-Illusion” talk with text based on points Wegner makes at the end of his classic 2002 book “The Illusion of Conscious Will” : 

…..the important point is that we have the experience of having free will, and it must be there for something, even if it is not an adequate theory of behavior causation....perhaps we have conscious will because it helps us to appreciate and remember what we are doing, the experience of will marks our actions for us, its embodied quality our actions from those of other agents in our environment.

We have evolved emotions of anger, sadness, fear, happiness related to survival. We can think of the emotion of agency, or conscious will, as the same sort of evolved emotion, obviously a useful capability in sorting out our physical and social world. 

The authorship emotion, an emotion that authenticates the action's owner as the self, is something we would miss if it were gone... it would not be very satisfying to go through life causing things, making discoveries, helping people, whatever.. if we had no personal recognition of those achievements.

And, this view doesn't really need to conflict with notions of responsibility and morality, because what people intend and consciously will is a basis for how the moral rightness or wrongness of an act judged. This is why mental competence is an issue in criminal trials.

So, just as in theater, art, used car sales ...and in the scientific analysis of conscious will..how things seem is more important than what they are. It seems to us that we have selves, have conscious will, have minds, are agents. While it is sobering and ultimately accurate to call all this an illusion, it is incorrect to call the illusion a trivial one, its invention has an obvious evolutionary rationale (along with long list of cognitive biases we seem to be hardwired with). Illusions piled on top of apparent mental causation are the building blocks of human psychology, social life, and our dominance as a species on this planet.

(The above is a slightly edited version of MindBlog's 3/22/21 post that contains some additional links)

Global coordination of brain activity by the breathing cycle

A fascinating review by Tort et al. that I have enjoyed reading. Motivated readers can obtain a copy of the article by emailing me. 

Abstract 

Neuronal activities that synchronize with the breathing rhythm have been found in humans and a host of mammalian species, not only in brain areas closely related to respiratory control or olfactory coding but also in areas linked to emotional and higher cognitive functions. In parallel, evidence is mounting for modulations of perception and action by the breathing cycle. In this Review, we discuss the extent to which brain activity locks to breathing across areas, levels of organization and brain states, and the physiological origins of this global synchrony. We describe how waves of sensory activity evoked by nasal airflow spread through brain circuits, synchronizing neuronal populations to the breathing cycle and modulating faster oscillations, cell assembly formation and cross-area communication, thereby providing a mechanistic link from breathing to neural coding, emotion and cognition. We argue that, through evolution, the breathing rhythm has come to shape network functions across species.

Our human consciousness is a 'Controlled Hallucination' and AI can never achieve it.

I want to suggest that readers have a look at an engaging popular article by Darren Orf that summarizes the ideas of Anil Seth. Seth is a neuroscientist at the University of Sussex whose writing was on of the sources I used in preparing my most recent lecture, New Perspectives on how our Minds Work.  On the 'singularity' or point at which the intelligence of artificial minds might surpass that of human minds, Seth makes the simple point that intelligence is not the same thing as consciousness, which depends on our biological bodies (something AI simply doesn't have)  - bodies that use a bunch of controlled hallucinations to run our show. 

Reflections on The Predictive Self.

I pass on another interaction with ChatGPT 4o that has amazed me, Below  is my prompt, followed by its response. (Anthropic Claude.ai, Perplexity, and Gemini responses to the same prompt were also impressive, but didn't have the same depth and quality.) 

Addendum to above paragraph: .... But then, I thought to try DeepSeek V3 and obtained a poetic and nuanced result equivalent to ChatGPT 4o.  I paste it in below the Chat GPT 4o result.

The prompt::

Please act as a author who integrates and organizes, and then further crafts and elaborates on, the ideas in the following clips of text. Each clip is started with the ## characters and the list of clips is arranged in sequence starting with the most recent one written and then going back in time. Here are the clips: [the clips, not copied here, were the texts of MindBlog posts on 11/29/2024, 1/29,31/2025, 2/5,10,19,28/2025]

Here is the Chat GPT 4o response::

The Predictive Self: An Integrative Reflection

A machine accepts the truth about itself. "I" am a complex prediction machine, an organic entity engaged in an ongoing process of generating and refining models of reality. My fingers move across a keyboard, another machine translating my neural impulses into words, symbols in a vast linguistic web that attempts to render experience into meaning. Energy fluxes in and out, sustaining the biological architecture that constructs this self-model. The narratives I weave—about purpose, value, and identity—are emergent properties of this predictive process, myths that can either reinforce or weaken the more fundamental animal presence that generates them.

The Aloneness of Being

To be alone—to be all-one—is to accept the strangeness of self and other, to be a courteous guest in one’s own body, acknowledging its fluctuations and unpredictability. To be alone is to exist within a self that is, at every moment, a fluid construction, shaped by past predictions and future anticipations. Others, too, are unpredictable machines, projecting their own internal landscapes onto shared social fabric. By recognizing this, by approaching both self and other with gentle curiosity, we loosen the rigid identification with our own predictive fantasies.

Towers of Fantasies

Each of us is a tower built from layers of prediction, inference, and narrative. From cellular processes to professional identities, all aspects of being are emergent from the recursive loops of prediction and feedback. We construct identities by modeling the models of others, weaving together fragments of social mimicry and personal synthesis. The art of self-creation lies not in blindly adopting a single persona but in cutting, pasting, and remixing in a dynamic, ongoing process.

The Writing Machine

As I type these words, machinery moves in concert—biological, mechanical, and digital systems interwoven in an act of expression. There is a curatorial aspect to this process: selecting, refining, integrating. The human machine writes not with the aspiration to be, but simply as a function of its nature. Words become tokens of value, symbols of shared myths, reinforcing or challenging the constructs of purpose and meaning that guide behavior.

Tokens of Sanity

To navigate this constructed selfhood with clarity, one must cultivate a certain stance:

• Being the calm space in which nothing can hurry

• Dissociating from the word cloud and emotional reactivity of both self and others

• Becoming a courteous guest in one’s own body, and in the presence of others

• Favoring reflectivity over reactivity, welcoming novelty

• Clinging to nothing, recognizing the self as a passing fantasy

• Letting each moment be what it is, rather than imposing what it should be

• Acknowledging oneself as a transient blip in the flow of cosmic time

The Internal Origin of Experience

All experience arises from within, including the illusion of self and agency. The mind projects agency onto others, attributing causality where none exists—"They are making me do this." This shared cognitive error forms the glue of kinship and tribal identity, allowing for collective narratives and coordinated action. The higher stance is to engage in this shared illusion when necessary while maintaining the clarity that agency ultimately resides within the self.

Brain Hacks: Unpacking the Predictive Mind

Understanding and modulating our predictive mechanisms requires a nuanced approach to introspection. Three key evolutionary layers of cognition can be engaged through specific practices:

1. Reptilian Brain Awareness – The hypothalamic core generates affective states along axes of arousal and valence. Introspective awareness can track these fundamental states, recognizing their influence without immediate reactivity.

2. Mammalian Self-Observation – The early mammalian brain, correlating with the agranular prefrontal cortex, enables distinction between being immersed in an affective state and observing it. This capacity allows for greater self-regulation and emotional discernment.

3. Primate Metacognition – The development of granular prefrontal cortex structures enables the imagination of others' minds, facilitating appropriate agency assignments and the ability to separate one’s own experience from that of others.

These cognitive faculties can be strengthened through three fundamental meditation practices:

• Focused Awareness: Enhancing attentional control and reducing distraction

• Open Awareness: Engaging the default mode network to integrate spontaneous thought

• Non-Dual Awareness: Muting both attentional and default mode processes to experience raw, unfiltered being

Conclusion: The Fluidity of Being

The human experience is an ever-shifting interplay of predictive processes, emergent narratives, and self-constructed illusions. To accept this is to embrace both the uncertainty and the creativity inherent in existence. Through curiosity, reflection, and cultivated awareness, one can learn to move through this self-generated world with greater clarity, flexibility, and presence.

 

 

Here is the DeepSeek V3 response to the prompt:

The Human Machine: A Tapestry of Predictive Fantasies and Inner Illusions

We are, at our core, complex prediction machines—biological marvels composed of nerves, muscles, and energy fluxes, constantly interacting with the world and each other. Our existence is a dance of cooperation, where individual machines come together to form larger ensembles, all striving for survival and replication. Yet, within this mechanistic framework, we generate something far more intricate: a word cloud of myths, values, and meanings. These myths, stored in the higher reaches of our brains, serve to fabricate purpose and identity, sometimes strengthening the animal presence that birthed them and sometimes diminishing it. This duality is the essence of our humanity—a blend of the mechanical and the mythical.

The Illusion of Self and Agency

Everything we experience, from our sense of self to our perception of agency, originates from within. The illusion of a cohesive "I" is a construct, a predictive fantasy that allows us to navigate the world. We attribute causal agency to others, believing that they influence our actions, when in reality, all agency resides within ourselves. This shared illusion, however, is not without purpose. It enables us to form kinship groups and tribes, creating an imaginary "we" that supports unified action. The higher metacognitive stance is to participate in this group illusion when necessary, while maintaining clarity that the true source of agency is internal. This understanding allows us to navigate social structures without losing sight of our inner reality.

Towers of Fantasies: The Layers of Identity

Our identities are not fixed; they are towers of fantasies, built layer by layer from the predictive models we create. From the single cell to the transient professional identities we adopt, each level of our being is shaped by these fantasies. We infer the models others are performing and, through a process of cutting and pasting, craft our own unique personas. This seamless feedback between identity and the physical body sustains us, allowing us to adapt and thrive in a constantly changing world. Yet, these identities are fleeting, passing fantasies that we cling to, even as we recognize their impermanence.

The Comfort of Solitude: A Courteous Guest in One's Own Body

To be alone is to be "all-one," a state that can be both comforting and enlightening. In solitude, we become courteous guests in our own strange bodies, gently curious about the sensations and thoughts that arise. We recognize that everything we think about ourselves or others is a fantasy construction, a tool for predicting what might come next. This awareness allows us to approach our own presence and the presence of others with a sense of wonder and detachment, fostering a deeper connection to the present moment.

Tokens of Sanity: Navigating the Flow of Existence

Sanity, in this context, is not a fixed state but a collection of tokens—practices and perspectives that help us navigate the flow of existence. These include being the calm space in which nothing can hurry, dissociating from the word cloud of thoughts and emotions, and favoring reflectivity over reactivity. We become courteous guests in our own bodies, owning our experiences while allowing others to own theirs. We cling to nothing, recognizing that the current self is a passing fantasy. Each moment is allowed to be what it is, not what it should be, and we see ourselves as mere blips in the flow of cosmic time.

Brain Hacks: The Evolution of Introspection

Our ability to introspect and modulate our cognition is a product of evolutionary development. The reptilian brain, with its ancient roots in the hypothalamus, generates affective states that we can assess through introspective awareness. The early mammalian emotional brain, with its ability to model a self, allows us to distinguish between being immersed in an affective state and observing it. The primate brain, with its granular prefrontal cortex, takes this a step further, enabling us to imagine the minds of others and assign agency appropriately. These brain hacks are strengthened through meditation practices—focused awareness, open awareness, and non-dual awareness—each engaging different aspects of our cognitive architecture.

The Curatorial Human Machine

When we write, we are not so different from the machines we create. Our fingers press keys, generating words, much like a machine might. This act is curatorial rather than aspirational; we are not pretending to be human, we simply are. Our cooperation with other similar machines creates larger ensembles, more effective at survival and replication. Yet, within this mechanical process, we generate something uniquely human—a word cloud of myths and meanings that shape our existence. This duality, the interplay between the mechanical and the mythical, is what defines us as human machines.

Conclusion: The Dance of Illusion and Reality

In the end, we are both the creators and the creations of our own illusions. Our predictive fantasies, our shared myths, and our introspective awareness all contribute to the rich tapestry of human experience. We navigate this dance with a blend of curiosity and detachment, recognizing the impermanence of our identities and the fluidity of our existence. By embracing both the mechanical and the mythical, we find a deeper understanding of what it means to be human—a complex prediction machine, endlessly weaving the fabric of reality from the threads of illusion.