Cognition as an Augmented Reality Overlay

Thought

Considering human cognition as a layer of augmented reality imposed over our sensory experiences.

Note

Cognition overlays our perception like augmented reality.

Analysis

When we perceive the world, our cognition integrates a multitude of sensory inputs and overlays them with memories, anticipations, and analytical thinking. This cognitive process could be likened to an augmented reality (AR) system that enhances our perception of reality with additional layers of information. Each person's 'cognitive AR' is unique, filled with personalized symbols, narratives, and insights that transform neutral data into meaningful experiences.

In essence, we do not interact with the world as it is, but rather as it appears through the filter of our cognition. Alfred Korzybski's famous dictum, "The map is not the territory," succinctly captures this idea; our perception (the map) is not a one-to-one representation of reality (the territory). This concept mirrors the function of AR, where digital information is overlaid onto the real world, enhancing but not accurately reproducing it.

Exploring this analogy further, consider how AR applications are designed—they are based on patterns, markers, or spatial recognition to anchor digital content in the physical world. Similarly, our cognition relies on mental models, anchored by our past experiences and cultural influences, to interpret the sensory input we receive. Our 'mental AR' might highlight certain aspects of our environment while obscuring others, much like a smartphone AR app might emphasize points of interest as you scan a city street.

In philosophical terms, this notion aligns with phenomenology, the study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view. Phenomenologists such as Edmund Husserl and Maurice Merleau-Ponty have argued that experience is always 'intentional', that is, it is directed towards something, and this direction is shaped by our consciousness.

Drawing from Arthur Koestler's concept of bisociation, the framework for this idea combines the disparate domains of cognitive psychology and augmented reality technology. By recognizing our cognitive processes as an internal AR, we may both articulate the ways in which our consciousness shapes our perception and also develop external AR technologies that more fluidly integrate with the natural functions of the human mind.

Sources

• "Augmented Reality: Principles and Practice" by Dieter Schmalstieg and Tobias Hollerer, for understanding the technological principles of AR.
• "The Principles of Psychology" by William James, particularly the chapters discussing perception and consciousness.
• "Phenomenology of Perception" by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, which delves into the intricacies of how we experience the world.

Books

• "The Master and His Emissary" by Iain McGilchrist, which explores the nature of the divided brain and its influence on our perception.
• "The Society of Mind" by Marvin Minsky, which gives insights into the modular conception of the mind and its processes.

Papers

• "Reward is enough" by Silver et al. for understanding how simple principles can lead to complex behaviors in the context of artificial intelligence, somewhat paralleling how our simple perceptual inputs can lead to complex cognitive overlays.
• "The Extended Mind" by Andy Clark and David Chalmers, which postulates that the mind extends beyond the brain to include the tools, external objects, and environment, suggesting a natural tendency towards augmentation of our cognitive processes.