<eyebeam><blast> Ant consciousness

[Brian Holmes <106271.223@compuserve.com>]

Dear Eve,

Just thought I'd write to say I found your last post very interesting
and hope you'll continue a little in that vein. Not necessarily with
more on Fissiault and Pynchon - though that would be welcome, it's
fascinating - but especially on this bit:

"Individual ants were modeled as elements driven by chaotic dynamics,
represented by a neural network in the brain functioning in a chaotic
mode and controlling movement. The whole model is rather like a neural
network except that the elements can move. Because the elements (ants)
obey simple dynamic rules, they are mobile cellular automata. This is
very useful in stydying the properties of complex dynamical systems of
various kinds, made up of interacting elements (for example, the
internet, and this listserv forum.)"

As I've said in my posts, I don't see how to make the leap between the
actions of 'cellular automata' and human consciousness, which is surely
more or other than automatism. Still I'm very much intrigued, always
have been, by this kind of thinking that comes to closest grips with
dynamic processes of high complexity. To identify predictable patterns
is of course useful for controlling events or taking advantage of them.
But beyond control, could a certain kind of sensitivity to the complex
eddies and flows of intersubjective exchange allow one to help
precipitate the unknown? Could one, say, recognize pattern formation and
intervene where a new pattern could possibly come into formation?

Or in another direction: could an aesthetics of patterned consciousness
reveal the social nature of human autonomy? Could one learn to accept
one's own interventions as precipitating a shared unknown? Could this
become a more powerful and pleasing game than proprietary accumulation?

Best, Brian
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