Bumping, Sensing and Cognizing

The foundation of the physical material world is bumping. The physical material world consists of matter. A matter is mass and volume. Two matters cannot occupy the same volume at the same time, and no matter occupies two volumes at any single time. Therefore, two matters have a chance of bumping because one cannot pass through the other at the same volume at the same time.  

This is true at the levels of primary particles, atoms, molecules and live organisms.

Bumping causes a reaction, always. Primarily, kinetic energy changes. Kinetic energy is directly proportional to mass and relative velocity. In some cases, the mass and volume of the two bumping entities change in addition to the kinetic energy. Volume is a shape – a geometrical concept. When two entities bump, the consequence is a reaction in which kinetic energy and shape are altered before and after the bumping. Just think about a car accident.

Chemical reactions are a bumping of two molecules. Each molecule has its mass and shape.  After bumping, they become something different—new mass and shape. Two initial entities become one, or two or more entities that differ from the originals. The sum of mass does not change. But each new entity has its own new mass and shape that are different from the original two.

The proximity matters for bumping to occur. The density (or concentration) reflects the probability of the proximity. The higher the density, the higher the frequency of bumping due to their proximity in the 3D space. The bumping is required for a chemical reaction to occur, but it does not guarantee it 100%. If a reaction energy is too high, only kinetic energy is changed. Looks like bouncing, the velocity changes without changes in mass and shape.

A catalyst is the third molecule in a chemical reaction that can change the reaction energy. Its mass and shape do not change before and after the chemical reaction. It forms a complex with the reacting two molecules to facilitate/support/constrain its outcome. Think about changing a flat tire on a car. A car jack works like a catalyst. From a flat tire to a spare tire on a vehicle. A car jack is not directly involved in this process, but it facilitates, supports, and constrains the process. For a catalyst to work, bumping is necessary, too.

Bumping is the foundation of life. Each organism physically bumps (or encounters) against various events every day. One at a time. Eating food, finding a mate or encountering a predator is bumping.

Sensing is also physical bumping that can modify the frequency of a subsequent bumping event. It is similar to physical forces like gravity and magnetic force – without physical contact, two entities attract or repel each other.

Mammals have seven senses. Taste by the tongue and smell by the nose are chemical sensing. Thermal sensing and touch sensation are conducted by the skin. Ears can sense air vibrations (i.e., hearing) and acceleration (i.e., gravity). Eyes sense light (i.e. seeing). These senses can modulate the frequency of bumping against a specific subsequent event by getting attracted to or avoiding it. Importantly, sensing itself is physical bumping and encounters. Therefore, sensing is a matter of proximity.

Bumping is a physical encounter between two points. Sensing is also a physical encounter with physical properties that are emitted from the points, like smells, noises or sights, but not the bumping of two points itself. By sensing before bumping, the organism can change the frequency of bumping. Sensing causes a reaction. This reaction changes the subsequent real bumping frequency.

The bumping process for sensing is called a stimulus and its sensor.  The correct combination of a stimulus and a sensor bumping initiates a reaction that modulates the frequency of the subsequent specific bumping and reaction, like being attracted to food smells for finding food or being repelled by the sight of a predator to avoid a proximal encounter. Both stimuli and sensors are physical entities. The proximity and the physical range of sensors matter.   

Can we modulate sensing?  Indeed, yes. Desensitization is a primitive way for altering the sensing-linked reaction. Sensing is controlled by a stimulus and its sensor, and their bumping initiates a reaction. Despite the physical bumping, no subsequent reaction. This is desensitization. Bumping of a stimulus and a sensor is decoupled from its reaction. The prior events of the stimulus/sensor bumping impact this decoupling. This is the primitive memory. This primitive memory serves as a negative feedback loop, preventing the initiation of the stimulus-sensor reaction based on the (immediately) prior experience.

Think about deer in the woods. They are highly alert, constantly sensing their surrounding. The primary reason is to avoid bumping into a predator. Surveillance of all potential possibilities of precautionary physical signs (i.e. smells, noises or movement within vision) of bumping into a predator. Any sign may permit a reaction of running away, avoiding the encounter. Desensitization decouples from noticing a sign to a reaction of running away because the recognized sign is transient and not associated with further signs of danger. Imagine you make deer aware of your presence, but if you stay still, they may not run away immediately. They tolerate and ignore your presence. This is similar to catalysts, but in the opposite direction. Desensitization does not modulate the frequency of stimulus-sensor bumping, but rather modulates (i.e., suppresses or facilitates) the reaction that follows.

Many basic instinctive behaviours of animals are this stimulus-sensor reaction - fixed patterns of stimulus-sensor reaction. However, some basic instinct behaviours appear cognitive and modulate the frequency of stimulus-sensor bumping itself.  However, they are not real cognitive behaviours with intention. Fixed patterns of stimulus-sensor reaction modulate the frequency of subsequent stimulus-sensor reactions, ultimately influencing the frequency of final bumping reactions.

An example of this is the collection behaviour of animals like ants and squirrels. They collect food and other items for their nest or bury them underground. Are they storing? I would say no. They do not have an inventory. They have no idea what they have collected and where they are. This must be a basic instinctive behaviour without purpose. However, this behaviour increases the frequency of stimulus-sensor behaviour later in the nest or in neighbours. The chance of rediscovery. Because they are collected and gathered in their relative proximity, bumping them again is highly likely. However, it is highly doubtful they know what they have. They collect for the sake of collection. The collected items are not owned but rediscovered. Sometimes by themselves, but often by anyone. Or getting forgotten.  

Basic Instinct behaviour can modulate the frequency of stimulus-sensor bumping to modulate the frequency of the final bumping. The final bumping is the essential matter of survival.  But no intention here.

Molecules have no intention, do they? Bumping has no intention but a physical accident. How about whether a cell has an intention? A bacterium? A plant? Any animals? How about a human? If something has an intention, it must be an entity with cognition that makes decisions over automatic sensory stimulation and reactions. Thus, reflection is not an intention. Basic instinct behaviour is not an intention. It is embedded within. Desensitization is not an intention but a consequential reaction based on prior stimulation-sensor stimulation.

Does life have intentions, goals or purposes? My view is no. Something that appears to have intentions, goals, or purposes is the cyclic momentum of a circuit. Think about a wheel rolling down a hill. A wheel has no intention, but it keeps moving forward due to its momentum and the force of gravity.  A big tree, a gravel road or a muddy puddle on its way may make it fall. Snow or strong wind can also cause it to fall. Imagine the wheel duplicates each rotation with errors. A square or a triangular wheel? Bouncy shock absorption at its marginal edge? A fallen wheel might still move forward on packed snow or ice. A wheel becomes a ski board. The momentum continues. Whatever the reason, when the momentum stops, it is the end. Whatever the changes supporting the momentum keeps going. No goal, purpose or intention, even though they look like a goal, purpose and intention.

Life is the chemical momentum (i.e. flow) of water and molecules. The cyclic momentum of a circuit was accidentally created. Then, it keeps running.  

Do humans have an intention? I think so. Can we have goals and purposes? Yes, we do because we have language. Names have a strong power. They give us recognize the absence. The absence has neither stimulation nor sensation. The absence is not a stimulation. I agree that some animals can notice the absence based on physical sensing. Some physical stimulation, like smells or sounds, but there is no subsequent bumping. A mother elephant can notice the absence of her infant because of enough physical stimuli evoking its absence.

A name does not need any physical stimulation to recall it. Of course, physical stimulation would help, but it is not necessary. When I say “a mountain”, you can think about a mountain. My mountain and yours must be different, but you can think about it without any real physical simulation of mountains. Amazing.

Names allow us to recall them without their physical stimulations. We can recall them without their presence. This is impossible without names.

Names allow us to realize the presence of the past. In addition, cognition of the probabilistic future.

Names and words also permit the emergence of inner thoughts—the emergence of self. We can recall and remember because of words. We can keep thinking about one thing outside of the current physical sensory stimulations – this means something does not physically exist at the moment. This builds self. Self is the conversation between the past and present inside one's own mind.

Without language, there is only the physical sensory world at the current moment; it is impossible to recognize the absence or non-existence.  This ability of words enables us to anticipate and predict the future using logic, which is extracted from past repetitive events. A prediction and intervention. They are the basis of intentions, goals and purposes. They are directing the future by not relying on accidental bumping but by guiding toward where non-existence is at the present, using logic.

This cognition can lead to owning, exclusion and building, which changes the frequency of future stimulus-sensor bumping. A house is a space built by humans to exclude any potential dangers to own and store their property. It is the owner’s property even if the owner is absent from the site. I believe this is a unique human-specific ability due to our language.

Interestingly, this cognitive ability can activate the downstream reaction without sensor activation. Theoretically, the activation of sensing-reaction requires physical stimulation. However, cognition can skip the physical sensing process. Reading a book is the perfect example. No real physical sensing, but reading a book evokes various emotions and sensations.  Astonishing.

This same ability permits anxiety. Fear is based on the real physical stimulation. Anxiety stems from the cognition of the future, which has not yet occurred (i.e., may never happen). No real physical stimulation, but it is created by the imagination based on language. Precautionary actions based on anticipation lead to a modification of the frequency of stimulus-sensor bumping. Preparation permits an increase in the success probability and reduces the likelihood of a negative event, although it does not guarantee success. If cognition of insufficiency dominates over the trust in preparation, anxiety emerges as a response to uncertainty. No real physical stimulation, but all cognitive activity in one’s mind. All based on language.

Anticipation, including anxiety, can directly engage emotions and sensations, much like reading a book. Although there is no physical stimulation, our emotional reactions are real physical ones, such as sweating, a rapid heartbeat, and nervousness. These become the physical stimulation as a positive feedback loop.  Mind initiated a positive feedback loop of negative emotion. Because this is a self-feeding process, it easily becomes non-stop.

Because of language, we recognize the past and future. Because of language, we share our thoughts with others. Because of language, we build a consciousness of self that is an internal conversation with oneself.

‘Bumping and reaction’ is the essence of the physical material world. Sensing modifies the frequency of bumping by stimulus-sensor bumping and reaction. Cognition modifies the frequency of sensing bumping by owning, exclusion and building. Three of them form nested layers. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is built from a network of words without physical bumping and reaction. Does (or Will) AI tolerate accidental bumping?