Working Images
Alexander Liss
Images are tools of Mind's organization of
sensory information, memorizing experiences, making decisions, passing
knowledge, etc.
A body manages patterns of complex of
sensory information and stimuli to actions. Each such pattern is an Image.
Images are aide in decision-making.
A fixed path from the particular pattern of
sensory information to the signals stimulating actions does not give a choice
to the Mind. This is an instinct.
Images
are needed, where there is no such fixed path.
Images
are used by an individual in making decisions about own body actions, or
decisions about social actions. Images are useful in description of the Culture
of society.
Discussing Images, one should see the
phenomenon from both points of view: a point of view of an individual and from
a point of view of a society. These points of view complement each other. When
one deals with Images, one has to see both an individual and a social side of a
human being.
An individual Mind stores patterns as
Images.
It
starts with patterns of complexes of sensory information and signals
stimulating body's actions.
Eventually,
it includes social actions and starts acquiring Images-patterns in process of
social activities. These Images are acquired gradually and they have to go
through a process of assimilation: establishment of relationships with existing
Images.
Images acquired in the process of social
activities have a common part, which is defined by the Culture of one's
society, and a specific part acquired from parents, from immediate community,
etc.
Patterns of own experiences add to the set
of Images.
Eventually,
analysis of own and acquired patterns delivers new Images.
Experiences of the use of Images during
decision-making produce new Images and this is an important source of Images.
Images are interrelated. There are
following relations between Imaged: An Image could include as a part another
Image or two Images could include as a part a common Image.
Hence,
there are derived relationships between two Images, where there could be a
third Image, which contains given two Images at its parts. This is an important
relationship, it shows that these two Images are coherent; they do not
contradict each other.
The
System of Images can be divided into groups of Images, which do not contradict
each other. These groups do not have common Images between themselves.
Together
with the process of creation of Images, there is a process of destruction of
Images. Images, which are not used, are phased away.
This
happens with new Images, which do not have sufficiently used Images of which
they are a part. Sometimes destruction of a few large Images could cause a set
of smaller Images to become orphaned and phased away.
Images
need perpetual reinforcement to be persistent.
Images,
which are a part of a reinforced Image, are reinforced themselves.
This
is a basis of a natural maintenance of the System of Images.
Random
activities activate at least briefly various Images. They are activated in
groups of Images, which do not contradict each other. Each such group becomes
an Image, and this Image creation proceeds until there are a few independent
groups of Images contradicting each other.
These
random activities reinforce clustering of Images into mutually exclusive
groups. This clustering is important during decision-making.
Foundation Images are parts of many Images;
hence, they are perpetually reinforced and persist.
There is an obvious sequence of acquisition
of Foundation Images.
A fetus in womb forms a system of Images of
"the Body in the Egg". These Images are a part of about every complex
of Images.
The birth is a source of a system of Images
of "Exodus of the Body from the Egg".
A third group comes with the flood of new
sensory information from outside and from inside the body, this is a system of
Images of "the Body outside the Egg".
On this stage arrives a system of Images of
the "Caregiver and Communication".
Eventually arrives a system of Images
associated with "Homeostatic Boundary between Self and not Self".
With communication arrives a system of
Images associated with Society.
These Images are so ubiquitous that the
Consciousness does not separate itself from them. Mystics attempt to analyze
and work with them; this is often dangerous, because on the way of such
analysis, they change the instrument of analysis and this leads to wrong
conclusions.
Animals have similar Foundation Images;
this allows some basic understanding between humans and animals, which is often
overrated.
While acquiring of Images through
communication is quick and simple, their assimilation is a complex process. New
Images have to fit in existing system of Images. They have to either be
recognized as a part of existing Images or new large Images should emerge,
which include them as a part.
Some Images are acquired too early, get
locked somewhere on a periphery of the system of Images and do not get in play
even when the Mind is mature enough to use them.
Other Images are acquired in a group of new
Images, and the Mind does not assimilate them properly, because Images of the
group support each other and are not destructed in time.
This way lies are "sold". A lie
is a special Image packaged together with right and important new Images in the
way, that it does not contradict other Images of the package. This special
Image supposed to change victim's behavior in the way it is beneficial to the
liar and detrimental to the victim, who "bought" this lie.
This
special Image brings the victim in conflict with reality; hence, it is a form
of insanity. This is a root of moral abhorrence of lies.
There are decisions supported by Images,
which reflect well-tested patterns of information-action combinations. Often,
there is no competition between such Images and they are used as instincts,
even when they were developed as habits.
There are decisions supported by a small
group of Images, which compete with each other. The Mind chooses one of them
randomly. This way one makes a quick fight-or-flight decision in a dangerous
situation.
In a general case, decisions are supported
by a large group of Images, and an Image is chosen randomly among many competing
Images of this group.
If the System of Images is well maintained,
then this group of Images includes only Images, which do not contradict each
other. This creates some continuity in history of making of similar decisions
and discerning of patterns and creation of Images associated with this history.
Inconsistent decision-making, based on
Images from different groups, and inconsistent communication of Images, creates
problems for the Mind and for the society.
Some people, who suffer from poor
development of their system of Images and consequent randomness of own
decisions, develop cravings for stability, which they satisfy with various
means.
Some try to make their environment and
their everyday actions predictable. This often leads to clearly visible forms
of psychological disorder.
Some try to extend their system of
Foundation Images and create a situation, where their actions are easily
defined through Foundation Images - they become more predictable in spite of
unpredictable external world. This is usually is done in a group and usually in
some form of a religious group. This group develops a set of dogmatic religious
principles (Foundation Images) and resists attempts to shake them up.
Development of this set of principles is easy: religious texts are poetic,
hence with internal logical contradiction. If one takes even one statement with
internal logical contradiction, one can logically derive from it any other
statement. The entire system looks logical. The entire procedure requires
misuse of religious texts (logical derivation from an article of faith, for
example). However, individuals satisfying their cravings for predictability are
ready to put up with it. Often, this is called religious fundamentalism. This approach
often leads to dangerous insane behavior.
Some try to create a reach artificial
intellectual world, burry own mind in it and narrow down the rest of activities
that they become routine and predictable. This is done in a group also. In this
way, spiritual, musical, literary, theater, etc. communities arrive, which
dedicate their whole life to it.
Some combine last two approaches and expand
their system of Foundation Images, but do not apply their newfound
understanding to real world decision-making. This understanding stays mostly as
a special world, where their minds are buried; real world decision-making is
governed by detailed rules, and unusual decisions are referred to a community
and community leaders. This form of living is often presented as religious
studies and "clean living".