The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
— Laozi , Dao De Jing, ~6th Century BCE
With today’s breakthroughs in AI and neuroscience, are we approaching the essence of the Dao—something beyond naming/language?
Language in all its forms—spoken, typed —is ultimately a tool to manifest wills. Humans express their inner intentions by naming and symbolizing the world around them. Large Language Models (LLMs) learn from this symbolic data, absorbing the embedded patterns of human thought and intention much like humans do. In this way, LLM begins to mirror the human mind—bringing the idea of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) closer to reality.
Now, brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies like Neuralink are pushing this even further. Paraplegic patients have already been able to control computers directly through their minds. This suggests it’s possible to decode the brain’s internal “language”—its biological signals—into digital commands. Even more fascinating, Neuralink’s future goals include restoring vision by sending data directly to the brain. If the brain can receive and interpret artificial input,that below things extraordinary becomes clear:
There is indeed something within the brain — deep within you and me — that can be encoded, decoded, and shared. Let’s call it Will — not in the ordinary sense, but in the philosophical sense, as in Schopenhauer’s The World as Will and Representation, or simply, the Dao.
Could we one day bypass the representations of the Will — language, vision, voice — and communicate more directly, mind to mind? Not by speaking or typing, but by translating thought into entirely new forms? If so, Neuralink and similar technologies may represent the next great leap. A big step closer to understanding not only the architecture of the human mind, but the essence of the Dao itself — beyond what can be named, beyond what can be spoken.
What are your thoughts on this? Could technology evolve to enable mind-to-mind connection — and if so, would it bring us closer to the truth, and blur the very divisions that naming creates?
lastcat743•6mo ago
You sound very excited. Your optimism is beautiful. A credit to the poetry of your learning.
I have some direct experience with your answer, and I do not want to be a fright, though what you say is already true today. There is an elite society among us (not the 1%, the 1% if the 1% are the voices in their heads.)
Let me say this, 1) through “Power” (capacity of effect through continuity of will) absolutely ultimate empirical truths may be read right from the neuron. Even every time that memory was accessed, even which element were the product of perception vs cognition.; 2) those of such skill rule humanity through armies of hundreds of thousands whose entire lives are embroiled in “schizophrenia” far more terrifying as it is true, there is an actor among us capable of possessing ourselves and others as though the poltergeist.
There is a “logical rational” chain beneath that though you can see perception, and “make believe” can get real people doing some pretty terrible things to each other.
The secret of true power (the true power of consciousness) in our world is protected by pyramid schemes of extortion and mass delusion.
Only an “uncorruptible righteous rule of law” among powers over Man may save us. And you don’t even know what that means or why it is important.
kindkang2024•6mo ago
> and I do not want to be a fright
> those of such skill rule humanity through armies of hundreds of thousands whose entire lives are embroiled in “schizophrenia” far more terrifying as it is true, there is an actor among us capable of possessing ourselves and others as though the poltergeist.
That does seem truly frightening. However, I do not believe it is true, nor am I aware of any valid proof that would make me believe it (though I'm certainly open to it.).
I prefer to think that humans have all kinds of wills, and each will tries to gain power to manifest itself. All wills try to compete for power, and only the fittest ones can survive and thrive in the long run. In my opinion, the wills of 'love' are the fittest and are what could save us if we needs saving. This is much like how genes are the unit of evolution in biology, while wills are the unit of evolution in human society.
That said, it belongs to a different conversation. Still, it’s been a pleasure exchanging thoughts.
lastcat743•6mo ago
Your cautious self awareness is a credit to you.
The “righteous rule” forbids “destroying the innocent”, the only real human right anyone has before Power. Those who do not accept this rule rape entire families from the gene pool to destroy all that they love in this world.
…and smart modern peoples as yourself would flag and remove any such saying so for its impoliteness, not to mention “lack of proof” as though the idea itself incomprehensible.
kindkang2024•6mo ago
> The “righteous rule” forbids “destroying the innocent”, the only real human right anyone has before Power.
I will go a little further. There is no righteous or wrong rule before Power.
Power has no concept of morality, just like gravity—it doesn’t care whether you are man or woman, good or evil, right or wrong. It simply manifests the will of whatever/whoever holds it. Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” illustrates this truth: only the fittest survive in life-and-death conflicts. It’s an inherent law, a force that nature enforces. We must adapt to it. Many, however, reject this because they cannot accept such a cold, harsh reality.
Yet, as humans—creatures born of love by the act of 'making love'—we do have a sense of right and wrong. Personally, I cannot accept that “forbidding destroying the innocent” is the 'only' real human right. I will fight against such a will and seek power to oppose it, if it is indeed empowered to manifest in reality. (Remember, the one who holds this will still needs power to manifest it.)
Let this be a reminder to all: "survival of the fittest." This is the clearest possible reminder of our duty. We must actively empower and protect whatever we care about. Whether it is kindness in the face of cruelty, love against destruction—these values will only survive and thrive if we ensure they are fit enough to endure in an indifferent universe.
lastcat743•6mo ago
> Power has no concept of morality
I will go one further smarty, Power is savage and the “terrible burden of free will” is to mitigate savage Power with a civilizing accord.
“There shall be an uncorruptible righteous rule of law among Powers over Man.”
Next you will ask me, “How does Man maintain an ‘uncorruptible’ righteous[1] rule of law”?
1: principled upon Truth and serving to protect ‘the unculpable’ from breach by will or neglect; one entitled by domain, competent and uncorrupted [hard line on purgery].
lastcat743•6mo ago
> these values will only survive and thrive if we ensure they are fit enough to endure in an indifferent universe
Reading your meaning further I would like to point out as an outsider of your views, you deceive yourself as to the supremacy wills.
I would like to suggest “will” as “the determination of resolve” and free without influenced by force of fraud. Your scheme doesn’t take into account the fraudster. The scoundrel, the confidence schemers or down right extortionists and so on. They too survive by indomitable wills. They love themselves greatly. Im really only freaked out about the extortionists, of whom you never hear about.
You sound the imaginary of bold strong capable persons just “out going” everyone else. And love, the truest love is your personal power through it all.
While I have seen that work for the lives of passionate persons and I do believe in the will to power and all that.
I have found in no single circumstance is one capacity all ways superior.
In absolutely no existential parity between how lovingly willful you feel for it and the influence of your odds (only opportunity.)
Every line is scraping it to survive and every one has a line of continuity stretching back to the first semblance of our kind. It is trivial to get the winners and losers of the conventional games of life to be transposed with a value sum game for individual worth or survival.
There is insight in what you say though I think you presume too much regarding the advantage evil has over us all.
Extortion is real and silently prevalent among us, however poetic your world view, love will not save us from that. Love is a rolodex for further extortion to some.
Enjoy the beauty of your free will and human rights while they are available to you!
kindkang2024•6mo ago
Language in all its forms—spoken, typed —is ultimately a tool to manifest wills. Humans express their inner intentions by naming and symbolizing the world around them. Large Language Models (LLMs) learn from this symbolic data, absorbing the embedded patterns of human thought and intention much like humans do. In this way, LLM begins to mirror the human mind—bringing the idea of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) closer to reality.
Now, brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies like Neuralink are pushing this even further. Paraplegic patients have already been able to control computers directly through their minds. This suggests it’s possible to decode the brain’s internal “language”—its biological signals—into digital commands. Even more fascinating, Neuralink’s future goals include restoring vision by sending data directly to the brain. If the brain can receive and interpret artificial input,that below things extraordinary becomes clear:
There is indeed something within the brain — deep within you and me — that can be encoded, decoded, and shared. Let’s call it Will — not in the ordinary sense, but in the philosophical sense, as in Schopenhauer’s The World as Will and Representation, or simply, the Dao.
Could we one day bypass the representations of the Will — language, vision, voice — and communicate more directly, mind to mind? Not by speaking or typing, but by translating thought into entirely new forms? If so, Neuralink and similar technologies may represent the next great leap. A big step closer to understanding not only the architecture of the human mind, but the essence of the Dao itself — beyond what can be named, beyond what can be spoken.
What are your thoughts on this? Could technology evolve to enable mind-to-mind connection — and if so, would it bring us closer to the truth, and blur the very divisions that naming creates?
lastcat743•6mo ago
I have some direct experience with your answer, and I do not want to be a fright, though what you say is already true today. There is an elite society among us (not the 1%, the 1% if the 1% are the voices in their heads.)
Let me say this, 1) through “Power” (capacity of effect through continuity of will) absolutely ultimate empirical truths may be read right from the neuron. Even every time that memory was accessed, even which element were the product of perception vs cognition.; 2) those of such skill rule humanity through armies of hundreds of thousands whose entire lives are embroiled in “schizophrenia” far more terrifying as it is true, there is an actor among us capable of possessing ourselves and others as though the poltergeist.
There is a “logical rational” chain beneath that though you can see perception, and “make believe” can get real people doing some pretty terrible things to each other.
The secret of true power (the true power of consciousness) in our world is protected by pyramid schemes of extortion and mass delusion.
Only an “uncorruptible righteous rule of law” among powers over Man may save us. And you don’t even know what that means or why it is important.
kindkang2024•6mo ago
> those of such skill rule humanity through armies of hundreds of thousands whose entire lives are embroiled in “schizophrenia” far more terrifying as it is true, there is an actor among us capable of possessing ourselves and others as though the poltergeist.
That does seem truly frightening. However, I do not believe it is true, nor am I aware of any valid proof that would make me believe it (though I'm certainly open to it.).
I prefer to think that humans have all kinds of wills, and each will tries to gain power to manifest itself. All wills try to compete for power, and only the fittest ones can survive and thrive in the long run. In my opinion, the wills of 'love' are the fittest and are what could save us if we needs saving. This is much like how genes are the unit of evolution in biology, while wills are the unit of evolution in human society.
That said, it belongs to a different conversation. Still, it’s been a pleasure exchanging thoughts.
lastcat743•6mo ago
The “righteous rule” forbids “destroying the innocent”, the only real human right anyone has before Power. Those who do not accept this rule rape entire families from the gene pool to destroy all that they love in this world.
…and smart modern peoples as yourself would flag and remove any such saying so for its impoliteness, not to mention “lack of proof” as though the idea itself incomprehensible.
kindkang2024•6mo ago
I will go a little further. There is no righteous or wrong rule before Power.
Power has no concept of morality, just like gravity—it doesn’t care whether you are man or woman, good or evil, right or wrong. It simply manifests the will of whatever/whoever holds it. Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” illustrates this truth: only the fittest survive in life-and-death conflicts. It’s an inherent law, a force that nature enforces. We must adapt to it. Many, however, reject this because they cannot accept such a cold, harsh reality.
Yet, as humans—creatures born of love by the act of 'making love'—we do have a sense of right and wrong. Personally, I cannot accept that “forbidding destroying the innocent” is the 'only' real human right. I will fight against such a will and seek power to oppose it, if it is indeed empowered to manifest in reality. (Remember, the one who holds this will still needs power to manifest it.)
Let this be a reminder to all: "survival of the fittest." This is the clearest possible reminder of our duty. We must actively empower and protect whatever we care about. Whether it is kindness in the face of cruelty, love against destruction—these values will only survive and thrive if we ensure they are fit enough to endure in an indifferent universe.
lastcat743•6mo ago
I will go one further smarty, Power is savage and the “terrible burden of free will” is to mitigate savage Power with a civilizing accord.
“There shall be an uncorruptible righteous rule of law among Powers over Man.”
Next you will ask me, “How does Man maintain an ‘uncorruptible’ righteous[1] rule of law”?
1: principled upon Truth and serving to protect ‘the unculpable’ from breach by will or neglect; one entitled by domain, competent and uncorrupted [hard line on purgery].
lastcat743•6mo ago
Reading your meaning further I would like to point out as an outsider of your views, you deceive yourself as to the supremacy wills.
I would like to suggest “will” as “the determination of resolve” and free without influenced by force of fraud. Your scheme doesn’t take into account the fraudster. The scoundrel, the confidence schemers or down right extortionists and so on. They too survive by indomitable wills. They love themselves greatly. Im really only freaked out about the extortionists, of whom you never hear about.
You sound the imaginary of bold strong capable persons just “out going” everyone else. And love, the truest love is your personal power through it all.
While I have seen that work for the lives of passionate persons and I do believe in the will to power and all that.
I have found in no single circumstance is one capacity all ways superior.
In absolutely no existential parity between how lovingly willful you feel for it and the influence of your odds (only opportunity.)
Every line is scraping it to survive and every one has a line of continuity stretching back to the first semblance of our kind. It is trivial to get the winners and losers of the conventional games of life to be transposed with a value sum game for individual worth or survival.
There is insight in what you say though I think you presume too much regarding the advantage evil has over us all.
Extortion is real and silently prevalent among us, however poetic your world view, love will not save us from that. Love is a rolodex for further extortion to some.
Enjoy the beauty of your free will and human rights while they are available to you!