Secondary thinking—thinking via language, symbols, and images—is an unavoidable and, until recently, seemingly irreplaceable form of thinking in mortal life. I say seemingly irreplaceable because current and projected AI applications have encroached and will likely continue to encroach upon this level of human thought.
As I noted in an earlier post on secondary thinking:
The use of symbols and language allowed man to participate in reality differently. Secondary thinking separated man from reality and granted the “space” needed for world discovery, self-discovery, and self-formation.
The alienation of modern man represents near-total submersion in the representational world, made all the more acute by the ever-increasing disconnect between reality and representations of reality.
This disconnection marks the virtual obliteration of primary thinking in favor of secondary thinking. Put another way, for modern man, secondary thinking via externally received symbolic information is reality because he is virtually incapable of connecting with reality in any other way.
Modern man now regards the symbols, language, and other representations used to shape, fashion, give form to, or describe as reality itself, both de facto (as in matter of fact) and de jure (as in legally and officially recognized).
Simply put, information used solely at the level of secondary thinking is now synonymous with reality. Whoever controls information at the secondary level of thinking also controls reality.
AI will further degrade the disconnect between human consciousness and its connection with reality, i.e., the spiritual. Conventional secondary thinking in the form of language, symbols, and images was at least a product of human thought.
The best and highest examples of such thinking could serve as bridges or connectors. Though such examples are not reality, they can inspire or motivate individuals to seek or experience that level of reality for themselves.
In other words, the best and highest “products” of secondary thinking could, when approached sincerely with the right motivations, lead other individuals to experience primary thinking for themselves. Not the same primary thinking that may have gone into the creation of the secondary-thinking “product,” but through the unique primary thinking experiences individuals “consuming” the product experienced for themselves.
AI utilizes the products of secondary thinking to manufacture its version of secondary thinking, which represents no thinking at all. Yes, it uses original sources, genuine products of human consciousness; however, its productions are fundamentally the product of no consciousness or, worse, the product of demonic consciousness.
Determining whether a product of secondary thinking is authentic (created by human consciousness) or AI-generated may be useful in our current situation. Yet, such determinations fail to address the deeper issue—the need to pursue primary thinking. Focusing exclusively on discerning the authenticity of whatever apparent secondary-thinking product we encounter is only meaningful if primary thinking is our overarching goal.
Primary thinking (direct knowledge) is the connection to reality that happens beyond the representational, in the realm of non-representational direct knowing originating from and connecting to the primal self.
AI-generated representational, secondary non-thinking may lead people away from authentic “products” of human-created secondary thinking, from the sorts of creations that can and sometimes do inspire, motivate, and guide individuals toward primary thinking; however, even the best examples of secondary thinking cannot substitute for primary thinking.
In a nutshell, being able to discern original, authentic, genuine secondary-thinking products from non-consciousness, photocopy-of-a-photocopy products generated by AI is only a fraction of the actual battle.
The actual challenge lies in cultivating primary thinking and direct knowledge -- knowledge for which not even the best exemplars of genuine, human-created secondary thinking can serve as a substitute.
As I noted in an earlier post on secondary thinking:
The use of symbols and language allowed man to participate in reality differently. Secondary thinking separated man from reality and granted the “space” needed for world discovery, self-discovery, and self-formation.
The alienation of modern man represents near-total submersion in the representational world, made all the more acute by the ever-increasing disconnect between reality and representations of reality.
This disconnection marks the virtual obliteration of primary thinking in favor of secondary thinking. Put another way, for modern man, secondary thinking via externally received symbolic information is reality because he is virtually incapable of connecting with reality in any other way.
Modern man now regards the symbols, language, and other representations used to shape, fashion, give form to, or describe as reality itself, both de facto (as in matter of fact) and de jure (as in legally and officially recognized).
Simply put, information used solely at the level of secondary thinking is now synonymous with reality. Whoever controls information at the secondary level of thinking also controls reality.
AI will further degrade the disconnect between human consciousness and its connection with reality, i.e., the spiritual. Conventional secondary thinking in the form of language, symbols, and images was at least a product of human thought.
The best and highest examples of such thinking could serve as bridges or connectors. Though such examples are not reality, they can inspire or motivate individuals to seek or experience that level of reality for themselves.
In other words, the best and highest “products” of secondary thinking could, when approached sincerely with the right motivations, lead other individuals to experience primary thinking for themselves. Not the same primary thinking that may have gone into the creation of the secondary-thinking “product,” but through the unique primary thinking experiences individuals “consuming” the product experienced for themselves.
AI utilizes the products of secondary thinking to manufacture its version of secondary thinking, which represents no thinking at all. Yes, it uses original sources, genuine products of human consciousness; however, its productions are fundamentally the product of no consciousness or, worse, the product of demonic consciousness.
Determining whether a product of secondary thinking is authentic (created by human consciousness) or AI-generated may be useful in our current situation. Yet, such determinations fail to address the deeper issue—the need to pursue primary thinking. Focusing exclusively on discerning the authenticity of whatever apparent secondary-thinking product we encounter is only meaningful if primary thinking is our overarching goal.
Primary thinking (direct knowledge) is the connection to reality that happens beyond the representational, in the realm of non-representational direct knowing originating from and connecting to the primal self.
AI-generated representational, secondary non-thinking may lead people away from authentic “products” of human-created secondary thinking, from the sorts of creations that can and sometimes do inspire, motivate, and guide individuals toward primary thinking; however, even the best examples of secondary thinking cannot substitute for primary thinking.
In a nutshell, being able to discern original, authentic, genuine secondary-thinking products from non-consciousness, photocopy-of-a-photocopy products generated by AI is only a fraction of the actual battle.
The actual challenge lies in cultivating primary thinking and direct knowledge -- knowledge for which not even the best exemplars of genuine, human-created secondary thinking can serve as a substitute.
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