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Papers, articles, books, videos and tools on technology, art and consciousness, collected and summarised.
Altered States of Consciousness: Experiences Out of Time and Self
A groundbreaking study explores how altered states of consciousness, such as those experienced during shock, meditation, or drug use, reveal insights into the nature of consciousness. The author, Marc Wittmann, discusses the close relationship between the perception of time and self, examining how extreme experiences can distort these perceptions. He also highlights research on psychedelics and their potential therapeutic uses for conditions like depression and anxiety, arguing that understanding these altered states is crucial for unraveling the mystery of consciousness.
Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body
Meditation and mindfulness have evolved into popular solutions for various personal challenges. Goleman and Davidson present research revealing that while meditation can enhance mental states, achieving lasting personality traits requires more than just short daily practices. Effective training involves targeted feedback from experienced teachers and a broader perspective on the self, which are often lacking in common approaches. Their findings suggest new methodologies for maximizing the benefits of meditation.
Amazon.com: Ethical Consciousness Technology: The Neo-Veridia Chronicles eBook : Hatcher, Alan: Tienda Kindle
An eBook by Alan Hatcher, published in 2025, explores themes of art, culture, future, science, science fiction, and technology, and is available on Kindle.
Amazon.com: The Media Lab: Inventing the Future at M.I.T
Explores the future envisioned by the Media Lab at MIT, focusing on how scientists are reshaping mass media to cater to individual desires and preferences.
Awakening From the Meaning Crisis
The text discusses the contemporary meaning crisis, highlighting humanity's disconnection from nature and the resulting nihilism following the scientific revolution and Enlightenment. It explores the historical roots of this malaise, offering insights from scientific, spiritual, and philosophical perspectives, and emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of our role in the cosmos.
Blade Runner
In a post-apocalyptic future, where Earth is devastated by war and species extinction, humans covet living creatures and companies create lifelike androids. Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter, is tasked with hunting down rogue androids that have been banned from Earth, leading to dangerous confrontations as these artificial beings fight back to survive.
Book
Eliott Edge explores virtual reality as a profound metaphor for human civilization, arguing that cultures themselves are forms of virtual realities shaped by language, religion, and societal beliefs. The collection of essays emphasizes that our perceptions and institutions create virtual worlds that influence our identity and existence, presenting an ontological awakening regarding our understanding of reality.
Cyberia: Life in the Trenches of Hyperspace
Explores modern computer culture, focusing on the cyberpunk movement, hacker sub-culture, virtual reality, and smart drugs.
From Counterculture to Cyberculture
Fred Turner shows how the 1960s counterculture and the Whole Earth network influenced digital utopianism, virtual communities, and personal computing, highlighting the cultural link between psychedelic ideas and the rise of networked technology.
Future Presence: How Virtual Reality Is Changing Human Connection, Intimacy, and the Limits of Ordinary Life
Virtual reality is set to revolutionize human connection and intimacy, enabling individuals to experience sensations of closeness and trust independently for the first time. This technology, described as an "intimacy engine," will transform work, entertainment, and emotional experiences, fundamentally altering relationships and societal dynamics. The exploration includes insights from creators and users of VR, showcasing its current capabilities and future implications for empathy, relationships, and human interaction.
Neuromancer
A washed-up hacker named Henry Case, unable to access cyberspace due to a damaged nervous system, is recruited by a mysterious employer for a high-stakes heist involving powerful AIs. Alongside a cyborg mercenary, he navigates a gritty, dystopian future, exploring themes of humanity, technology, and identity.
Ontological Design: Subject is Project
Ontological design focuses on designing human subjects through a feedback loop, emphasizing the need to adapt to the disruptions of technocapitalism. It frames the subject as a project influenced by social relations, behavior, and beliefs, aiming to engage with our sense of existence and reality while questioning and designing our understanding of it.
Ready Player One
In 2045, Wade Watts escapes a bleak reality by immersing himself in the OASIS, a vast virtual world. After the creator's death, he leaves behind challenging puzzles tied to pop culture, with the winner inheriting his fortune and control of the OASIS. As Wade solves the first clue, he faces deadly rivals in a race for survival and the ultimate prize.
Snow Crash
A fast-paced novel blending contemporary imagery with Sumerian myths and virtual reality, offering a vision of the near-future information age in cyberspace. Turtleback binding provides durability, making it suitable for readers and educational use.
Spirit Tech: The Brave New World of Consciousness Hacking and Enlightenment Engineering
Explores the intersection of technology and spirituality, highlighting innovations like wearables for meditation, the "God Helmet" for enhancing psychic abilities, and psychedelic tourism. It examines ethical considerations and the transformative potential of "spirit tech" in personal growth and religious practices, providing insights into a rapidly evolving landscape of consciousness hacking.
Team Human
Douglas Rushkoff's manifesto critiques how technologies and institutions often undermine human connection, turning money into exploitation and education into mere job training. He highlights the challenges posed by digital technologies, such as job loss to robots and social media's impact on democracy. Rushkoff calls for a collective effort to restore social bonds and foster humanity, urging a stand for a more connected and positive society.
TechGnosis: Myth, Magic & Mysticism in the Age of Information
Erik Davis explores the intersection of technology and spirituality, revealing how religious and esoteric ideas influence technological communication. He connects topics like electricity and alchemy, online gaming and occult practices, and virtual reality with gnostic mythology. The work also discusses apocalyptic visions related to technology, offering historical context and insights into a future where mind and machine intertwine.
The Global Village: Transformations in World Life and Media in the 21st Century
The authors explore the clash between Visual Space, a linear perception typical of the West, and Acoustic Space, a holistic view common in the East, in the context of today's global communications. They argue that technological advancements are pushing users towards a more dynamic understanding of the world, but warn that this transition may be challenging. Using McLuhan's Tetrad framework, they analyze the implications of these competing worldviews and emphasize the importance of understanding both to achieve peace.
The Medium is the Massage
Marshall McLuhan's work emphasizes that media profoundly shape society beyond just their content, influencing personal and social aspects. Despite the enjoyment derived from mainstream media, it masks deeper societal anxieties due to incongruities between technology and society. His insights are increasingly relevant in the context of the digital revolution and the internet's rise.
Virtual Existentialism: Meaning and Subjectivity in Virtual Worlds
Explores existence in virtual worlds through existentialism, emphasizing how technology and practices shape human perception, values, and beliefs. It highlights the potential of virtual environments to offer new perspectives and experiences, making it relevant for scholars in philosophy, anthropology, media studies, and digital game studies.
What the Dormouse Said
John Markoff shows how 1960s counterculture and expanded consciousness shaped the personal‑computer industry, linking psychedelic culture, information technology, and the belief that computers can broaden human freedom.