Review of philosophy and psychology
January 1, 2022
Maxwell J D Ramstead, Anil K Seth, Casper Hesp et al.
75 citations
A version of neurophenomenology is presented that uses generative modelling techniques from computational neuroscience and biology to formally model descriptions of lived experience from the phenomenological tradition (e.g., Husserl, Merleau-Ponty). The approach, called computational phenomenology, is situated within the broader project of naturalizing phenomenology. Philosophical objections to that project are evaluated, and the generative modelling framework is reviewed. The approach differs from previous uses of generative modelling for consciousness by constructing computational models of inferential or interpretive processes that best explain particular kinds of lived experience.
Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
February 13, 2023
Dimitris Bolis, Guillaume Dumas, Leonhard Schilbach
71 citations
Social interactions rely on interpersonal attunement, a multi-scale process of building and materializing social expectations. While common ground is cultivated through communication and culture, the mechanisms involved have often been studied in isolation. Collective psychophysiology can analyze social interactions without neglecting the individual. Mismatched expectations can break communication and lead to social isolation, negatively affecting mental health. Psychiatric disorders can be understood as disorders of social interaction, or interpersonal misattunement. This suggests an inter-personalized psychiatry that moves from a static disorder spectrum to a dynamic relational space, focusing on how social interaction promotes mental health.
Neuroscience of consciousness
January 1, 2024
Xu Ji, Eric Elmoznino, George Deane et al.
13 citations
Conscious experiences feel rich and hard to fully describe or recall, a puzzle that partly motivates the explanatory gap—the belief that consciousness cannot be reduced to physical processes. This work offers an information-theoretic dynamical systems framework: richness corresponds to the amount of information in a conscious state, and ineffability to information lost during processing. Attractor dynamics in working memory cause impoverished recollections, language's discrete symbolic nature cannot capture high-dimensional experiential structure, and similar cognitive function between individuals improves communicability. The model advances a physicalist explanation of these puzzling aspects, though it may not settle all questions about the explanatory gap.
Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2022
Christophe Gauld, Kristopher Nielsen, Manon Job et al.
13 citations
Psychiatry cannot rely solely on reductionism; it requires a plurality of approaches. Enactivism, rooted in cognitive science, dynamic systems theory, systems biology, and phenomenology, offers an integrative framework for psychiatry. This paper compares the enactive approach with two forms of explanatory pluralism: non-integrative pluralism, which tolerates coexisting incompatible systems, and integrative pluralism, which aims to unite different levels of understanding. The authors propose that enactivism is inherently a form of integrative pluralism but also part of a broader explanatory pluralism. Understanding these theoretical positions is important for quality clinical practice, and studying the entanglements between analytical pluralism and enactivist pluralism could be fruitful.
Communications biology
August 13, 2025
Steven Kotler, Michael Mannino, Karl Friston et al.
2 citations
Intuition, often inconsistently defined, is reframed as an evolutionarily grounded pathfinding mechanism that emerges from the brain's optimization of its relationship with the environment. A review of empirical findings identifies relevant brain networks and links intuition to cognitive states like insight. Unsolved problems dynamically alter attractor landscapes, guiding future intuitions. The concept of 'opportunistic assimilation' is explored through nonlinear neurodynamics, and hippocampal sharp wave ripples are identified as potential neural correlates of intuition, given their role in creativity, choice, action planning, and abstract thinking. Two complementary frameworks—the free energy principle and metastable coordination dynamics—together provide a comprehensive neurodynamical account of intuition's neurophenomenology.
Neuroscience of consciousness
January 1, 2025
Anne Monnier, Lena Adel, Guillaume Dumas
1 citation
Lived experience is shaped by intersubjective, social, cultural, and historical dimensions. Neurophenomenology, which integrates first-person experiential and third-person neurobehavioural perspectives, reveals mutual constraints between them. This article argues the scientific community is ready to adopt a generative neurophenomenology, clarifying three meanings of 'generative' as applied to phenomenology, passages, and models. It proposes combining methods: transitioning from individual to multiple people phenomenology, expanding neuroscience to include multimodal interpersonal synchrony, and leveraging computational tools to integrate viewpoints. It underscores that using computational approaches does not endorse computationalism. Clinical relevance is illustrated with case studies in autism and family therapy, demonstrating translational potential.
Anne Monnier, Lena Adel, Guillaume Dumas
preprint
Neurophenomenology, which combines first-person experience with third-person neurobehavioral data, is extended to address intersubjective and social dimensions of lived experience. The article clarifies three meanings of 'generative'—generative phenomenology, generative passages, and generative models—and proposes updating the approach by moving from individual to multiple-person phenomenology, including measures of multimodal interpersonal synchrony, and using computational tools to integrate viewpoints without endorsing computationalism. Clinical relevance is illustrated through case studies in autism (interactive dyads) and family therapy (multiple members), showing translational potential.
arXiv Preprint Archive
February 25, 2025
Romy Beauté, David J. Schwartzman, Guillaume Dumas et al.
Stroboscopic light stimulation on closed eyes typically induces simple visual hallucinations—vivid, geometric, and colorful patterns. An analysis of 862 open-ended reports from the Dreamachine immersive experience, using large language models and topic modeling, confirmed these simple hallucinations and also revealed altered states of consciousness and complex hallucinations. This computational approach enables systematic study of subjective experiences beyond standard questionnaires, capturing subtle patterns not readily identified through closed-form questions. The findings broaden understanding of stroboscopically induced phenomena and demonstrate the potential of natural language processing in computational neurophenomenology.