Although loosely defined in popular literature, Auras, according to our Information Digestion (ID) model, are limited by both biological and mathematical factors. An Aura is simply Attention’s emanation from the collective firings of IMPs, i.e. proteins that are embedded in the cellular membrane. Attention, a feature of Life’s ID system, employs an Image Overlay Process (IOP) to digest data streams. Data Stream Dynamics, the mathematical realization of IOP, determines the limits that enable complexity.
Personal History: Eruption of this Book; Meta-perspective
Notebooks 48 & 49: ID System & Material Substrate
Auras limited by biological and mathematical factors
Equation-like summary of our position
From my very first Notebook ‘Spiral Time’ written in 1994 until my current Notebook #52 completed 30 years later in 2024, I have been exploring the relationship between Data Stream Dynamics and living behavior from a variety of perspectives. During these three decades, my so-called Science has grown and encompassed ever more phenomena associated with Life.
I keep feeling as if I have reached the end of my exploratory journey. What more can be said? Over the years, I have frequently commented that I have no more to say. And then comes another explosion of ideas. Originating from seemingly ‘divine’ sources, I feel compelled to channel these thoughts onto my computer and then to upload them onto my website, where any random human can access them. Give Providence some help.
My last creative outburst occurred three years earlier in 2021. After listening to two college-level lectures on Biology and Life’s Origination, I was horrified to discover that the current scientific consensus is that Life is an entirely chemical affair. Appalled that this esteemed community had completely ignored our interactive relationship with information, my Muse impelled me to write a series of articles challenging their position and then offering my own fresh perspective. What started out to be a single article, turned into 2 new Notebooks complete with 8 articles.
After this eruption of sentences, paragraphs and articles had run its natural course, I assumed I was done – once again – Nothing left to say. But then supposedly random events altered my Path – once again.
Friend King, my decade long term editor, tired of working on my 2021 Book, just referenced, and requested a change of venue. In the midst of painting and devoted to the Divine Course, I was happy to oblige. Found some articles on the history of Science, specifically oriented around Galileo, that I had written. Figured he would enjoy this change of pace, which he did.
Began editing; this inspired me to complete some articles that I had begun but never finished – ‘Kepler, the Holy Ghost & Gravity’ and ‘Giordano – a Martyr to Science’. Even completed a fresh article – ‘Kepler erodes the Patriarchy’. But then decided to begin King-editing an article that I had written years earlier – entitled ‘Galileo and Relics’.
Quickly came to realize that it didn’t belong in my History of Science Notebook. Further some of the concepts were too fuzzy for my liking. As I began to work out the bugs, it became apparent that I had discovered the motherlode. The relic-phenomenon tapped into Emotions, Feeling, Culture-based Evolution as they relate to Life’s ID system. I had wanted to tackle these topics but it wasn’t the Time – didn’t have the right angle. This Aladdin’s cave of treasures resulted in two current Notebooks.
Then as I was exploring fragments from my History of Science Notebook, I came upon the beginning of some nascent thoughts on applying the Hegelian triad (thesis-antithesis-synthesis) to the historical conception of the Soul. Intrigued, I began working out the article. In the process, I suddenly realized that the concept of the Soul was a very useful in terms of my ID model. Another explosion of ideas and another Notebook.
A distinctive feature of my Science is that it incorporates many common terms into the dialogue. In similar fashion, traditional Science employs the terms ‘work’, ‘energy’ and ‘power’ in a technical manner in their equations to describe Matter’s behavior. In prior Notebooks, the terms ‘Attention’, ‘mental energy’, and ‘Experience’ had all been employed somewhat technically as features of equations that characterized living behavior.
In the aforementioned series of recent Notebooks, the terms ‘Soul’, ‘Spirit’ and ‘Higher Power/Universe’ find a place in our ID model. The meanings of these common words are somewhat technical, as they are described and proscribed by both biological and mathematical factors. Like ‘matter’ and ‘energy’ in material mathematics, each of these terms is utilized to describe and proscribe real phenomenon. Rather than subsidiary, they are necessary features of our model.
Then in exploring old writings, I came upon a series of sections on the Aura that I had mostly written in 2021. Another flare-up and the current Notebook is the result. In this article series, the term ‘Aura’ is incorporated into my Science. As it was mostly written several years ago, I include this outburst of writings as the first of four Notebooks that comprise my ninth Science Book: ‘Of Auras, Soul, Spirits, and Universe as applied to Life’s ID Model’.
Notebook #48 introduced Life’s Information Digestion (ID) System. According to the prime tenets of our model, Life has an ID system that is on a par with the physiological systems. This ID system employs an image overlay process (IOP) to digest an incremental stream of environmental data – turn it into a useful form.
By intentionally sustaining Attention upon a unified stream of images for sufficient duration, the ID system transforms a data stream into Experience – the food of the Mind. Put another way, Attention’s Mental Energy merges with Information to become a Experience, which is objectifies as a Memory. Mind employs these memorable Experiences to form Models that determine Choices that will satisfy the Feelings that drive living systems.
Life is a holistic system in that the parts only have meaning in relationship to the whole. The traditional mathematical techniques that have worked so well with Matter’s atomistic systems are impotent before Life’s holism. Another type of mathematical system is needed. The Living Algorithm (LA) is the mathematical realization of the IOP. The LA generates a mathematical system – Data Stream Dynamics (DSD). DSD fulfills Life’s holistic requirements. In this role, DSD also reveals the inner workings of the ID system. For instance, the rhythms of Attention entrain to the mathematical forms of DSD.
Notebook #49 identified the physiological substrate of the ID System. There is a general biological consensus that the IMPs that inhabit the cell membrane are the fundamental units of cellular intelligence. Without IMPs, the cell is relatively paralyzed, i.e. unable to sense or react to environment circumstances. In contrast, cells can survive for weeks when their nucleus along with the DNA is removed. The number of IMPs (cellular intelligence) is associated with the cell’s general Awareness/Attention.
There is also a general scientific consensus that Evolution operates upon Attention, in the form of these IMPs. By increasing the number and types of IMPs, Nature increases Awareness. This process applies to the earliest forms of evolution from bacteria to nucleated cells (eukaryotes) to multi-cellular organisms. As the number and types of IMPs increases, Attention also increases.
What is Attention? Where does it come from? No one knows.
According to our ID model, Attention is associated with (an emergent feature?) the regular firing of these IMPs. This synergy between Attention and the microbiology of the cell led to several inferences. A Life Force is required to unify and organize billions of inanimate molecules behind a common purpose. Rather than evolve from Matter, Life along with its ID System was an instantaneous affair like the Big Bang.
Instead of the center of the cell, Attention emanates from the surface of the cell where the IMPs reside. This organizing emanation includes the organism’s ID system along with its components, i.e. Attention, Feelings, Intention and Mind. Because it is more than the parts, the emanation has been deemed Life’s Aura. This somewhat familiar term taps into a long tradition.
Aura in this context is limited by both biological and mathematical factors. Biologically, our Aura is associated with IMPs firing on the cellular membrane. IMPs are the cell’s sensory-motor network – the interface with the environment. Attention, a holistic organizing force, coordinates the firings of the individual IMPs in service of the entire cell. As the cell’s sensory-motor system, the IMP network, hence Attention, is associated with cellular intelligence.
IMPs à Attention à Aura à Cellular Intelligence
Mathematically, our Aura is limited by Data Stream Dynamics (DSD). Why? Each of the tens of thousands of IMPs generates a binary image stream. Attention organizes these data streams via an Image Overlay Process (IOP). Exhibiting the same logic as the Attention’s IOP, DSD is the mathematical system of this information digestion process. In this capacity, DSD determines the natural/innate rhythms of the data streams that Attention digests. As Attention’s emanation, our Aura is also subject to the strictures of DSD.
Attention employs Image Overlay Process ≈ Data Stream Dynamics
Let us summarize our position with some equation-like statements.
Biological Limitations upon Auras
1. Auras = ƒ1 (Attention -> IMPs)
Attention emanates an Aura, which is associated with the firings of tens of thousands of Integral Membrane Proteins (IMPs).
2. IMPs = Sensory-Motor Network of the Cell
Embedded in the cellular membrane, IMPs are the Cell’s Sensory-Motor Network.
3. Auras = ƒ1 (Attention -> Cell’s Sensory-Motor Network)
Therefore, Auras are linked to IMP firings - the Cell’s Sensory-Motor Network.
Mathematical Limitations upon Auras
4. Attention = Holistic Force -> IMPs firing
Attention is a holistic, organizing force that is applied to IMPs firings to generate Life.
5. Attention = ƒ3 (Image Overlay Process (IOP))
Attention (Life’s ID system) employs an Image Overlay Process (IOP) to digest info.
6. Data Stream Dynamics = Mathematics of IOP
Data Stream Dynamics (DSD) is the mathematics of Attention’s IOP.
7. Auras = ƒ4 (Data Stream Dynamics)
As Attention’s emanation, Auras are also subject to DSD.
Living Behavior = a Function of Auras
8. Living Behavior = Attention -> Sensory-Motor Network
Living Behavior is the result of Attention applied to Life’s Sensory-Motor Network.
9. Living Behavior = ƒ5 (Auras)
Therefore Living Behavior is a function of Auras.
Cellular Intelligence
10. Cellular Intelligence = ƒ6 (# and type IMPs)
Cellular Intelligence is proportional to the number and type of IMPS.
11. Auras = ƒ (Attention -> IMPs) -> Cellular Intelligence
12. Auras = Cellular Intelligence -> Living Intelligence
Therefore Auras are associated with Cellular Intelligence and by extension Living Intelligence.
Credentials not too shabby. Linked to Attention, which are linked to IMPs, Auras are associated with both Life's sensory-motor network and Living Intelligence.
Due to biological and mathematical restrictions upon interpretation, Auras are not merely a metaphysical or logical principle, where our imagination can run wild – creating all sorts of wild scenarios. Rather Auras are limited by both bio-physical and mathe-logical factors. These limiting factors enable the rise of complexity – the trademark of living vs. material systems.
Our next article applies this somewhat technical use of the term ‘Aura’ to relationships, attraction and love.