Hallucinations as a disorder of perceptual inference

The relationship between creativity and schizophrenia has been a subject of neuroscience research. Studies suggest that both share a heightened tendency to identify unusual patterns, a trait linked to dopamine. Research indicates that highly creative individuals exhibit neurobiological similarities with those suffering from schizophrenia, particularly in the density of D2 dopamine receptors in the thalamus. Additionally, schizophrenia’s positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, can be understood through a Bayesian model of altered perception, where the inability to update beliefs based on new evidence plays a key role. However, this model does not fully explain the disorder’s negative symptoms or why positive symptoms typically emerge in early adulthood. Continue reading Hallucinations as a disorder of perceptual inference

Filosofía/Philosophy

A vision about ethics and morality based on science. Some reflections.

Sam Harris’ book The Moral Landscape argues that morality should be based on the well-being of conscious beings and that science can objectively determine which actions contribute to this well-being. Harris rejects moral relativism and claims that we already know enough about the brain and its relationship with the world to identify correct answers regarding morality. However, criticisms from philosophical objectivism argue that happiness is not the standard of morality but its consequence and that rational values are the true ethical foundation. The essay suggests that reward, rather than mere happiness, is the fundamental criterion of morality, highlighting self-esteem as the central axis of human well-being. Additionally, it discusses how morality could apply even to artificial intelligences with reward patterns, regardless of their subjective consciousness. Continue reading A vision about ethics and morality based on science. Some reflections.