Advancing cognitive cartography
Cognitive sciences applied to advanced metacognition
CogSci Labs is a multidisciplinary working group and infrastructure that exists to progress work within the field of advanced metacognition.
This work requires both researchers and practitioners. The practitioners are fundamental as limited inquiry is possible without them.
Advanced metacognition is a new field that holds promise not only for individual achievement and actualization but also for society as a whole to facilitate the generation of coherent culture.
On metacognition and children
We propose that metacognition is a skill that can be learned by anyone and that should be taught to children. Likewise, advanced metacognition may be more natural than it first appears and can also be learned by all.
Metacognition in rarely taught in the general culture and advanced metacognition is virtually unknown. We are working to correct this.
Metacognition may be the primary factor in producing not only a different kind of education but also a totally different kind of society and culture.
There is much work to do
Below follows a high level summary of project categories that we have nominated as important for the field of advanced metacognition. CogSci Labs staff both work on and manage these projects. But there is far more work than we are able to complete. We are seeking participation from the scientific community as well other volunteers to carry out this work.
Thought Amplification
The quantum world became discernible on account of a process of amplification. We must do the same and find a way to amplify and measure thought. More specifically, we must amplify thought’s systemic faults in such a manner they become undeniable, observable, and easily investigated by the methods of science.
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Observing Thought
The proposal has been made that we must give attention to thought as a process. What does this actually mean? What practice(s) does this involve? How is this skill obtained and what is the best way to develop this skill? What metacognitive endeavours are supportive towards this activity? How do we establish this observation objectively?
Proprioception of Thought
This needs to be established as a concept and researched explicitly. Is there a more limited context that this capacity could be unambiguously demonstrated? How do we reliably confirm and demonstrate the possibility of this capacity?
Inventory of Psychology
A literature and conceptual review needs to be created that compares the similarities and differences between the proposals from the field of advanced metacognition and the proposals from the field of psychology. There must be insights from this field relevant to advanced metacognition. How does this field also deal with the issue of studying the mind which is not externally observable?
Practitioners and Practices
If one was studying meditation you would require meditators. In our field we require people practising metacognition. An adequate number of practitioners need to be obtained, and the practices clarified, documented, studied, and compared. There must be in-person attempts at exploring the proposals of advanced metacognition that can be documented and observed.
Dialogue
The problems of communication arise wherever people come together. Bohm dialogue has provided us with an approach to communication rich in metacognitive considerations. However this experiment has neither been adequately conducted nor researched.
Metacognition
We require both the history and the current state of the field of metacognition. We also need to better establish advanced metacognition as a field. A literature review needs to be conducted as some of these summations may have already been completed.
Survey of Related Fields and Organizations
There are many other fields, both inside and outside of science, that have insights that are relevant to metacognition. These fields include but are not limited to: neuroscience, anthropology, Eastern studies, non-ordinary states of consciousness, cultural studies, and so forth. It’s important to liaise with and review findings from these other areas.
Outreach
The proposals within the field of advanced metacognition need to be communicated to both the scientific community and the general public.
Education
We need to educate children on the subject of metacognition. We also need to challenge the very approach to education. This new kind of education requires adults who are capable of advanced metacognition to do the teaching.
Technology
We must explore the potential for technology to play an assistive role in metacognitive pursuits.
Fundraising
We must resource as much as possible to support the work in this field. This includes pursuing significant fundraising.
Founding Members
CogSci Labs was founded on October 1st, 2023 by the following individuals:
Sharan Saini
Psychologist
Matthew Capowski
Executive Director of the David Bohm Society
We could say that virtually all of the problems of the human race are due to the fact that thought is not proprioceptive.
David Bohm