Head to head
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field vs Seth’s Beast Machine Theory
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field and Seth’s “Beast Machine” Theory, compared field by field from their entries in the Atlas.
At a glance
- Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field belongs to the Idealism family in Kuhn's Landscape of Consciousness, Seth’s Beast Machine Theory to Materialism.
- Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field treats consciousness as fundamental; Seth’s Beast Machine Theory treats it as emergent.
- They give the same kind of answer on AI consciousness and mind uploading.
- On life after death, Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field says “Yes” and Seth’s Beast Machine Theory says “No”.
- On meaning and purpose, Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field says “Cosmic/Ultimate” and Seth’s Beast Machine Theory says “Humanistic only”.
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The claim
In brief
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldThis theory posits that consciousness exists within a Universal Knowledge Field (UKF), conceived as a collective storage of all information present and evolving in the universe. The UKF is consistent with fundamental physics and cosmological models, and human consciousness is understood as an integral part of this universal consciousness, which interfaces with the brain primarily through harmonic resonance patterns involving specific electromagnetic field frequencies.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryThis theory posits that conscious experiences, including perceptions of the world and the self, are forms of brain-based perceptual prediction, metaphorically termed 'controlled hallucinations' . It roots the mechanism of consciousness in the fundamental biological imperative to regulate bodily physiology in order to stay alive .
What consciousness is
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldConsciousness is identified as a Universal Knowledge Field (UKF) that stores and evolves all information in the universe, of which human consciousness is an integral part.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryConsciousness is identified as forms of brain-based perceptual prediction, where phenomenological properties are explained by the computational aspects of different forms of prediction .
Big questions
Can AI be conscious?Both agree
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldLikelySince consciousness is fundamental (Idealism) and relies on informational/field properties, advanced AI systems capable of achieving the necessary complexity and interacting with the UKF could likely achieve consciousness, though this is not strictly proven by the sources.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryLikelyAs a materialist theory focusing on computational and information-processing mechanisms (perceptual prediction) , AI systems that instantiate similar complex mechanisms should be capable of achieving consciousness .
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldYesAs consciousness is fundamental reality (UKF), individual consciousness (soul/spirit) is an integral part of this ultimate consciousness, persisting beyond the dissolution of the biological body/brain.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryNoConsciousness is a product of biological brains and complex, physically instantiated predictive machinery . The death of the brain leads to the irrevocable and permanent non-existence of personal consciousness .
Could a mind be uploaded?Both agree
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldLikelyGiven that consciousness is a permanent informational field (UKF) that the brain interfaces with, duplicating the informational structure and function of the 'holofractal memory workspace' could allow the specific individual consciousness pattern to be maintained in a non-biological substrate.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryYesIf consciousness is entirely explicable by the computational processes of the brain , then, in principle, the first-person mental self could be duplicated and instantiated in a non-biological substrate, enabling virtual immortality .
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldCosmic/UltimateConsciousness (UKF) is the ground of all being and the organizing principle of the universe, suggesting inherent cosmic meaning and purpose.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryHumanistic onlyCategorized as a Materialism Theory, it implies no ultimate or cosmic meaning or purpose, although it supports human-created meaning and value derived from individual agency and experience .
Nature of mind
Ontology
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldIdealism (Consciousness/Mind is fundamental reality)
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryPhysicalism / Materialism (Justified by its classification under Materialism Theories and its reliance on biological and computational explanations) .
Mind and body
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldConsciousness (a scale-invariant mental attribute of reality) is fundamentally non-physical and operates through a holofractal memory workspace associated with the brain (pilot-wave-guided supervenience).
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryConscious experiences are entirely brain-based and physically instantiated . The model supports a strong correlation or identity theory, where conscious properties arise from the physiological and computational architecture geared toward bodily regulation .
Fundamental or emergent
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldPrimitive
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryEmergent
Qualia
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldThe origin of qualia is hypothesized to arise from the field-receptive holofractal memory workspace, which functions as a scale-invariant mental attribute of reality associated with the brain.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryThe phenomenological properties of conscious experiences are explained by the computational aspects of the different forms of perceptual prediction utilized by the brain .
How it works
Mechanism
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldConsciousness arises from the non-physical Universal Knowledge Field interfacing with biological systems via harmonic resonance patterns (tonal projections) and integral information processing.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryConsciousness is explained through predictive processing, where the brain generates a constant 'best guess' (prediction) of the causes of its sensory inputs . This mechanism is intrinsically tied to the regulation of bodily physiology .
Where it is
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldUniversal (UKF stores all information in the universe). Locally, it is associated with a 'holofractal memory workspace' associated with the brain, which mirrors this cosmic connectivity.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryLocated in the biological brain, tied to the predictive machinery that regulates bodily physiology .
What it does
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldThe UKF/Consciousness organizes and guides synchronicity, both spatially and temporally, in essential organs such as the heart and brain, acting as a organizing field.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryConsciousness has a functional role tied to survival . It facilitates the regulation of bodily physiology and allows the organism to model, predict, and simulate the causes of sensory inputs .
Evidence and criticism
Testability
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldArguably empirically testable through investigating the specific effects of electromagnetic field frequency patterns in animate and non-animate systems.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryEmpirically testable (Inferred, as the theory relies on concepts within the neurobiological and computational fields which emphasize development, testing, and comparison of theories) .
Tests so far
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldInvestigating the effects of discrete electromagnetic field frequency patterns on animate and non-animate systems (to verify harmonic resonance patterns).
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryTests involving predictive processing accounts of brain perception, cognition, and action (Justified: Specific named tests are not provided, but the theory is explicitly positioned within the predictive processing framework) .
Criticisms
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge FieldThe reliance on a fundamental non-physical Universal Knowledge Field and the explicit incorporation of transcendental human experience and psi phenomena lead to significant tension with conventional physicalism.
Seth’s Beast Machine TheoryNot explicitly detailed in the source, but generally subject to the tension inherent in deflationary accounts of consciousness .
Sources
Key sources
Meijer’s Universal Knowledge Field
- Universal consciousness: collective evidence on the basis of current physics and philosophy of mind. Part 1 (2018)
- Consciousness in the universe is tuned by a musical master code, Part 3: a hydrodynamic superfluid quantum space guides a conformal mental attribute of reality (2020)
Seth’s Beast Machine Theory
- Being You: A New Science of Consciousness, Anil Seth (2021)
- Theories of consciousness, Anil Seth and Tim Bayne (2022)
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