by James Wallace Harris
I believe recent developments in artificial intelligence prove that many of the creative processes we thought came from conscious actions come from unconscious mechanisms in our minds. What we are learning is computer techniques used to generate prose or images are like unconscious processes in the human brain.
The older I get, the more I believe that most of my thinking comes from my subconscious. The more I pay attention to both dreams and my waking thoughts, the more I realize that I’m very rarely making conscious decisions.
I might think “I am going to walk across the street and visit Paul,” but I have no idea how to make my body walk anywhere. But then, I’ve always assumed muscle actions were automatic. It was mental actions I believed were conscious actions. I used to believe “I am writing this essay,” but I no longer believe that. This has led me to ask:
Just what activities do we perform with our conscious minds?
Before the advent of writing, we did all our thinking inside our heads. Homer had to memorize the Iliad to recite it. Prehistory was oral. How much of thought then was conscious or unconscious? Have you ever read The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes? I know his theories have lots of problems, but they do imagine what I’m thinking about.
How often have you worried over a problem, say a math problem, or a programming problem, and gave up, but then later, usually after a nap or sleep, the solution came to you? That’s the classic view of unconscious thinking. But even when we’re thinking we’re solving a calculus problem is it really being done at a conscious level? Are you consciously recalling all your math lessons over a lifetime to solve the problem?
How often when working on a Wordle or Crossword does the word magically come to you? But sometimes, we are aware of the steps involved.
In recent years I’ve developed a theory that when we work with pen and paper, or word processor or spreadsheet, or any tool outside our body, we’re closer to thinking consciously. Sure, our unconscious minds are helping us, but making a list is more willful than just trying to remember what we need at the store.
Writing an essay is more willful than woolgathering in the La-Z-Boy. Authoring a book is far more willful still. Engineering a submarine by a vast team of people is an even more conscious effort. Sure, it involves a collective of unconscious activity too, but a vast amount documentation must be worked out consciously.
I’ve written before about this idea. See “Thinking Outside Your Head.” That’s where I reviewed different techniques and applications we use to think outside of our heads.
Many people want to deny the recent successes with AI because they want to believe machines can’t do what we do. That humans are special. If you scroll through the images at Midjourney Showcase, it’s almost impossible to deny that some of the images are stunningly beautiful. Some people will claim they are just stolen from human creativity. I don’t think that’s true.
I think AI developers have found ways to train computer programs to act like the human mind. That these programs have stumbled upon the same tricks that the brain evolved. Many great writers and artists often talk about their Muse. I think that’s just a recognition of their unconscious minds at work. What those creative people have learned is how to work consciously with the unconscious.
What some creative people are doing now is consciously working with two unconscious minds – their own and an AI. There is still a conscious component, the act of working with tools outside of our head. Where the action is, is that vague territory between the unconscious mind and the conscious one.
JWH
Auxiliary Memory 
mayhaps we arent as unique as we reckoned. i’m willing to admit that i’m not. (what a pathetic display of modesty,eh.)
I agree AI has had successes and is a useful tool, but I think creativity is a term for humans, at least it is right now. Human creativity, I believe, will be difficult to be replicated by AI because humans are unpredictable. Yes AI can reproduce and create but not like humans. Human artist in particular, may not know where their creations are going until they are at the point where a decision has to be made. Yes, AI images can be beautiful, but I don’t see that as being synonymous with creative, even ugly images can be creative. The Mona Lisa for example, took 4 year and would have taken longer if da Vinci could have continued with it. Some other human function are about recall or using what we’ve learned previously to come up with answers. That is how I see AI. More mechanical than creative, and that is not a bad thing.
You might enjoy these if you have not seen them…
https://pbs.org/video/your-brain-perception-deception-0mqxyc?source=social
https://pbs.org/video/your-brain-whos-in-control-q6suyy?source=social
I’ll give them a look. They sound like something I’d like from the titles. Thanks.
There’s no doubt this is a moment for Artificial Intelligence. Billions are being spent on development both here and in China, Russian, and Iran. So there’s a kind of “arms race” developing. I’m guessing everyone will give lip service to “AI guard rails” and then completely ignore them.
I’ve made several decisions in my life using conscious deliberate choices and followed them up with the action I wanted – very pleased with the results. One was disciplining my daughter when she was about 16 – I sent her to her room until I’d calmed down and then I thought it through and decided and waited another 30 minutes or so. I called her in and told her and that was that. It worked and although it was relatively light-weight punishment it fit the crime and she remembers it to this day.
Another time was when I changed careers and had to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I could go to college for as long as it took – not a problem. I pondered and prayed and examined myself and it took a few weeks to actually decide but I chose teaching over law and was happy my whole career getting full retirement when I wanted to leave – not as soon as I could
The last time I am thinking of right now was planning a vacation to Hawaii. I knew that’s where I wanted to go but then it was all about where will I stay, what will I do, etc. I was neither too loose in planning nor too tightly scheduled. Everything turned out just right including a drive all around Oahu, a helicopter trip over Lanai, a luau, and lots of shopping and beach time. 🙂
It can be done but conscious decision making is not easy. There is no serendipitous wonderment involved (unless it’s by accident).
I don’t know about actual creativity. A lot of my “intelligence” (above) was based on what “I,” Becky, wanted to do, eat, go, etc. I’m not sure AI can do “I” want in any meaningful way. ???? To know what I wanted I had to examine myself a bit. Can an artificial do that?
interesting query. how much self-awareness can you program into artificial intelligence? it puts me in mind of the conclusion of THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE by gibson and sterling.
I haven’t read THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE yet, but it’s been sitting on my shelf for years patiently waiting for me.
hopefully you can get to it some time between this morning and our seventy-fifth class reunion.
I’ll try hard.