The Nugget
- The Symmetry Theory of Valence (STV) posits that the subjective feeling of "goodness" or pleasantness (valence) is deeply connected to symmetry across various levels of biological and phenomenological organization. High-valence states (e.g., joy, bliss) are associated with symmetrical patterns in phenomenology, stimuli, and neural activity, whereas low-valence states (e.g., pain, anxiety) correlate with asymmetry or disrupted patterns.
Key quotes
- "For any conscious experience, there exists a mathematical object isomorphic to it."
- "Bliss, or very positive valence, can be understood as experiences characterized by high levels of symmetry within consciousness."
- "Psychedelics enhance the range of valence by increasing the energy across brain harmonics, potentially leading to highly symmetrical (pleasant) or asymmetrical (unpleasant) experiences."
- "Valence is not the same as healing or meaning, but high valence is necessary for deep healing and meaningful experiences."
- "The future of mental health could involve identifying sources of dissonance in one's nervous system and finding the shortest path to induce sustainable consonance."
Key insights
Valence and Conscious Experience
- Conscious experiences can be mathematically mapped, suggesting that there are formal properties associated with different states of consciousness, including those of high or low valence.
- Symmetry, particularly harmony and rhythm in stimuli (e.g., music, visual patterns), and coherence in neural activity are predictive of the subjective experience of pleasantness.
Exotic Valence and Symmetry in Altered States
- Altered states of consciousness induced by meditation, psychedelics, or lucid dreaming often exhibit characteristics of high or exotic valence correlated with symmetry in phenomenological experience.
- Meditative states (e.g., jhanas), psychedelic experiences, and music in dreams are described as possessing a high degree of symmetry and harmony, contributing to their profound positive emotional impact.
Testing and Implications of STV
- The theory presents testable hypotheses regarding the neural correlates of valence, suggesting that high-valence states will demonstrate consonant relationships between connectome-specific harmonic waves in the brain.
- Applications of STV could revolutionize mental health treatments by aiming to adjust the symmetrical properties of one's phenomenological and neural experience, offering personalized paths toward sustained well-being.
Make it stick
- 🧘♂️ High valence is akin to a beautiful symphony: both involve harmony and coherence across components.
- 🍄 The richness of psychedelic experiences may boil down to the symmetrical dance of your brain's harmonics.
- 🔬 Future psychiatric interventions could resemble tuning an instrument, adjusting the brain's symmetrical patterns to alleviate suffering.
- 🎵 Next time you feel joy listening to music, remember it's a glimpse into the underlying symmetry of consciousness.
This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.