PHENOMENOLOGY AND TOPOLOGY FOR STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL FUTURE SHOCK

Abstract

The methodological and theoretical problems for the study of consciousness in psychology, the specifics of changes that occur with the human psyche under the influence of digital technologies are considered. The purpose of the work is to analyze the phenomenology of states of consciousness in the context of the digital future shock and to create on its basis a modern topological model of consciousness. Discrete, continuum, and discrete-continuum models of alternative states of consciousness have been analyzed and described in different approaches. Based on the methodological ideas of M. Mamardashvili, a topological model has been developed. It has a dichotomous basis and several clusters of consciousness. The lowest cluster includes pathological states of consciousness associated with impaired functioning of a property or consciousness as a whole. The middle cluster comprehends the ordinary states of consciousness, which are conditioned to some extent by genetics, imprints, learning, as well as historical and ethno-cultural contexts and inherited habits (scenarios) of perception. Within this cluster, there are trance states of consciousness that can be triggered either arbitrarily or spontaneously, with “stuck” attention to objects of introspection or qualities in perception of external objects. The highest cluster consists of peak or stream states of consciousness, which open up inaccessible resources in the ordinary states: extreme constriction or expansion, empathetic resonance, intellectual insight, mystical ecstasy, creative inspiration and more. There are transitional states between these large clusters – potential states of consciousness – which are related to the methods and means of their attainment and which can also be grouped into two large categories: altered states of consciousness and special states of consciousness. It has been concluded that digital expansion and related phenomena of digital addiction and dementia give rise to their own specific phenomenology of consciousness. Digital technologies replace traditional external means and agents of consciousness change and form fundamentally new ones. This leads to the exteriorization of the structures in consciousness to the structures of artificial intelligence capable for learning.