(NLI Insights)
Why Have We Formally Defined the Existing Sixth Sense Man Has Always Had?
(cognitive science, neuroscience)
In our work over the past week we’ve separated the classical categorization of internal(interoceptive) and external(exterosensive) sensory systems into three, the third consisting of Spatial-Navigational Senses, which splits off Proprioception(position of body and limbs) and Vestibular Sense(orientation, particularly in response to gravity and present direction of movement) to join with the world model produced by the disambiguation of objects, spaces, and backgrounds (by the parietal lobe) necessary for movement, vs the disambiguation of objects with spaces necessary for manipulation, whether risk or opportunity (from the temporal lobe).
Both of which, along with the other senses, feed into the organization of objects(action) and spaces(movement, navigation) into scenes, (the cortices that feed into the hippocampal region).
And indexing the inputs to those scenes into episodes, storing those indexes (cumulative pattern of neural firings) creating memories of episodes and associating those episodes with other episodes (hippocampal region).
Allowing us to predict potential consequences (futures), some of which capture our attention (thalamus), for immediate reaction by the amygdala(emotion), basal ganglia(threat), or delayed reaction by release into our prefrontal cortex (conscious control: short term memory, problem solving, goal pursuing, by recursion (feedback into the next moment of stimulation).
Together producing the experience we call consciousness, which consists of a three dimensional body (muti-sensory system) and the dominance of a two dimensional sensory facility (vision) which it must self organize through training (repetition) into three dimensional spatial relations, and project upon it, a three dimensional approximation of objects(interests), space(navigation), and limits(backgrounds), using ‘invisible’ (intuitionistic) triangles (our facing direction), and hexagons of those triangles (bodily spaces), combined with eye direction, head direction, body direction, limb position, speed of movement, rate of turn, given internal bodily state, and together used to predict possible actions we can take in those spaces, with the bodies we have, in the condition were in, in the time we have to act given those circumstances.
The result is another example of the universe’s use of ternary logic to gradually through hierarchies use simplicity to create extraordinary complexity through the competition between cells for coherence “neurons that fire together wire together”, so that those that ‘agree’ not only in the moment but over very short sequences (pulses) in time, that they are identifying similar stimuli extant in the real world wether internal external, or eventually, in the imaginary world of our auto association, imagination, memory, and fantasy.
THE ARGUMENT
Given our exteroceptive senses, our interoceptive senses, there are three interoceptive senses that reflect our homeostasis (visceroception, thermoception, and nociception), but the other two: proprioception(position) and vestibular sense(orientation) and the unstated sense that is perhaps the most important: three dimensional disambiguation in to objects, spaces, background and motion, appear to categorize a third category of related senses that we should logically separate from the historical categorizations.
The traditional division into exteroceptive (external stimuli), interoceptive (internal state), and proprioceptive (body position) senses does capture a broad spectrum of our sensory experiences.
Therefore, we propose to consider a separate category that specifically addresses spatial and navigational senses, because it adds clarity to the sensory processing framework, and illustrates the physical nature of the construction experience from first causes to intuitions to consciousness.
TRADITIONAL CATEGORIES
• Exteroceptive Senses: Detect external stimuli (e.g., vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell).
• Interoceptive Senses: Monitor internal physiological states (e.g., hunger, thirst, the need for air, pain, internal temperature).
• Proprioceptive Sense: Provides information about body position through receptors in the muscles, tendons, and joints.
SUGGESTED THIRD CATEGORY:
“Spatial-Navigational Senses”
• Proprioception: Although traditionally categorized under proprioceptive senses, your suggestion to consider it in a separate spatial-navigational category emphasizes its role in spatial awareness rather than just body position.
• Vestibular Sense (Balance and Orientation): Crucial for understanding body orientation in space, particularly in relation to gravitational forces.
• Three-Dimensional Disambiguation: This involves the cognitive processing necessary to interpret and organize visual information into comprehensible structures like objects, spaces, backgrounds, and movements. It underpins our ability to navigate and interact effectively with our environment.
(Note: we simply MUST come up with another totally incomprehensible term for this sense just so it’s consistently as obscure as the others.) 😉
JUSTIFICATION FOR A NEW CATEGORY
• Spatial Coherence: These senses collectively contribute to a coherent understanding of the body’s position and movement within three-dimensional space. They provide critical data not just on the body itself but on its relationship to the surroundings.
• Cognitive and Behavioral Relevance: This grouping reflects their interconnected roles in facilitating cognitive functions such as navigation, motion perception, and spatial orientation, which are fundamental to survival and interaction with the environment.
• Neurological Integration: These senses are deeply integrated at the neurological level, with significant interplay in areas of the brain involved in spatial memory, navigation, and motor coordination (e.g., the hippocampus, inner ear, cerebellum, and motor cortices).
IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW CLASSIFICATION
• Research and Understanding: A reclassification might lead to more targeted research into how these senses interact and influence each other, potentially unveiling new insights into spatial perception and cognitive mapping.
• Clinical Applications: Improved classification can enhance diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in neurology and rehabilitation, particularly for conditions affecting balance, movement, and spatial orientation.
CLOSING
By considering these senses as part of a dedicated spatial-navigational category, we could deepen our understanding of how humans interpret and maneuver through space, recognizing the complex interdependencies of these sensory systems.
This approach respects the complexity of sensory processing and could refine our understanding of neural integration across different sensory modalities.
Curt Doolittle
The Natural Law Institute