38
D. de Paulis
looking matter, texture and colours of the landscape portrayed in images of cosmological objects, is held back by the mind, that reminds us of the abstract nature of the
phenomenon represented in the image, belonging to a world that humankind might
never experience directly through the senses. In this respect, radio waves allow us
to travel with our thoughts much farther and faster than our senses, through a realm
of abstract cosmological spaces. As cosmology progresses in the discovery of the
universe, the role of the mind in the interpretation of the picture of ‘reality’ remains
largely unknown. The way our mind works might be fundamental to understanding
the universe, the mirroring effect between mind and matter might be essential to
comprehend our very unique—and possibly arbitrary—notion of the universe and
our life within it.
The conceptual framework underpinning COGITO in Space, touching upon
notions of philosophy of mind and the unresolved debate on the mind–body Dualism,
eventually aims at creating a connection between the mind of the viewer and his or
her idea of ‘universe’ and delving into the subjective existential questions on the
origin and meaning of life.
The project reflects also upon the paradox of the human mind to overcome its own
limitations, pushing the boundaries of knowledge towards what lies beyond itself. A
paradox well expressed by philosopher Thomas Nagel: “Isn’t it sufficient to try to
understand ourselves from within, which is hard enough? Yet the ambition appears
to be irresistible, as if we cannot legitimately proceed in life just from the point of
view that we naturally occupy in the world, but must encompass ourselves in a larger
world view. And to succeed, that larger world view must encompass itself” [5].
I named the project COGITO in Space following my reasoning on the concept
of Dualism, the title in fact is poetically referring to the changes of the understanding of fundamental concepts in Western thought—such as the concept of human
COGITO—towards a contemporary culture increasingly characterized and influenced by space exploration. The title thus suggests the expansion of the concept
COGITO as conceived in an era where notions regarding human form and movement were guided by anthropocentrism and framed within the Euclidean space, into
the contemporary understanding of relativity and cosmological phenomena. Contemporary physics challenge the anthropocentric view and assert that space and time are
not absolutes that extend equally throughout the universe. In the Theory of Relativity in fact, space and time differ according to the movement of the observer. The
virtual cosmonaut in COGITO in Space starts her journey within the Cartesian mind,
localized in the brain and accurately measured through electrical signals, reaching
for interstellar space where spatiotemporal references blur and eventually fade into
the unknown, alike the radio signal carrying the thoughts.
Since its early development in 2013, COGITO in Space has been informed by
conversations with space philosopher Frank White, co-founder of the Overview Institute and author of “The Overview Effect, Space Exploration and Human Evolution”,
an influential essay in which he investigates the cognitive shift happening in the mind
of the astronauts after witnessing the sight of the Earth from outer space. Frank White
reports that as a result of the Overview Effect, the mind of the astronaut develops a
notion of a unified planet and of greater ecological and social awareness [6]. This
D. de Paulis
looking matter, texture and colours of the landscape portrayed in images of cosmological objects, is held back by the mind, that reminds us of the abstract nature of the
phenomenon represented in the image, belonging to a world that humankind might
never experience directly through the senses. In this respect, radio waves allow us
to travel with our thoughts much farther and faster than our senses, through a realm
of abstract cosmological spaces. As cosmology progresses in the discovery of the
universe, the role of the mind in the interpretation of the picture of ‘reality’ remains
largely unknown. The way our mind works might be fundamental to understanding
the universe, the mirroring effect between mind and matter might be essential to
comprehend our very unique—and possibly arbitrary—notion of the universe and
our life within it.
The conceptual framework underpinning COGITO in Space, touching upon
notions of philosophy of mind and the unresolved debate on the mind–body Dualism,
eventually aims at creating a connection between the mind of the viewer and his or
her idea of ‘universe’ and delving into the subjective existential questions on the
origin and meaning of life.
The project reflects also upon the paradox of the human mind to overcome its own
limitations, pushing the boundaries of knowledge towards what lies beyond itself. A
paradox well expressed by philosopher Thomas Nagel: “Isn’t it sufficient to try to
understand ourselves from within, which is hard enough? Yet the ambition appears
to be irresistible, as if we cannot legitimately proceed in life just from the point of
view that we naturally occupy in the world, but must encompass ourselves in a larger
world view. And to succeed, that larger world view must encompass itself” [5].
I named the project COGITO in Space following my reasoning on the concept
of Dualism, the title in fact is poetically referring to the changes of the understanding of fundamental concepts in Western thought—such as the concept of human
COGITO—towards a contemporary culture increasingly characterized and influenced by space exploration. The title thus suggests the expansion of the concept
COGITO as conceived in an era where notions regarding human form and movement were guided by anthropocentrism and framed within the Euclidean space, into
the contemporary understanding of relativity and cosmological phenomena. Contemporary physics challenge the anthropocentric view and assert that space and time are
not absolutes that extend equally throughout the universe. In the Theory of Relativity in fact, space and time differ according to the movement of the observer. The
virtual cosmonaut in COGITO in Space starts her journey within the Cartesian mind,
localized in the brain and accurately measured through electrical signals, reaching
for interstellar space where spatiotemporal references blur and eventually fade into
the unknown, alike the radio signal carrying the thoughts.
Since its early development in 2013, COGITO in Space has been informed by
conversations with space philosopher Frank White, co-founder of the Overview Institute and author of “The Overview Effect, Space Exploration and Human Evolution”,
an influential essay in which he investigates the cognitive shift happening in the mind
of the astronauts after witnessing the sight of the Earth from outer space. Frank White
reports that as a result of the Overview Effect, the mind of the astronaut develops a
notion of a unified planet and of greater ecological and social awareness [6]. This