Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|1968 non-fiction book by John C. Lilly}}

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{{Infobox book

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The term '''human biocomputer''', coined by [[John C. Lilly]], refers to the "hardware" of the [[human anatomy]]. This would include the [[brain]], [[internal organs]], and other human organ systems such as [[cardiovascular]], [[digestion|digestive]], [[endocrine]], [[immune]], [[Integumentary system|integumentary]], [[lymphatic]], [[muscular]], [[Nervous system|nervous]], [[reproductive]], [[respiratory]], [[skeletal]], and [[urinary]] systems. The biocomputer has stored program properties, and self-metaprogramming properties, with limits determinable and to be determined.<ref>Potter, page 41</ref>

| name = Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer

| image = File:Programming_and_Metaprogramming_in_the_Human_Biocomputer_Theory_and_Experiments.png

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| caption = 1972 edition

| author = [[John C. Lilly]]

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| language = English

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| genre = Non-fiction

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| publisher = Communication Research Institute (1968)

| publisher2 = [[Julian Press]] (1972)

| pub_date = 1968

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| isbn = 0-517-52757-X

| isbn_note = <br/>(Julian Press, 1987)

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| dewey = 612/.82

| congress = QP376 .L57 1968

| preceded_by = <!-- for books in a series -->

| followed_by = [[The Center of the Cyclone]]

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| website = {{URL|https://www.johnclilly.com/programming01.html}}

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'''''Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer: Theory and Experiments''''' is a 1968 book by [[John C. Lilly]]. In the book, "the doctor imagines the brain as a piece of computer technology."{{sfnp|Jahromi|2013|p=30}} More specifically, he uses "the analogy of brain being the hardware, the mind being the software and consciousness being beyond both."{{sfnp|Kaboli|2016|loc=n. 3}}

== PartsSummary ==

The term '''human biocomputer''', coined by Lilly, refers to the "hardware" of the [[human anatomy]]. This would include the [[brain]], [[internal organs]], and other human organ systems such as [[cardiovascular]], [[digestion|digestive]], [[endocrine]], [[immune]], [[Integumentary system|integumentary]], [[lymphatic]], [[muscular]], [[Nervous system|nervous]], [[reproductive]], [[respiratory]], [[skeletal]], and [[urinary]] systems. The biocomputer has [[Stored-program computer|stored program]] properties, and [[Metaprogramming|self-metaprogramming]] properties, with limits determinable and to be determined.{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|p=41}}

The functional organization of the human biocomputer is:<ref>Potter, page 68</ref>

=== Definitions ===

Level - parts

The following definitions are used in the book:

*'''Mind''', which is defined as the sum total of all the programs and metaprograms (and even supraself metaprograms) of a human biocomputer.{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|p=42}} This is the software and is looked at as the opposite of the hardware.

11. Above and in biocomputer: unknown<br />

*'''Brain''', which is defined as the visible, palpable living set of structures to be included in the human biocomputer.{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|p=43}}

10. Beyond metaprogramming: supra-species-metaprograms<br />

*'''Stored program''', which is defined as a set of instructions which are placed in memory storage of the biocomputer, and which control the biocomputer when orders are given for that program to be activated.{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|p=32}} These programs can be activated by the same biocomputer, another biocomputer, or a situation outside of the biocomputer.

9. To be metaprogrammed: supra-self-metaprograms<br />

*'''Metaprogramming''', which is defined as a set of instructions, descriptions, and implementations of related thoughts and actions (programs). Self-metaprogramming involves the creation, revision, and reorganization of programs and metaprograms.{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|p=180}}

8. To metaprogram: self-metaprogram - awareness<br />

7. To program sets of programs: metaprograms - metaprogram storage<br />

6. Detailed instructions: programs - program storage<br />

5. Details of instructions: subroutines - subroutine storage<br />

4. Signs of activity: biochemical activity - neural activity - glial activity - vascular activity<br />

3. Brain: biochemical brain - neural brain - glial brain - vascular brain<br />

2. Body: biochemical body - sensory body - motor body - vascular body<br />

1. External reality: biochemical - chemical - physical

===Organization===

== General clarification ==

The levelsfunctional organization of the human biocomputer aredescribed in the explainedbook thusis:{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|p=68}}

Levels from one to two are the boundaries between external reality and the body. Certain energies and materials (heat, light, sound, food, and secretions) pass through this boundary in special places. Levels two to three are the boundaries of body and brain, in which special structures such as blood vessels, nerve fibers, and cerebrospinal fluid pass. Levels four through eleven are in the brain circuitry, and is the software inside the biocomputer. Levels after ten are termed unknown. This is to allow an openeness for future scientific research, and discoveries. This is also to illustrate the unwillingness to subscribe to any dogmatic belief, to encourage creative, courageous and imaginative investigation, to emphasize the necessity for unknown factors on all levels, and to point out the [[heuristic]] nature of this schema.<ref>Potter, pages 68-69</ref>

{| class="wikitable"

== Definitions ==

!Level

=== Mind ===

!Description

[[Mind]], which is defined as the sum total of all the programs and metaprograms (and even supraself metaprograms) of a human biocomputer.<ref>Potter, page 42</ref> This is the software and is looked at as the opposite of the hardware.

!Parts

|-

|11

|Above and in biocomputer

|unknown

|-

|10

|Beyond metaprogramming

|supra-species-metaprograms

|-

|9

|To be metaprogrammed

|supra-self-metaprograms

|-

|8

|To metaprogram

|self-metaprogram<br/>awareness

|-

|7

|To program sets of programs

|metaprograms<br/>metaprogram storage

|-

|6

|Detailed instructions

|programs<br/>program storage

|-

|5

|Details of instructions

|subroutines<br/>subroutine storage

|-

|4

|Signs of activity

|biochemical activity<br/>neural activity<br/>glial activity<br/>vascular activity

|-

|3

|Brain

|biochemical brain<br/>neural brain<br/>glial brain<br/>vascular brain

|-

|2

|Body

|biochemical body<br/>sensory body<br/>motor body<br/>vascular body

|-

|1

|External reality

|biochemical<br/>chemical<br/>physical

|}

The levels of the human biocomputer are explained thus:

=== Brain ===

Levels from one to two are the boundaries between external reality and the body. Certain energies and materials (heat, light, sound, food, and secretions) pass through this boundary in special places. Levels two to three are the boundaries of body and brain, in which special structures such as blood vessels, nerve fibers, and cerebrospinal fluid pass. Levels four through eleven are in the brain circuitry, and is the software inside the biocomputer. Levels after ten are termed unknown. This is to allow an openness for future scientific research, and discoveries. This is also to illustrate the unwillingness to subscribe to any dogmatic belief, to encourage creative, courageous and imaginative investigation, to emphasize the necessity for unknown factors on all levels, and to point out the [[heuristic]] nature of this schema.{{sfnp|Lilly|2004|pp=68-69}}

The brain is defined as the visible, palpable living set of structures to be included in the human biocomputer.<ref>Potter, page 43</ref>

==Reception==

=== Stored programs ===

{{empty section|date=January 2022}}

A stored program is defined as a set of instructions which are placed in memory storage of the biocomputer, and which control the biocomputer when orders are given for that program to be activated.<ref>Potter, page 32</ref> These programs can be activated by the same biocomputer, another biocomputer, or a situation outside of the biocomputer.

=== MetaprogrammingEditions ===

*{{cite book |first=John C. |last=Lilly |author-link=John C. Lilly |title=Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer: Theory and Experiments |orig-year=1968, Communication Research Institute |year=1987 |edition=Reprint |publisher=Julian Press |isbn=0-517-52757-X |ref=none}}

Metaprogramming is defined as a set of instructions, descriptions, and implementations of related thoughts and actions(programs).<ref name="potter">Potter page 180</ref> Self metaprogramming involves the creation, revision, and reorganization of programs and metaprograms.<ref name="potter"/>

== See also ==

*[[ {{anli|Eight-circuit model of consciousness]]|Eight-circuit model}}

* {{anli|Laws of Form|''Laws of Form''}}

*[[Timothy Leary]]

* {{anli|Neurologic (book)|''Neurologic''}}

* {{anli|Reality tunnel}}

== Notes ==

<references/>

== References ==

===Citations===

*John C. Lilly, M.D. ''Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer: Theory and Experiments.'' Communication Research Institute, 1968, 112pp. 1987 reprint, Julian Press, ISBN 0-517-52757-X.

{{reflist|25em}}

===Works cited===

*{{cite journal |last=Jahromi |first=N. |year=2013 |title=In the Tank |journal=Nation |volume=297 |issue=15 |pages=27–32}}

*{{cite journal |last=Kaboli |first=S. |year=2016 |title=On wholeness and the implicate order in crystals and its implications for consciousness studies |journal=Cosmos and History: The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy |volume=12 |number=2 |pages=137 ''ff''}}

*{{cite book |last=Lilly |first=John C. |editor-last=Potter |editor-first=Beverly A. |title=Programming the Human Biocomputer |year=2004 |publisher=Ronin Publishing |isbn=978-1579510657 |edition=Abridged}}

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[[Category:Heuristics1968 non-fiction books]]

[[Category:PhilosophyAmerican ofnon-fiction sciencebooks]]

[[Category:NeuroscienceBooks about consciousness]]

[[Category:InformationPhilosophy scienceof mind literature]]