Mysticism materialised
Neural networks represent the world
Neural networks are at the core of Soul Systems’ safety products since they learn in similar ways to human brains. The information stored in these networks’ nodes and the relationships across multiple layers of nodes provide a model of the world. The strength of the connections between the nodes is represented by numerical weighting factors.
When new data are presented at the input layer, this model generates predictions at the output layer. Their hidden layers of nodes (and what they represent) are often beyond human comprehension, making them almost mystical.
Kabbalah and the Tree of Life
Schemas of neural networks have an uncanny resemblance to the Tree of Life in Judaism’s mystical tradition, Kabbalah. The Tree of Life consists of 10 or 11 nodes (‘sephirot’) that each represent an attribute of god’s being, and are connected by 22 lines or paths that represent the process by which the universe was created.
Atop of the hierarchy is Keter (‘crown’ in Hebrew)- what the Kabbalah refers to as ‘the most hidden of all hidden things’- out of which all things are created until Yesod (‘foundation’) interfaces between the metaphysical layers above and the lowermost physical layer of Malchot (‘kingship’) below- the world of matter, planets and earth. Numerology of the Hebrew alphabet encodes the nature of the paths connecting the sephirot.
Kabbalah conceives of consciousness as the way by which creation can reverse its course back up the Tree until reunited with Keter.
