Reviewed by Leonard Smuts for Readers' Favorite

The impact of symbolic systems on human awareness provides the background to The Cosmological Mind by Anthony L. Canali. He reflects that the role of the media in forming opinions has led to media bias. It has also become a source of entertainment rather than a reliable information provider. Our ability to think critically and act ethically has been eroded, and our trust dented. By using algorithms, AI has become the amplifier of distortion and is reshaping our perceptions to align with what the system expects us to be. We risk being stereotyped by machines. AI has no ethical framework. It inherited the myths and patterns that it now perpetuates. The speeding up of the knowledge flow leads to symbolic compression and thus reduces time for reflection in any depth. In effect, we are bombarded with information and go into overload. We thus absorb patterns that are predetermined outside of our consciousness. AI intensifies this to dull our senses. We respond to the flood of messages and symbols by adopting them as reality. Our language, culture, media, and institutions are invaded. Myths now train perception, and system collapse becomes inevitable. The danger is that collapse often hides behind enlightenment.

Inspired by the works of others, Anthony L. Canali has taken our understanding of the role of the media in society to new heights, posing the question of what occurs when power exceeds wisdom. The artificially created paradigm has entered the realm of politics and religion. This fosters extremism, polarization, and identity compression. The Cosmological Mind analyses the impact. It is about thought, the thinking process, the gathering of knowledge, and meaning. It delves into our awareness of both the seen and unseen. This book is not an attack on AI or humanity as such, but is a timely wake-up call. I found the comments on AI to be particularly incisive. The emphasis of the book evolves from exposure to that of regeneration, advocating wisdom to restore stability, with several relevant examples examined. Chapter summaries assist comprehension of what is a complex and perceptive work, aimed primarily at an academically orientated audience. The reader will nevertheless attune to the writing style as the book unfolds. Appendices provide additional information on topics including the symbolic equations, core definitions, an extensive glossary, references, and a teaching guide. This is a groundbreaking work on media ecology that is thought-provoking and makes for fascinating reading.