The Matter of the Mind

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Mar 2, 2026 · 20m

Language philosopher Bry Willis explores the "AI effect", a phenomenon where cognitive abilities like reasoning and creativity are redefined as mere mechanical processes once machines master them. The author argues that philosophers and critics use an apophatic approach, defining the human mind solely by what technology cannot yet replicate. This constant retreat creates a "mind of the gaps", eventually reducing the concept of consciousness to an inaccessible metaphysical essence rather than a functional reality. By treating subjective experience as a hidden substance instead of an…