Nested Condensations: 2 Neural Fields and Recursive Condensation

In the previous post, we introduced nested condensation as a mechanism by which enduring relational patterns cluster into higher-order symbolic units, recursively amplifying semiotic density. We now turn to the neural domain, examining how cognitive structures instantiate this process.

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1. Enduring Neural Patterns as Substrate

Neural systems provide a persistent relational substrate:

• Neurons and neuronal groups form networks with enduring inclinations, reflecting repeated co-activation patterns.

• These patterns are not fixed representations, but structured potential: they bias future activity without dictating it.

• Endurance in neural fields enables local clustering of activity trajectories, forming the basis for condensation.

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2. Recursive Thickening in Neural Fields

Neuronal group selection, as formalised by Gerald Edelman, illustrates recursive thickening:

1. Variation: multiple neuronal groups activate in parallel, producing diverse trajectories.

2. Selection: re-entrant connectivity reinforces groups that produce coherent outcomes.

3. Thickening: recurrent reinforcement strengthens clusters, stabilising patterns without central control.

Through repeated cycles, these clusters gain density, forming stable yet flexible structures that underpin cognition.

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3. Condensation of Cognitive Trajectories

Condensation in neural fields occurs when:

• Related clusters of activity cohere into higher-order functional units, such as concepts or schemas.

• These units serve as substrates for further recursive articulation.

• New condensations may integrate multiple clusters, forming nested layers of cognitive organisation.

This is structurally identical to nested condensation in semiotic fields: clusters of trajectories condense, recur, and form higher-order units.

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4. Meta-Neural Organisation

Recursive condensation in neural fields is not limited to a single layer:

• Clusters can organise into meta-clusters, creating a hierarchy of neural assemblies.

• These higher-order clusters are capable of supporting abstraction, prediction, and reflexive processing.

• The process mirrors the meta-semiotic recursion observed in symbolic fields, demonstrating that density and condensation operate across multiple strata.

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5. Key Principles

1. Persistence: enduring neural patterns guide the condensation of activity.

2. Recursive Thickening: recurrent reinforcement stabilises clusters.

3. Nested Condensation: higher-order cognitive units emerge from clustered clusters, amplifying density and potential.

4. Structural Resonance: mechanisms at the neural level are formally analogous to condensation in social and conceptual fields, although instantiated differently.

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6. Looking Ahead

Neural fields demonstrate how recursive condensation operates in a highly constrained, enduring relational substrate, providing a model for nested semiotic evolution.

In the next post, we will explore social fields, showing how analogous processes operate at the collective level: enduring cultural patterns, recursive thickening, and the emergence of higher-order symbolic clusters.