Blog – Page 2 – Leonid Korogodski

Remembered Present and Mental Imagery

Published on March 11, 2021

Last time, we talked about writers on the aphantasia spectrum–a reduced detail of mental imagery (whether visual or audio or any other sensory modality, although I will use the visual one for examples). Interestingly, with few exceptions, the same level of detail (from almost-photographic to vague to near-nonexistent) applies not just to voluntary or involuntary imagining but also to memories and dreams. What is going on here? Could there be some commonality between these forms of mental imagery? Indeed, there is–at least, this is what current neuroscience tells us. In fact, most of our mental imagery is ultimately based on…

Writers on the Aphantasia Spectrum

Published on March 8, 2021

After a long hiatus, I’m reviving my blog. And what a better subject than about mental states of writers? (But please pardon the current state of the website; I need to redo it soon.) A few days ago, in a closed writers’ community forum, someone brought up the topic of Writers and Aphantasia. If you haven’t heard that word before, here’s a brief rundown for you. Aphantasia is the condition when the person sees–or hears or experiences via any other sensory modality–no or little mental imagery. You know, the imagined pictures in your head, the internal voice and earworms, and…

Voting System Blues

Published on August 27, 2015

Recently, many of us have waited, with a baited breath, for the results of Hugo Awards voting. In the end, none of the nominees from the Sad Puppies and Rabid Puppies voting slates won any awards, which is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating that there is still enough strength and self-respect in the SFF fan audience to oppose attempts to subvert a free expression of the popular opinion. The fan have shown that they want their opinion to matter. Nevertheless, I’m skeptical about the various proposals to amend the Hugo voting system in order to avoid or mitigate the effects of…

Aesthetics of Technology

Published on August 8, 2014

Recently, my guest blog post appeared on Vaguely Circular: Aesthetics of Technology, where I identify and compare three main aesthetics in portrayal of technology: (1) the aesthetic of strength, (2) the aesthetic of flexibility, and (3) the aesthetic of overload. You can find the entire post at the link above.

Interview in Two Parts

Published on December 12, 2012

FoesOfReality put up an interview with Leonid Korogodski, the author of Pink Noise, conducted by Miranda (Ran) Weingartner. It comes in two parts, and it bites deep into the meat of many issues surrounding the concept of artificial intelligence and their implications for the future. FoesOfReality Interview: Part I: Digital vs Analog Intelligence, Role of Deterministic Chaos, “Programming” and Emotions. FoesOfReality Interview: Part II: Neural Darwinism, “Remembered Present,” Memory and Identity.

Foes of Reality Review of Pink Noise

Published on November 27, 2012

Miranda at Foes of Reality reviewed Pink Noise: A Posthuman Tale. At first, like Alice, she “was feeling rather lost until I found the key to Leo’s code: […] Pink Noise is science as prose poetry.” She even suggested a soundtrack! “How does it feel — to be a ray of light? You’re cutting through the plasma of the solar wind at nearly the speed of light in a vacuum. The distances have shrunk. You’re a pulse of signals, ones and zeroes. A frozen state of mind.” (Suggested soundtrack) Does that turn you on? Then drop out and tune in…

Review of Pink Noise by SheNeverSlept

Published on November 22, 2012

The reviewer at SheNeverSlept.com finds the Pink Noise story “quite exciting” but finds the non-fiction notes in the back of the book even more enjoyable: Pink Noise: A Posthuman Tale by Leonid Korogodski is a mind melting tale of the future. The humans have made it to Mars and have also discovered immortality. They download their brains into the “e-World,” calling themselves “posthuman.” The story follows Nathi, a Zulu born on Mars. He is a posthuman healer who has been assigned to restore the brain of a young girl in a coma so that she may be downloaded into e-World.…

Worldcon 2012

Published on August 23, 2012

My Worldcon 2012 schedule: Thursday, August 30, 4:30–6:00pm Hive Minds, Real and Fictional Hive minds are a commonly used trope to make aliens more foreign. What do hive minds look like in reality and how do they compare to the depictions in fiction? Carl Fink (moderator), Leo Korogodski, Ramez Naam, Tanglwyst de Holloway Friday, August 31, 10:30am–12:00pm Transhumanism and Space Exploration Discussion about how humanity can evolve in order to explore space. Geoffrey A. Landis, Karen Burnham (moderator), Leo Korogodski, Nancy Fulda, W A (Bill) Thomasson Friday, August 31, 1:30–2:00pm Reading: Leo Korogodski Sunday, September 2, 3:00–4:30pm The Future of…

Can Science Solve All Our Problems?

Published on June 20, 2012

Not long ago, on my blog, I took a look at the subject of Optimism and Darkness in Science Fiction, arguing the benefits of progress from the perspective of the science of complex systems. That prompted the author Lynda Williams to pose this question to me: Can science solve all our problems?

Yes. And no.

Beth Cato’s Little Story That Could

Published on April 23, 2012

Our guest blogger, Beth Cato, has a few words to share on Dreams, Horses, and the Little Story That Could: There’s something I’ve learned during the past few years. If you want to succeed as a writer, it’s not all about talent. It’s not about developing a thick skin. Rejections make you cry? Scream? Those are valid reactions sometimes. But what enables you to succeed is sheer stubbornness. You send the story out again. Case in point: my story Red Dust and Dancing Horses. From the time I wrote the rough draft, I knew this story was special. It hit…

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