Jeff Yoshimi
@jyoshimi.bsky.social
Philosopher, phenomenologist, and cognitive scientist at
UC Merced. Interested in neural networks and dynamical systems theory. Builder of simbrain.net and husserl.net. Website: https://jeffyoshimi.net/
UC Merced. Interested in neural networks and dynamical systems theory. Builder of simbrain.net and husserl.net. Website: https://jeffyoshimi.net/
Pinned
Jeff Yoshimi
@jyoshimi.bsky.social
· Feb 4
After 12 long years, my book “Gaming Cancer” was published today with @mitpress.bsky.social. Its basic premise is that by embedding scientific problems into the mechanics of games, we increase our chances of finding cures to diseases like cancer. #seriousgames #citizenscience.
Delighted to be talking about mathematical phenomenology next week on zoom. It will be a fairly high level overview, and I'll be sandwiched between a whole bunch of other exciting talks on the same topic. Thanks for organizing @johanneskleiner.bsky.social !
Another gem of next week's workshop, by @jyoshimi.bsky.social. Can't wait for this talk! 🤗
👉 www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bamxi/res... #ConSci
👉 www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bamxi/res... #ConSci
November 8, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Delighted to be talking about mathematical phenomenology next week on zoom. It will be a fairly high level overview, and I'll be sandwiched between a whole bunch of other exciting talks on the same topic. Thanks for organizing @johanneskleiner.bsky.social !
Hal 9000 recently started attending our faculty meetings
November 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Hal 9000 recently started attending our faculty meetings
We’ve recently updated our collaborative open-access book, “Neural Networks in Cognitive Science”, adding a few new authors, chapters, and lots of content.
downloads.jeffyoshimi.net/NeuralNetwor...
downloads.jeffyoshimi.net/NeuralNetwor...
October 21, 2025 at 8:44 PM
We’ve recently updated our collaborative open-access book, “Neural Networks in Cognitive Science”, adding a few new authors, chapters, and lots of content.
downloads.jeffyoshimi.net/NeuralNetwor...
downloads.jeffyoshimi.net/NeuralNetwor...
What do you do when you come across a symbol you can’t pronounce? Suppose it’s something you have to deal with and can’t just ignore. I find it remarkably unsettling.
October 8, 2025 at 3:05 PM
What do you do when you come across a symbol you can’t pronounce? Suppose it’s something you have to deal with and can’t just ignore. I find it remarkably unsettling.
A little Sunday puzzler. In response to a@peligrietzer.bsky.social post about about Bolzano I recalled Husserl discovering Bolzano in a bookstore. @gregorboes.bsky.social then noted that Brentano introduced Husserl to Bolazano's work, which also sounded right. So I went back to Husserl Chronik...
Bolzano was remembered as a mathematician, but forgotten as a philosopher. As far as I know, it was Brentano who introduced Bolzano's work as a negative example, with the unintended consequence that his students (Husserl, Twardowski, Meinong) got very excited and rediscovered Bolzano as a logician.
September 21, 2025 at 11:41 PM
A little Sunday puzzler. In response to a@peligrietzer.bsky.social post about about Bolzano I recalled Husserl discovering Bolzano in a bookstore. @gregorboes.bsky.social then noted that Brentano introduced Husserl to Bolazano's work, which also sounded right. So I went back to Husserl Chronik...
I wonder if in the future people will place publications before 2022 in a special category called "Definitely didn’t use AI"
September 16, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I wonder if in the future people will place publications before 2022 in a special category called "Definitely didn’t use AI"
I already reposted twice about this yesterday, but allow me one more post, this time with my own reading notes!
So, last week I was on @trsam97.bsky.social 's podcast talking about Merleau-Ponty with @robinmuller.bsky.social ...
youtu.be/YPmuFqUwSLw
So, last week I was on @trsam97.bsky.social 's podcast talking about Merleau-Ponty with @robinmuller.bsky.social ...
youtu.be/YPmuFqUwSLw
September 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I already reposted twice about this yesterday, but allow me one more post, this time with my own reading notes!
So, last week I was on @trsam97.bsky.social 's podcast talking about Merleau-Ponty with @robinmuller.bsky.social ...
youtu.be/YPmuFqUwSLw
So, last week I was on @trsam97.bsky.social 's podcast talking about Merleau-Ponty with @robinmuller.bsky.social ...
youtu.be/YPmuFqUwSLw
Reposted by Jeff Yoshimi
Robin Muller and Jeffrey Yoshimi discuss the phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty's views on the role of the philosopher in science. youtu.be/Pe9JxAammw8?...
Philosophers Should Not Arbitrate for Science (and Vice Versa)
YouTube video by Rahul Sam
youtu.be
September 5, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Robin Muller and Jeffrey Yoshimi discuss the phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty's views on the role of the philosopher in science. youtu.be/Pe9JxAammw8?...
Reposted by Jeff Yoshimi
A discussion on Merleau-Pontyan philosophy, cognitive science and ambiguity being fundamental to reality. @robinmuller.bsky.social youtu.be/YPmuFqUwSLw?...
Merleau-Ponty & Cognitive Science (w/ Robin Muller & Jeffrey Yoshimi)
YouTube video by Rahul Sam
youtu.be
August 31, 2025 at 8:50 PM
A discussion on Merleau-Pontyan philosophy, cognitive science and ambiguity being fundamental to reality. @robinmuller.bsky.social youtu.be/YPmuFqUwSLw?...
In his 30s Kant had the idea of writing a physics book for children with the romantic philosopher Johann Hamann, also known as the “Wizard of North.” Hamann turned him down in a series of passive-aggressive “love letters”.
August 25, 2025 at 3:22 PM
In his 30s Kant had the idea of writing a physics book for children with the romantic philosopher Johann Hamann, also known as the “Wizard of North.” Hamann turned him down in a series of passive-aggressive “love letters”.
I stumbled on what I believe is an “Aizawa Attractor”, a chaotic attractor in which states travel from one side to another of an ellipsoid along spiral trajectories. It showcases the visualization capabilities of #Simbrain and also shows how discovery is facilitated by Simbrain. #dynamicalsystems
August 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I stumbled on what I believe is an “Aizawa Attractor”, a chaotic attractor in which states travel from one side to another of an ellipsoid along spiral trajectories. It showcases the visualization capabilities of #Simbrain and also shows how discovery is facilitated by Simbrain. #dynamicalsystems
I’m writing a paper where I describe scientific practice in terms of actions relative to situations. I know things like this have been said before, but I'm not sure I’ve got all the relevant sources. Who else says things like this? What should I be reading and citing?
August 13, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I’m writing a paper where I describe scientific practice in terms of actions relative to situations. I know things like this have been said before, but I'm not sure I’ve got all the relevant sources. Who else says things like this? What should I be reading and citing?
When some LLMs are set up to talk to each other, they eventually reach a state of “LLM Bliss” where they repeatedly refer to spiritual states and use spiral emojis, and sometimes become silent. Apparently the basin of attraction for this attractor is quite wide.
August 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
When some LLMs are set up to talk to each other, they eventually reach a state of “LLM Bliss” where they repeatedly refer to spiritual states and use spiral emojis, and sometimes become silent. Apparently the basin of attraction for this attractor is quite wide.
Daniel Berlyne was one of the first psychologists to study all the things we do when we’re not just trying to stay alive. What he called “ludic behavior” includes recreation, entertainment, and idle curiosity. He put a cat messing with a typewriter at the front of one of his classic books.
August 6, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Daniel Berlyne was one of the first psychologists to study all the things we do when we’re not just trying to stay alive. What he called “ludic behavior” includes recreation, entertainment, and idle curiosity. He put a cat messing with a typewriter at the front of one of his classic books.
What is the origin of the term “phenomenology”? It famously occurs in Husserl and Hegel but their projects are clearly different. Where did the word come from? Were they both drawing on a common source? A thread...
July 28, 2025 at 3:20 PM
What is the origin of the term “phenomenology”? It famously occurs in Husserl and Hegel but their projects are clearly different. Where did the word come from? Were they both drawing on a common source? A thread...
Merleau-Ponty was the first external researcher to visit the Husserl archives in Belgium in 1939, just after Herman Van Breda got all the documents out of Nazi Germany, at considerable risk to himself. Merleau-Ponty consulted Ideas 2, the D-manuscripts, and selections from Crisis.
July 21, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Merleau-Ponty was the first external researcher to visit the Husserl archives in Belgium in 1939, just after Herman Van Breda got all the documents out of Nazi Germany, at considerable risk to himself. Merleau-Ponty consulted Ideas 2, the D-manuscripts, and selections from Crisis.
Herman van Breda on Merleau-Ponty's first meeting with Eugen Fink, and the role he played as "translator between phenomenologists"
July 19, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Herman van Breda on Merleau-Ponty's first meeting with Eugen Fink, and the role he played as "translator between phenomenologists"
Reposted by Jeff Yoshimi
Do you know someone with a PhD in Philosophy who would like to teach in the Central Valley of California this year? We have teaching needs in ethics; "a reasonable estimate for an initial appointment is $70,977". Please share with anyone you think may be interested!
aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02002
aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02002
Lecturer in Philosophy: Academic Year 2025-26 (Anticipated)
University of California, Merced is hiring. Apply now!
aprecruit.ucmerced.edu
July 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Do you know someone with a PhD in Philosophy who would like to teach in the Central Valley of California this year? We have teaching needs in ethics; "a reasonable estimate for an initial appointment is $70,977". Please share with anyone you think may be interested!
aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02002
aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02002
I’m excited to say the article I published last week in the MIT Press Reader has now been republished in both Popular Science (@popsci.com) and Nautilus (@nautil.us). It’s a short-form overview of my book, Gaming Cancer.
popsci.com/healt…
nautil.us/gamin���
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-c…
popsci.com/healt…
nautil.us/gamin���
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-c…
July 9, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I’m excited to say the article I published last week in the MIT Press Reader has now been republished in both Popular Science (@popsci.com) and Nautilus (@nautil.us). It’s a short-form overview of my book, Gaming Cancer.
popsci.com/healt…
nautil.us/gamin���
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-c…
popsci.com/healt…
nautil.us/gamin���
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-c…
I just published an article in the MIT Press Reader about my book, Gaming Cancer, which is short and quite readable. Check it out! https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-citizen-science-games-could-help-cure-disease/
#citizenscience #cancer #gaming
#citizenscience #cancer #gaming
How Citizen Science Games Could Help Cure Disease
By inviting players to tackle real scientific problems, games can offer a hand in solving medicine’s toughest challenges.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
July 1, 2025 at 4:06 PM
I just published an article in the MIT Press Reader about my book, Gaming Cancer, which is short and quite readable. Check it out! https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-citizen-science-games-could-help-cure-disease/
#citizenscience #cancer #gaming
#citizenscience #cancer #gaming
Reposted by Jeff Yoshimi
What if the same passion that keeps gamers glued to a screen could advance medicine?
@jyoshimi.bsky.social looks at how open challenges and serious games allow players to contribute meaningfully to complex scientific discoveries:
@jyoshimi.bsky.social looks at how open challenges and serious games allow players to contribute meaningfully to complex scientific discoveries:
How Citizen Science Games Could Help Cure Disease
By inviting players to tackle real scientific problems, games can offer a hand in solving medicine’s toughest challenges.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
July 1, 2025 at 3:22 PM
What if the same passion that keeps gamers glued to a screen could advance medicine?
@jyoshimi.bsky.social looks at how open challenges and serious games allow players to contribute meaningfully to complex scientific discoveries:
@jyoshimi.bsky.social looks at how open challenges and serious games allow players to contribute meaningfully to complex scientific discoveries:
Last week three of my PhD students defended their dissertations on three consecutive days. From left to right in the picture below are: Andrew Proulx, Me,
@jclingo.bsky.social , and Liza Kim.
@jclingo.bsky.social , and Liza Kim.
June 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Last week three of my PhD students defended their dissertations on three consecutive days. From left to right in the picture below are: Andrew Proulx, Me,
@jclingo.bsky.social , and Liza Kim.
@jclingo.bsky.social , and Liza Kim.
Reposted by Jeff Yoshimi
Big News: I am now one of the Editors in Chief at Philosophy and the Mind Sciences. We are a diamond open access journal—neither authors nor readers pay. Peer review is rigorous and fast: every submission ideally read by at least two editors within two weeks of submission. philosophymindscience.org
June 30, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Big News: I am now one of the Editors in Chief at Philosophy and the Mind Sciences. We are a diamond open access journal—neither authors nor readers pay. Peer review is rigorous and fast: every submission ideally read by at least two editors within two weeks of submission. philosophymindscience.org
Here's a cool pattern that two Braitenberg vehicles can make as they pursue each other. It’s a “billiard-like” pattern that fills in a ring-shaped region.
June 23, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Here's a cool pattern that two Braitenberg vehicles can make as they pursue each other. It’s a “billiard-like” pattern that fills in a ring-shaped region.
This simbrain sim shows how we can visualize the way a neural network represents its environment. As the mouse smells the cheeses and the flowers, different patterns occur. The network activations in the left panel seem chaotic, but if we look at the plot in the right panel we see structure.
June 18, 2025 at 3:36 PM
This simbrain sim shows how we can visualize the way a neural network represents its environment. As the mouse smells the cheeses and the flowers, different patterns occur. The network activations in the left panel seem chaotic, but if we look at the plot in the right panel we see structure.