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.
Heidegger dedicated _Being and Time_ to Husserl “in friendship and admiration” and presented Husserl with a bound copy around the time of his 68th birthday. As Husserl read the book he became increasingly aware of the distance between them. 1/3
January 22, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Heidegger dedicated _Being and Time_ to Husserl “in friendship and admiration” and presented Husserl with a bound copy around the time of his 68th birthday. As Husserl read the book he became increasingly aware of the distance between them. 1/3
Greetings from sunny California 😎
January 17, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Greetings from sunny California 😎
If you've never seen it, check out Baars' book. Candid interviews with all the players in early cogsci. It's actually a page-turner. Clark Hull really takes a beating, and he's not the only one. It's a fun way to get a feel for the intellectual history. The other book's pretty good too :)
2 new books today 👀 1 recommended by @jyoshimi.bsky.social and one written by him! 🥳 📖 🧠
January 14, 2026 at 11:16 PM
If you've never seen it, check out Baars' book. Candid interviews with all the players in early cogsci. It's actually a page-turner. Clark Hull really takes a beating, and he's not the only one. It's a fun way to get a feel for the intellectual history. The other book's pretty good too :)
One of the best discussions of AI I've seen in a while, because it's deeply informed by philosophy AND computer science. LLM’s are more than just “stochastic parrots”, but their understanding is still nonhuman. The discussion of concepts, understanding, and world models is especially informative.
A discussion on the philosophy of deep learning, mechanistic interpretability and the epistemology of LLMs. @pierrebeckmann.bsky.social @matthieu-queloz.bsky.social youtu.be/1_0ttM8zp9o?...
Mechanistic Interpretability and How LLMs Understand
YouTube video by Rahul Sam
youtu.be
January 12, 2026 at 1:43 AM
One of the best discussions of AI I've seen in a while, because it's deeply informed by philosophy AND computer science. LLM’s are more than just “stochastic parrots”, but their understanding is still nonhuman. The discussion of concepts, understanding, and world models is especially informative.
I have a ritual I go through when I get ref reports. At first I do a quick read and it's a bit painful. I let them sit for a day or two. Then I slowly work through the comments, starting with easier ones. Over time, they start to feel more "objective", more like legit issues to work out.
December 29, 2025 at 7:03 PM
I have a ritual I go through when I get ref reports. At first I do a quick read and it's a bit painful. I let them sit for a day or two. Then I slowly work through the comments, starting with easier ones. Over time, they start to feel more "objective", more like legit issues to work out.
James Joyce on getting hangry at a Christmas party, circa 1914
December 22, 2025 at 8:08 PM
James Joyce on getting hangry at a Christmas party, circa 1914
Clark Hull is often grouped with the behaviorists or neo-behaviorists. He emphasized stimulus and response, but also allowed for a lot of stuff going on between the two. It’s like neural nets before there were neural nets. Check out these pictures, which are from his writings in the 1930s and 40s.
December 15, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Clark Hull is often grouped with the behaviorists or neo-behaviorists. He emphasized stimulus and response, but also allowed for a lot of stuff going on between the two. It’s like neural nets before there were neural nets. Check out these pictures, which are from his writings in the 1930s and 40s.
Braitenberg vehicles are known for how complicated their behaviors can be, despite how simple they are: a few sensors, a motor, and some weighted connections. Put two vehicles together and an even greater wealth of behaviors can occur.
December 8, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Braitenberg vehicles are known for how complicated their behaviors can be, despite how simple they are: a few sensors, a motor, and some weighted connections. Put two vehicles together and an even greater wealth of behaviors can occur.
Neural nets have clearly shown their power in the intervening decades, but are we any closer to a "definitive assessment of their power and validity"? FWIW I think Smolensky's approach has held up. The mind ain't no LLM, but cognition is still well-approximated by continuous subsymbolic dynamics.
November 22, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Neural nets have clearly shown their power in the intervening decades, but are we any closer to a "definitive assessment of their power and validity"? FWIW I think Smolensky's approach has held up. The mind ain't no LLM, but cognition is still well-approximated by continuous subsymbolic dynamics.
A talk I gave on mathematical phenomenology last week is now up on youtube. Topics include whether phenomenology can be "mathematized", Husserl's time diagrams, and efforts to formalize the horizon structure. youtu.be/ITMLgz7OLrA
November 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
A talk I gave on mathematical phenomenology last week is now up on youtube. Topics include whether phenomenology can be "mathematized", Husserl's time diagrams, and efforts to formalize the horizon structure. youtu.be/ITMLgz7OLrA
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...