Joshua Boulton

Independent Researcher

A New-Zealand-based researcher bridging software engineering, complex systems, and the philosophy of mind. I build simulations to explore models of intelligence, consciousness, and their evolutionary origins.

Current Projects & Research

Simulations

My simulations are typically implemented in the Julia programming language when heavy computation is involved, and otherwise in the Racket programming language. Key areas of exploration include:

  • Custom neural network models
  • Custom symbolic cognitive architectures
  • World modeling, predictive processing, mental simulation, self-modeling, and social cognition
  • The organic emergence of sex, parasitism, symbiosis, retroviral insertion, and more
  • The implementation of cognition with L-system grammars, graph cellular automata, fuzzy logic circuits, and other unconventional artificial cognitive systems

The primary current project simulates a 2D world in which drag is anisotropic, provoking the evolution of swimming.

Each cell has a set of sensors (used to detect various kinds of events) and actuators (used to respond to these events). It also has a genome that enocdes a fuzzy logic circuit. This circuit determines how the cell responds to sensed events.

The genomic language is designed to replicate various properties of DNA and RNA.

The fuzzy logic gates use Zadeh logic instead of Classical logic.

Multicellularity emerges organically. Various forms of genetic exchange can emerge organically, from viral insertions to sex.

The behaviour of multicellular organisms emerges from the interactions between the unique behaviours of each cell. These cells must work together very non-randomly to produce an organism that can move around with deliberation, as the cells of the organism will have to account for one another's movements and other signals to determine their own movements.

One hope is that, if an organism emerges that is capable of sophisticated navigation in the simulation, the logic circuits driving the behaviour of individual cells will ultimately be human-interpretable, offering insight into how organisms can effectively and efficiently model the world and themselves.

Various other features are included in the hopes that novel neural models, language, and other fascinating phenomena might emerge.

Academic Research

Currently co-authoring a paper with Dr. Douglas Campbell at the University of Canterbury, arguing for a physicalist theory of phenomenal consciousness that blends:

  • a quotational account of phenomenal concepts,
  • a relational account of qualia,
  • a simulation account of social cognition, and
  • an essential indexical account of psychophysical identity statements.

This theory elegantly handles:

  • Kripkean and Chalmersian conceivability arguments,
  • the inverted spectrum argument,
  • Nagel's bat,
  • the explanatory gap,
  • the epistemic gap, and
  • the hard problem of consciousness.

I am also working on a simulation in Racket in which an entity implements a cognitive architecture that includes the features described by our theory, as well as some other features that I think offer insight into other famous problems.

Writing

I publish my longer-form essays, philosophical inquiries, and thoughts on technology over on my blog, The Canterbury Critique.

Read The Canterbury Critique

Professional Experience

  • Soul Machines | Intern: Invented a novel approach to predicting user intents while users are actively speaking to chatbots.
  • University of Canterbury | Research Assistant & Essay Marker: Provided research support within the philosophy department and evaluated second- and third-year undergraduate essays. I blended my technical skills with my humanities skills, automating a large literary research task with Python scripts.
  • Digital Technologies Student Teacher: Taught Electronics & Robotics, Digital Technologies, and Structural Technologies to a culturally, linguistically, and psychologically diverse group of secondary school students.
  • Freelance Article Writer: Researched and authored SEO-optimised articles on a vast range of subjects.

Education

  • Certificate in Information Technology (Expected Completion Soon)
  • Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Philosophy: Primary research focus on the philosophy of mind and consciousness. Coursework:
    • The Neurobiology of Higher Cognition
    • Mathematical Cognition
    • Cognitive Science
    • Philosophical Logic and Paradoxes
  • Bachelor of Science: Major in Philosophy, Minor in Computer Science.
  • Diploma in Software Engineering

Awards & Honors

The David Novitz Prize: The David Novitz prize goes to the current year's most promising MA or BA(Hons) student in Philosophy at the University of Canterbury.

Get in Touch

If you have an interesting opportunity or just want to discuss ideas, reach out below.