JOURNAL OF DIALECTICS OF NATURE
A Comprehensive, Academic Journal of the Philosophy, History, Sociology and Cultural Studies of Science and Technology
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Large Language Models and the Restructuring of the Cognitive Paradigm: The Limits of Recursion and the Essential Significance of Topological Evolution Abstract: Traditional AI research dominated by recursive logic has been constrained by the combinatorial explosion inherent in rule-based symbolic systems and by the problem of infinite recursion, which together hinder an adequate formal representation of natural language. In contrast, large language models (LLMs) employ parallel, distributed computation over high-dimensional vector spaces and chain-of-thought processing; by replacing formal inference with probabilistic association, they achieve dynamic modeling of natural language. Each of these construction principles has a counterpart in linguistics: generative grammar, committed to recursion-centrism, has been challenged—indeed rejected—by ecolinguistic approaches, while distributed language theory further contends that language is an evolutionary phenomenon distributed across individuals and their social interactions. The shared foundational features of linguistic theory and technical practice indicate that a topology-oriented paradigm centered on dynamic relations and a recursion-oriented paradigm grounded in unbounded symbolic operations constitute two fundamental frameworks for explaining human cognitive structure. They also indicate an ongoing shift in cognitive science from formal axiomatization toward practice-oriented model construction. Key Words: Recursion; Distributed computation; Distributed language; Topology; Cognitive paradigmpage: 1-10Can Causal Bayesian Networks Be Applied to Quantum Mechanics? Abstract: This article explores the applicability of causal Bayesian networks in the causal interpretation of quantum mechanics, with a focus on the compatibility of quantum entanglement with causal principles. To address the quantum entanglement problem within the framework of causal Bayesian networks, it is necessary to abandon assumptions such as causal locality, exogeneity of control variables, or temporal ordering. The non-locality of quantum entanglement and the no-signaling theorem cannot simultaneously satisfy the core principles of causal Bayesian networks—namely, the causal Markov condition and the faithfulness principle. Of these two principles, the faithfulness principle can be relinquished. Among the various causal structures that abandon specific assumptions, retrocausality emerges as the most compatible with the structure of causal Bayesian networks. Further analysis of the feasibility of retrocausal interpretations reveals that, while it aligns with the acyclicity requirement of causal Bayesian networks, existing physical models have already exceeded the descriptive capabilities of traditional causal graphs. The article contends that quantum causal research must develop new tools beyond classical causal Bayesian networks to provide a unified interpretation of the causal essence of both quantum and classical phenomena. Key Words: Causal Bayesian Network; Quantum entanglement; Retrocausation; Non-Faithfulness; EPR Experimentpage: 28-35Mind Uploading from the Perspective of Mortal Computation Abstract: With the rapid advancement of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, mind uploading is shifting from a mere speculative notion to an issue that demands serious philosophical attention. Optimists generally believe that the continuation of the “self” can be achieved by successfully replicating the brain’s functional organization. However, this belief rests on an unexamined assumption: that the uploaded system possesses consciousness. Drawing on the theoretical framework of mortal computation, this paper argues that the realization of consciousness depends on dissipative processes within specific physical systems. Its mode of existence is deeply embedded in the concrete conditions of implementation and cannot be reconstructed or sustained through abstract replication or structural transfer. Hence, mind uploading faces a fundamental paradox: if the upload lacks consciousness, its continuation is meaningless; if it possesses consciousness, that consciousness belongs to “it”, no longer to “me”. This paradox reveals a deeper truth: the mortality of consciousness is not a limitation, but the very foundation of its existence. Key Words: Mind uploading; Personal identity; Neuron replacement; Mortal computationpage: 50-58Experimental Research on Aniline and the Emergence of Synthetic Dyestuffs Industry (1826-1856) Abstract: From 1826, aniline was discovered from natural dye indigo, industrial coal tar, and other sources by different chemists, and its conclusive identification was completed by Hofmann. On this basis, a series of studies carried out by Hofmann into aniline advanced amine chemistry, underpinned the theoretical breakthrough of the ammonia type and laid the scientific foundation for the emergence of the synthetic dye industry. Having entered this field under Hofmann’s mentorship, Perkin discovered mauveine, a novel aniline derivative with dyeing properties. Driven by commercial motivations, he developed a multi-step process for large-scale production of aniline, leading to the first commercial production of aniline dyes, which marked the commencement of the synthetic dye industry. Key Words: Aniline; Dye; Coal tar; Hofmann; Perkinpage: 67-75JOURNAL OF DIALECTICS OF NATURE
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