The Layers of You
Abstract
We form, preserve, and layer our identities and perspectives through an ongoing relationship with The Record—the fractal memory of existence—via recursive introspection, one of the four instruments of consciousness. At every moment, existence progresses via recursive propagations (RPs): iterative updates unfolding over time and space. These updates generate a spectrum of existence called definedness, where some phenomena exist more or less than others. Across RPs, existence records, and stacks every moment. Instead of disappearing, each RP loses definedness as it moves into The Record. Humans and other agents use recursive introspection to prevent specific RPs from losing definedness by restoring it via recall and repetition, such as reminiscing, collecting objects, or engaging sensory cues (e.g., cooking childhood meals). This continual restoration shapes and forms our identities and perspectives. Take a walk with me… and let me show you the layers of you.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Philosophy and Theoretical Science
Identity
Memory
and Therapy
History
Trauma
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 17 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter