The philosophy of Surfism attempts to explain existence in terms that correspond to surfing. It analyses the creation of form in surfing and compares it with structures found in language, thought, evolution and being. The patterns and processes found in surfing are used to represent a range of cognitive functions to form an intricate model of the mind.

About the book: Surfism: The fluid foundation of consciousness.

The key to the Surfism model is the surfboard. This is touched on in Chapter 1, where the mental condition of low latent inhibition (common in designers with high IQ) is seen to be equivalent to a highly responsive surfboard. Surfing manoeuvres are central to the concept of emergence, discussed in Chapter 2, where the interplay between spatial and temporal relations is represented by the x,y,z axes of surfboard rotation on a wave. In Chapter 3, the response of the surfboard is likened to the articulation of words, where the obstruction of airflow against articulation points within the vocal tract is likened to the angles of penetration required to manoeuvre a surfboard. In Chapter 4, the ability to visualise the design of a surfboard is attributed to a form of synaesthesia, which has also been implicated in the development of language. Chapter 5 introduces the notion of a spatio-temporal continuum, to represent an implicit variability within language structure and spatial perception. Chapter 6 delves into the source of situated presence, which sets the stage for a radical reinterpretation of reality, presented in Chapter 7. In Chapter 8, surfboard design is viewed as the product of consciousness extending itself into the world. Finally, the spatio-temporal field of the self is discussed in Chapter 9, culminating with the idea that surrendering to God is akin to free-falling down the face of a wave while taking a late drop.

The Surfism model of the psyche presents a host of surfing scenarios, which place the individual’s perspective within a dynamical system of totally integrated variables reflecting that individual’s experience of the world. However, the ego is not viewed as an integral feature of the mind’s perceptual apparatus, at least not beyond its core function to manage the tension between spatial and temporal relations. The surfer’s reflective mind is viewed as a problematic feature within the model, possibly reflecting the real-life problems caused by the ego controlling one’s direction in life.

For more on Dan Webber’s book, click here: Surfism: The fluid foundation of consciousness

 

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