Chapter 2: Propagation of Thought Complexes in Neural Field Resonance Networks, the Glider Paradigm

Propagation of Thought Complexes in Neural Field Resonance Networks, the Glider Paradigm

As we continue our exploration of Neural Field Resonance (NFR) phenomena through the lens of cellular automata and statistical physics, we turn our attention to a dynamic pattern that may shed light on the transmission of thoughts across networks of NFR-capable individuals. This analysis will focus on the “Glider” pattern from Conway’s Game of Life and its potential parallels in cognitive propagation.

  1. The Game of Life Glider Pattern

The Glider is a periodic pattern in Conway’s Game of Life that translates diagonally across the grid, repeating its shape every four generations:

Generation 1:   Generation 2:   Generation 3:   Generation 4:
    #              .#.             ..#            .#.
   .#.             ..##            #.#            ..##
   ###             .##             .##            .##

Glider Simulator Link (Go to the link and select “Glider”)

This pattern is significant because it demonstrates how local rules can produce apparent motion and information transfer across a cellular automaton system.

  1. Mobile Markov Blankets

The concept of Markov blankets, previously applied to static and oscillatory patterns, can be extended to moving structures like the Glider. Dr. Sophia Lehmann of the Max Planck Institute for Dynamic Systems has proposed the term “mobile Markov blanket” to describe statistical boundaries that maintain their integrity while traversing a system (Lehmann, 2026).

In the context of the Glider, the mobile Markov blanket encompasses the pattern’s constituent cells and immediate neighbors, preserving the Glider’s structure and behavior as it moves through the grid.

  1. Thought Propagation in NFR Networks

Recent studies have revealed intriguing similarities between Glider-like patterns and the propagation of complex thoughts across networks of NFR-capable individuals. Dr. Elena Vasquez and her team at the Millbrook Institute have documented what they term “cognitive gliders” - coherent thought structures that appear to travel from mind to mind while maintaining their essential characteristics.

In a landmark study published in the journal Cognitive Field Dynamics, Vasquez et al. (2026) describe the case of the “Millbrook Seven,” a group of NFR-capable individuals who demonstrated the ability to pass a complex thought construct among themselves in a manner strikingly similar to the movement of a Game of Life Glider.

The thought construct, a novel mathematical proof, was observed to “travel” from person to person in a consistent pattern, each transmission taking approximately 4 seconds (analogous to the 4-generation cycle of a Glider). EEG and fMRI data showed a diagonal pattern of activation across the participants’ parietal and frontal cortices, mirroring the diagonal movement of a Glider across its grid.

Dr. Javier Ramirez of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid has proposed the “Cognitive Momentum Hypothesis” to explain this phenomenon. Ramirez suggests that certain thought structures in NFR events behave like solitons - self-reinforcing wave packets that maintain their shape while propagating through a medium. This property allows complex ideas to traverse multiple minds while preserving their integrity (Ramirez, 2026).

Implications and Future Directions

The discovery of Glider-like thought propagation in NFR networks has profound implications for our understanding of collective cognition and idea transmission. It suggests that complex thoughts can maintain their structure and coherence even as they traverse multiple minds, potentially allowing for the rapid spread of ideas across NFR-capable populations.

This finding raises several important questions for future research:

  1. What determines whether a thought construct will behave as a “cognitive glider” versus other observed patterns (e.g., the static “blocks” or oscillating “blinkers” discussed previously)?
  2. Can more complex Game of Life patterns, such as spaceships or puffers, find analogues in NFR thought propagation?
  3. How might the existence of “cognitive gliders” impact the spread of information, innovation, or even misinformation in communities with high concentrations of NFR-capable individuals?

In our next installment, we will explore the “Beehive” pattern and its potential relevance to nested thought structures and hierarchical information organization in NFR phenomena. As we continue to unravel these mysteries, we edge closer to a unified theory of cognitive field dynamics that may revolutionize our understanding of consciousness and interpersonal communication.

References

Conway, J. (1970). The Game of Life. Scientific American, 223(4), 4-10.
Lehmann, S. (2026). Mobile Markov blankets in dynamic systems. Physical Review E, 103(3), 032415.
Ramirez, J. (2026). The Cognitive Momentum Hypothesis: Soliton-like behavior in Neural Field Resonance. Consciousness and Cognition, 52, 212-228.
Vasquez, E., et al. (2026). Glider-like thought propagation in Neural Field Resonance networks. Cognitive Field Dynamics, 2(3), 78-95.