If X is literally a single motion, like lifting your arm, you can feel this representation as sort of a “ghost motion.” Before you move your arm, you have a kinaesthetic simulation of what it would feel like to move your arm.
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I claim it is *literally impossible* to move your arm without such a simulation. (The simulation may happen so soon before the motion that you don’t notice, but meditation makes it more noticeable.)
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I also claim that the “ghost motion” before moving your arm, and the “how WOULD I go on this diet” simulation are two instances of the same kind of thing.
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Both of these claims come from personal introspection, but the “simulated movement precedes movement” iirc has support from neuroscience. Also, studies show athletes improve performance from *mentally simulating* doing sports, and iirc pro athletes actually do visualize.
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The implication is that it is also literally impossible to go on a diet without mentally simulating *how* you would go on a diet *should* you wish to.
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It is obviously true, but not at all controversial, that you can’t go on a diet if you literally don’t know how. That’s not the point I’m making.
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The point is, since humans are not logically omniscient, that just because you know the declarative fact “Intermittent fasting consists of only eating in an 8-hour window” doesn’t mean you have *created the plan*
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“If I were to do intermittent fasting, when I woke up I would make myself coffee but not breakfast.” + whatever nonverbal simulation is necessary to “prepare to do it.”
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In the psychological literature these are called implementation intentions, and lots of studies claim they work better than baseline for forming new habits.
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Replying to @s_r_constantin
There are some weird cases around intention, too. Like there's a study floating around that suggested that if you visualize *what you will be drinking* (iced tea? coffee? something stronger?) while you do a thing, you are more likely to follow through wi/ doing the thing. Etc.
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Super consistent with my model!
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