> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kdoore.gitbook.io/vital-intelligence/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://kdoore.gitbook.io/vital-intelligence/vim-introduction/vim-expanded-glossary.md). # VIM Expanded Glossary ### A Shared Language for Vital Intelligence (VIM) #### Purpose of This Glossary This glossary establishes a **shared, interdisciplinary vocabulary** for discussing intelligence, learning, AI, and institutional change in a generative-AI era. Many conflicts around AI, education, and governance are not disagreements about goals, but **misalignments in mental models**. Words such as *intelligence*, *control*, *ethics*, or *learning* are often used as if they were universal—when in fact they carry deeply different assumptions across domains. This glossary is designed to: * reduce semantic drift * surface hidden assumptions * support discernment rather than judgment * evolve as the VIM framework evolves It is intentionally **descriptive rather than prescriptive**. *** ### Core VIM Concepts #### **Vital Intelligence (VIM)** A meta-model of intelligence defined as the **capacity of systems to sustain learning, dignity, and viability under conditions of uncertainty and change**. VIM integrates Natural Intelligence (NI), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Collective Intelligence (CI) as inseparable and co-evolving. *** #### **Natural Intelligence (NI)** Human intelligence understood as **embodied, emotional, relational, and shaped by experience**. NI includes: * subconscious and pre-verbal models * affective and somatic signals * trauma- and stress-sensitive cognition NI is not optimized for speed or certainty; it evolved for survival, meaning-making, and social coordination. *** #### **Artificial Intelligence (AI)** Statistical, probabilistic systems trained on historical data to generate predictions, patterns, or content. Key characteristics: * non-authoritative * non-intentional * sensitive to context and framing * prone to hallucination and bias Within VIM, AI is treated as an **exploratory partner**, not a source of truth. *** #### **Collective Intelligence (CI)** The capacity of groups, organizations, and cultures to **sense, learn, coordinate, and adapt together**. CI depends on: * trust and psychological safety * communication quality * feedback and repair mechanisms CI cannot be enforced through hierarchy alone; it must be **cultivated through conditions**. #### Computational Intelligence (CI) *** ### Learning & Cognition #### **Simulationist Learning** A learning mode in which understanding emerges through **modeling, experimentation, iteration, and reflection**, rather than memorization or rule execution. Simulationist learners: * test hypotheses * observe system behavior * revise mental models over time This framing aligns with studio pedagogy, systems engineering, and learning sciences. *** #### **Mental Model** An internal representation of how a system works, often implicit and subconscious. Mental models: * guide perception and action * are resistant to change under stress * update through experience, not instruction alone VIM emphasizes making mental models **explicit, shared, and revisable**. *** #### **Discernment** Context-aware judgment guided by relational signals and system dynamics. Discernment differs from judgment: * judgment is static and binary * discernment is adaptive and situational Discernment is a core skill for working with AI under uncertainty. *** #### **Pause** A deliberate interruption in action or interaction that allows **regulation, reflection, and re-orientation**. In VIM, pause is a **design choice**, not disengagement—especially critical in addictive, high-velocity media environments. *** ### Systems & Modeling #### **Control-Flow Mental Model** A worldview in which systems are understood as deterministic, hierarchical, and governed by explicit rules. Effective in stable, closed systems.\ Misleading for generative AI and complex social systems. *** #### **Simulation / Modeling** The practice of representing systems to explore behavior under varying conditions. In VIM: * models are provisional * error is informative * multiple representations are encouraged Modeling becomes a **shared language** across disciplines. *** #### **Attractor** A stable pattern or region in a system’s state space toward which behavior tends to converge. In social-technical systems, attractors can be: * fear-based (compliance, silencing) * care-based (trust, learning) Kindness functions as a **learning-stabilizing attractor**. *** #### **Emergence** System-level behavior that arises from interactions among components rather than from centralized control. CI and intelligence itself are emergent phenomena. *** ### Ethics, Kindness, and Wellbeing #### **Kindness (Technical Definition)** A neuro-social stabilizing condition that: * reduces threat responses * supports trust and cooperation * enables learning under uncertainty Kindness in VIM is **functional**, not sentimental. *** #### **Ethics-as-Capacity** Ethics understood not as rules or checklists, but as the **human capacity to navigate complex situations with care, accountability, and discernment**. This capacity degrades under chronic stress and threat. *** #### **Trauma-Informed** An approach recognizing that stress, harm, and unresolved threat shape cognition, behavior, and learning. Trauma-informed design emphasizes: * safety * choice * agency * repair *** ### Economics, Institutions, and Power #### **Wellbeing Economy** An economic framing that prioritizes **long-term human and planetary viability** over short-term extraction or growth. Often contrasted with optimization-driven models. *** #### **Dominance Hierarchy** An organizational structure emphasizing control, ranking, and compliance. Dominance hierarchies tend to: * suppress CI * incentivize fear-based behavior * stall learning under uncertainty *** #### **Nested / Relational Hierarchy** A structure in which authority and responsibility are **distributed and context-sensitive**, allowing feedback to flow upward and laterally. Supports CI and adaptability. *** #### **VUCA** Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity — the prevailing operating conditions for modern institutions. VIM is explicitly designed for VUCA contexts. *** ### Media, Information, and AI #### **Information as Terrain** A framing in which information is understood as something navigated, not consumed. Learners develop orientation skills rather than seeking certainty. *** #### **Slopaganda** Low-quality, emotionally manipulative AI-generated content optimized for attention rather than meaning. Creates cognitive noise and undermines discernment. *** #### **AI Psychosis** A colloquial term describing disorientation, over-trust, or delusional meaning-making arising from prolonged interaction with generative systems without grounding or regulation. *** ### Pedagogy & Practice #### **Synectics** A creative method using metaphor and analogy to surface hidden assumptions and support integrative thinking. In VIM, synectics functions as a **metacognitive scaffold**. *** #### **MPCM (Materials–Process–Context–Meaning)** A studio-based framework for structuring learning and reflection. MPCM aligns naturally with simulationist and experiential pedagogy. *** #### **Studio Pedagogy** A learning approach emphasizing: * making and iteration * critique and reflection * situated learning Studio pedagogy supports NI, AI literacy, and CI simultaneously. *** ### Extending This Glossary This glossary is intentionally **open-ended**. Future expansions may include: * discipline-specific terms (engineering, CS, arts) * modeling formalisms * governance and policy language * student-facing versions Contributions should prioritize: * clarity over cleverness * precision over persuasion * shared understanding over authority ***