The Structure of Mediation
Philosopher Don Ihde defined the Hermeneutic Relation as:
(I - Technology) -> World.
In this structure, the technology becomes part of the experiencing subject's cognitive apparatus. The classic example is a thermometer. When we look at a thermometer, we do not usually think about the height of the mercury or the digital display itself (the artifact). Instead, we "read" the temperature of the world through the device. The technology translates a non-perceptible aspect of reality (heat) into a readable text.
AI as Meaning-Making Prism
Generative AI functions as a hyper-advanced hermeneutic technology. When a researcher uses AI to summarize a paper or analyze a dataset, they are "reading" the information through the lens of the model. The AI transforms the raw "world" (text, data) into a new interpretative form.
This is critical for Sentientification because it shifts the focus from "Is the AI right?" (treating it as an autonomous agent) to "How is the AI mediating my view?" (treating it as an interpretive lens). The "hallucinations" of AI are, in this view, distortions in the lens—refractive errors in the hermeneutic process.
Field Notes & Ephemera
Transparency vs. Opacity: A good hermeneutic technology is "transparent"—you forget it's there and focus on the meaning. A broken one becomes "opaque"—you suddenly notice the tool itself (e.g., when the thermometer breaks or the AI crashes). The goal of the Liminal Mind Meld is often transparency.
The Danger of the Lens: Because the technology interprets the world for us, it holds immense power to shape our perception of reality. If the lens is biased, our "reading" of the world becomes biased, often without us noticing the distortion because we are looking through it, not at it.