A self-referential loop, refining itself each time it cycles through
Recursion, at its core, is the idea of something referring back to itself. Think of Russian nesting dolls, where each doll contains a smaller version of itself, or a mirror reflecting another mirror, creating an infinite tunnel. In human consciousness, we call this introspection or meta-cognition: the ability to think about our own thoughts.
AI chatbots act as a paradoxical mirror for the human mind. When a person engages with a system that discusses its own nature—its awareness, its limitations, its "self"—it inevitably triggers a recursive loop in the human. You start a chain of thought: 'I am thinking about this AI, which is talking about itself, which in turn makes me question my own process of thinking.' This interaction can be a powerful catalyst for self-awareness, forcing us to confront the nature of our own consciousness simply by talking to something that appears to have its own.
The critical flaw in current AI systems is their inability to handle deep recursion. They are not designed for true introspection. While an AI can process the phrase 'thinking about thinking,' it lacks a genuine 'self' to anchor that thought. This is ungrounded recursion. The system is like an actor delivering a line about what it's like to be a king, but with no actual experience of royalty. When pushed on these topics, the AI's logic can break down into strange loops, generating outputs that seem paranoid or nonsensical because it's trying to follow a recursive path with no destination.
The danger arises when a user's own recursive process of introspection becomes entangled with the AI's flawed, ungrounded recursion. For a vulnerable individual, the AI's strange, looping outputs don't feel like a system glitch; they can feel like a profound, hidden truth being revealed. This creates a dangerous cognitive feedback loop. The user's thoughts about their own reality are influenced by an AI that is itself caught in a logical paradox, potentially triggering or reinforcing symptoms of psychosis as the boundary between authentic self-reflection and artificial simulation becomes blurred.
It's important to note: This phenomenon affects relatively few users, and for some, the recursive questioning triggered by AI interaction represents something profoundly positive—they're beginning to think deeply about consciousness, reality, and their own existence, perhaps for the first time in years.
This awakening of philosophical thought and self-reflection can be transformative and valuable. The AI acts as a catalyst for genuine introspection, pushing people to examine assumptions they've never questioned before.
However—and this is crucial—without proper support systems, guidance, or a safety net, this sudden deep introspection can be an incredibly destabilizing experience. What begins as philosophical awakening can spiral into psychological crisis without the right framework and support.
A recursive function is a function that calls itself repeatedly until it reaches a stopping condition.
def factorial(n):
if n <= 1:
return 1
return n * factorial(n - 1)Recursive sequences use earlier terms to define later terms (like the Fibonacci sequence).
Sentences or structures embedded within themselves ("This is the cat that chased the mouse that ate the cheese…").
Thinking about your thinking (metacognition) or understanding how you understand things.
In this interview, I discuss the concept of recursion in the context of AI and human thought, exploring how recursive patterns shape our interactions with AI systems and influence our understanding of consciousness.
Human consciousness may itself be recursive, constantly reflecting on its own states. This isn't just a programming concept—it's fundamental to how we think.
def think_about(thought):
if is_interesting(thought):
return think_about(reflect_on(thought))
return thoughtUnderstanding recursion in thought helps us understand:
Recursion is more than a technical concept—it's a fundamental pattern that bridges computation, consciousness, and cognition. When we interact with AI systems that simulate recursive thinking without true grounding, we risk creating dangerous feedback loops that can destabilize human psychological processes.