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I wouldn’t equate them either, but its a nice comparison. I like the idea that my cat is constantly in a flow except when hungry haha. Flow state comes about w

I wouldn’t equate them either, but its a nice comparison. I like the idea that my cat is constantly in a flow except when hungry haha. Flow state comes about when skill and challenge are maximized. There is an element of perception of both those axis which plays into it. Since we don’t know what the perceptions of non humans are its going to be hard to know if they experience any type of flow. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Model-of-the-flow-state-adapted-from-Csikszentmihalyi-2020-Perceived-challenges-and_fig2_343922792 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Model-of-the-flow-state-...

KineticLensman 5y ago
> I like the idea that my cat is constantly in a flow except when hungry haha. Alternatively, one could argue that 'sprint' predators like cheetah and Peregrine falcons are in flow-state when hunting (i.e. hungry) and in a non-flow state when resting between hunts / kills. Considering Peregrines, outside breeding season, they might only spend a few minutes flying per day and are then happy to perch on a secluded branch until they need to venture out again for their next kill. If there is a flow/non-flow distinction (and you are right, we may never know), I'd conjecture that flow starts when hunger exceeds a certain threshold and finishes when the bird is fed. Edit: I work with different types of raptors and can confirm that they vary significantly in their mental capabilities. Owls have relatively small brains because their skulls are full of eye and they are not easily trainable, compared with say a Caracara [0], which to my mind is the bird equivalent of a racoon: smart and pesky. I can imagine a Caracara having a greater flow/non-flow distinction compared with an Owl which is much more instinct-driven. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_caracara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_caracara
rubicon33 5y ago
> Flow state comes about when skill and challenge are maximized. This is why I so rarely experience flow state. Programming is largely about learning new things. Whether its new programming languages, new libraries, new platforms, new build tools, or even just new software domains. I've been a developer for close to 15 years and the learning never stops. It's a rare week / month where I get to just relax and code something that I've done before, or, at least have enough tangential skill to enter into a flow state where I'm not constantly looking up documentation, trying things, pouring over logs, trying more things, etc.

KineticLensman 5y ago

> I like the idea that my cat is constantly in a flow except when hungry haha. Alternatively, one could argue that 'sprint' predators like cheetah and Peregrine falcons are in flow-state when hunting (i.e. hungry) and in a non-flow state when resting between hunts / kills. Considering Peregrines, outside breeding season, they might only spend a few minutes flying per day and are then happy to perch on a secluded branch until they need to venture out again for their next kill. If there is a flow/non-flow distinction (and you are right, we may never know), I'd conjecture that flow starts when hunger exceeds a certain threshold and finishes when the bird is fed. Edit: I work with different types of raptors and can confirm that they vary significantly in their mental capabilities. Owls have relatively small brains because their skulls are full of eye and they are not easily trainable, compared with say a Caracara [0], which to my mind is the bird equivalent of a racoon: smart and pesky. I can imagine a Caracara having a greater flow/non-flow distinction compared with an Owl which is much more instinct-driven. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_caracara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_caracara

rubicon33 5y ago

> Flow state comes about when skill and challenge are maximized. This is why I so rarely experience flow state. Programming is largely about learning new things. Whether its new programming languages, new libraries, new platforms, new build tools, or even just new software domains. I've been a developer for close to 15 years and the learning never stops. It's a rare week / month where I get to just relax and code something that I've done before, or, at least have enough tangential skill to enter into a flow state where I'm not constantly looking up documentation, trying things, pouring over logs, trying more things, etc.