mindbending

Mindbending is an adjective used to describe experiences, works of art, or ideas that challenge conventional understanding by presenting counterintuitive, paradoxical, or epistemic twists. It often involves shifts in perspective that force reconsideration of reality, identity, or causality.

Etymology and usage: The term combines mind and bending and has been used in popular culture since the mid-20th century to describe media that stretch cognition, inviting viewers or readers to rethink assumptions rather than simply entertain.

Domains and mechanisms: Mindbending works typically employ nonlinear narratives, dream logic, or ontological themes to disrupt ordinary ways of knowing. In puzzles and games, it denotes problems that require rethinking assumptions or rules. In philosophy, it appears in thought experiments that probe the nature of knowledge, perception, or selfhood.

Examples: Films such as The Matrix and Inception are often described as mindbending for their investigations of reality and perception. Literary and philosophical examples include Jorge Luis Borges’s stories and classic thought experiments like the Ship of Theseus or the brain in a vat. Video games such as The Witness emphasize perception, rule discovery, and mental reorientation.

Reception and context: The label is subjective and can function as marketing as well as critique. Mindbending works tend to invite reinterpretation, dialogue, and debate, sometimes at the expense of straightforward clarity. Related notions include paradox, illusion, and thought experiments.