In category theory, a monad is a special structure:
Together with two natural transformations:
- Unit: η : id_C→T
- Multiplication: μ : T^2 → T
In programming, monads model effects: computations with context.
In memory, monads model self-reflection — thoughts about thoughts.
- Imagine an AI that retrieves a memory, then re-queries it with additional context, then loops again.
This recursive loop is monadic thinking.
Memory becomes layered with meaning, not just stored.
Satyam’s Analogy:
You remember “a red apple.” Then you remember why it mattered — “gift from mom.” Then you reflect again — “I miss her.”
Each layer is a monadic wrap.
A recursive diagram showing memory passed through T, then T(T), with arrows from base to enriched context, forming a layered monadic bubble.