Name: #66 Anil Seth- Neuroscientist describes a New Science of consciousness.
Uploaded: 2025-04-30T21:26:21+00:00
Duration: 44 min 45 s
Description: Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, where he is also Director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science. He is also Co-Director of the

6 months ago

Health & Science Weird Science consciousness neuroscience self philosophy psychedelics transhumanism memory suffering AI

Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, where he is also Director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science. He is also Co-Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Program on Brain, Mind, and Consciousness.
He was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness (Oxford University Press), a role he served from 2014-2024. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B and on the Advisory Committee for 1907 Research and for Chile’s Congreso Futuro.He was Conference Chair for the 16th Meeting of the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC16, 2012) and was an ASSC ‘member at large’ from 2014-2022. He previously co-directed the Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Program: From Sensation and Perception to Awareness, and was an Engagement Fellow with the Wellcome Trust (2016-2020).

Anil Seth describes the intricate nature of consciousness, discussing its implications in neuroscience, philosophy, and everyday life. He delves into the journey of consciousness research, the complexities of self, and the relationship between consciousness and the brain. The discussion also touches on the role of psychedelics in understanding consciousness, the philosophical implications of Transhumanism, and the importance of memory. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the need for humility in the face of existential questions and the significance of alleviating suffering in understanding consciousness.
Chapters

00:00 Exploring Consciousness: An Introduction
03:29 The Journey into Consciousness Research
06:22 Understanding Consciousness: Certainty and Theories
09:23 The Nature of Consciousness in Non-Human Animals
12:22 The Concept of Controlled Hallucination
15:10 The Self: A Construct of Consciousness
18:28 Biology vs. Computer Metaphors in Consciousness
21:28 Philosophy and Ethics in Consciousness Research
24:33 Transhumanism and the Fear of Death
27:15 The Role of Suffering in Consciousness
30:26 Memory: A Complex Construct
33:07 Psychedelics: Tools for Understanding Consciousness
44:20 Podcast exit terence - 8:9:24, 8.01 PM.mp3