Tag Archives: Consciousness

Your world is different from a pigeon’s – but a new theory explains how we can still live in the same reality

Catherine Legg is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Deakin University.

“My areas of research include philosophies of language, mind and mathematics. I have long standing interests in the American pragmatists, particularly Charles Peirce, and currently co-edit the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry ‘Pragmatism’. I maintain a side-interest in artificial intelligence, having previously worked as an ontological engineer. I’m also very interested in philosophy of education, and am involved with the Philosophy for Children movement.”

Contemplating Oblivion

Keith Wiley was one of the original members of MURG, the Mind Uploading Research Group, an online community dating to the mid-90s that discussed issues of consciousness with an aim toward mind uploading. He has written a previous book, ‘A Taxonomy and Metaphysics of Mind-Uploading’, about the philosophical interpretation of mind uploading, various invited book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and magazine articles, in addition to several essays on a broad array of topics.

Babies and animals can’t tell us if they have consciousness – but philosophers and scientists are starting to find answers

Henry Taylor is Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Birmingham.

“I’m interested in philosophy of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and robotics. I have worked on perception, consciousness, attention, peripheral vision, the development of scientific concepts, scientific taxonomy, and robotics. Most of my research involves drawing together work from natural science and philosophy.”

From the mystery and majesty of the universe and beyond

Shanthi Chandrasekar is a multimedia and multidisciplinary artist from Maryland, USA, who has an academic background in physics and psychology, and has been trained in the traditional Indian art forms of Kolam and Tanjore-style painting. While many of her works are influenced by her Indian heritage, her true inspiration comes from the mystery and majesty of the world around her; her muse lives where the scientific overlaps with the spiritual.

Exploring Segments of Dissociation in Neurological Disorder

Luca M Damiani is an Artist, Author and University Fellow, focusing his ongoing creative practice and research on neuroscience/health, technology and nature. His work also crosses over with human rights and social design. Luca has a neurological disability and has had various visual art books and academic articles published, as well as being exhibited internationally.

“Focusing on my neurological-brain trauma (caused by an accident in 2018), my ongoing research-based practice looks at various areas of applied art and design, with the main focus on my own sensory disability as well as various branches of neuroscience, social design and technology.”

On the relationship between AI, Human and Art.

Freddie Hong is a London-based researcher and computational artist. His work delves into the impact of emerging technology on our relationships with the physical world and society. With a PhD in the advanced manufacturing of interactive devices, he has critical insights into merging art and technology. Through interactive art installations and performances, Freddie explores the boundaries between authorship and control in Human-Computer Interaction. He is interested in capturing the current issues in digital technologies and creates compelling interactive artworks that encourage participants to experiment with “intelligent things,” fostering conversations about the role of digital agents in our lives. Freddie is currently a resident researcher at Microsoft Research Cambridge, where he focuses on robotics research within the CRAFT group (Creative Robotics and Future Technologies).

The Archetypal Influences of Film: Revelations from the Collective Unconscious and Interdimensional Realities

Humanity is faced with serious decisions. Will it follow the dangerous path toward transhumanism, or will we commit to the unfolding of a greater intention: the discovery of a more meaningful power, purpose, and truth within each one of us, the call to Individuation? Carl G. Jung discovered unifying themes, regardless of whether they came from a hidden tribe in the Amazon, African desert, or a major world religion and called it the Collective Unconscious. He named specific Archetypes manifesting from this realm. This Archetypal journey is Alchemical in nature as described in ancient writings by early Alchemists and Mystics. Mystics have always pointed toward an inner process leading us to spiritual individuation and unity. Ultimately, this is a psychospiritual quest. Along this journey we can be motivated by archetypal influences of compassion and fierceness. As we assimilate these initiatory qualities, we come nearer to the knowing of the authentic spiritual power within us. Many modern movies and television series are doing a better job of illustrating this journey than most religious traditions. The battle between good and evil (what benefits compared to what destroys or prevents consciousness and related development) is real as are the images and stories of interdimensional realities expanding our understanding of new possibilities. They manifest via media and entertainment forms. The themes and messages are influential at both conscious and unconscious levels, preparing people for the end of an old paradigm and the beginning of the next. The threat of Transhumanism is addressed in this article as it moves humanity away from the work of individuation (Carl Jung) and Self-Actualization (Abraham Maslow). The emphasis toward wholeness includes love and human feeling. Transhumanism, focused on efficiency through artificial intelligence, is a threat to the path of becoming an authentic, courageous and compassionate human being. Thus, movies and series depicting superheroes, aliens, portals, and alternative realities are rapidly increasing at a time when many people have lost direction. This article supports their messages.

The brain is the most complicated object in the universe. This is the story of scientists’ quest to decode it – and read people’s minds

Nicholas J. Kelley is an Assistant Professor in Social Psychology, University of Southampton.
“I am a social psychologist who uses neuroscientific tools to investigate the nature of the self. Among the topics I study how the self is represented in the brain as well as what guides and drives the self.”

Stephanie Sheir is a Research Associate, Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub, University of Bristol. Stephanie takes a broad interest in emerging biotechnologies, particularly in neuroscience and genomics. Previously, she worked as a Research Associate as part of the Trustworthy Autonomous Systems (TAS) Hub at the University of Bristol, conducting research on how different individuals reason about trust in AI.

Timo Istace is a PhD researcher at the University of Antwerp, conducting research into the interplay between neurotechnology and the law, with a specific emphasis on human rights law and medical law. His areas of expertise encompass human rights law, medical law, philosophy of law, and bioethics. Timo specialises in exploring the implications of emerging technologies, with a particular focus on neurotechnology, within these domains.

Consciousness: why a leading theory has been branded ‘pseudoscience’

Philip Goff is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Durham University. Goff’s main research focus is consciousness, but he is interested in many questions about the nature of reality. Goff is most known for defending panpsychism, the view that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the physical world.
Goff has authored an academic book with Oxford University Press – ‘Consciousness and Fundamental Reality’ – and a book aimed at a general audience – ‘Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness.’ His new book ‘Why? The Purpose of the Universe,’ argues that the universe has a purpose, and will be published by Oxford University Press in November 2023. Goff has published 48 academic articles as well as writing extensively for newspapers and magazines, including Scientific American, The Guardian, Aeon and the Times Literary Supplement. The interview with Goff by Pulitzer Prize winning author Gareth Cook was one of the most viewed of the most viewed articles in Scientific American of 2020. Goff has appeared on many high-profile podcasts, including the Joe Rogan Experience and Lex Fridman’s podcast.

Animal consciousness: why it’s time to rethink our human-centred approach

Patricia MacCormack is Professor of Continental Philosophy, Anglia Ruskin University.

Patricia has published extensively in the areas of Continental philosophy, feminism, queer theory, posthuman ethics, animal studies and horror films. The REF test rated all her work at 4*. Her work has been cited and reviewed internationally resulting in many invites to HEIs to speak both to Faculty and public lectures. Her monographs Cinesexuality, Posthuman Ethics and The Animal Catalyst collection have been key reading on curricula internationally, including Monash University, Brock University, UCSB and universities in Europe, North and South America and Australia.