Summary of What Creates Consciousness?
The discussion revolves around the mystery of consciousness, with the acknowledgement that we do not fully understand what consciousness is.
The conversation delves into the philosophical and scientific aspects of consciousness, including the hard problem of consciousness, subjective experience, and the relationship between physical processes and consciousness.
Researchers David Chalmers and Anil Seth discuss various theories and perspectives on consciousness, such as the brain as a prediction machine and the idea of panpsychism.
The conversation also explores the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) systems to become conscious, the ethical implications of creating conscious beings, and the importance of considering consciousness in moral decision-making.
The concept of human exceptionalism is challenged, suggesting that consciousness may exist in various forms beyond human beings.
The possibility of growing conscious systems in the lab, such as brain organoids, is considered, along with the ethical considerations surrounding the treatment of conscious entities, whether biological or artificial.
Researchers/ Sources
- David Chalmers, University Professor of Philosophy and Neuroscience at New York University
- Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex
Notable Quotes
— 00:34 — « I dont know for sure. »
— 07:40 — « I do think theyre very similar. »
— 25:15 — « I tend to focus on finding some kind of mapping between physical processes and Consciousness. »
— 28:20 — « All there is to Consciousness is what it does. »
— 32:10 — « Human consciousness is just one example of this huge spectrum of conscious experiences that can be instantiated in other systems. »
Category
Science and Nature