Consciousness and the Brain

How do we regulate our impulsive emotions, resist temptation, break bad habits, and come up to our best potential - and why do we sometimes run short? Is willpower anything like muscle power? In this episode, we welcome prominent social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, who has published some 700 scientific works, including 40 books. A recipient of many awards, in 2013 Roy received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow award, in recognition of his lifetime achievements. Roy has studied major aspects of the self, the pros and cons of self-esteem, and why it is so hard to do mentally effortful tasks, like studying long hours for a math exam. He is especially known for his work on willpower, self-control, ego depletion, and the dark side of self esteem — how these factors relate to human morality and life success, and can even trigger interpersonal violence. Talking Points 0:00 - Intro 04:44 - Is mental effort (willpower) analogous to a muscle? 09:32 - Eating glucose can help restore mental energy. 20:50 - “Ego Depletion” is another useful analogy. 24:32 - The Practical Implications of Baumeister’s Work. 34:27 - Practice can make mental effort easier. 45:24 - Is Free Will an illusion? A scientific view. 54:46 - Self-esteem without achievement is a trap. Links — Website and Social Media — Website: https://bernardbaars.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BernardJBaars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BernardJBaars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardjbaars/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BernardBaarsOnConsciousness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baarslab/?hl=en — Roy F. Baumeister — Personal Website: https://roybaumeister.com/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Baumeister Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ShSEUuoAAAAJ&hl=en Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwlDLe6O7NE Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Roy-F.-Baumeister/author/B001H6IAJY?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

In this episode, we examine Human Consciousness and AI, and particularly the popular idea that AI will become conscious at some point. Because conscious brains are the product of enormous periods of evolution and environmental conditions that keep changing in basic ways, the popular idea that machine consciousness is just around the corner is questioned by Bernard Baars. But very important ethical and practical questions are already emerging today. Social media has trouble distinguishing between human messages and bots, and we are already seeing AI being used in armed drones in a major European war in the Ukraine. All kinds of important ethical and practical questions are already facing the world. In some ways, this is like the early days of nuclear weapons - people around the world are wondering what the new technologies will bring. What does the future hold? AI technology is developing faster than most of us expected. The worldwide web has triggered a great information explosion that continues in wave after wave. Historically, information explosions are often very disruptive, as in the rise of the printing press, of radio and television, and now the spread of intelligent computers. Human beings need time to adjust to fast changes. So today, we will discuss the future of Artificial Intelligence in relation to human consciousness, including major ethical questions raised by philosophers and others. We also discuss some of the latest promising, and positive, scientific advances in AI. Our special guest is Dr. Susan Schneider, Founding Director of the Center for the Future Mind at Florida Atlantic University, where she also holds the William F. Dietrich Distinguished Professorship. She is co-director of the MPCR Lab at FAU’s new Gruber Sandbox, a large facility which builds AI systems drawing from neuroscience research and philosophical developments. Susan recently completed a three year project with NASA on the future of intelligence. She now works with the United States Congress on AI policy. Susan is also an author, and her current book “Artificial You'' discusses the philosophical implications of AI, and, in particular, the enterprise of “mind design.” Also joining us today is postdoctoral fellow Rachel St. Clair, the founder and CEO of Simuli Inc., whose passion and goal is to help build beneficial AGI. Talking Points 0:00 - Intro 3:07 - How Our Understanding of AI is Changing Rapidly 10:47 - Urgent Ethical Questions about AI-controlled Weapons 16:20 - Dan Dennett's Position on Treating Humanoid AI as Counterfeits 19:50 - Can Computers Emulate Biological Brains? 30:58 - Science and Philosophy Use the Same Words with Very Different Meanings. 36:23 - Scientifically, the Cortex is the Organ of Consciousness. 46:34 - Is Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) possible? How Do We Build AGI Safely? 52:44 - Does "Conscious" AGI Need a Global Workspace Architecture? 01:03:53 - Beyond Mind-Body Debates 01:13:38 - Advances in Artificial Intelligence 01:19:42 - Some Risks of Augmenting Human Abilities 01:23:20 - Thought Manipulation, Invasive Surveillance and Mass Deception 01:27:10 - Closing Statements Links — Website and Social Media — Website: https://bernardbaars.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BernardJBaars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BernardJBaars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardjbaars/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BernardBaarsOnConsciousness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baarslab/?hl=en — Susan Schneider — Personal: https://schneiderwebsite.com/index.html Center for the Future Mind: https://www.fau.edu/future-mind/ Susan's Latest Book "Artificial You": https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691180144/artificial-you Florida Atlantic University Profile: https://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/philosophy/susan-schneider/index/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/drsueschneider Center for the Future Mind Twitter: https://twitter.com/CenFutureMind — Rachel St. Clair — LinkedIn:

We think of the cortex in terms of anatomical regions, but the cortex works as a whole. Static, gross anatomical divisions are superseded by the dynamical connectome of cortex. This holistic viewpoint is detailed in the recent paper in the Journal Frontiers in Psychology: Consciousness Research, titled "Global Workspace Theory & Prefrontal Cortex: Recent Developments" (Baars, Geld & Kozma, 2021), which we discuss in this episode. A wide range of experimental and theoretical studies in the field of consciousness emphasize the complex and rapid interactivity of numerous regions and connectivities in the cerebral cortex. That dynamical view of the cortex should give us pause about proposing dichotomies that may not be in evidence. This paper aims to clarify some empirical questions that have been raised, and review evidence that the prefrontal and posterior regions of the brain support dynamic global workspace functions, in agreement with several other authors. Our special guest for Episode 23 is Dr. Robert Kozma, professor and director of the Center for Large-Scale Integrated Optimization and Networks (CLION) at the FedEx Institute of Technology, and professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Memphis. Ilian Daskalov, our student interviewer, joins us to explore this recent paper on GWT and Prefrontal Cortex. To follow along with this discussion, here is the link to the source paper: Baars, B. J., Geld, N., & Kozma, R. (2021). Global Workspace Theory (GWT) and Prefrontal Cortex: Recent Developments. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 5163. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.749868 Talking Points 0:00 – Intro 4:04 – Divisions between PfC and other neuronal regions tend to be misleading. 5:57 – Global Workspace Theory: An Overview 10:23 – The Role of Metaphors in Science 15:37 – Consciousness is the Dynamic Core of the Brain. 21:44 – Unifying Principles of the Global Workspace “Family” of Theories 30:59 – What is “Binding” and “Broadcasting” in the Brain? 34:39 – What did Raccah et al. (2021) Get Wrong about GWT? 43:22 – What is Neuropercolation Theory? 58:12 – Conscious and Unconscious Metacognition 01:07:07 – The Dynamical Connectome of Cortex 01:12:01 – Functional Rich Clubs (FRICs) by Deco et al. (2021): Part of GW “Family” 01:17:30 – Final Thoughts Links & Publications — Website and Social Media — Episode Summary: https://bernardbaars.com/episode-23 Website:https://bernardbaars.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BernardJBaars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BernardJBaars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardjbaars/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/OnConsciousnesswithBernardBaars Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baarslab/?hl=en — Robert Kozma, Ph.D. — University of Memphis: https://www.memphis.edu/msci/people/rkozma.php CLION: https://www.memphis.edu/clion/ IEEE: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37284339400 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kozma Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Nddbg2gAAAAJ&hl=en PubMed Publications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Kozma%2C%20Robert Neuropercolation Theory (PDF): https://escholarship.org/content/qt2qn4778j/qt2qn4778j.pdf Link to paper by Deco et al. (2021): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-01003-6

"Subjectivity and consciousness are the two main mysteries that science is still faced with. I'm an optimist. I believe that in the next half a century we might make progress on understanding consciousness." - Stanley A. Klein, psychophysicist, professor of Vision Science and Optometry at the University of California, Berkeley and a member of the Berkeley Visual Processing Laboratory. Episode 21: The Duet of Physics & Psychology with Psychophysicist, Stanley Klein In episode 21 of our podcast “On Consciousness” we welcome psychophysicist Stanley Klein, Professor of Vision Science and Optometry at the University of California, Berkeley. Stan’s major area of research is neuropsychology and neurotechnology, a field of science that studies the body and mind through the nervous system by electronics and mechanisms. Stan was a Consulting Editor for Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, a publication of the Psychonomic Society. In this conversation Bernie and Stanley discuss the links between physics & psychology, Galileo’s contributions, and how science grows. Talking Points 0:00 – Intro 6:17 – Stan Klein’s academic and professional journey 14:50 – Does the brain enable the conscious mind? 22:16 – How Galileo helped to found physics. 32:06 – How do we agree on the nature of nature? 39:15 – The growth of physics 45:38 – Science grows through honest conversations. 53:50 – Stan Klein on the future of science Summary How do you think about subjectivity? This friendly conversation is opened by Nat Geld, our podcast producer. She asks Stan how he thinks about subjectivity. Stan’s optimistic view is that within the next 40 years or so, science might be able to understand subjectivity and consciousness. Bernie and Stan start a dialogue about his professional journey. As a physics undergraduate at Cal Tech, Stan had the honor of publishing a paper with Richard Feynman, the great physicist. After earning his PhD from Brandeis University in 1967, Stan taught at Claremont Colleges and finally arrived at the School of Optometry at UC Berkeley, where he has been since 1987. Consciousness and the Brain Stan asks, "Is consciousness located exclusively in the brain?" Bernie says, “Consciousness emerges in an enormous universe of nature, but only in a very small part of that universe. All the conscious species we know are animals living in the outer crust of planet earth. Empirically, we know nothing else. These days, this brutal fact tends to be forgotten because we have so many speculative ideas that tend to confuse us about the basics. But in science, we always need to start from what we know for sure. To the best of our knowledge today, the animal brain is the home of the conscious mind.” Scientific definitions change over time. For Galileo, gravity meant the speed of wooden blocks sliding down angled planes. For Newton, gravity meant the attractive force of planets in orbit around the sun. Finally, for Einstein, gravity meant the influence of time and space on the apparent acceleration of objects in space. There is both great continuity between Galileo, Newton and Einstein, and at the same time, there is a constantly evolving concept of gravity. The concept of consciousness is also evolving with every new discovery. Stan suggests that the big revolution in physics occurred in the 1920s with the discovery that a photon can be a wave or a particle. Einstein passionately opposed this idea, and tried to disprove it for the rest of his life. That debate still continues today. Bernie then mentions that new ideas and discoveries are always hard to accept, and they usually require a period of debate and adaptation. The idea of the conscious brain is now going through just such a period. But of course both sides tell stories from their own points of view. One side explains how the Vatican unreasonably refused to accept Galileo, and the other side explains how Galileo unreasonably refused to ac

Studies show that, especially for young children, if you prematurely wake them up and deprive them of that much needed sleep, it becomes detrimental to their proper cognitive development further down in life. I just wonder about the amount of damage we're doing to kids with 7:20 AM school start times. - Ilian Daskalov, senior undergraduate student at University of California, Irvine Ep 19: The Sleeping Brain: Better Than a Cup of Coffee This episode of the Podcast On Consciousness riffs on the discussion with Bernard Baars in Episode 18 on sleep, waking, connectivity, and global workspace functions. Alea Skwara, PhD, UC Davis, and Ilian Daskalov, a cognitive neuroscience upper division student from UC Irvine, pull at the threads of conscious and unconscious states in this thought-provoking discussion to unravel the topics of consciousness and sleep. Talking Points 0:00 - Intro 2:12 – How do we differentiate between conscious and unconscious states? 4:59 – The limitations of our vocabulary 8:11 – The sleeping brain 12:12 – Sleep in modern-day society 17:49 – How to improve sleep quality Summary What differentiates conscious and non-conscious states? Alea explains that depending on the context of the conversation and various definitions, when talking about sleep, consciousness can be described as the ability to integrate information in a unitary and cohesive way. Ilian and Alea talk about how limitations in our vocabulary may restrict our understanding of consciousness. Their dialogue evolves into the topic of sleep. Alea shares a personal lucid dreaming experience, where different levels of conscious awareness made her realize that she was actually in a dream state. Ilian explores his interest in the practical side of having a good night’s sleep, and shares details about the book by neuroscientist Matthew Walker, titled “Why We Sleep.” He shares Walkers’ disappointment at how society has glorified the sacrifice of sleep for various other activities, and some inherent consequences to this. In the final moments of the conversation, Ilian discusses some of the tools that he uses to optimize his sleep routine, emphasizing how the regularity of our sleep schedule is as important as the length of the sleep itself. Surprisingly, viewing early morning light is crucial to maintaining a regular circadian rhythm, which, in turn, is essential for one’s overall well-being and longevity. Cited Books “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker - https://www.sleepdiplomat.com/author Get a 40% Discount for your copy of Bernie Baars' acclaimed new book On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory GO TO: http://shop.thenautiluspress.com APPLY DISCOUNT CODE AT CHECKOUT: "PODCASTVIP" Bios Alea Skwara is a PhD candidate at the University of California, Davis where she studies cognitive neuroscience. Her primary research focuses on compassion and responses to suffering. The main question that Alea is currently trying to answer is whether meditational practices can expand the range of people that a person can feel compassion for. Ilian Daskalov is a senior undergraduate student at University of California, Irvine where he studies Cognitive Science. He holds an associate degree with honors from San Diego Mesa College. His research interests include sleep, psychedelics, and artificial intelligence. He is passionate about communicating science and promoting critical thinking. Bernard Baars is best known as the originator of global workspace theory and global workspace dynamics, a theory of human cognitive architecture, the cortex and consciousness. Bernie is a former Senior Fellow in Theoretical Neurobiology at the Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla, CA, and Editor in Chief of the Society for MindBrain Sciences. He is author of many scientific papers, articles, essays, chapters, and acclaimed books and textbooks. Bernie is the recipient of the 2019 Hermann von Helmholtz Life Contribution Award b

"I think in terms of consciousness, it seems to me that these Feelings of Knowing are perhaps the conscious tip of the iceberg for this huge amount of unconscious processing that's going on of all this information in our environment, where maybe I couldn't tell you why I know there's danger, but I know." - Alea Skwara, PhD Candidate in the Perception, Cognition, and Cognitive Neuroscience (PCCN) area of the Psychology Department at UC Davis Global Workspace Theory: Exploring Evidence for Widespread Integration & Broadcasting of Conscious Signals - Part Two Episode 17 of the Podcast On Consciousness with Bernard Baars explores the links between cutting edge brain evidence and how that supports or updates our understanding of consciousness and the Global Workspace Theory (GWT). Talking Points 0:00 – Intro 5:24 – History of Global Workspace Theory 8:23 – Discussion Paper #1: Baars et al. (2013) Global Workspace Dynamics 9:32 - What is meant by “Widespread Integration?” 17:22 – The Neuroscience of Widespread Integration 25:26 – Corticothalamic Loops in Relation to GWT 30:10 – Localist vs Local-Global Theories 35:46 – “The Question of Introspection” 43:01 – How is Consciousness Assessed? 49:58 – Feelings of Knowing (FOKs) 54:33 – Discussion Paper #2: Gaillard et al. (2009) Converging Intracranial Markers... 1:04:20 – Discussion Paper #3: Herman et al. (2019) A Switch & Wave of Neuronal Activity 1:14:55 – Brain Oscillations: Gamma and Beta Bands 1:20:56 – Paper #4: Deco et al. (2021) Revisiting the Global Workspace 1:26:29 – Functional Rich Clubs 1:41:50 – The Future Quest for Consciousness Summary Episode 17 is the second in a three-part series on GWT Origins & Evidence, featuring our student interviewers, Alea Skwara and Ilian Daskalov. Together with Bernard Baars, they examine the recent neuroscientific study of consciousness. After some quick introductions, Alea briefly summarizes their discussion in Part I on the history of Global Workspace, how the theory evolved, as well as some of the core hypotheses it generates. Now we dive into the brain evidence. Global Workspace Theory (or GWT) was first formulated in the ‘80s as a psychological theory of how consciousness might operate. In Part I, we talked about the spotlight metaphor. One of the key predictions of GWT is “widespread integration and broadcasting.” This seems to be one of the predictions that can be most directly tested by brain activity, our topic today. Cortical Binding and Propagation The trio delves into the first of 4 papers, namely Baars’ 2013 paper called “Global Workspace Dynamics.” This paper comes as the result of four decades of cumulative work, which pulls together the evidence as of 2013. One of its key points connecting GWT to neuroscientific evidence is that GWT does not require (or suggest) an “anatomical hub” of coordinated activity, but, instead, a momentary, dynamic “functional hub.” Bernie, Alea and Ilian explore the question: What is the difference between an anatomical hub and a functional hub, and what does it mean to say that a functional hub is dynamic? Bernie explains how the conscious brain is characterized by ‘widespread integration and broadcasting.’ The cortex is like a large city with specialized neighborhoods, streets and alleys. There is an ever changing flow of traffic between them. He then suggests that the thalamus is more than a relay station of the brain, and that the sensory thalamus is an entryway to the giant cortico-thalamic (CT) system, which integrates and broadcasts conscious information. Next, Ilian asks how we can experimentally test conscious processes. This moves the conversation to Feelings of Knowing (FOKs), which is one fundamental type of conscious experience. Bernie makes the point that Feelings of Knowing are an integral part of the conscious stream. Evidence for GWT: Conscious Access, Gamma Activity, and Functional Rich Clubs The next paper is by Gaillard et al. (2009). It is an outstan

"The idea is to help people understand how this science is relevant to their daily lives. Our brain likes novelty. It gets this sort of dopamine hit when you give it new information. Capturing attention and getting people excited about the information is really important, especially when dealing with things like public health issues, for example.” – Dr. Heather Berlin, Neuropsychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai Episode 15: "Communicating Science Effectively and The Notion of Free Will" with Dr. Heather Berlin *On Consciousness* For Episode #15, our returning guest is neuropsychologist Dr. Heather Berlin, an Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Berlin is a trained neuroscientist and a clinical psychologist. She is also interested in the neural basis of consciousness, dynamic unconscious processes, the use of psychedelics to treat mental disorders, and in the neural basis of creativity. We discuss her work and passions in this episode. Talking Points 0:00 - Intro with Bernard Baars, Dr. Heather Berlin & Student Interviewer, Ilian Daskalov 1:14 - Self-regulation and impulsivity 6:59 - Communicating science effectively 10:57 - The future of AI 16:23 - The notion of free will 19:30 - Future scientific discoveries 22:33 - Advice for neuroscience students Summary Bernie Baars expresses his interest in the topic of human impulsivity and invites Dr. Berlin to share how her work has been shaped by studying the nature of self-regulation. Heather discusses her pursuit of trying to understand what makes us distinctly human, which led her on a journey of studying the functions of the prefrontal cortex. Additionally, the two also briefly touch on how Freud’s work has contributed to our understanding of the human mind. Bernie then welcomes Student Interviewer Ilian Daskalov, a Cognitive Science student at University of California, Irvine into the conversation to further explore her unique work, research and creative endeavors. Relating Science to Our Daily Lives They begin with the question “What makes someone an effective science communicator?” Heather explains that while there are many ways to communicate science, the key to capturing your audience’s attention stems from relating science information to their daily lives. Heather says: “First of all, find what you are good at, what medium you might be best at. You know, my husband raps about science, right? That's his medium. Then start to cultivate your medium. I think the kind of overarching aim that runs across them all is about connecting with people. I think on an emotional level, on a personal level -- because sometimes science can be abstract and objective, and that's what we want with science. It's objective. It's not amenable to our subjectivity, but at the same time that can feel very clinical. Distant. The idea is to help people understand how this science is relevant to their daily lives. How it's meaningful and what it means to them. Even if it's just inspiring a sense of awe, like, I don't know for sure about astrophysics, maybe it doesn't have any direct impact on our daily life, but just living in this universe and the enormity of it!! It’s awe inspiring! Our brain likes novelty. It gets this sort of dopamine hit when you give it new information. Capturing attention and getting people excited about the information is really important, especially when dealing with things like public health issues, for example.” Conscious AI and the Notion of Free Will Recalling a recent interview between Heather Berlin and Sophia the Robot, Ilian seeks to understand where the future development of general artificial intelligence is heading. Both Bernie and Heather express their skepticism that humanity will be able to create conscious machines. They go on to explain that while our understanding of consciousness is yet incomplete, the biological components that it consists of appear to be fundame

"The only way we get certainty or stability in the world is to start from what we know, and gradually move to what we don't know." - Bernard Baars, PhD, originator of the Global Workspace Theory, a theory of cognitive architecture and consciousness. Episode 13: "Thinking About Animal Consciousness" The question of whether some non-human animals are capable of awareness has vexed psychologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers of mind for many decades. In the final episode of Season One of The Podcast On Consciousness, Bernard Baars and David Edelman attempt to demystify animal consciousness. They suggest a comparative framework for investigating subjectivity that considers the human case as a benchmark, but at the same time emphasizes a kind of behavioral output as a form of report, akin to the language-based reports used in studies of human consciousness. Talking Points: 0:04 – Intro 1:38 – Where in the brain is consciousness located? 7:44 – Consciousness in non-mammalian animals 11:00 – The visual cortex 17:15 – How is consciousness defined? 25:01 - Behaviors as markers for subjectivity 30:02 –Sensory consciousness and higher order self-awareness 34:14 – Do cephalopods belong to the big C-club? 40:22 – The awareness of the self Bios: David Edelman, PhD: A neuroscientist and currently Visiting Scholar in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College, David has taught neuroscience at the University of San Diego and UCSD. He was Professor of Neuroscience at Bennington College until 2014 and visiting professor in the Department of Psychology, CUNY Brooklyn College from 2015-2017. He has conducted research in a wide range of areas, including mechanisms of gene regulation, the relationship between mitochondrial transport and brain activity, and visual perception in the octopus. A longstanding interest in the neural basis of consciousness led him to consider the importance—and challenge—of disseminating a more global view of brain function to a broad audience. Bernard Baars is best known as the originator of global workspace theory and global workspace dynamics, a theory of human cognitive architecture, the cortex and consciousness. Bernie is a former Senior Fellow in Theoretical Neurobiology at the Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla, CA, and Editor in Chief of the Society for MindBrain Sciences. He is author of many scientific papers, articles, essays, chapters, and acclaimed books and textbooks. Bernie is the recipient of the 2019 Hermann von Helmholtz Life Contribution Award by the International Neural Network Society, which recognizes work in perception proven to be paradigm changing and long-lasting. He teaches science. It keeps him out of trouble. Get a 40% Discount for your copy of Bernie Baars' acclaimed new book On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory GO TO: https://shop.thenautiluspress.com/collections/baars APPLY DISCOUNT CODE AT CHECKOUT: "PODCASTVIP" #podbean #podcast #spotify #itunes #podcasting #podcastlife #stitcher #podcasts #applepodcasts #googleplay #youtube #podcasters #podcaster #soundcloud #podcastshow #newpodcast #googlepodcasts #applepodcast #iheartradio #spotifypodcast #itunespodcast #podcastmovement #entertainment #castbox #radio #subscribe #listen #neuroscience #psychology #brain #globalworkspace #gwt #bernardbaars #davidedelman #markmitton #davidedelman #bernardbaars #brainscience #sciencepodcast #science

"Episodic memory involves conscious experiences being encoded. Same goes for semantic and autobiographical memories. All varieties of memories come in through conscious moments of recall. So, I think that consciousness is the means by which any kinds of memories are established." - Bernard Baars, PhD, originator of global workspace theory and global workspace dynamics, former Senior Fellow in Theoretical Neurobiology at the Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla, CA, editor in Chief of the Society for MindBrain Sciences, and a recipient of the 2019 Hermann von Helmholtz Life Contribution Award by the International Neural Network Society. EPISODE 11: Roundtable Part Four "Brain Regions and Neural Functions Critical to Conscious States" In the final episode of their roundtable talks, originator of Global Workspace Theory Bernard Baars, neuroscientist David Edelman, and developmental neuropsychiatrist Dr. Jay Giedd conclude their discussion by analyzing the brain areas which are critical for higher brain function, neuroimaging techniques associated with detecting conscious experiences, and the possible existence of consciousness in non-mammalian animals. Get your 40% Discount for your copy of Bernie Baars' acclaimed new book On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory GO TO: https://shop.thenautiluspress.com/collections/baars APPLY DISCOUNT CODE AT CHECKOUT: "PODCASTVIP" Talking Points 00:03 – Introduction by David Edelman 02:09 – The Role of Thalamus and Cortex in Higher Brain Processing 08:08 – Is Memory Fundamental to Consciousness 12:14 – Brain Variations Between Mammals and Other Animals 16:22 – Differences Between Sleep and Awake States in the Human Brain Summary of the Conversation In this absorbing episode of ‘On Consciousness,’ Bernard Baars, David Edelman, and developmental neuropsychiatrist Dr. Jay Giedd initiate the conversation by considering the functional aspects of the brain that are believed to be absolutely critical to consciousness. Bernie, Jay, and David ponder the role of cortex and thalamus in higher brain function, including conscious processing. Bernie underlines the problem of considering the linkage between thalamus and cortex as merely a simple feedback loop. From an engineering perspective, this sort of circuit could not possibly work as such an arrangement would inevitably, as Bernie puts it, lead to effective failure of the thalamocortical circuit. Instead, it seems to be the case that the cortex functions in a state of near-criticality. As Jay indicates, this implies that the cortex is always at a tipping point, i.e., close to a phase transition and “always ready to be influenced.” Elucidating the neurobiology of consciousness has been somewhat hindered by technical hurdles. But, despite the spatial and temporal limitations of current neurophysiological and imaging technologies, David observes that certain aspects of brain anatomy—including cortex and thalamus—have been established as the sine qua non of conscious experience in mammals. In an optimistic vein, Jay offers that new combinations of existing techniques (such as MEG, EEG, and fMRI) may soon yield a much clearer picture. Next, Edelman, Baars, and Giedd consider the idea that certain higher neural processes are central to consciousness, even though those processes may often function independently of any state of awareness. Memory, which seems to be fundamental to conscious experience, is one such process. While memory and recall figure prominently in conscious experience, it’s certainly the case that some varieties of memory are regularly engaged during non-conscious states and behaviors. The trio concludes the conversation by reflecting on the prospect of consciousness as a biological phenomenon. Additionally, they consider the possibility of consciousness in animals distant from the mammalian line and as it is the case of the octopus, a creature separated from the vertebrate ra

"You highlighted the difference that makes a difference. Тhis is not only a neat catchphrase, but there's also something very deep about it. And sleep, in fact, is a really interesting aspect of behavior, that maybe gives us a window on the difference between conscious and non-conscious processes in the brain, because there is a distinct difference and it is recordable." - David Edelman, PhD, A neuroscientist and a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College EPISODE 9: Roundtable Part Two - What is the Difference That Makes a Difference? In a continuation from their previous conversation, Neuroscientist David Edelman and Developmental Neuropsychiatrist Jay Giedd, Professor of Psychiatry at UCSD School of Medicine and Director of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Rady Children's Hospital are joined by Bernard Baars, the originator of the global workspace theory and global workspace dynamics, a theory of human cognitive architecture, the cortex and consciousness. In this contemplative conversation the trio touches on subjects involving how consciousness gets defined, the developing process of an adolescent human brain, and the role that sensory organs play in an individual's perception of reality. Get your 40% Discount for your copy of Bernie Baars' acclaimed new book On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory GO TO: https://shop.thenautiluspress.com/collections/baars APPLY DISCOUNT CODE AT CHECKOUT: "PODCASTVIP" Talking Points 0:00 – Intro by David Edelman. 2:00 – David Edelman welcomes Bernard Baars to the conversation. 2:31 – Edelman initiates the discussion by revealing what consciousness means to him and how it could be reduced to main aspects (An idea which is based on his father’s views). 6:22 – Baars points out that the exploration of consciousness is an idea that has been an inevitable part of humanity and a necessary trait. 9:40 – Edelman and Baars discuss the importance of being able to socially broadcast your model of the world as part of the conscious experience. 13:17 - Giedd and Edelman discuss whether having some type of social skills is a requirement for consciousness or if it is instead a product of it. 19:12 – Jay makes a connection between social skills and the development of the cortex, its structure, and how important it appears to be for the emergence of consciousness 22:12 – The development and integration of neuronal connections in the brain, responsible for essential bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing. 24:35 – Is consciousness a constant or are there variations of it? 26:22 – The uniqueness of the olfactory system and its close interconnectedness to the emotional system. 30:31 – The sensation of smell and the human brain’s inability to recreate a memory of smell, the way it would for a visual image 32:11 – Baars steers the conversation towards visual perceptional differences. 34:55 – Jay Giedd discusses some of the rare conditions in humans which allow for the richer perception of external stimuli Summary of the Conversation Bernard Baars has often referred to consciousness as the difference that makes a difference. When we reflect on our everyday experience versus the absence of anything attended to or recalled, as is the case during a deep, dreamless sleep or under general anesthesia — that difference which distinguishes conscious experience from the rest of our mental lives becomes quite obvious.But, how would we characterize that difference?What is it about a particular animal’s makeup — its nervous and sensory systems, its behavior, its social interactions — that singles out that animal as truly conscious? In this episode of ‘On Consciousness’, Baars, Edelman, and Giedd explore these questions in a thought-provoking discussion, starting with their perspectives on the nature of consciousness. To begin with, David posits a relatively straightforward definition of conscious

In this uplifting episode recorded at La Jolla landmark D.G. Wills Books, neuroscientists Bernie Baars & David Edelman unpack the nature of consciousness — the ineffable sense of ‘aboutness’ each one of us experiences that encompasses features of the outside world, your own thoughts, recollections, and emotions, all of which mysteriously — yet inevitably — arise from the coordinated firing of neurons in the cerebral cortex and other regions of the brain. David reads from Bernie's new book, “On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory." Bernie and David begin by considering the problem of subjectivity — in particular, the tortuous twenty-five centuries-long struggle to place it within a scientific framework and at the same time reconcile such an endeavor with everyday first-hand descriptions of human experience. They conclude that a major roadblock has been the tendency to set aside or even actively dismiss subjective descriptions in the quest to tease out some kind of objective truth about the nature of conscious experience. To underscore the idea that we can, in some sense, square the objective, physical attributes of the world with their subjective representation in the brain, Bernie and David mull over the perception of color as one example of a subjective transform of an objective phenomenon—namely, the differences in wavelengths of light. Given that the human visual system filters certain physical properties of light (as humans, we can’t perceive light wavelengths less than 380nm or greater than 740nm, nor can we perceive polarized light), our conscious perception of the visual world must necessarily be subjective in nature and, considering our individual differences (e.g., how we’re each uniquely embodied), entirely unique to, and privileged for, each of us. Bernie and David then move on to ethical and evolutionary considerations inspired by attempts to come to grips with the existence and nature of consciousness in non-human animals. Given the ancient moral and ethical underpinnings of human culture, they suggest that the evolutionary story of consciousness must necessarily be linked to considerations of how we treat non-human animals. Based on neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and behavioral similarities between mammals and birds, it seems likely that a large number of animals are capable of conscious experience. In fact, the complex nervous systems and sophisticated behavioral repertoires of some animals quite distant from the vertebrate line (i.e., the octopus) suggest that a faculty for consciousness may well be quite ancient and extend to at least a few branches of complex life. Accordingly, Bernie and David reinforce the ethical dilemma that non-human consciousness poses. How do we reconcile our treatment of non-human animals with the idea that, like us, many of these beings are capable of feeling pain and experiencing a broad palette of emotions? To conclude the discussion, Bernie and David ponder the critical role of memory in consciousness and consider the problem of limited capacity – the idea that your nervous system can only handle so much information and processing tasks at once. In regard to memory, Bernie points to the importance of the cerebral cortex—the ‘central store’ for conscious contents—for engendering states of awareness in humans and non-human mammals. He further notes that conscious contents are always internally consistent, despite the fact that very different—and quite often inconsistent—streams of information may be impinging on your senses all at once. In other words, the brain builds an internally consistent story about the world—even if certain strands of that story don’t make sense from an external perspective. Why is this the case? Regarding limited capacity, Bernie suggests that it is biologically paradoxical. For example, the selective awareness that comes with limited capacity can sometimes result in people walking into tr

Why are we conscious? Is cortex the organ of mind? Throughout human history, people have perceived the conscious brain as the great nexus of human life, of social relationships, of their personal identities and histories, in encounters with new challenges. In Episode #5 of the podcast On Consciousness, Bernard Baars, originator of GWT, talks with neuroscientists David Edelman and Jay Giedd, roboticist Jeff Krichmar, magician Mark Mitton, and editor Natalie Geld about our growing understanding of the many relationships between the structure and functions of the brain and our own private experiences. Discover the conscious brain. Consciousness under its many labels and manifestations is widely seen to be one of the core mysteries of life. A great many therapeutic approaches can be viewed in a global workspace framework, including traditional psychodynamics and depth psychology, but also cognitive behavioral techniques, and, indeed, many other kinds of carefully studied human functions. Making progress in understanding consciousness therefore has an endless number of implications - philosophical, metaphysical, scientific, medical, clinical, and practical. "Baars' Global Workspace Theory is practical and elegant, addressing both conscious and unconscious activity. If anyone thinks there is a "hard problem" in this field, they need to read On Consciousness before they make that assumption." ~Stanley Krippner, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Saybrook University. Cognitive Neurobiologist and originator of GWT Bernard J.Baars, Author of "ON CONSCIOUSNESS: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory" Neuroscientist David Edelman, PhD, Visiting Scholar, Dept of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College Neuroscientist Dr. Jay Giedd, Director of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Rady Children's Hospital; Professor of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine Neuroscientist & Roboticist Jeffrey Krichmar, PHD, UC Irvine Professional Magician Mark Mitton Editor of "ON CONSCIOUSNESS" Natalie Geld, CEO & Founder, MedNeuro, Inc. Special Podcast VIP 40% Discount for Bernie Baars' new book, "On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory" - GO TO: https://shop.thenautiluspress.com/collections/baars APPLY CODE AT CHECKOUT: PODCASTVIP Video Podcast of Episode #5 - Part Four of NATURALIZING CONSCIOUSNESS: A Talk with Psychobiologist and Originator of Global Workspace Theory, Bernard Baars exploring conscious and unconscious brain events.

The engine of evolution is geared to overproduce and selectively eliminate. How do biological systems confront, adapt, and survive an ever-changing world? This is the central question that defined Charles Darwin’s scientific journey. In Episode #4 of NATURALIZING CONSCIOUSNESS - the premiere event for the new podcast "On Consciousness with Bernard Baars" - neuroscientists Bernard Baars, David Edelman, Jay Giedd, Jeff Krichmar, professional magician Mark Mitton, and editor Natalie Geld unpack the Theory of Neuronal Group Selection (TNGS) and make the case that this theory lays out tractable biological ‘first principles’ for building a brain that learns, remembers, and experiences. 160 years after On the Origin of Species, Natural Selection provides a framework for understanding adaptation at many different scales of biological organization, from protein translation (e.g., ribosomes acting as mRNA message ‘filters’ which determine final protein products), to the immune response (i.e., ‘recognition’ of foreign agents or pathogens by antibodies), to organismal development (e.g., morphogenesis; embryogenesis, etc.), to the origin of species and dynamics of vast ecologies (e.g., rainforest canopies, grasslands, island biogeography, etc.). Could the very same Darwinian principles help explain how complex nervous systems adapt? It seems like a strange thought. BUT MORE THAN FORTY YEARS AGO, GERALD EDELMAN PROPOSED NEURAL DARWINISM, or the Theory of Neuronal Group Selection (TNGS), to account for the development and function of the human brain. Neural Darwinism proposes that the functional circuitry of the brain is determined by selective forces operating during development and throughout the life of an organism. It provides a robust biological framework for understanding brain function, including consciousness--the most complex and mysterious of all brain processes. In a nearly six decade long career, Gerald M. Edelman’s research spanned diverse areas of biological science, including immunology, developmental biology, and neuroscience. The common thread running through all of Dr. Edelman’s pursuits was an enduring interest in the relationship between biology and human experience. Neural Darwinism represents the culmination of his efforts to reconcile the two. SIMILARLY, COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGIST BERNARD BAARS HAS SOUGHT TO LINK FUNDAMENTAL BRAIN PROCESSES and conscious human experience. His Global Workspace Theory and Edelman’s Neural Darwinism naturally complement one another. Both theories propose that the conscious brain supports numerous unconscious processes which together yield a single, coherent stream of experiences. Through recent neuroscientific advances, we have begun to lift the veil of mystery surrounding consciousness. In this open-minded discussion, our roundtable experts explore Neural Darwinism and Global Workspace in the context of these advances and make the case that together, these complementary theories provide a rich biological roadmap of subjective experience. COGNITIVE NEUROBIOLOGIST BERNARD J. BAARS, Author of "ON CONSCIOUSNESS: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory" NEUROSCIENTIST DAVID EDELMAN, PHD, Visiting Scholar, Dept of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College NEUROSCIENTIST DR. JAY GIEDD, Director of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Rady Children's Hospital; Professor of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine NEUROSCIENTIST & ROBOTICIST JEFFREY KRICHMAR, PHD, UC Irvine PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN MARK MITTON EDITOR OF "ON CONSCIOUSNESS" NATALIE GELD, CEO & Founder, MedNeuro, Inc. Special Podcast VIP 40% Discount for Bernie Baars' new book, "On Consciousness: Science & Subjectivity - Updated Works on Global Workspace Theory" - GO TO: https://shop.thenautiluspress.com/collections/baars APPLY CODE AT CHECKOUT: PODCASTVIP Video Podcast of Episode #4 - Part Three of NATURALIZING CONSCIOUSNESS: Roundtable on Neural Darwinism and Global Workspace Theory