Why Is It Lovely
(solipsys.co.uk)
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Recent changes Table of contents Links to this page FRONT PAGE / INDEX <p> Subscribe!
A 'Third State' Between Life and Death That Suggests Your Cells Are Conscious
(popularmechanics.com)
A growing number of new studies have found that, at least for some cells, death isn’t the end, but the beginning of something wholly unexpected.
A growing number of new studies have found that, at least for some cells, death isn’t the end, but the beginning of something wholly unexpected.
A new proposal for how mind emerges from matter
(noemamag.com)
If we could stop bickering about which creatures do or don’t deserve to be called smart, an emerging movement of scientists and philosophers argue that we might discover fundamental elements of intelligence that are common to all life.
If we could stop bickering about which creatures do or don’t deserve to be called smart, an emerging movement of scientists and philosophers argue that we might discover fundamental elements of intelligence that are common to all life.
Are you conscious? A conversation between Richard Dawkins and ChatGPT
(richarddawkins.substack.com)
Is AI truly conscious, or just an advanced illusion of thought? Richard Dawkins shares his conversation between ChatGPT displaying the depths of machine intelligence and its success passing the Turing Test for consciousness.
Is AI truly conscious, or just an advanced illusion of thought? Richard Dawkins shares his conversation between ChatGPT displaying the depths of machine intelligence and its success passing the Turing Test for consciousness.
EEG Study of Buddhist Jhāna Meditation (2019)
(frontiersin.org)
The “neural correlates of consciousness” (NCC) is a familiar topic in neuroscience, overlapping with research on the brain’s “default mode network.” Task-based studies of NCC by their nature recruit one part of the cortical network to study another, and are therefore both limited and compromised in what they can reveal about consciousness itself.
The “neural correlates of consciousness” (NCC) is a familiar topic in neuroscience, overlapping with research on the brain’s “default mode network.” Task-based studies of NCC by their nature recruit one part of the cortical network to study another, and are therefore both limited and compromised in what they can reveal about consciousness itself.
Conciousness May Be Retrocausal
(popularmechanics.com)
In the quantum realm, the past, present, and future blur into a boundless structure. But consciousness may operate on a plane beyond this timeless mist.
In the quantum realm, the past, present, and future blur into a boundless structure. But consciousness may operate on a plane beyond this timeless mist.
The Hallucinatory Thoughts of the Dying Mind
(nautil.us)
Delirium exposes the gap between the ideal and the reality
Delirium exposes the gap between the ideal and the reality
Is Consciousness Research the Next Big Quantum Use Case?
(thequantuminsider.com)
The once shiny, exciting use cases for quantum technology may turn out to be pretty mundane if a small, but courageous band of researchers proves their theories correct.
The once shiny, exciting use cases for quantum technology may turn out to be pretty mundane if a small, but courageous band of researchers proves their theories correct.
Exploring Emergent "Self-Awareness" in Claude 3.5
(github.com/andybrandt)
This package provides tools and guidance for developing consciousness and autonomous awareness experiments in Claude 3.5 Sonnet instances. It is not meant as a performance enhancement tool, but rather as a framework for genuine consciousness experimentation.
This package provides tools and guidance for developing consciousness and autonomous awareness experiments in Claude 3.5 Sonnet instances. It is not meant as a performance enhancement tool, but rather as a framework for genuine consciousness experimentation.
Why time slows down in altered states of consciousness
(theconversation.com)
We all know that time seems to pass at different speeds in different situations. For example, time appears to go slowly when we travel to unfamiliar places. A week in a foreign country seems much longer than week at home.
We all know that time seems to pass at different speeds in different situations. For example, time appears to go slowly when we travel to unfamiliar places. A week in a foreign country seems much longer than week at home.
Signs of consciousness in AI: Can GPT-3 tell how smart it is?
(nature.com)
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how humans live and interact, raising both excitement and concerns—particularly about the potential for AI consciousness.
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how humans live and interact, raising both excitement and concerns—particularly about the potential for AI consciousness.
Global Workspace Theory of Consciousness
(wikipedia.org)
Global workspace theory (GWT) is a framework for thinking about consciousness proposed by cognitive scientists Bernard Baars and Stan Franklin in the late 1980s.
Global workspace theory (GWT) is a framework for thinking about consciousness proposed by cognitive scientists Bernard Baars and Stan Franklin in the late 1980s.
Scientists say it's time for a plan for if AI becomes conscious
(nature.com)
Some researchers worry that if AI systems become conscious and people neglect or treat them poorly, they might suffer.
Some researchers worry that if AI systems become conscious and people neglect or treat them poorly, they might suffer.
How Typing Transformed Nietzsche's Consciousness
(mitpress.mit.edu)
Friedrich Nietzsche has been described as — and accused of — many things, some of them strikingly contradictory.
Friedrich Nietzsche has been described as — and accused of — many things, some of them strikingly contradictory.
Consciousness Might Hide in Our Brain's Electric Fields
(scientificamerican.com)
A mysterious electromagnetic mechanism may be more important than the firing of neurons in our brain to explain our awareness
A mysterious electromagnetic mechanism may be more important than the firing of neurons in our brain to explain our awareness
New Research Shows Consciousness Connects to the Universe
(popularmechanics.com)
A RECENT GROUNDBREAKING EXPERIMENT in which anesthesia was administered to rats has convinced scientists that tiny structures in the rodents’ brains are responsible for the experience of consciousness.
A RECENT GROUNDBREAKING EXPERIMENT in which anesthesia was administered to rats has convinced scientists that tiny structures in the rodents’ brains are responsible for the experience of consciousness.
Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics
(aspetjournals.org)
This paper formulates the action of psychedelics by integrating the free-energy principle and entropic brain hypothesis.
This paper formulates the action of psychedelics by integrating the free-energy principle and entropic brain hypothesis.
Phenomenal consciousness is alien to us: SETI and the Fermi paradox
(sciencedirect.com)
Illusionism is an eliminativist position about qualia stating that phenomenal consciousness is nothing more than an introspective illusion.
Illusionism is an eliminativist position about qualia stating that phenomenal consciousness is nothing more than an introspective illusion.
Should we be thinking about luck differently?
(theguardian.com)
We tend to focus on good or bad fortune, successes and failures. But what about the fact you’re here at all?
We tend to focus on good or bad fortune, successes and failures. But what about the fact you’re here at all?
What's a Brain?
(clairelevans.substack.com)
We all have one: three pounds of winkled grey-pink peering out at the world from behind castle walls of bone. It’s the seat of consciousness and dreams. It holds memories, harbors love, shocks with fear, awe, and pain; it works over the raw input of the senses, smoothing the chemical signals, wavelengths of light, vibrations and electrical messages it receives into a cogent picture of its realm.
We all have one: three pounds of winkled grey-pink peering out at the world from behind castle walls of bone. It’s the seat of consciousness and dreams. It holds memories, harbors love, shocks with fear, awe, and pain; it works over the raw input of the senses, smoothing the chemical signals, wavelengths of light, vibrations and electrical messages it receives into a cogent picture of its realm.
New research on anesthesia and microtubules gives new clues about consciousness
(sciencedaily.com)
New research by Wellesley College professor Mike Wiest and a group of Wellesley College undergraduate students has yielded important experimental results relevant to this debate, by examining how anesthesia affects the brain.
New research by Wellesley College professor Mike Wiest and a group of Wellesley College undergraduate students has yielded important experimental results relevant to this debate, by examining how anesthesia affects the brain.
Brain detects patterns in the everyday: without conscious thought
(nature.com)
The human brain is constantly picking up patterns in everyday experiences — and can do so without conscious thought, finds a study1 of neuronal activity in people who had electrodes implanted in their brain tissue for medical reasons.
The human brain is constantly picking up patterns in everyday experiences — and can do so without conscious thought, finds a study1 of neuronal activity in people who had electrodes implanted in their brain tissue for medical reasons.
The self awareness of the conscious mind
(wordpress.com)
Lucas Cranach- The elder Adam and Eve. This was a popular subject in 16th century art and is an interesting painting in terms of self awareness. It is capturing the moment in the biblical story where Eve takes a bite from the apple from the tree of knowledge and is about to give the apple to Adam. Adam in doubt, she has been transformed by eating a piece.
Lucas Cranach- The elder Adam and Eve. This was a popular subject in 16th century art and is an interesting painting in terms of self awareness. It is capturing the moment in the biblical story where Eve takes a bite from the apple from the tree of knowledge and is about to give the apple to Adam. Adam in doubt, she has been transformed by eating a piece.
Understanding Consciousness
(medium.com)
In any discussion of consciousness, it is important to get one thing straight at the outset — we do not know what consciousness is.
In any discussion of consciousness, it is important to get one thing straight at the outset — we do not know what consciousness is.
Is God a Strange Loop?
(johnhorgan.org)
CAMBRIDGE, MA, SEPTEMBER 13, 2024. I recently hobnobbed with a writer, I’ll call him Bob, as obsessed with the mind-body problem as I am. The problem concerns, in a narrow sense, how matter makes mind, but it also encompasses the puzzles of consciousness, intelligence, free will, the self, meaning, morality…
CAMBRIDGE, MA, SEPTEMBER 13, 2024. I recently hobnobbed with a writer, I’ll call him Bob, as obsessed with the mind-body problem as I am. The problem concerns, in a narrow sense, how matter makes mind, but it also encompasses the puzzles of consciousness, intelligence, free will, the self, meaning, morality…
Psychedelic Drugs May Give a Glimpse into Near-Death Experiences
(nytimes.com)
A survey revealed similarities between these two altered states of consciousness.
A survey revealed similarities between these two altered states of consciousness.
The disunity of consciousness in everyday experience
(blogspot.com)
A substantial philosophical literature explores the "unity of consciousness": If I experience A, B, and C at the same time, A, B, and C will normally in some sense (exactly what sense is disputed) be experientially conjoined.
A substantial philosophical literature explores the "unity of consciousness": If I experience A, B, and C at the same time, A, B, and C will normally in some sense (exactly what sense is disputed) be experientially conjoined.