thehardproblem

The Hard Problem by Jesse Winters

Science EN ↓ 155 episodes

This podcast is a deep exploration of the problem of consciousness. Presented by Jesse Winters, The Hard Problem reviews critical evidence in the neuroscience literature, insights from the philosophy of mind, and the author’s novel ideas in pursuit of a robust theory of consciousness.

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thehardproblem

Episodes

The Pseudoscience Letter 21.10.2023 16:02

Key References: Fleming et al. 'The Integrated Information Theory of Consciousness as Pseudoscience' 2023

The Paradox of Interdependence 21.09.2023 24:49

Key References: Alan Watts 'This is It' 1958

Self or Not-Self 09.08.2023 18:08

Key References: Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rimpoche 'Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness' 1986 Arthur Schopenhauer from 'The Essential Schopenhauer' 2010

Adversarial Theories 11.07.2023 21:28

Key References: Elizabeth Finkel ‘Adversarial Search for Neural Basis of Consciousness Yields First Results’, 2023 Lucia Melloni et al. (preprint) ‘An Adversarial Collaboration to Critically Evaluate Theories of Consciousness’, 2023

On Pursuing What One Wants 17.06.2023 18:55

Key References: Sebastian Junger 'Tribe' 2016

Prefrontal Consciousness 04.06.2023 19:04

Key References: Omri Raccah, Ned Block, and Kieran Fox 'Does the Prefrontal Cortex Play an Essential Role in Consciousness? Insights from Intracranial Electrical Stimulation of the Human Brain?' 2021

Emergence and Non-Duality 21.05.2023 20:37

Key References: Zoran Josipovic 'Implicit–explicit gradient of nondual awareness or consciousness as such' 2021

Reality as Territory 23.04.2023 20:50

Key References: Christoph Durt, Tom Froese, and Thomas Fuchs 'Against AI Understanding and Sentience: Large Language Models, Meaning, and the Patterns of Human Language Use' 2023

On Dreaming and Daydreaming 03.04.2023 18:04

Key References: Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold 'When Brains Dream' 2021 Obada Al Zoubi et al. 'Taking the body off the mind: Decreased functional connectivity between somatomotor and default‐mode networks following Floatation‐REST' 2021

The Lucidity of Conscious States 27.03.2023 16:53

Key References: Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold 'When Brains Dream' 2021 Hanna Hayat et al. 'Locus coeruleus norepinephrine activity mediates sensory-evoked awakenings from sleep' 2020

Reincarnation and Time 08.03.2023 16:51

Key References: Albert Einstein 'Relativity' 1916 Dean Buonomano 'Your Brain is a Time Machine' 2017 Carlo Rovelli 'The Order of Time' 2018

Of Myth and Madness 17.02.2023 20:13

Key References: Julian Jaynes 'The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind' 1976 Oliver Sacks 'Hallucinations' 2012

Mistaken for Consciousness 31.01.2023 22:17

Key References: Bjorn Merker, Kenneth Williford, and David Rudrauf 'The Integrated Information Theory: A Case of Mistaken Identity' 2022

Entropy and Pain 20.01.2023 20:01

Key References: Brett Kagan, Andy Kitchen, Nhi Tran, Forough Habibollahi, Moein Khajehnejad, Bradyn Parker, Anjali Bhat, Ben Rollo, Adeel Razi, and Karl Friston, 'In Vitro Neurons Learn and Exhibit Sentience When Embodied in a Simulated Game World', 2022 Karl Friston 'The Free-Energy Principle: A Unified Brain Theory?' 2010

The Reward Function 06.01.2023 16:52

Key References: Matthew Hutson 'AI learns the art of diplomacy' 2022 'Lex Fridman Podcast' #344 with Noam Brown, 2022

Intelligence In Vitro 15.12.2022 23:50

Key References: Brett Kagan, Andy Kitchen, Nhi Tran, Forough Habibollahi, Moein Khajehnejad, Bradyn Parker, Anjali Bhat, Ben Rollo, Adeel Razi, and Karl Friston, 'In Vitro Neurons Learn and Exhibit Sentience When Embodied in a Simulated Game World', 2022 Fabrizia Claudia Guarnieri, Antoine de Chevigny, Antonio Falace, and Carlos Cardoso 'Disorders of Neurogenesis and Cortical Development', 2018

Science and Ideology 28.11.2022 27:40

Key References: 'Great Dialogues of Plato' Translated by W. H. D. Rouse, 1956 The Intercept 'Leaked Documents Outline DHS's Plans to Police Disinformation', 2022 Jordan Moss and Peter J. O'Connor 'The Dark Triad Traits Predict Authoritarian Political Correctness and Alt-Right Attitudes' 2020

Intuitions and Elephants 19.11.2022 19:30

Key References: Jonathan Haidt 'The Righteous Mind' 2012 Oliver Sacks 'The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat' 1970 Kaushal Shah, Shailesh B. Jain, and Roopma Wadhwa 'Capgras Syndrome' 2022

Awareness and Arousal 10.11.2022 19:12

Key References: Minji Lee et al. 'Quantifying Arousal and Awareness in Altered States of Consciousness Using Interpretable Deep Learning' 2022 Christof Koch 'The Quest for Consciousness' 2004 David Chalmers 'The Conscious Mind' 1996

Death and Consciousness 28.10.2022 20:23

Key References: Michael Shermer 'The Believing Brain' 2011 Oliver Sacks 'Hallucinations' 2012 Chris Timmermann et al. 'DMT Models the Near-Death Experience' 2018 Raul Vicente et al. 'Enhanced Interplay of Neuronal Coherence and Coupling in the Dying Human Brain' 2022 Jimo Borjigin et al. 'Surge of Neurophysiological Coherence and Connectivity in the Dying Brain' 2013

Consciousness and Working Memory 20.10.2022 22:14

Key References: Jeff Hawkins 'A Thousand Brains' 2021 Boris Velichkovsky 'Consciousness and Working Memory: Current Trends and Research Perspectives' 2017

Consciousness and Working Memory 20.10.2022 22:14

Key References: Jeff Hawkins 'A Thousand Brains' 2021 Boris Velichkovsky 'Consciousness and Working Memory: Current Trends and Research Perspectives' 2017

The Soul and Psyche 05.10.2022 17:37

Key References: Gregory Koukl 'The Story of Reality' 2017 Aristotle 'Psychology' and 'Ethics'

Empathy and Will 24.09.2022 22:43

Key References: Simon Baron-Cohen 'The Science of Evil' 2011 Robert Wright 'Why Buddhism is True' 2017

Mind in a Bottle 18.09.2022 15:17