The Wright Show Golden Oldie: What is consciousness for? (Robert Wright & David Chalmers)
Jul 8, 2025
David Chalmers, a renowned philosopher from NYU, dives deep into the intriguing realm of consciousness. He explores the complexities of subjective experience and critiques conventional brain-centric explanations. The discussion flows from epiphenomenalism to the intersection of consciousness and evolution, probing whether consciousness serves any evolutionary purpose. Chalmers also examines its relationship with quantum mechanics, questioning the role consciousness plays in phenomena like wave function collapse. It's a captivating exploration of reality, awareness, and the essence of existence.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Defining Consciousness
- Consciousness is subjective experience defined by what it feels like from the inside.
- It differs from self-consciousness and can be felt by many animals, not just humans.
Consciousness' Mysterious Role
- Most cognitive and behavioral sciences explain behavior without mentioning consciousness.
- It's unclear what causal role consciousness plays in producing behavior, raising deep questions.
Epiphenomenalism Explained
- Epiphenomenalism views consciousness as caused by the body but having no causal influence back.
- This view suggests consciousness is like a shadow, caused but not causing physical actions.
