The Book of Minds: Philip Ball on Animals, Plants, AI, and Consciousness

Am I conscious? Yes. How about you, or a chimpanzee or a parrot? Almost definitely. What about an oak tree, a bacterium, an electron, or God? In The Book of Minds: How To Understand Ourselves and Other Beings, From Animals to AI to Aliens, science writer Philip Ball explores the minds or mind-like qualities that seem to exist in the world, and how best to make sense of it all when the science of subjective experience remains so uncertain. He joined me for this episode to discuss the book, the evolution of nervous systems, and the difference between animals and a Roomba.

Learn more about the book here: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/B/bo180760293.html

Follow Philip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/philipcball

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