The Consciousness Winter

The podcast discusses the concept of a 'consciousness winter,' which is described as a prolonged period during which consciousness research had little progress. This winter took place from around the 1930s to 40s, when behaviorism gained popularity and pushed consciousness out of scientific consideration. It wasn't until the 80s and 90s that consciousness started to be studied again. The podcast highlights the impact this winter had on culture, including a decline in interest in consciousness-related topics in literature and art. The discussion also emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of consciousness research, which involves fields like neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and the humanities.