How to Train a Happy Mind Free Will, Consciousness, & Reality with Dr. Anil Seth #130
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Mar 28, 2023 
Dr. Anil Seth, a leading expert in cognitive neuroscience, shares insights from his book, Being You. He discusses the scientific definition of consciousness, challenges the idea of free will, and presents the fascinating concept of reality as a controlled hallucination. Seth reveals how the Dreamachine art installation evokes profound consciousness experiences. The conversation also explores consciousness across different life forms, linking neural architecture and identity through predictive processing, while bridging science with ancient wisdom.
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Consciousness Defined as Experience
- Consciousness is defined as the presence of experience, or what it feels like to be an organism.
- It doesn't necessarily imply intelligence, language, or an independent self.
Three Aspects of Consciousness
- Consciousness can be understood as global level, content, and self-experience.
- These aspects help isolate parts of consciousness without tackling the whole 'hard problem'.
Nervous Systems and Consciousness
- Consciousness appears closely tied to nervous systems, typically found in animals.
- Rich behaviors in fungi and plants suggest complexity but likely lack conscious experience.
