A “State Of The Union” Look At Lucid Dreaming With Neuroscientist Benjamin Baird [#40]

Join neuroscientist Benjamin Baird for a “state of the union” look at lucid dreaming in the scientific community. Is this a good time for a young scientist to pursue the study of lucid dreaming?  If so, what’s the best way to go about that? After sharing his personal story about studying consciousness via lucid dreaming, the conversation turns to a brief but deep dive into the nature of reality, and the explanatory power of idealism (it’s all mind) vs. materialism (it’s all matter). Naïve realism and the mistake of representationalism take center stage, followed by a look at Ben’s study on meditators having more lucid dreams. What is the role of meditation in cultivating lucidity? How feasible is it to find a magic bullet for inducing lucidity, by either targeting sweet spots in the brain through pharmacological means (galantamine), or transcranial electrical stimulation? Based on another study he conducted with Stephen LaBerge, Ben shares his tips for the use of galantamine. Is it scientifically accurate to profess that lucid dreamers are leading the edge of human evolution? The conversation then turns to the radical study Dr. Baird is currently undertaking: trying to substantiate the claim of lucidity in deep dreamless sleep. If proven, this study would revolutionize the mind sciences. You will quickly see why Ben is one of the leading voices in the scientific community currently studying the nocturnal practices.

Dr. Benjamin Baird is a research scientist at the Center for Sleep and Consciousness at the University of Wisconsin - Madison specializing in the study of human cognition and consciousness. His work uses a range of behavioral and cognitive neuroscience methods, including electrophysiology and neuroimaging techniques. His areas of research include internally generated thought and perception, such as mind-wandering and dreaming, self-awareness and metacognition, and the neurobiology of consciousness. He also has a particular long-standing interest in the phenomenon of lucid dreaming, which he has focused on in his recent research.