Anil Seth | Prof. of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, University of Sussex
- Anil is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex.
- He pioneered research in the brain basis of consciousness, for over 20 years.
Podcast
Overview
The relationship between neuroscience and philosophy is a captivating and dynamic intersection that explores fundamental questions about the nature of the mind, consciousness, perception, and human experience. While neuroscience focuses on the scientific study of the brain and its functions, philosophy delves into inquiries about knowledge, existence, morality, and the nature of reality. In today’s episode, we discuss the dynamics of this multidisciplinary interaction between neuroscience and philosophy.
[00:36] – About Anil Seth
- Anil is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex.
- He pioneered research in the brain basis of consciousness, for over 20 years.
- Anil is also the author of the best-selling book, “Being You: A New Science of Consciousness.” an instant Sunday Times Bestseller and a 2021 Book of the Year for the Economist, New Statesman, Bloomberg, and a Science Book of the Year for the Guardian and the Financial Times
- He has published more than 200 academic papers and is listed in Web of Science ‘highly cited researcher’ index, which recognizes the world’s most influential researchers over the past decade. He is the lead scientist on the groundbreaking Dreamachine project.
[01:50] – Why are you so fascinated with the topic of neuroscience?
- It is one of the deepest mysteries that still remain in science and philosophy.
- People have wondered about consciousness since they’ve wondered about anything, and we still don’t really understand despite the progress that has been made.
- For me, it is also a personal mystery.
- Unlike quantum mechanics, it is about consciousness that makes life for each of us worth living.
- We all want to understand ourselves better.
[21:34] – Tell me about “The Dreamachine Project,” where you are involved as lead scientist.
- It is an example of what can happen when you bring people from very different disciplines together.
- It had its origins both in art with an artist called Brian Gysin and in science with a neuroscientist called William Gray Walter, in the 1950s.
- The basic phenomenon, discovered by both, was that if you have someone close their eyes and expose them to very bright, flickering light at the right frequencies, pretty much everyone will have very vivid visual hallucinations.
- It is an altered state of consciousness, but a very controllable one.
- It is a state that doesn’t require any drugs. People find it quite transformational.
- I got involved as a lead scientist, with the aim of bringing this experience to the masses.
- We got funding from the UK Government and it was a group of scientists, philosophers, engineers, musicians, architects and designers.
- The idea was we made it a collective experience.
RESOURCES:
You can connect with Anil Seth: LinkedIn
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Profile
- Anil is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex.
- He pioneered research in the brain basis of consciousness, for over 20 years.
- Anil is also the author of the best-selling book, “Being You: A New Science of Consciousness.” an instant Sunday Times Bestseller and a 2021 Book of the Year for the Economist, New Statesman, Bloomberg, and a Science Book of the Year for the Guardian and the Financial Times.
- He has published more than 200 academic papers and is listed in Web of Science ‘highly cited researcher’ index, which recognizes the world’s most influential researchers over the past decade. He is the lead scientist on the groundbreaking Dreamachine project.
