"Rethinking Consciousness" with Michael Graziano (BS 162)

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How does the brain generate subjective experience? This is what philosophers of mind have called Qualia and neuroscientist Michael Graziano proposes a fascinating answer In his new book Rethinking Consciousness: A Scientific Theory of Subjective Experience. In BS 162 explains how his Attention Schema Theory compliments several current theories of Consciousness by answering this critical question.

His theory had two critical components: one is that whatever circuitry the brain uses to attribute consciousness to others, is also used to attribute consciousness to ourselves. Second, a critical feature of this circuitry is that it provides an incomplete picture of what the brain is actually doing. Since awareness of what the brain is actually doing provides no survival advantage, we have the sense that our Mind is non-physical.

This may seem strange, but it is consistent with how we know our other senses work. For instance, we know the world we experience visually is highly processed, rather than an accurate depiction of the world around us. (Note: the is part 3 of a 4 part series, but episodes can be enjoyed in any order.)

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