In his thought-provoking new book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness, neuroscientist Anil Seth provides both an accessible discussion of the neuroscience of consciousness and a compelling overview of his approach to what he calls “the real problem” of consciousness. His approach focuses on trying to understand the experience of consciousness by looking at levels, content, and self. He has been inspired by the work of many other scientists including the contemporary focus on prediction. Starting from the well-established, though surprising fact, that all of perception is the brain’s best guess about both the body and the world, he argues that SELF is also a perception created by the brain. He calls his approach “the beast machine” theory of consciousness because it emphasizes that consciousness is ultimately rooted in our living bodies.

Here is how Seth describes his work “I want to understand what it is like to be me better. What does it mean to be a self in the world?

The way I've been going about this is by trying to draw parallels between the way the brain constructs experiences of the world and the way the brain constructs experiences of the self. So, rather than the self as being this inner observer of an external world. Now, the self is a perceptual construction too.”

How to get this episode:

• FREE: audio mp3 (click to stream, right click to download)

• Episode Transcript: Buy for $3.50 or

  • Click here for free excerpt.

  • click here if you are a Premium Subscriber. 

  • Click here if you are a Patreon supporter.

• Premium Subscribers have unlimited access to ALL old episodes and transcripts, as well as extra content for selected episodes. All content is available browser or the free Brain Science mobile app.

• Patreon supporters have access to new transcripts ($3+/month) and ad-free audio files ($10+/month). You can also access your bonus content via the free Patreon mobile app.

New episodes of Brain Science are ALWAYS FREE. The most recent 50+ episodes are also free. See the individual show notes for links to the audio files.

Important Reminder:

Patreon supporters need to go to Your Memberships to update their tiers (>$3/month for transcripts or >$10/month for ad-free audio).

Links and References:

• Being You: A New Science of Consciousness by Anil Seth

• Making up the Mind: How the Brain Creates Our Mental Worldby Chris Frith (BSP 57)

• See also the recent Brain Science series on Consciousness: BS 160-163.

• AnilSeth.com

• See episode transcript for additional links and references.

Please Visit Our Sponsors:

• TextExpander at textexpander.com/podcast

• HelloFresh at hellofresh.com/14ginger

Announcements:

• Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube for episode excerpts and summaries.

• Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available)

• Sign up for the free Brain Science Newsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up.

• Check out the free Brain Science Mobile app for iOS, Android, and Windows. (It's a great way to get both new episodes and premium content.)

• Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations

• Send email to brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com.

Connect on Social Media:

• Twitter: @docartemis

• Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast

Contact Dr. Campbell:

Email: brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com