For the climax and denouement of our summer philosophy of mind series, Ned Block himself comes on to help us fill in the gaps about functionalism and attributing consciousness to machines. We discuss two essays by other authors responding to Ned's work from the collection Blockheads!: Essays on Ned Block's Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness (2019), ed. Adam Pautz and Daniel Continue Reading …
Ep. 223: Guest Ned Block on Consciousness (Citizen Edition)
For the climax and denouement of our summer philosophy of mind series, Ned Block himself comes on to help us fill in the gaps about functionalism and attributing consciousness to machines. We discuss two essays by other authors responding to Ned's work from the collection Blockheads!: Essays on Ned Block's Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness (2019), ed. Adam Pautz and Daniel Continue Reading …
Ep. 219: The Harder Problem of Consciousness (Block & Papineau)
On Ned Block's "The Harder Problem of Consciousness" (2002) and David Papineau's "Could There Be a Science of Consciousness?" (2003). What would give us sufficient reason to believe that a non-human was conscious? Block thinks this is a harder problem that we might suspect. We can't know for sure exactly what consciousness in us is, so we can't know for sure what such a Continue Reading …
Ep. 219: The Harder Problem of Consciousness (Block & Papineau) (Citizen Edition)
On Ned Block's "The Harder Problem of Consciousness" (2002) and David Papineau's "Could There Be a Science of Consciousness?" (2003). What would give us sufficient reason to believe that a non-human was conscious? Block thinks this is a harder problem that we might suspect. We can't know for sure exactly what consciousness in us is, so we can't know for sure what such a Continue Reading …
Ep. 218: The Hard Problem of Consciousness (Chalmers, et al) (Part Two)
Continuing on "Consciousness and Its Place in Nature" by David Chalmers (2003). We finish Chalmers's account of the types of physicialism, then move on to dualism (including epiphenomenalism), and finally dally with panpsychism, the specialty of our guest, Gregory Miller from the Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast. Listen to part 1 first or listen to the unbroken, ad-free Continue Reading …
Ep. 218: The Hard Problem of Consciousness (Chalmers, et al) (Part One)
On "Consciousness and Its Place in Nature" by David Chalmers (2003), with special guest Gregory Miller from the Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast. Can we explain human experience using the terms of brain physiology? Well, it depends what you mean by "explain." Our experience has a qualitative character: the feeling of red, the smell of methane, the feel of a cat's scratchy Continue Reading …
Ep. 218: The Hard Problem of Consciousness (Chalmers, et al) (Citizen Edition)
On "Consciousness and Its Place in Nature" by David Chalmers (2003), with special guest Gregory Miller from the Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast. Can we explain human experience using the terms of brain physiology? Well, it depends what you mean by "explain." Our experience has a qualitative character: the feeling of red, the smell of methane, the feel of a cat's scratchy Continue Reading …
Episode 179: William James’s Introspective Psychology (Part One)
On The Principles of Psychology (1890) chapters 1 & 7, and Psychology, the Briefer Course (1892), the chapters on "The Stream of Thought," "Habit," and some of "The Self." Can we talk about the mind in a way that is both scientific and also does justice to our everyday experiences? James thought that previous philosophers talking about the mind weren't accurately reflecting Continue Reading …
Ep. 179: William James’s Introspective Psychology (Citizen Edition)
On The Principles of Psychology (1890) chapters 1 & 7, and Psychology, the Briefer Course (1892), the chapters on "The Stream of Thought," "Habit," and some of "The Self." Can we talk about the mind in a way that is both scientific and also does justice to our everyday experiences? James thought that previous philosophers talking about the mind weren't accurately Continue Reading …
What Is It Like to Be Ourselves? A Debate on Consciousness and the Mind
“Consciousness is that annoying thing that happens between naps.” This is how world-renowned philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers defines the quintessentially human state in this debate, although his facetiousness is quite easy to detect: Chalmers famously formulated the “hard problem of consciousness” and built an immensely successful career around it. His Continue Reading …
Not School This February
Hey, there. Nathan Hanks here with a February update on the Partially Examined Life's Not School and Citizen's Forum. While the semesters are starting, PEL Members are also meeting and talking with others about whatever is of interest. Currently there is a discussion in the forum on Nietzche's concept of "The Death of God" and a conversation in the group for Consciousness Continue Reading …
Citizen Interview with Nicholas Humphrey, a Leading Figure in Mind and Consciousness
On May 1st I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with Nicholas Humphrey, one of the world’s leading minds in the fields of evolutionary psychology and the study of consciousness. The interview is a followup to an article in The Partially Examined Life blog titled “Soul Dust: A Well Supported Stab At The Why of Consciousness.” Our conversation focuses mainly on Continue Reading …
Soul Dust: A Well Supported Stab At The “Why” Of Consciousness.
Nicholas Humphrey, professor of psychology at The London School Of Economics, is a leading investigator of what philosopher David Chalmers dubbed the “hard problem” of consciousness. His Recent book Soul Dust approaches the second part of the Hard Problem: why human beings have consciousness, and why consciousness should have evolved at all. It is an excellent read for Continue Reading …
A Lagging, Nagging Take on Her
Her got a lot of attention during its run in theaters. It even captured the attention of philosophers, no doubt because of the movie’s focus on artificial intelligence, a fixation of philosophy for at least as long as the term has been in our common vernacular. Released on DVD back in the spring, the movie received mostly (but not exclusively) positive reviews. Life in Her Continue Reading …
Topic for #84: Nietzsche’s “Gay Science”
On 10/13/13 we recorded a discussion on Nietzche's Continue Reading …
Do Phenomenal Concepts Negate Wittgenstein’s Private Language Argument?
http://vimeo.com/10182737 Watch on Vimeo In the video above, Prof. David Papineau compares different "naturalist" theories of consciousness to propose that phenomenal concepts pose a problem for Wittgenstein's private language argument. (A version of this issue was briefly raised during the second episode discussing Philosophical Investigations.) Hint: If you're not yet Continue Reading …
Anesthesia and Consciousness
Neuroscientists are using anesthesia to study consciousness in a way that seems related to higher order theories of consciousness. The conclusion so far: "consciousness emerges from the integration of information across large networks in the brain": Over the past few years, other EEG studies have supported the idea that anesthesia doesn't simply shut the brain down but, rather, Continue Reading …
Episode 47: Sartre on Consciousness and the Self (Citizens Only)
Discussing Jean-Paul Sartre's The Transcendence of the Ego (written in 1934). What is consciousness, and does it necessarily involve an "I" who is conscious of things? Sartre says no: typical experience is consciousness of some object and doesn't involve the experience of myself as someone having this consciousness. It's only when we reflect on our own conscious experiences Continue Reading …
PREVIEW-Episode 47: Sartre on Consciousness and the Self
This is a 31-minute preview of a 2 hr, 1-minute episode. Buy Now Purchase this episode for $2.99. Or become a PEL Citizen for $5 a month, and get access to this and all other paywalled episodes, including 68 back catalogue episodes; exclusive Part 2's for episodes published after September, 2020; and our after-show Nightcap, where the guys respond to listener email and chat Continue Reading …
Topic for #47: Sartre on the Self
Jean-Paul Sartre is best known for his 1960's existentialism and Marxist activism, but before he was a big celebrity, he was a phenomenologist who spent a lot of time grappling with Heidegger (his book Being and Nothingnessis an homage in part to Heidegger's Being and Time, but more importantly (to this topic) with Edmund Husserl. Part of Husserl's analysis of experience Continue Reading …