The Hard Problem by Jesse Winters

This podcast is a deep exploration of the problem of consciousness. Presented by Jesse Winters, The Hard Problem reviews critical evidence in the neuroscience literature, insights from the philosophy of mind, and the author’s novel ideas in pursuit of a robust theory of consciousness.

The Pseudoscience Letter

Key References: Fleming et al. 'The Integrated Information Theory of Consciousness as Pseudoscience' 2023

10-21
16:02

The Paradox of Interdependence

Key References: Alan Watts 'This is It' 1958

09-21
24:49

Self or Not-Self

Key References:   Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rimpoche 'Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness' 1986   Arthur Schopenhauer from 'The Essential Schopenhauer' 2010

08-09
18:08

Adversarial Theories

Key References:   Elizabeth Finkel ‘Adversarial Search for Neural Basis of Consciousness Yields First Results’, 2023   Lucia Melloni et al. (preprint) ‘An Adversarial Collaboration to Critically Evaluate Theories of Consciousness’, 2023  

07-11
21:28

On Pursuing What One Wants

Key References: Sebastian Junger 'Tribe' 2016

06-17
18:55

Prefrontal Consciousness

Key References: Omri Raccah, Ned Block, and Kieran Fox 'Does the Prefrontal Cortex Play an Essential Role in Consciousness? Insights from Intracranial Electrical Stimulation of the Human Brain?' 2021

06-04
19:04

Emergence and Non-Duality

Key References: Zoran Josipovic 'Implicit–explicit gradient of nondual awareness or consciousness as such' 2021

05-21
20:37

Reality as Territory

Key References:   Christoph Durt, Tom Froese, and Thomas Fuchs 'Against AI Understanding and Sentience: Large Language Models, Meaning, and the Patterns of Human Language Use' 2023

04-23
20:50

On Dreaming and Daydreaming

Key References: Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold 'When Brains Dream' 2021 Obada Al Zoubi et al. 'Taking the body off the mind: Decreased functional connectivity between somatomotor and default‐mode networks following Floatation‐REST' 2021

04-03
18:04

The Lucidity of Conscious States

Key References: Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold 'When Brains Dream' 2021 Hanna Hayat et al. 'Locus coeruleus norepinephrine activity mediates sensory-evoked awakenings from sleep' 2020

03-27
16:53

Reincarnation and Time

Key References: Albert Einstein 'Relativity' 1916 Dean Buonomano 'Your Brain is a Time Machine' 2017 Carlo Rovelli 'The Order of Time' 2018

03-08
16:51

Of Myth and Madness

Key References: Julian Jaynes 'The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind' 1976 Oliver Sacks 'Hallucinations' 2012

02-17
20:13

Mistaken for Consciousness

Key References: Bjorn Merker, Kenneth Williford, and David Rudrauf 'The Integrated Information Theory: A Case of Mistaken Identity' 2022

01-31
22:17

Entropy and Pain

Key References: Brett Kagan, Andy Kitchen, Nhi Tran, Forough Habibollahi, Moein Khajehnejad, Bradyn Parker, Anjali Bhat, Ben Rollo, Adeel Razi, and Karl Friston, 'In Vitro Neurons Learn and Exhibit Sentience When Embodied in a Simulated Game World', 2022 Karl Friston 'The Free-Energy Principle: A Unified Brain Theory?' 2010

01-20
20:01

The Reward Function

Key References: Matthew Hutson 'AI learns the art of diplomacy' 2022 'Lex Fridman Podcast' #344 with Noam Brown, 2022

01-06
16:52

Intelligence In Vitro

Key References: Brett Kagan, Andy Kitchen, Nhi Tran, Forough Habibollahi, Moein Khajehnejad, Bradyn Parker, Anjali Bhat, Ben Rollo, Adeel Razi, and Karl Friston, 'In Vitro Neurons Learn and Exhibit Sentience When Embodied in a Simulated Game World', 2022 Fabrizia Claudia Guarnieri, Antoine de Chevigny, Antonio Falace, and Carlos Cardoso 'Disorders of Neurogenesis and Cortical Development', 2018  

12-15
23:50

Science and Ideology

Key References: 'Great Dialogues of Plato' Translated by W. H. D. Rouse, 1956 The Intercept 'Leaked Documents Outline DHS's Plans to Police Disinformation', 2022 Jordan Moss and Peter J. O'Connor 'The Dark Triad Traits Predict Authoritarian Political Correctness and Alt-Right Attitudes' 2020

11-28
27:40

Intuitions and Elephants

Key References: Jonathan Haidt 'The Righteous Mind' 2012 Oliver Sacks 'The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat' 1970 Kaushal Shah, Shailesh B. Jain, and Roopma Wadhwa 'Capgras Syndrome' 2022

11-19
19:30

Awareness and Arousal

Key References: Minji Lee et al. 'Quantifying Arousal and Awareness in Altered States of Consciousness Using Interpretable Deep Learning' 2022 Christof Koch 'The Quest for Consciousness' 2004 David Chalmers 'The Conscious Mind' 1996

11-10
19:12

Death and Consciousness

Key References: Michael Shermer 'The Believing Brain' 2011 Oliver Sacks 'Hallucinations' 2012 Chris Timmermann et al. 'DMT Models the Near-Death Experience' 2018 Raul Vicente et al. 'Enhanced Interplay of Neuronal Coherence and Coupling in the Dying Human Brain' 2022 Jimo Borjigin et al. 'Surge of Neurophysiological Coherence and Connectivity in the Dying Brain' 2013

10-28
20:23

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