Frank Tipler - Is Consciousness an Ultimate Fact?

Is there something special about consciousness? Can our inner subjective experience—the sight of purple, smell of cheese, sound of Bach—ever be explained in purely physical terms? Even in principle? Most scientists see consciousness as a science problem to solve. Some philosophers claim that consciousness can never be explained in terms of current science.



Frank Jennings Tipler is a mathematical physicist and cosmologist, holding a joint appointment in the Departments of Mathematics and Physics at Tulane University. He holds a BS in Physics from MIT and a PhD from the University of Maryland.


Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[mathew]

" Although I think that life may be the result of an accident, I do not think that of consciousness. Consciousness cannot be accounted for in physical terms. For consciousness is absolutely fundamentally. It cannot be account for in terms of anything else "
- *Erwin Shrondinger*

Quoted in: Walter Moore. A life of Erwin Shrondinger


" I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulate consciousness "
-*Max Planck*

Book: The Observer


" I think consciousness is not just a passive epiphenomenon carried along by the chemical events in our brain, but is an active agent forcing the molecular complexes to make choices between one quantum state and another. In other words, mind is already inherent in every electron, and the process of human consciousness differ only in degree but not in kind from the processes of choice between quantum states which we call 'chance' when they are made by electrons."
-* Freeman Dyson*

Book: Disturbing the universe

[SebastianLundh]

Consciousness is the only thing we have reason to believe exists. What else has ever been known by you, but consciousness? No reason to believe that it's anything but fundamental.

[ursamajor]

That's 11 minutes that will take me 11 years to attempt to get a real grasp on. Thank you for enlightening me on how little that I know. The presenter and this channel is truly remarkable and unique in his humble and well-balanced approach to Truth. Although from watching Robert's work in this space I am more confused than ever about who and what the Creator (or indeed my 'conscious self') might be, God bless.

[vicpalushaj]

@ 5:00 Did he just give us all two middle fingers? 😂🤣😂

[musicman]

This is a very interesting interview. Thank goodness I watched it several times to finally understand what Frank Tipler is saying. I dont think his point is at odds with non-materialism. I think he making a deeper point about physical law. And, I think it aligns perfectily will what most of us are starting to believe is that conciousness is fundamental. He puts forth a truely "non-dual" point of view...listen to his closing statement. Wonderful discussion.

[francesco]

Tipler have one great merit. He never stops searching and adapting. His open mind is admirable to matter how debatable can be some parts of his reasoning. In the last part of the conversation is Kuhn that is relatively "limited". To be honest i like Tipler "deists" ideas.

[LuciFeric]

Dr. Tipler's work is fantastic. Highly recommend his books.

[REDPUMPERNICKEL]

Frank Tipler has hit the nail squarely on the head.
The self is a pattern not a substance and
'self' is a terse way of referring to the 'being-conscious-process'.
Process is simply a pattern that's dynamic.
Pattern and process are immaterial but
completely dependent for their abstract existence
on a material substrate.

[patrickl]

This guy rules. Very enjoyable interview.

[lordemed]

Frank Tipler- clear minded and right on!

[wilsonkorisawa]

In 4:55 it looks like giving the human mind the middle finger. Never the less, his interpretation is brilliant!

[nyworker]

"My sense of consciousness is artificial"...or my consciousness IS the most real thing which is why I can theorize that reality disappears or may cease to exist when I cease OR it is the only question I can never answer....unless I think I have been here or somewhere else before.

[havenbastion]

It's an emergent property of cognitive complexity which is itself an emergent property of complex biology.

[MonkeyForNothing]

Its a good thing they didnt use a freeze frame at 04:58 for the video thumbnail. ;-)

[LightningBoltJpS]

He should have asked Tipler whether numbers or mathematics or even the concept of the Platonic forms are physical — it would seem to me they aren’t, and that’s the category of metaphysical abstract that any notion of the soul or of any non-material consciousness must be included.

[michaelcorenzwit]

I have enjoyed watching many of your posts. I have not seen them all yet but I found this one especially interesting and thought provoking. Thank you for allowing me to attend your YouTube classroom.

[bkrharold]

It is an interesting theory. His argument invokes the laws of thermodynamics, and preservation of information would only apply if consciousness is physical and consists of information. Nobody has yet successfully identified its location in the brain. He also offers no proof.

[Bill..N]

Great interview..I applaud Frank for his unique approach to this problem..Especially if theistic religions are to survive another few centuries, and I think they SHOULD, new concepts similar to Franks will likely be necessary..Frank's arguments, even tho flawed, represents a LEAP (Not step) in this direction..One man's opinion, thanks..

[jamesruscheinski]

Does entropy bring about mind / consciousness? Could this mean there is consciousness or even mind in universe along with entropy?

[nyworker]

The rub may come because we think energy like time exists vs they are just illusions or ways we measure reality. A flame feels hot and exploding gas can move a piston but we can argue this is just the release of forces which we FEEL as hot or perceive as movement which we measure as energy just like we measure events as time.