Dr. Christof Koch: Consciousness, Free Will & the Grand Theory of Everything

In this episode of the Life on Books podcast, we chat with Dr. Christof Koch, a trained physicist turned world renowned neuroscientist who's primary area of research focuses on consciousness.

We talk about his latest book "Then I am Myself the World" which comes out this month from Basic Books, where he discusses Integrated Information Theory, which is a unique theory that serves as the basis of his research into consciousness.

We discuss what consciousness, how it impacts our daily lives, and what implications his research could have on our happiness, health, well being, and understanding of the world and each other.

We hope you enjoy this conversation, and you can find a full list of all of the books discussed in this episode below:

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

The Schopenhauer Cure by Irvin Yalom

When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin Yalom

The Feeling of Life Itself by Christof Koch

The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley

Oblivion by David Foster Wallace

Determined by Robert Sapolsky

#science #books #freewill

[ALavin-enkr]

We are evolving out of the material age of matter being the origin of everything. Cosmic intelligence that is fundamental to reality, to human consciousness and mind, is on the move. Finally.

[timism]

He is able to 'elucidate' in a way that is rare these days. That's one of the reasons why he is so interesting to listen to, but he is also very likeable, too. Thanks !

[Patrick-qdye]

What does the process of science have anything to do with idealism, ie. “the world being mental”? 6:48

The purest expression of science, as coined by Dr. Bernardo Kastrup, is, “…making predictions for what we will observe next.”

Dr. Koch, as much as I respect your impactful work in the neurosciences, I believe you are making a fatal error in attributing metaphysical worldviews with science.

Science does not make any metaphysical commitments.

It’s about making predictions for what we will observe next.

That’s it!

[sxsmith]

Christof Koch recently did a podcast with Bernardo Kastrup.
I think you gotta listen to it! It’s “Fidias podcast” entitled psychedelics and consciousness. Thank you Life on Books.

[ArthursAtman]

You had me at "Schopenhauer Cure"...one of my all-time favorites

[udaykumar-lvxo]

Consciousness is mesmerizing just like 0 & Infinity.
If you dive into singularity going inside yourself, you will pop out as Infinity...Anything in between is a trick of the mind.

[ALavin-enkr]

Consciousness just is, it has no qualities. The problem is confusing the mind with consciousness. The mind has qualities. A machine will be able to think, plan, etc. but it will never be conscious.

[patrickdelarosa]

Please invite Bernardo Kastrup to your podcast.

[marcelhidalgo]

Definitely going to check out that novel

[Corteum]

Koch: "Well, let's do it!" haha 👍

[sxsmith]

You gotta get Bernardo Kastrup on your show!

[mhill]

A fascinating discussion among three people far more knowledgeable than me, but I’m troubled and I question the intense pursuit of consciousness as an objective phenomenon. A newborn is a fully functioning human without selfhood or self reflection, i.e. language ability. To me the time from birth to about two years (before language acquisition) represents basic human nature. I would focus on that and investigate consciousness as a subjective phenomenon rather than looking in the brain for something objective. (Of course for scientists subjectivity is unpalatable, even untouchable)

[soulembraced]

The grand theory of everything is: YOU 💚

[esorse]

What if your soul is the eternal temporal complement of immaterial you that may remain when you can't be conscious * anymore ?

* Consciousness (noun)  A condition in which you can engage your faculties : perception, reason, intuition, emotion, faith, revelation ?

[holgerjrgensen]

Rainbow picture our Eternal Consciousness
it is a Circuit-Princip, Colors picture our Abilities,
as have a maximum- and minimum-performance.
Also our Will, follow the Circuit.
The Device We're using Here, is a composition of
the same Abilities, just in a technical composition.

[kyran]

Consciousness is an information system

[oliverjamito]

Yes to finish Thee in front! Nor humility rather to carry thee! All my Heirs Hosts will say rather to carry thee! 1 footprint! As HE carried all HIS shared "i" AM! 1 footprint! Which ye prefer?

[khouirasenouci]

Thanks I think the intelligent Machins are better and useful to travel easely to another planets ❤

[oliverjamito]

Beloved punching bag sitting upon the lowest seat LASTS! Absorbing all punches! Till ye get tired! Now, knowing ye are tired? Even my Heirs Hosts shared "i" AM knows? Fighters!

[BLSFL_HAZE]

Science not being able to explain it is probably due to the "ontologically private" aspect of experience.

As we all know very well, "another experience" can NEVER appear within one's own experience, even if the EFFECTS (or "ontologically public" aspects) of other experiences CAN and DO appear.