What is a Theory of Consciousness For? S Hameroff, C Fields, R Nail, P Bush & R Manzotti

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[bodhidharma]

@2:50 great summary by Stuart Hameroff on the implications for a Quantum theory of Consciousness. Penrose and Hameroff's idea that consciousness is fundamental and non-algorithmic will surely be vindicated as algorithmic AI continues to sputter.

[duongkstn]

Hey I love this "beach-vibe" talk. It shows their deep thoughts about consciousness to every aspects of life, the importance of understanding consciousness and future of human beings rather than just merely explaining a theory of consciousness ! Love it ! We need more talk to this to audience who do not have deeply knowledge in science !

[HSIves]

Thank you Paul Bush...most open mind on the panel. Physicist Thomas Campbell would have been a great addition to this discussion.

[johnnyb]

"If it turns out that the brain is a computer, then forget all that other stuff [the spiritual implications]" (Stuart Hameroff at 4:15). I'm presuming that Hameroff means if the brain is a _classical_ computer then forget any spiritual implications. Hameroff himself has said that consciousness could be related to quantum computations in the microtublules inside neurons in the brain, so the brain could be a _quantum_ computer that consciousness "uses".

[neilpatton]

Self knowledge is a double edged sword. On one edge is understanding, the taming of chaos and its confinement within an order lending to prediction and ratiocination. On the other edge is the destruction of the infinite and eternal, which are integral to our being, and the error introduced by believing the order created is the thing being described.

[BigBunnyLove]

A theory of consciousness is absurd. “Consciousness can never be fully known. One can't stand outside it to examine it and any view from inside consciousness is, at best partial. Consciousness is something one is, not something one has.”
- Wu'hsin

As Wittgenstein said, I am my world. Give me the theory for that. You guys. Gotta do something with your time ;)

[IsaiahMolina]

The theory of consciousness in my opinion is missing a simple ingredient. The primacy of consciousness in our experience. Starting with anything else is knowledge without source.

[meganjperry]

An interesting mix of views. I was watching S Hameroffs body language and you could see his supressed irritation at many of the views put forward, or his irritation at the overly simplistic interpretations of what consciousness is and where it comes from. Many say that AI will become conscious once its computing power reaches a certain level, which I don't think will be the case. An AI will never be able to have the quality of understanding, something humans have. I think the neuron aspect of the brain is to connect all the relevant parts of the brain needed to carry out bodily functions, but they are not what what gives rise to consciousness, that I think is done at a quantum biological level at the scale of microtubules, of which there are many per neuron, and they appear to be the part of the neurons that respond to anaesthesia, not the the neuron itself.

[workingTchr]

What a goofy panel. This is why a lot of people just stick with science. Hameroff is on the cutting edge OF science, and this is where that takes you.

[RickinICT]

Why do four of these guys look like they got hauled in off the beach, and the fifth like he got drug out of bed while sleeping off a three day bender (in the same shirt)?

[thijsjong]

We like to know how things work. How does it fit in. We are curious cteatures you know.
There may not be answers. Do you want a falsifiable theory. I think everybidy has a theory about it knowingly or not.

[ingenuity]

Consciousness is dark energy 😁

I hate that bad memories just pop up into my mind when I don't really enjoy having them. If I don't want these memories, why are they popping up into my mind?

The problem....is that humans are flawed. Humans desire power and money.

[neilpatton]

The modern faith, objective materialism, assumes a schism between object and subject. This is a tenet of faith. A consequence of this idolatrous faith is division and is the lesson of the story of the Tower of Babel as subjectivity divides what is universal. Nietzsche saw this clearly and tried to warn of of the consequences of our chosen faith.

[daithiocinnsealach]

For placating the evolutionary driven, survival based fears of the most intelligent, self-aware biomachine on the planet.