Present! - Susan Blackmore: The Self, Free Will and Consciousness

Psychologist Susan Blackmore talks about her work in the light of the Buddha's teaching, "Actions do exist, and also their consequences, but the person who acts does not". Filmed in the Producer's home and studio in Cupertino, California.

[truthlivingetc]

I genuinely believe her to one of the most enlightened people in the world. It is incredibly difficult to synthesise concepts in the way she does. Both spiritually and cognitively. What a marvel. I disagree with her profoundly but what a wonderful human being.

[d.ruiperd]

What Susan says at 3:14 “Why did evolution make us this way” It is evolution that made us this way and that is why we have a process in our mind known as consciousness. The self is there to protect the self, survive and reproduce. Survive at all cost and this can be in some cases lead to behaviour that is seen as evil or greed but is really just the attempt we make to protecting the self.

[grantcottrell]

Gorgeous interview. Lovely questions and answers. Apparently. <3

[ratherbefoilin]

Great choice of questions, pretty much what I would have asked her!

[TheGnewb]

Science of religion, or religion of science, what an in-vigorous and entertaining mind.

[invisible]

So how would you explain poltergeist activity? My daughter has witnessed this happen in front of me.

[renubhalla]

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his books FLOW and The evolving self clearly tells us that during flow or the state of optimal experience the there is loss of self consciousness.He also says it has been shown in brain scans during flow there is drop in blood supply in the relevant areas of brain.The very loss of self consciousness during flow demonstrates the existence of self consciousness prior to the state of flow or optimal experience.Please comment on this.Thsnk you very much for illuminating our minds through your writings and videos. 🙏🙏

[CathyS_Bx]

I've been listening to her online all day. What about art? Michelangelo's David? Beethoven's Ninth? Poetry? What about her own obvious ambitions and vivacity?

[toondesmarets]

Marvellous interview! Congratulations!

[KashBeck]

If the self is just an illusion and free will is non existent what is perpetuating that illusion?

[marekgalteestaff]

I wonder if Buddhism and Zen are compatible with the Western, materialistic, efficiency-oriented civilization

[mathewkurian]

For years she has been saying that we don't have free will

[XOXO-mbvh]

We are in control of our actions. We just haven't discovered where the self identity emits itself in our bodily form yet. People make choices everyday. Our nature is to learn, create and emulate.

[mcgee]

Thats why I created my on form of Zen, Genjitisu Zen (Reality Zen)

[deskjockie]

How does a blind-from-birth woman see during a Near Death Experience? How does a woman having a Near Death Experience hear a conversation in a room down the hall from where her body lies, and another woman see and hear her family across town during her Near Death Experience? How does a woman with Stage four cancer meet her deceased father and best friend during her Near Death Experience, return to her body, and the tumors are no longer to be found within a week? How does a woman undergoing brain surgery, whose body has been cooled, her eyes taped shut, and her ears fitted with clicking devices, see the surgeon's instruments and describe them? How does another person having a Near Death Experience read the mind of the surgeon and learn that he was involved in a fender bender on the way to work and was worried that he might be sued?

[laralight]

beautiful honest interview, thank you for your insights

[stephenblackheath]

We have discovered a quicker, more reliable way. It's called direct pointing. You can see through the self in about 6 weeks or so, and the 10 fetters of Buddhism take about 2 years.

[philpreston]

Looking in the empty box, the scientist, looked bewildered, and shouted, " it doesn't make sense - consciousness should be here somewhere" ( even though, I can't see it, to do complicated equations) the cleverest, people in the world, can often be deluded. The pointed finger, can't point to the end of it's own finger. To all the math people out there, you Will NEVER EVER FIND Consciousness!!!!

[EndofUSA]

If she really believes in what she is saying, then she has to accept the logical conclusion that she is nothing but a biological machine that works like an autonomous robot without sense, purpose and meaning for living!!

[kafiruddinmulhiddeen]

She is totally misrepresenting Buddhism. Buddhism does not say there is no free will, and does not say there is no conciousness outside the material universe. Or if it does, I want out.