Daniel Dennett - Consciousness, Qualia and the 'Hard Problem'

Philosopher Daniel Dennett explains how his functionalist perspective can shed some light on the apparent mystery of conscious experience. Interviewed by Louis Godbout.

(Aria from J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations played by Andrew Rangell, Keyboard Masterworks, Steinway & Sons).

[TheWineCage]

Re-watching this after hearing that we lost Dennett six days ago. I'm going to miss his deep, agile thinking!

[JackKalvan]

I'm a big fan of Dennett, and I think in this video he explains his (often misinterpreted) theory of consciousness very well. Worth watching more than once to really understand what he's saying.

[patrykj]

He was such a remarkable human I'm glad he was born

[torstrasburg]

Was despondent before watching this and now I feel much better. Thanks, Dan, for all the work and for sharing it with us, especially in such a delightful manner.

[psychosophy]

Wow, an actual capable interviewer. Delicious dialogue, mind opening and self-tearing ideas.

[loganl]

Incredible interviewer! I wish more interviews on experts were by people actually knowledgeable about their work and were well read on the subject at hand. Thanks for this.

[healthdoc]

I think the problem of understanding consciousness is semantics. There are things that we perceive that are not necessarily in our immediate ‘consciousness’. The word itself is confounding. Multiple elements are necessary to understand the thing we finally call consciousness. First is perception. This gives us the raw evidentiary data (not unique to us). Next is the fundamental mental activity of naming or classification of all this sensory input (not unique but rare). We do this ‘subconsciously’ and while dreaming. Next introduce the concept of imaginative memory, the process of integration by way of creative narrative development (the difference maker). We have the ability to remember sensory input and then creatively manipulate it into the narratives we perceive as real time awareness.

[HH-ctld]

The background music is such a contrast to what he's saying. Thanks for the footnote on the music piece. This is professional.

[haerverk]

The analogy to the electromagnetic spectrum is beautifully succinct. I would extend this to determinism as well. Just because you understand that free will is an illusion doesn't break the illusion. The colours are as wild and vivid as ever, no matter what you know of their "simple" mechanics.

[quicknumbercrunch]

I have been reading and watching his lectures for decades. The unbelievable truth of qualia, is that they are like all things, matter and energy moving through space and time. In the brain, action potentials responding to other action potentials result in the primary motor cortex stimulating the skeletal-muscles of the diaphragm and larynx extending and contracting to say, blue door.

[suehitzmann]

This is so perfect. I understand and also desiring to understand it all more.

[LuigiSimoncini]

Dennet was great and this is probably his best non technical explanation of the essence of a theory of consciousness. Thanks for sharing!!!

[nagabhushanjoshi]

Very Good interview, only such scientific and analytical insights will get rid of religious and mythological ideas, thank you for making it freely available 👍

[Ellen_stern]

This blue door in the wilderness is such a beautiful metaphor

[pabloromansantero]

"I cannot imagine, will never know, could never know, it seems, how Bach sounded to Glenn Gould. (I can barely recover in my memory the way Bach sounded to me when I was a child.)"
from Quining Qualia, by Dennett

Maybe that's why they used Bach's Goldberg Variations for the music of the video.

[DC_]

Thank you so much for sharing this video of Dennett. I've always enjoyed his talks about how some of the things we take for granted as we go about our lives can be beautifully deconstructed. Dan delivers his messages with joy and charm. He is a global treasure.

[thomassoliton]

⁠ ​​⁠​⁠​⁠ The brain is essentially very much like any digital computer. All the neuronal stuff boils down to making connections between cells depending on information taken in through our senses as well as information already stored in other neurons. Ultimately, however, it boils down to patterns of neuronal activity produced by say looking at a face. Those patterns are compared (by other neural circuits) to stored patterns that generate a “response” in some neurons that says “that is Jerry” or “that is not Sally”. Fundamentally the brain is a comparator, just like a computer. You have no access to any absolute knowledge about the universe - only comparisons. “Qualia” are essentially “apples are red because everyone agrees that they are”. Then when you see a red car, you really mean, that car reflects the same light as an apple. No non-physical “field” is necessary for all this to happen. Consciousness itself is the highest level of comparison. You cannot claim you are conscious without thinking about it - that is, self-reflecting. That requires accessing your immediate memory - comparing your present state to previous states, and saying to yourself, in effect, I am still here, thinking about my “self”. You cannot be conscious without memory - particularly working / short-term memory. Consciousness is, then the “idea” that I am still here.

[clodomiro]

I believe this man is a living legend!

[LvLocks]

Ironically viewing the world as purely material feels more profound than seeing it from the spiritual perspective that we are brainwashed into believing it's truly amazing.

[lillysummer]

A very beautiful interview that touched me deeply. Thank you