David Chalmers - Consciousness and the Self

‘Self awareness’ has a simple definition: the mental activity that reflects back on itself, the mental process of being aware of oneself being aware. Is self-awareness a uniquely human trait? Some animals seem to disagree. The deep significance of self-awareness is how on earth can physical processes in physical brains generate self awareness?

David Chalmers is a philosopher at New York University and the Australian National University. He is Professor of Philosophy and co-director of the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at NYU, and also Professor of Philosophy at ANU.

Closer To Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, 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.

[castle]

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind.

[christopherwall]

The camera guy is like ..yeah whatever..you guys are in the way of the magnificent view

[palashmatt]

Right activity of consciousness is here.its real level.

[mohdnorzaihar]

Love the way Al Ghazali describes the self. Peace be upon you'll out there

[beherenowspace]

Bit distracted by the stunning scenery 😃

[williamkerr]

Hey guys! Everyone knows we need to play a little bit more with religion and mysticism because it's all about feeling and thinking within your hidden self. I mean, it is Your Self hidden in your heart, which, moreover, contains 40, 000 neurons. It's the Spark of Adam Kadmon, after the Shevirat Ha-Kelim. It's the Atman of Brahman. Just give it a try!

[zebonautsmith]

Why is Chalmers self stuck in his brain and not peering out of the brain of Lawrence Kuhn? What process determines the particular self in a particular brain? Why are you; you and not someone else?

[davidrandell]

The “creative nothing “ remains as good as it gets. “The Unique and Its Property “, Max Stirner, 1844/2017 Landstreicher translation.

[ElephantWhisperer]

What a view, perfect place to discuss these topics!

[Novastar.SaberCombat]

Memories are everything you are. Think about it: if, upon tomorrow's morn, you awakened with *solely* your understanding of speaking and your motor skills, yet nothing else remained... "who" would you be? The same applies to all creatures and beings; length of memory and CLARITY of that memory are crucial. Otherwise... you ain't sheet! 😅🤣😂

(P.S. Don't film in the wind. Else, get a serious wind filter for the boom. 💪😎✌️)

[noelwass]

I liked David Chalmers' clarification that self-consciousness is just one type of consciousness.

[BobbyMaggie-et]

Johnson Ronald Lopez Barbara Miller Eric

[SherwoodBurke-gs]

Wilson Charles Wilson Kevin Harris Christopher

[williamburts]

Consciousness belongs to the observer ( self ) and not to objects being observed. I exist, and to know that you exist you have to be conscious that you exist, it is this knowing that you "be" or "Am" that is the self.

[ryanprice]

Why can't consciousness be a physical phenomena like everything else?

Humans: cause maybe we are magic ghost wizards?

[anonym]

One can generally distinguish between the 'ego, ' the 'self, ' and 'consciousness.' According to the psychology of C.G. Jung, the 'ego' and the 'self' are psychological concepts. However, 'consciousness' appears to belong to a different category. Consciousness encompasses the contents of the 'ego' but only a part of the 'self.' The greater part of the self remains distant from consciousness, in the unconsciousness. Unfortunately, this still does not make it clear what consciousness or the self actually is :-(

[ansleyrubarb]

...You are both well educated. Conscience-ness can elevate self. I do not think one is better than the other. We can educate/learn to protect and help our selves. I will state that I am a Spirit Filled Christian, a servant of GOD I AM, for many years. I am 73. I trust all of your accumulated knowledge will not be for nothing. Look at just our visible universe, the distances alone. Yet Man with limited knowledge can go from the Weight Bros, to safely fly to the moon in just 60 years. Wow. Just ponder these facts, respectfully, ordinarychuck Hotmail...captivus brevis...you tube...Blessings...

[asyetundetermined]

If consciousness is fundamental and distinct from biomechanic processes, then why do we find it so slavishly contorted and beholden to physical manipulation, hormonal fluidity, chemical interaction and dependency, etc.?

It’s strange to think that this immaterial phenomenon could be so unfailingly changed by the physical world.

[Youniverse]

Vedanta has the best answer to Consciousness and The Self… you should interview Swami sarvapriyananda or any Vedantic teacher. Western minded people have limited knowledge and understanding of consciousness.. and that’s coming from someone from the west.

[juanmore]

I was self conscious of myself when the video ended!