Prominent Consciousness Theory Is Slammed as Bogus Science
Researchers publicly call out theory that they say is not well supported by science, but that gets undue attention
Researchers publicly call out theory that they say is not well supported by science, but that gets undue attention
In some cardiac arrest patients, a flurry of brain activity during life-saving CPR may be a sign of a “near-death experience”
Generative AI has made giant strides toward machine intelligence. Can machine consciousness be far behind?
A checklist derived from six neuroscience-based theories of consciousness could help assess whether an artificial intelligence system achieves this state
A brain scientist and a philosopher have resolved a wager on consciousness that was made when Bill Clinton was president
New research shows surprising activity levels in dying brains and may help explain the sudden clarity many people with dementia experience near death
An increase in activity in dying brains might be associated with last-minute conscious experiences, but scientists don’t know for sure
Portable sensors and artificial intelligence are helping researchers decode animal communication—and begin to talk back to nonhumans
New research findings, combined with philosophy, suggest free will is real but may not operate in the ways people expect
Neural circuits that label experiences as “good” or “bad” and the emotional meaninglessness of facial expressions are some standouts among 2022’s mind and brain breakthroughs...
Van Gogh and Ramón y Cajal, like you’ve never seen them before, in the annual Art of Neuroscience Competition
Is it possible for an artificial intelligence to be sentient?
Eventually, the most ethical option might be to divert all resources toward building very happy machines
Neuroscientists may have discovered the brain regions that give rise to our identity
Fear of mortality might underlie physicists’ fondness for the anthropic principle, multiverses, superdeterminism and other shaky ideas
Theories that try to explain these big metaphysical mysteries fall short, making agnosticism the only sensible stance
Suggestibility may explain why people “feel” vicarious pain or sensation in a fake hand
Both of two essential brain networks that switch roles—one is on when the other is off—shut down in unresponsive individuals
Philosopher Philip Goff answers questions about “panpsychism”
How do neurons create feelings of sadness? Or the sense of a unique self? On the other hand, could conscious thought be an illusion? The nature of conscious experience is one of the most essential, enduring mysteries, and in this eBook we explore the diverse and sometimes contentious approaches to defining consciousness, research into its physical footprints, advances in measuring conscious awareness and emerging technologies bringing artificial intelligence systems closer to adapting and learning like a human brain...
Support science journalism.
Thanks for reading Scientific American. Knowledge awaits.
Already a subscriber? Sign in.
Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue.
Create Account