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Café Scientifique: Consciousness and our place in the universe
Dr Adam Barrett
September 9 @ 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
DOORS 7PM | SPEAKER 7.30PM
Please note that we are entirely dependent on donations from those who attend our events. You can make a donation as you arrive or leave; we are happy to accept cash or card payments. All donations greatly appreciated!
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Dr Adam Barrett is Deputy Director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science and an Associate Professor in Machine Learning and Data Science. He researches the neural basis of consciousness using mathematical and data science methods. This work is inspired by his early work in theoretical physics. He also sometimes works across disciplines and has worked on models of post-growth economics.
- 7:00pm Doors open, bar opens
- 7:30pm Talk starts
- 8:15pm approx Short break followed by Q+A
- 9:00pm Event ends
In this talk, Adam explains two major insights that science provides about our place in the universe.
The first of these is ‘panpsychism’ – consciousness is a fundamental property of matter, and we’re all in some sense part of the same being. After arguing for this, there follows a discussion on where we’re at in understanding what is the fundamental physical substrate of consciousness, via an accessible account of the much-misunderstood integrated information theory. The second insight is ‘eternalism’ – that past, present and future exist equally. It is explained how this follows from Einstein’s theory of relativity. The talk concludes with a discussion on how these two insights can provide spiritual comfort, with knock-on benefits for mental health and society.
