266 - Annaka Harris: The Fundamentality of Consciousness

Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. In this episode, Robinson and Annaka discuss panpsychism and the case that consciousness is fundamental. More particularly, they talk about complexity and emergence, the relationship between consciousness and physics, and artificial intelligence.

Lights On: a.co/d/cy8YTpd

Conscious: a.co/d/3uFZ2Jq

Annaka’s Website: annakaharris.com

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
00:52 Annaka’s Obsession with Consciousness
06:09 How Should We Define Consciousness?
13:06 Why the Complexity Might Not Explain Consciousness
25:30 Is Consciousness Emergent or Fundamental?
29:45 Are Fundamentalia Conscious?
45:18 How Can Consciousness Solve Deep Problems of Physics?
52:14 Consciousness and Quantum Entanglement
01:00:11 Consciousness and the Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics
01:10:50 What Does an Electron Feel?
01:13:41 AI and Consciousness
01:22:42 Science and the Fundamentality of Consciousness

Robinson’s Website: robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.