The Source of Consciousness - with Mark Solms

The speaker introduces the topic of consciousness and the main focus of the talk, emphasizing the complexity and importance of understanding consciousness.

Exploration of the hard problem of consciousness, focusing on the challenges in explaining why and how consciousness arises.

Proposing a shift in attention to the brainstem for understanding consciousness rather than the cerebral cortex, emphasizing the importance of raw feelings over higher cognition.

Describing a personal experience with a brother's brain injury and the profound impact it had on his personality, highlighting the subjective change as a result of brain damage.

Discussion of early experiences in neuroscience studies and the limitations in addressing the subjective aspect of consciousness in traditional studies.

Exploration of David Chalmers' hard problem of consciousness and the challenges in explaining subjective experience in relation to cognitive functions.

Explanation of Mary's knowledge argument and the limitations in fully understanding visual experience through functional mechanisms alone.

Discussion on the subjective nature of consciousness and the limitations of functionalist accounts in explaining the experiential aspect of consciousness.

Exploration of the discrepancy between brain functions and conscious experience, emphasizing the need to address the subjective nature of consciousness.

Explanation of studies showing unconscious visual processing in the cortex and the implications for understanding consciousness.

Discussion on the role of cortical functions in consciousness and the limitations in explaining subjective experience through cognitive processes.

Presenting evidence supporting the role of the brainstem in generating consciousness and the implications for understanding affective consciousness.

Exploration of brainstem lesion studies and their implications for consciousness, highlighting the unique role of the brainstem in affective consciousness.

Explanation of feeling as an extended form of homeostasis and its role in consciousness, emphasizing the value system and adaptive advantage of feelings.