The empirical quest to understand consciousness and its functions (Liad Mudrik)

In the last decades, studies of consciousness - once considered outside the scope of empirical science - have become part and parcel of cognitive science. To meet the challenge of scientifically operationalizing this high-level phenomenon, different experimental manipulations have been developed. In this talk, I will first argue that these operational definitions play a critical role in shaping the questions we ask and the conclusions we reach. I will further question the external validity of some of the findings, and examine the relations between the operational definitions and the theoretical constructs being studied. Then, I will present new, more ecological ways to study consciousness and its function. These will focus on changing the operational definitions, changing the stimuli, and changing the experimental methods, using also virtual and augmented reality. Though sometimes less controlled, I will argue that such experiments pave the way for a fuller, more complete, understanding of consciousness.

Видео The empirical quest to understand consciousness and its functions (Liad Mudrik) канала Mathematical Consciousness Science