Analytic Epistemology PhilCogSciArchive 2009-03-06 | This clip discusses some of the schools of thought in contemporary analytic epistemology. First, the clip mentions Bertrand Russells dislike for the standard notion of what constitutes "knowledge" in philosophy, believing it to be to much too vague. Then there is a brief summary of G.E. Moore's "Proof of an External World" and his views on foundationalism. The clip then mentions Ludwig Wittgenstein's idea that "meaning is use" within social contexts, and that philosophical obstacles are really just miscommunication within "language games." Simply put, Wittgenstein thought that there were no such things as genuine philosophical problems, and that philosophy was merely a byproduct of linguistic misunderstandings. The clip then discusses the differences between foundationalism and coherentism and W.V.O. Quine's notion of the seamless "web of belief." Quine was a strong proponent of the natural sciences, and thought that findings in the natural sciences could shed significant light onto age-old philosophical questions concerning the nature of the mind and knowledge. The clip then summarizes "The Gettier Problem" which challenged the Platonic definition of knowledge as "justified true belief," and then ends with definitions of internalism/externalism, and Alvin Goldman's causal theory of knowledge.
American Philosopher Trailer PhilCogSciArchive 2011-03-28 | Phillip McReynolds has recently uploaded his film "American Philosopher" in its entirety to his YouTube channel. It features interviews with Richard Rorty, Hilary Putnam, Joseph Margolis, Richard Bernstein, Larry Hickman, Crispin Sartwell, John Lysaker, John Stuhr, John Lachs, and many other philosophers. Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWwppMEHhMw YouTube Channel Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/phillipmcreynolds Vimeo Link: http://vimeo.com/21268165 Please watch the film and subscribe to Phillip McReynolds' YouTube channel.
David Chalmers on Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove PhilCogSciArchive 2010-10-25 | NOTE: This is an excerpt from the two-part, 60-minute DVD.http://www.thinkingallowed.com/2dchalmers.htmlOriginal Upload: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4SLOr2icnYOriginal Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ThinkingAllowedTVPhilosopher David Chalmers points out that most modern attempts to explain consciousness fail to address the fundamental problem of subjective experience (i.e. what it is like to be conscious). He argues for a "naturalistic dualism" in which non-physical consciousness is viewed as a fundamental aspect of nature. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_ChalmersDavid Chalmers is a leading thinker in contemporary philosophy of mind. He is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Consciousness at Australian National University.
Patricia and Paul Churchland on Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2010-02-02 | Patricia Smith Churchland is Professor of Philosophy at UC San Diego. Her recent research interest focuses on neuroethics and attempts to understand choice, responsibly and the basis of moral norms in terms of brain function, evolution and brain-culture interactions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Churchland Paul M. Churchland is Professor of Philosophy at UC San Diego. With his wife and philosophical partner, Patricia, he has been an advocate of "eliminative materialism," which claims that many of our common-sense folk-psychological conceptions of our mental lives will fail to have any explanatory role in a mature neuroscience. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Churchland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliminative_Materialism The complete 1 hour and 45 minute interview can be viewed here: http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/the-science-studio/from-the-engine-of-reason-to-the-seat-of-the-soul-a-brain-wise-conversation
Ray Kurzweil on Personal Identity PhilCogSciArchive 2010-01-12 | Raymond Kurzweil is an American inventor and futurist. He is involved in fields as diverse as optical character recognition (OCR), text-to-speech synthesis, speech recognition technology, and electronic keyboard instruments. He is the author of several books on health, artificial intelligence (AI), transhumanism, the technological singularity, and futurism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Kurzweil In this clip, Ray discusses why we should consider ourselves to be "patterns of information," and how using this conception we can imagine a future when non-biological systems can be both conscious and match (or exceed) present levels of human intelligence.
David Chalmers on Emergence PhilCogSciArchive 2010-01-11 | David Chalmers is a leading thinker in contemporary philosophy of mind. He is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Consciousness at Australian National University. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Chalmers Chalmers is known for being an avid critic of physicalism, believing that reductive approaches to the mind fail to appreciate the fundamental nature of consciousness. He is most widely known for sparking a revival of interest in property dualism, philosophical zombies, and for his formulation of the "Hard Problem of Consciousness." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence In this clip, Chalmers distinguishes between "strong" and "weak" emergence and explains the important differences between non-physical qualia and vitalism.
Christof Koch on the Science of Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2010-01-06 | Harry Kreisler welcomes neurobiologist Christof Koch for a discussion of his work with Dr. Francis Crick and how he thinks consciousness can (and should) be studied scientifically. The complete "Conversations with History" interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqMAkbrp5uA Koch's "The Quest for Consciousness" lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJA5NYoDeO4
Patricia Churchland on Neuroethics PhilCogSciArchive 2009-12-21 | Patricia Churchland is a Canadian-American philosopher working at the University of California, San Diego. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Churchland In this video, she introduces her work and discusses her current projects which explore the potential impact of neuroscientific research on our understanding of human nature and morality. Her recent research has focused on the neurotransmitter oxytocin, and its relationship to social recognition, pair bonding, anxiety, trust, love, and maternal behavior. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxytocin Patricia Churchland's complete "Exchanges at the Frontier" radio broadcast with philosopher AC Grayling can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/2009/12/091201_exchanges_frontier_list.shtml
Marvin Minsky on Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2009-12-21 | Marvin Minsky is an American cognitive scientist in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), co-founder of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AI laboratory, and author of several texts on AI and philosophy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Minsky In this clip, Minsky discusses whether or not the existence of consciousness is sufficient grounds for rejecting physicalism. He argues against the intuitive notion of the directness and immediacy of conscious experience, as well as the idea that conscious agents have privileged epistemic access to the contents of their own minds. He believes that internal knowledge of one's own thoughts and external knowledge of the thoughts of others is a mere difference in degree, not a difference in type. Furthermore, Minsky believes that the pre-scientific notion of "consciousness" as a singular unified phenomenon is simply mistaken, and that cognitive science is showing us that consciousness is much more complex and fractured than previously imagined.
Colin McGinn on Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2009-12-06 | Colin McGinn is a British philosopher currently working at the University of Miami. McGinn has also held major teaching positions at Oxford University and Rutgers University. Although McGinn has written dozens of articles in philosophical logic, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language, he is best known for his work in the philosophy of mind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_McGinn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mysterianism
Dennett on Consciousness and Free Will PhilCogSciArchive 2009-12-06 | Daniel Dennett is a prominent American philosopher whose research centers on philosophy of mind and philosophy of science; particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science. He is currently the co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University. Complete "Big Think" Interview: http://bigthink.com/danieldennett (My apologies for the video being a little jumpy; that was just the way the original video was.)
The G.E. Moore Shift by The 21st Century Monads PhilCogSciArchive 2009-12-06 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_is_a_hand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Edward_Moore http://people.umass.edu/phil511/monads/ Music by Kris McDaniel/Ben Bradley Lyrics by Kris McDaniel/Carrie Jenkins Lyrics: There's something wrong with this argument, but I don't know what it is. The denial of the conclusion is more plausible than the conjunction of the premises. There must be something here to reject; somethings gotta give. I'm gonna do the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. Come on the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. I can't believe you think that that's true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? I can't believe you think that that's true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? There's nothing great about validity; it depends on where you start. Don't even try to modus ponens me; I'm gonna tollens you so hard. It's obvious something here ain't right; use a little common sense And do the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. Come on the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. I can't believe you think that that's true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? I cant believe you think that that's true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? It's obvious something here ain't right; somethings gotta go. We've gotta do the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. Come on the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. (Bonus points for anyone who can name the book cover at 1:56)
Michael Tooley on Property Dualism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-10-19 | Michael Tooley is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado-Boulder. His main research areas are metaphysics (time, causation, laws of nature) and the Philosophy of Religion (the argument from evil, miracles). In this clip, he discusses some problems with substance dualism, why he believes in property dualism, and why he does not believe in epiphenomenalism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Property_dualism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphenomenalism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary%27s_room
Alvin Plantinga and the Modal Argument for Dualism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-10-15 | Alvin Plantinga is an American philosopher, currently the John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He is known for his work in epistemology, metaphysics, and the philosophy of religion, and in particular for applying the methods of analytic philosophy to defend Christian belief. In this clip, he argues for the ontological distinctness of mind and body on the basis of modal properties and the identity of indiscernibles (i.e. Leibniz's law). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Plantinga http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dualism/#ModArg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_of_indiscernibles
An Introduction to Physicalism (Mirror) PhilCogSciArchive 2009-10-11 | This is a mirrored video made by the user "leawardseif." He is criminally under-subscribed, and so I thought re-posting this video on my account might bring his channel some of the attention it deserves. Please give his channel a visit and subscribe if you're interested in seeing more of his high-quality, thought-provoking philosophy videos. YouTube Account: http://www.youtube.com/user/leawardseif Original Video Upload: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQPPgaQ1ZqI
John Searle on Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2009-10-06 | In this clip, philosopher John Searle discusses his approach to the mind-body problem known as "biological naturalism." Searle believes that neither dualism nor materialism can adequately account for consciousness, but that the mind can still be studied as a purely biological phenomena. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Searle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_naturalism
Dennett on Spirituality PhilCogSciArchive 2009-10-03 | These clips are taken from the documentary film "Mystical Brain" which can be viewed in its entirety at: http://nfb.ca/film/mystical_brain The film focuses on a team from the University of Montreal who seek to understand the neurobiological basis for religious experiences by performing brain scans while individuals meditate and pray. More info on Daniel Dennett can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Dennett
Dennett on The Binding Problem PhilCogSciArchive 2009-09-07 | Daniel Dennett is a prominent American philosopher whose research centers on philosophy of mind and philosophy of science; particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science. He is currently the co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_problem In this clip, Dennett discusses what is known as "The Binding Problem." Namely, how is the unity of conscious perception brought about by the distributed activities of the central nervous system? Dennett argues that while it may intuitively seem like consciousness is a unitary phenomena, cognitive science has illustrated that one's experience is much less unified then first believed. As a result, Dennett concludes that one's sense of unity is simply an illusion.
Daniel Dennett on Deflating Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2009-08-24 | This is an excerpt from an episode of "Big Thinkers" which was a half-hour long documentary program on ZDTV (later TechTV). Recently the user "onetirednumbers" has been uploading many of the episodes to YouTube, and I just couldnt help myself from mirroring this clip. Also, he is criminally undersubscribed, and so if you like this clip please subscribe to him. OneTiredNumbers' Channel: http://www.youtube.com/onetirednumbers All three parts of this program: Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0wetQwH9nY Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y82d06KURA4 Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MisXHBUjnbo More info on Daniel Dennett: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Dennett
Patricia Churchland on Eliminative Materialism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-07-30 | Patricia Churchland is a Canadian-American philosopher working at the University of California, San Diego. She is associated with a school of thought in the philosophy of mind called eliminativism (or eliminative materialism), which argues that folk-psychological concepts such as belief, free will, and consciousness will likely need to be revised as science understands more about the nature of brain function. This interview is an excerpt from a documentary film entitled "Mastermind" by Sophie Besandoun and Pierre Faye. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Churchland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliminative_materialism The complete 21-minute interview can be found here: http://philosophyfaculty.ucsd.edu/faculty/pschurchland/movies/churchland2high.mov
Dennett on Determinism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-07-27 | In this clip, Daniel Dennett discusses the notion of an "epistemic horizon," and argues that (contrary to popular belief) adopting a purely materialistic account of mind does not provide grounds for nihilism. For Dennett, humans are biological devices that respond to the environment with rational, desirable courses of action. He believes that even if our brains are causally determined, it does not follow that we are not morally responsible for our behavior. Dennett argues that we base our decisions on context, gradually limiting our options as the situation becomes more specific. In the most specific circumstances (actual events), he suggests there is only one option left for us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbow_Room http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Evolves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibilism_and_incompatibilism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laplace%27s_demon The complete interview with Dennett can be found here: http://www.hollanddoc.nl/dossiers/39221631/ Also, another interesting clip from the same documentary series can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJzqHnwNbUY Music: "Poets Act" by Phillip Glass from "The Hours Soundtrack"
Logical Positivism Overview PhilCogSciArchive 2009-07-06 | "In Our Time" is a BBC-4 radio program on the history of ideas. In this clip, British broadcaster Melvyn Bragg discusses the core ideas of logical positivism with Barry Smith who is Professor of Philosophy at the University of London. The original broadcast was Thursday, July 2nd, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_positivism The complete discussion can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime.shtml
The Cosmological and Fine-Structure Constants PhilCogSciArchive 2009-07-03 | Physicist David Goodstein, and astrophysicists Neil deGrasse Tyson and Roger Blandford briefly discuss the renewed interest in Einstein's cosmological constant, as well as recent evidence that the fine-structure constant might actually be changing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_constant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine-structure_constant The complete video of this discussion can be viewed here: http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/displayevent.aspx?rID=3807&fID=1688
Consciousness and Quantum Mysticism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-07-03 | In this clip, neurosurgeon Joseph E. Bogen discusses the varying orders of magnitude observed in the natural world, and the different theories of consciousness that refer to them. Anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff then asserts that all these theories are mistaken, since they neglect the fundamental and irreducible character of consciousness. Neuroscientist Christof Koch then criticizes Hameroff for his panpsychist views, and advocates that instead of seeking progress by mere conceptual analysis, we ought to be looking for psycho-physical correlations through empirical research. The complete video of this discussion can be viewed here: http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/displayevent.aspx?rID=4947&fID=1688
Neuroethics at the World Science Festival PhilCogSciArchive 2009-06-19 | This video is from the "World Science Festival" meeting that took place on May 31st, 2007 in New York on the topic of "What it Means to Be Human." The event was moderated by Charlie Rose. Participants include philosopher Daniel Dennett, artist Jonathan Harris, AI researcher Marvin Minsky, anthropologist Ian Tattersall, geneticist Francis Collins, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, philosopher Patricia Churchland, sociologist Nikolas Rose, embryonic stem cell biologist Renee Reijo Pera, and Nobel Laureates Harold Varmus and Paul Nurse. In this clip, Nikolas Rose expresses doubts that the field of neuroethics will have any radical implications for jurisprudence, to which both Patricia Churchland and Francis Collins agree. Paul Nurse then brings up the problem of freewill, an issue which Daniel Dennett has written extensively on. To watch the full discussion visit: http://vimeo.com/groups/science/videos/4533831 Another excellent video related to this topic can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Seg8kjc6Z84
Sartre on Intellectualism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-06-07 | Jean-Paul Sartre, was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy.In this clip, Sartre discusses the characteristics of a "classic intellectual" and its relationship to Hegel's notion of the "unhappy conscience."
Noam Chomsky and Peter Singer on Abortion PhilCogSciArchive 2009-06-07 | These clips are taken from the 2006 Tony Kaye documentary "Lake of Fire" that graphically depicts the contemporary abortion debate in the United States. Noam Chomsky is professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and is one of the fathers of modern linguistics. Since the 1960s, he has become known more widely as a political dissident, an anarchist, and libertarian socialist. Peter Singer is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and laureate professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE), University of Melbourne. He specializes in applied ethics, approaching ethical issues from a secular utilitarian perspective.
Immanuel Kant: The Great Synthesizer PhilCogSciArchive 2009-05-19 | This clip describes Immanuel Kant's great synthesis of the rationalist and empiricist philosophical traditions. Kant famously stated "Percepts without concepts are empty; concepts without percepts are blind." Kant argues that our experience of reality is not merely passive, but rather that the mind actively structures how we encounter the world. The clip then explains the difference between analytic/synthetic judgments and a priori/a posteriori judgments. It then closes with a brief description of Kant's deontological ethical theory, and his critique of metaphysics.
The Vienna Circle and Logical Positivism PhilCogSciArchive 2009-03-02 | This clip briefly describes the rise of the Vienna Circle and the ideas of logical positivism. The Vienna Circle had various members, however, this clip only mentions Moritz Schlick, Rudolph Carnap, Otto Neurath, and Kurt Gödel. It then briefly discusses the relationship between logical positivism and Ludwig Wittgenstein's early work (exemplified in his "Tractatus-Logico Philosophicus"). The main thought behind logical positivism was the notion that all worthwhile knowledge is scientific knowledge. This can be best expressed in their "Verificationist Criterion of Meaning." Simply put, there exist only two types of genuine knowledge: analytic truths that are true by definition (i.e. mathematics and logic), and synthetic truths that are true by repeatable empirical observations (i.e. physics, biology, chemistry, etc.). All statements that fail to fit into these two categories (i.e. metaphysical, ethical, aesthetic, etc.) are seen as emotive and cognitively meaningless. Another signature aspect of logical positivism is a general disdain towards metaphysical speculation. While some positivists thought we ought to suspend judgment concerning metaphysics entirely, others felt provisional commitment to a metaphysics to ground the empirical sciences was justified. Consequently, a few promoted physicalism as a metaphysical theory that could provide unification to all of the natural sciences. The clip also mentions Otto Neurath's idea of building a ship while at sea as a metaphor for an anti-foundationalist epistemology.
Modality and Possible Worlds PhilCogSciArchive 2009-02-28 | This brief clip discusses modality and the notion of possible worlds in metaphysics. Gottfried Leibniz came up with the notion of possible worlds as a way of emphasizing the privileged status that the actual world holds over other potential states of affairs because God consciously created it this way for mankind. Leibniz is famous for stating that this is "the best of all possible worlds." Next, the clip discusses our modal intuitions concerning "possibility" and "necessity," and how they can be best understood within the context of possible worlds. "Contingent propositions" are those that are true in some possible worlds and false in others. For example: "Richard Nixon became President in 1969" is contingently true and "Hubert Humphrey became President in 1969" is contingently false. While "necessary propositions" are those that are true in all possible worlds. For example: "2+2=4" and "All bachelors are unmarried." This leads into a discussion of David Lewis and his claim known as "modal realism;" the view that all logically possible worlds exist in the same sense that the actual world exists. In other words, that these other possible worlds are "really out there." And finally, the video mentions the striking similarities between Lewis' modal realism and the "Many-Worlds Interpretation" of quantum mechanics.
Consciousness and Demystification PhilCogSciArchive 2009-02-19 | This clip opens with the voice of David Chalmers describing the lack of consensus among philosophers of mind on just how we should define "consciousness." Then, John Searle describes the recent increased interest in the science of consciousness, and how it is no longer viewed as an area only to be studied by mystics. Christoph Koch follows this by briefly describing the "Hard Problem of Consciousness." Next, John Searle discuses enlightenment thinking and how it has lead us to think that there is nothing in the universe that is inherently unknowable to rational inquiry. Howard Kaye then discusses some of the religious implications of evolutionary theory. And finally, António Damásio, Daniel Dennett, Patricia Churchland, and Paul Churchland provide their thoughts on the mind-brain and the potential paradigm shift that awaits us as empirical research proceeds. (Note: With a good eye you can catch both Roger Penrose and Ned Block during the conference scene.)
Toward a Science of Consciousness PhilCogSciArchive 2009-02-16 | This clip first discusses a 1996 conference sponsored by the Center for Consciousness Studies in Tucson, Arizona entitled "Toward a Science of Consciousness." The key figures that can be seen are Stuart Hameroff, Christof Koch, David Chalmers, Daniel Dennett, Patricia Churchland, and John Searle. Daniel Dennett then briefly discusses his views on consciousness and the first-person illusion that we are aware of our complete visual field, when in actuality we are not. And finally, Frank Jackson's famous "Mary the Neuroscientist" thought-experiment is explained.
Patricia Churchland on Neurophilosophy PhilCogSciArchive 2009-02-14 | In this clip, journalist Bill Moyers interviews philosopher Patricia Smith Churchland on how empirical research in the neurosciences could have radical implications for longstanding philosophical questions concerning the nature of knowledge, the self, and conscious experience. She also discuses the limits of our imaginative abilities, and how they have historically failed us when we attempt to speculate concerning what types of phenomena will, in principle, never be adequately explained in solely materialistic terms. Consequently, she thinks we shouldn't take a failure of imagination as an insight into ontological necessity. Next, she discusses her conversations with the Dalai Lama, his amazing openness to conceptual revision in the face of advancing empirical research, and how it is unlikely that new neurobiological facts will have a radical impact on our moral reasoning. Finally, she addresses some of the religious implications of contemporary neurobiological research, and how (just like in the case of vitalism) the religious notion of an immaterial soul has become explanatorily impotent and unnecessary.
Cogito Ergo Sum PhilCogSciArchive 2009-01-14 | French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) proposed "the cogito" as demonstrating the most fundamental epistemological principle upon which all knowledge is based. "I suppose, accordingly, that all the things which I see are false; fictitious. I believe that none of those objects which my fallacious memory represents ever existed; I suppose that I possess no senses; I believe that body, figure, extension, motion, and place are merely fictions of my mind. What is there, then, that can be esteemed true? Perhaps this only, that there is absolutely nothing certain. But how do I know that there is not something different altogether from the objects I have now enumerated, of which it is impossible to entertain the slightest doubt? Is there not a God, or some being, by whatever name I may designate Him, who causes these thoughts to arise in my mind? But why suppose such a Being, for it may be I myself am capable of producing them? Am I, then, at least not something? But I before denied that I possessed senses or a body; I hesitate, however, for what follows from that? Am I so dependent on the body and the senses that without these I cannot exist? But I had the persuasion that there was absolutely nothing in the world, that there was no sky and no earth, neither minds nor bodies; was I not, therefore, at the same time, persuaded that I did not exist? Far from it; I assuredly existed, since I was persuaded. But there is I know not what being, who is possessed at once of the highest power and the deepest cunning, who is constantly employing all his ingenuity in deceiving me. Doubtless, then, I exist, since I am deceived; and, let him deceive me as he may, he can never bring it about that I am nothing, so long as I shall be conscious that I am something. So that it must, in fine, be maintained, all things being maturely and carefully considered, that this proposition: I am, I exist; is necessarily true each time it is expressed by me, or conceived in my mind." Reading: Public Domain Librivox recording of "Meditation II" from "Meditations on First Philosophy" http://www.archive.org/details/meditations_descartes_dew_librivox Audio: "Apreludes (in C Sharp Major)" by Stars of the Lid http://www.amazon.com/Their-Refinement-Decline-Stars-Lid/dp/B000NIIUX8 Anatomical Drawings from "Dream Anatomy" http://www.nlm.nih.gov/dreamanatomy/index.html
Part 2 - This is Your Brain on Morality PhilCogSciArchive 2008-10-24 | Patricia Churchland speaking at the "Beyond Belief: Candles in the Dark" conference in October 2008. Her talk concerns the potential ethical implications of findings in the neurosciences. This is Part 2 of 2. For similar videos visit: http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/beyond-belief-candles-in-the-dark
Part 1 - This is Your Brain on Morality PhilCogSciArchive 2008-10-24 | Patricia Churchland speaking at the "Beyond Belief: Candles in the Dark" conference in October 2008. Her talk concerns the potential ethical implications of findings in the neurosciences. This is Part 1 of 2. For similar videos visit: http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/beyond-belief-candles-in-the-dark
David Chalmers Sings The Zombie Blues PhilCogSciArchive 2008-09-04 | David Chalmers sings the "Zombie Blues" at the close of the University of Arizona's "Toward a Science of Consciousness" conference. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_zombie David Chalmers is a leading thinker in the philosophy of mind. He is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Consciousness at the Australian National University.
Haleakala Summit Sunset PhilCogSciArchive 2008-06-01 | Audio: "Looking Up" by Gardens http://www.last.fm/music/Gardens http://www.last.fm/music/Gardens/Looking+Up Video: Sunset from Haleakala summit, Maui, Hawaii on September 1, 2007. Taken from an open source video sharing website.
Immanuel Kant Song PhilCogSciArchive 2008-05-19 | "The Transcendental Deduction of the Pure Concepts of Understanding" Translation by Roderick T. LongMusic and vocals by Paul L. FinePLEASE NOTE: The audio for this video was NOT made by me. I merely found the song online and made the video. Also, I do not have piano tabs for the song.The song may be downloaded here:http://www.auburn.edu/academic/liberal_arts/philosophy/kant.htm
Part 3 - The Open Questions In Neuroscience PhilCogSciArchive 2008-03-04 | Mental phenomena are nothing but phenomena of the physical brain, says Patricia Churchland. It's "an illusion of the brain" to think that we have a "nonphysical soul that does our feeling." But how the brain creates constructs of itself and things in the world remains a major puzzle. For instance, how does a brain "habitually represent goals, plans and projects -- things that don't yet exist?" And what about the huge amount of spontaneous activity in the brain that occurs while we're resting? We don't understand how the "organization of a motor response is achieved," nor how these responses are integrated across sensory systems together with memory. Churchland anticipates a fundamental shift in looking at the brain that will merge philosophical and neurobiological issues. From the MIT "Expand Your Mind: Getting a Grasp on Consciousness" conference. This is Part 3 of 3.
Part 2 - The Open Questions In Neuroscience PhilCogSciArchive 2008-03-04 | Mental phenomena are nothing but phenomena of the physical brain, says Patricia Churchland. It's "an illusion of the brain" to think that we have a "nonphysical soul that does our feeling." But how the brain creates constructs of itself and things in the world remains a major puzzle. For instance, how does a brain "habitually represent goals, plans and projects -- things that don't yet exist?" And what about the huge amount of spontaneous activity in the brain that occurs while we're resting? We don't understand how the "organization of a motor response is achieved," nor how these responses are integrated across sensory systems together with memory. Churchland anticipates a fundamental shift in looking at the brain that will merge philosophical and neurobiological issues. From the MIT "Expand Your Mind: Getting a Grasp on Consciousness" conference. This is Part 1 of 3.
Part 1 - The Open Questions In Neuroscience PhilCogSciArchive 2008-03-04 | Mental phenomena are nothing but phenomena of the physical brain, says Patricia Churchland. It's "an illusion of the brain" to think that we have a "nonphysical soul that does our feeling." But how the brain creates constructs of itself and things in the world remains a major puzzle. For instance, how does a brain "habitually represent goals, plans and projects -- things that don't yet exist?" And what about the huge amount of spontaneous activity in the brain that occurs while we're resting? We don't understand how the "organization of a motor response is achieved," nor how these responses are integrated across sensory systems together with memory. Churchland anticipates a fundamental shift in looking at the brain that will merge philosophical and neurobiological issues. From the MIT "Expand Your Mind: Getting a Grasp on Consciousness" conference. This is Part 1 of 3.
Part 5 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 2) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-24 | Episode two of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on prosopagnosia, the Capgras delusion, and temporal lobe epilepsy. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 5 of 5.
Part 4 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 2) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode two of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on prosopagnosia, the Capgras delusion, and temporal lobe epilepsy. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 4 of 5.
Part 3 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 2) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode two of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on prosopagnosia, the Capgras delusion, and temporal lobe epilepsy. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 3 of 5.
Part 2 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 2) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode two of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on prosopagnosia, the Capgras delusion, and temporal lobe epilepsy. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 2 of 5.
Part 1 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 2) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode two of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on prosopagnosia, the Capgras delusion, and temporal lobe epilepsy. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 1 of 5.
Part 4 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 1) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode one of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on blind-sight, phantom-limbs, anosognosia, and hemispatial neglect. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 4 of 5.
Part 5 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 1) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode one of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on blind-sight, phantom-limbs, anosognosia, and hemispatial neglect. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 5 of 5.
Part 3 - Phantoms In The Brain (Episode 1) PhilCogSciArchive 2008-01-23 | Episode one of a two-part BBC-4 special program hosted by neurologist V.S. Ramachandran that explains his key findings in certain instances of brain damage that have long been viewed as mere curiosities by the scientific community. This episode focuses on blind-sight, phantom-limbs, anosognosia, and hemispatial neglect. My apologies for the audio being slightly off, the black bar at the bottom of the video, as well as the temporary video defects; this was the only copy of the video I could find. This is Part 3 of 5.
