Episodios

  • What Are Traces of Consciousness? A New Breakthrough Unifying Mind and Reality | Donald Hoffman
    Nov 26 2025

    What is the true structure of reality? In his fourth appearance on Mind-Body Solution, cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman returns with the most significant update yet to Conscious Realism: trace logic, decorated permutations, the emergence of spacetime from networks of conscious agents, and the strongest mathematical progress so far toward deriving Minkowski space from consciousness itself. Across nearly three hours, we explore what has changed in Hoffman’s thinking since our last dialogue two years ago: breakthroughs in the trace-order formalism, new clarifications on evolution and perception, deeper implications for identity and suffering, and the surprising philosophical consequences of consciousness being fundamental. This is Hoffman at his most refined - technically rigorous, personally honest, and metaphysically bold.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) — Intro(03:12) — What has changed in Hoffman’s thinking in the last two years? (07:45) — Why Spacetime Is Doomed: The 2026 Case(12:58) — Conscious Agents: What’s Changed in the New Theory(18:30) — Traces of Consciousness (2026): Don’s Biggest Breakthrough Yet(25:44) — Restricted Channels of Consciousness (RCCs)(32:02) — The Mathematics of Trace Order & Trace Logic(38:55) — Is Reality Built from Relations, Not Things?(45:40) — What the Spacetime Headset Really Is(52:18) — Scattering Amplitudes & the Illusion of Objects(59:50) — Why Evolution Hides the Truth (Updated Evidence)(1:07:14) — Perception as a User Interface, Not a Window on Reality(1:14:32) — Are Particles Just Icons? The Physics Implications(1:22:10) — Causality, Emergence, Time & the √n Structure of Trace Chains(1:29:48) — Can We Test Conscious Realism in the Lab?(1:37:05) — AI, Conscious Agents & Synthetic Phenomena(1:45:22) — Conscious Realism vs Idealism, Physicalism & Competing Frameworks(1:53:44) — The Meaning Question: Why Is There Something It’s Like?(2:02:58) — What This Theory Says About Death & Identity(2:10:00) – Identity, the Avatar, Death, Suffering & the “Infinite Self” (2:30:00) – Meditation & Waking Up from the Headset (2:40:00) – The New Paper Timeline & Call for Collaborators (2:48:00) – Closing reflectionsEPISODE LINKS:- Donald's Website: https://www.cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff/- Donald's Books: https://tinyurl.com/5x7bmzbd- Donald's Publications: https://tinyurl.com/bp7btw9a- Donald's Round 1: https://youtu.be/M5Hz1giUUT8- Donald's Round 2: https://youtu.be/Toq9YLl49KM- Donald's Round 3: https://youtu.be/QRa8r5xOaAA- Donald's Lecture 1: https://youtu.be/r_UFm8GbSvU- Donald's Lecture 2: https://youtu.be/YBmzqNIlbcICONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MindBodySolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    2 h y 49 m
  • Consciousness Beyond Materialism: A New Framework for Mind & Reality | Elly Vintiadis
    Nov 20 2025

    What is consciousness, really - and why have centuries of science and philosophy still not resolved it?

    In this episode of Mind-Body Solution, Dr Tevin Naidu is joined by Dr Elly Vintiadis, philosopher at the intersection of mind, cognitive science, psychiatry, and metaphysics. Together, we explore the foundations, limits, and future of theories of consciousness - and why our scientific worldview may need a major conceptual upgrade.This episode is part of a special series in collaboration with the Mind-at-Large Project: a three-year international initiative, spanning conferences, films, and media, investigating consciousness and its role in reality. It seeks to challenge the prevailing materialist paradigm and expand our understanding of mind across scales, from neurons to ecosystems, from individuals to the cosmos itself. A collaboration between philosophers, scientists, and scholars rethinking the nature of consciousness, reality, and beyond. Mind-at-Large Abstract Submission Guidelines: https://ctr4process.org/mind-at-large/submit/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) — Intro & Welcome(00:30) — Mind-at-Large: A Call for Submissions(03:30) — How Materialism Became Our Default(06:13) — A Brief History of the Mind–Body Debate(11:14) — Why We Have 360 Theories of Consciousness(12:08) — Do We Need a Conceptual Revolution?(16:12) — Clinical Practice & The Limits of Reductionism(17:47) — Why Society Wants “Quick Fix” Psychiatry(18:05) — Is Consciousness Fundamental or Emergent?(20:59) — Beyond the Brain: Embodiment & Electromagnetic Fields(22:49) — Why Theories of Consciousness Actually Matter(23:03) — Mental Disorders: Biological, Social, or Normative?(26:19) — Why Biomarkers in Psychiatry Keep Failing(29:07) — How Substance Metaphysics Misleads Us(34:00) — Phenomenal Variation & Altered States(39:05) — Philosophy’s Job: Synthesizing the Ways of Knowing(41:14) — Introspection vs Experiment: Are Both Valid?(52:30) — Animal Minds, Moral Status & Personhood(1:07:42) — Cautious Pluralism & Open Questions(1:15:22) — ConclusionEPISODE LINKS:- Mind-at-Large Project Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPacM28YkMQCHdQl2_3OvDmHPl6jJRJcz&si=MxhDoX6bJjkEzMXK- Mind-at-Large Project: https://mindatlargeproject.com- Mind-at-Large Abstract Submission Guidelines: https://ctr4process.org/mind-at-large/submit/- Elly's Website: https://ellyvintiadis.com/- Elly's X: https://twitter.com/EllyVintiadis- Elly's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elly-vintiadis-21a78817/- Elly's Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=mV7LCQwAAAAJ&hl=enCONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mindbodysolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    1 h y 17 m
  • Why Does Consciousness Exist? Integrated World Modeling Theory & the Cybernetic Mind | Adam Safron
    Nov 12 2025

    What is consciousness actually doing?In this episode of Mind-Body Solution, neuroscientist and theorist Dr Adam Safron joins Dr Tevin Naidu to explore one of the most ambitious frameworks in contemporary consciousness science - Integrated World Modeling Theory (IWMT).IWMT unites leading theories like Integrated Information Theory (IIT), Global Workspace Theory (GWT), and the Free Energy Principle (FEP) into one powerful vision: that consciousness is the brain's model of its own embodied relationship to the world.Together, they examine:- How consciousness might function as a control system for adaptive intelligence- Why embodiment and emotion are essential to conscious experience- Whether consciousness is truly causal, and how this reframes free will- How psychedelics, meditation, and altered states reveal the structure of the self-model- And what IWMT tells us about AI, evolution, and the universe itself Bridging neuroscience, philosophy, and cybernetics, this conversation invites you to rethink what it means to be aware.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Introduction (02:15) – Why Consciousness Matters in the Universe(05:24) – What Is Integrated World Modeling Theory (IWMT)?(09:03) – Modeling the Self, Modeling the World(12:12) – Consciousness as Embodied Simulation(16:38) – Is Consciousness Causal?(20:25) – Agency and the Active Inference Brain(24:30) – Free Energy & Free Will(29:17) – The Hierarchy of Minds(34:42) – From Computation to Experience(39:28) – Why Consciousness Defies Reduction(43:05) – The Psychedelic Brain and World Modeling(47:56) – The Role of Emotion in Consciousness(52:12) – Consciousness and Causation: The Recursive Loop(57:20) – Evolution, Embodiment & the Origins of Mind(1:02:00) – Artificial Minds & Synthetic Consciousness(1:07:25) – The Cybernetic Universe Hypothesis(1:12:38) – Psychedelics & AI(1:24:45) – Engineering Artificial Consciousness(1:27:10) – Toward an Integrated, Compassionate Understanding of Mind(1:44:00) – ConclusionEPISODE LINKS:- Adam's Website: https://www.adamsafron.com/- Adam's X: https://twitter.com/adamsafron- Adam's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamSafron/- Adam's Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dZOoilgAAAAJ&hl=enCONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MindBodySolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    1 h y 46 m
  • Will We Know When AI Becomes Conscious? The Epistemic Fog of Artificial Minds | Eric Schwitzgebel
    Nov 5 2025

    What if tomorrow's AI stares back with hidden inner life - and we're blind to it? Philosopher Eric Schwitzgebel shares his new thesis from AI and Consciousness (2026): an unbreakable "fog" of uncertainty means we'll build legions of disputably conscious machines before we ever know. Join Dr Eric Schwitzgebel and Dr Tevin Naidu as they unpack why consciousness detection is doomed, how mimicry fools us, and what humble action looks like in the void.Send detailed comments on the manuscript by Dec 15 to receive a signed hard-copy of AI and Consciousness + your name in print! Your voice matters. Email all comments to " eschwitz " at domain: " ucr.edu" for a copy of this paper or click this link: https://faculty.ucr.edu/~eschwitz/SchwitzAbs/AIConsciousness.htmMind. Matter. Meaning. Subscribe for philosophy that hits home. Is AI conscious yet? Debate below! 🧠🤖TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – AI Consciousness Book Tease & Listener Comment Call(01:52) – The Epistemic Fog: Why We Won't Know AI Sentience in Time(05:30) – Defining Consciousness: What-It’s-Like-Ness & Vague Boundaries(10:45) – AI Definitions: Too Rigid for Strange Minds?(15:20) – Borderline Consciousness: Neither Yes Nor No(20:15) – Essential Features: Luminosity, Unity & 10 Possibilities(25:40) – Introspective Limits: Why Self-Report Fails Us(30:55) – Conceptual Barriers: Narrow Evidence from Human Minds(36:10) – Mimicry Argument: Behavioral Tests Fool Experts(41:25) – Turing & Chinese Room: Low-Bar vs. High-Bar Traps(46:50) – Global Workspace Theory: Ignition or Illusion?(52:30) – Higher-Order Theories: Meta-Representation Myths(58:10) – Integrated Information Theory: Φ's Unintuitive Upshots(1:03:45) – Recurrent & Learning Models: Unlimited Associative Edges(1:09:20) – Copernican Liberalism: Beyond Biological Chauvinism(1:14:55) – Strange Intelligence: Parallelism & Distributed Clouds(1:20:30) – Leapfrog Hypothesis: Social Consensus Decides Sentience(1:26:05) – Ethical Risks: Over- vs. Under-Attributing AI Consciousness(1:31:40) – Social Semi-Solution: Pragmatic Humility in the Fog(1:37:15) – Philosophical Praxis: Living the AI Consciousness QuestionEPISODE LINKS:- Eric's Website: https://faculty.ucr.edu/~eschwitz/- Eric's Blog: https://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com/- Eric's X: https://twitter.com/eschwitz- Eric's Round 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKJyo2_s5P8- AI and Consciousness: https://faculty.ucr.edu/~eschwitz/SchwitzAbs/AIConsciousness.htm- The Copernican Argument for Alien Consciousness; The Mimicry Argument Against Robot Consciousness: https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.00008- The Emotional Alignment Design Policy: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.06263CONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mindbodysolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.#EricSchwitzgebel #AI #Consciousness #PhilosophyofMind

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    1 h y 31 m
  • What is the Mind-Body Problem?
    Nov 2 2025

    What is the Mind-Body Problem?For thousands of years, philosophers and scientists have asked how an inner world of experience could emerge from an outer world of matter.From Plato and Descartes to modern neuroscience and AI, the Mind-Body Problem remains philosophy's oldest puzzle and science’s hardest challenge.This opening episode of Mind-Body Solution's special series, "The Mind-Body Problem Explained - An Ultimate Guide", introduces the mystery of consciousness and the major ways thinkers have tried to solve it - from dualism and idealism, to panpsychism and illusionism.Whether you're new to the topic or a seasoned philosopher of mind, this short film offers a clear, cinematic introduction to one of humanity's greatest questions:How does mind arise from matter - or does it? And what does this mean for reality itself?Mind • Matter • MeaningSubscribe to explore the series: The Mind-Body Problem Explained – An Ultimate Guide | A Mind-Body Solution Series.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – The Question | What is the Mind-Body Problem?(00:22) – Ancient Origins | Plato, Aristotle, and the Soul-Body Debate(00:53) – Descartes’ Revolution | “I think, therefore I am.”(01:18) – Modern Split | Mind and Matter in Science(01:40) – Philosophical Paths | Dualism, Physicalism, Idealism, Panpsychism(02:24) – The Hard Problem | Nagel, Chalmers, and Qualia(02:56) – The Explanatory Gap | Feeling vs Function(03:20) – Consciousness Today | Neuroscience, AI, and the Mystery of Mind(03:57) – Why It Matters | Free Will, Ethics, and Meaning(04:25) – Mind, Matter, Meaning | Toward a Mind-Body SolutionCONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MindBodySolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com =============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    4 m
  • The Meaning Crisis, Process Cosmology & Whitehead's Universe | Mind-at-Large Project
    Oct 29 2025

    In this conversation, Dr Andrew M. Davis joins Dr Tevin Naidu for a deep exploration of meaning, process philosophy, and the evolving story of consciousness. They discuss the modern meaning crisis, Alfred North Whitehead’s process cosmology, philosophical praxis, and how value, agency, and mind might be fundamental features of an unfolding universe. From metaphysics to existential risk, and from science to spirituality - this conversation explores how philosophy can help us re-enchant our understanding of reality itself.Andrew M. Davis, PhD. is an American process philosopher, theologian, and scholar of the cosmos. He is research and academic director for the Center for Process Studies where he researches, writes, teaches, and organizes conferences on various aspects of process-relational thought. He is author, editor, and co-editor of nearly a dozen books including Mind, Value, and Cosmos: On the Relational Nature of Ultimacy (2020); Process Cosmology: New Integrations in Science and Philosophy (2022); Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology (2023); and Whitehead's Universe: A Prismatic Introduction (forthcoming, 2026).TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Introduction | Meaning, Mind, and the Future of Philosophy(03:12) – What Is Philosophical Praxis? Reconnecting Thought and Action(07:30) – The Meaning Crisis and Modern Disconnection(11:24) – Process Philosophy and the Need for a Living Metaphysics(15:10) – Whitehead’s Vision: The Universe as Becoming, Not Being(19:18) – Panpsychism, Panentheism, and the Mind at Large Framework(24:02) – Existential Risk and the Evolution of Consciousness(28:37) – How Reductionism Distorts Reality and Meaning(33:25) – Reclaiming Teleology: Value, Purpose, and Cosmic Direction(37:44) – Science, Spirituality, and the Death of Materialism(42:20) – Psychedelic States and the Expansion of Experience(46:48) – Axiology and the Centrality of Value in the Cosmos(51:36) – Philosophical Therapy: Healing the Worldview Divide(56:42) – The Crisis of Meaning as a Crisis of Perception(1:02:15) – Whitehead, Deleuze, and Creative Becoming(1:08:10) – Is the Universe Conscious? The Panexperiential Turn(1:14:00) – Towards a Cosmology of Value and Participation(1:19:28) – The Role of the Philosopher Today: From Critic to Creator(1:25:36) – Mind-Body, Mind-at-Large: Bridging Consciousness (and Cosmos(1:32:02) – Hope, Purpose, and the Next Evolution of Thought(1:38:27) – Closing Reflections | Re-Enchanting the World EPISODE LINKS:- Mind-at-Large Project Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPacM28YkMQCHdQl2_3OvDmHPl6jJRJcz&si=MxhDoX6bJjkEzMXK- Mind-at-Large Project: https://mindatlargeproject.com- Andrew's Website: https://andrewmdavis.info- Whitehead's Universe: www.whiteheadsuniverse.com- Andrew's YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Andrew-M-Davis- Center for Process Studies: https://ctr4process.orgCONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MindBodySolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    1 h y 39 m
  • Why Science and Philosophy Need Each Other | Lauren Ross & Megan Peters
    Oct 22 2025

    Why do science and philosophy so often stand apart - and what happens when they come back together?In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr Tevin Naidu brings together Prof Lauren Ross (philosopher of science, UC Irvine) and Prof Megan Peters (computational neuroscientist, UC Irvine) to explore why modern science still depends on philosophical insight - and why philosophy needs to engage with empirical rigor.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) - Introduction: Why science and philosophy need each other(01:45) - Science vs. Philosophy: debunking the "anything goes" myth(06:22) - What scientists misunderstand about philosophy(09:38) - Philosophy and science as synergistic collaborators(34:40) - Brains as model-builders: uncertainty, inference, and subjective experience(37:47) - How noise & variability reveal links between brain models and experience(39:39) - What counts as an explanation? Descriptions vs. why-questions in science(41:19) - Defining the explanatory target in consciousness research (contrast & clarity)(44:27) - Types of explanation: causal, mechanistic, computational, and mathematical(47:28) - Levels of analysis: Marr, models, and matching methods to questions(57:23) - The microprocessor/Mario example: what "perfect access" still fails to explain(58:50) - Groundbreaking work: metacognition, psychophysics & linking model knobs to experience(59:59) - Processing "under the hood": what the brain does without subjective access(01:00:01) - Vision science & the limits of introspection: implications for consciousness studies(01:26:39) - Is consciousness an epiphenomenon? Debate and conceptual framing(01:28:24) - Precision of questions: why asking the right question matters for explanation(01:29:54) - Plurality of explanatory targets: accepting piecemeal explanations for complex systems(01:42:22) - Community & interdisciplinarity: building networks that bridge science and philosophy(01:44:32) - Future horizons for consciousness research: what philosophy must confront next(02:06:36) - Final reflections: how a philosophically informed neuroscience could reshape the field(02:08:05) - ConclusionEPISODE LINKS:- Megan's Website: https://www.meganakpeters.org/- Megan's Lab: https://www.cnclab.io/- Neuromatch: https://neuromatch.io/- Megan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-peters-58a86133/- Megan's X: https://twitter.com/meganakpeters- Could a Neuroscientist Understand a Microprocessor: https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005268- Neuromatch’s Consciousness Day in the neuroAI course: https://neuroai.neuromatch.io/tutorials/W2D5_Mysteries/chapter_title.html- Lauren's Website: https://sites.socsci.uci.edu/~rossl/- Lauren's X: https://twitter.com/proflaurenross- Lauren's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-ross-48522843/- Explanation in Biology: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/explanation-in-biology/743A8C5A6E709B1E348FCD4D005C67B3CONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MindBodySolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    2 h y 13 m
  • What is the Mind's Eye? The Science of Imagination, Aphantasia & Consciousness | Adam Zeman
    Oct 15 2025

    What does it really mean to see with the mind’s eye?In this conversation, neurologist and consciousness researcher Professor Adam Zeman (Cognitive & Behavioural Neurologist, University of Exeter) joins Dr Tevin Naidu on Mind-Body Solution to explore the mysterious link between imagination, memory, and perception - and what happens when the mind’s eye goes dark.Zeman coined the term aphantasia, the inability to form mental images, and has spent decades studying how imagination shapes our sense of self and consciousness. Together, we discuss:- The neuroscience of mental imagery and its vividness- What aphantasia and hyperphantasia reveal about the brain-mind interface- Imagination’s evolutionary and social roles- How disorders of imagery illuminate the nature of consciousness- Why defining "inner experience" remains one of science's deepest puzzlesTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) - Introduction: Why imagination matters and the four big ideas(02:14) - What do we mean by “imagination”? Everyday vs scientific senses(05:46) - How imagination is implemented in the brain: top-down vs bottom-up processes(09:08) - The phenomenology of imagery: vividness, aphantasia, hyperphantasia(12:58) - Aphantasia explained: discovery, definition, and how common it is(16:50) - Measuring imagery: questionnaires, behavioral tasks, and limitations(20:30) - Dreams vs wakeful imagery: why people without imagery often still dream(24:12) - Aphantasia and memory: effects on autobiographical recall and learning(27:54) - Hyperphantasia and creativity: strengths, tradeoffs, and examples(31:28) - Clinical cases & the TIME project: epilepsy, transient amnesia, and memory links(34:50) - Accelerated long-term forgetting: what it reveals about memory consolidation(38:12) - Disorders of visual imagery: aphantasia, prosopagnosia, and related syndromes(41:55) - Therapeutic and performance uses of imagery: sports, music, psychotherapy(45:20) - Objective neural markers: fMRI, activation of visual cortices and network differences(48:56) - Assessing imagery in the clinic: best practices and pitfalls(52:30) - Imagination and consciousness: philosophical implications for “life in the mind”(55:50) - Language, sharing imagination, and why we evolved communicative imagination(59:38) - Dementia, PRESIDE and clinical relevance: early markers and research directions(01:03:50) - Future directions: AI, computational models, and bridging phenomenology + neuroscience(01:07:30) - Closing reflections: practical takeaways for researchers, clinicians, and curious minds EPISODE LINKS:- Adam's Website:- Adam's X: https://twitter.com/zemanlab- Adam's Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7BSh2mQAAAAJ&hl=en- Adam's Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Adam-Zeman/author/B001H6UT84?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1760539071&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true- Science of Imagination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkYwKjkCJgECONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MindBodySolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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    1 h y 18 m