Consciousness in Biological and Artificial Brains

Explore the intriguing topic of consciousness in biological and artificial brains in this Santa Fe Institute Community Lecture delivered by Christof Koch. Delve into the nature of conscious experiences in humans and animals, and examine the controversial question of whether artificial intelligence can truly achieve consciousness. Learn about Integrated Information Theory, a leading explanation for which physical systems can experience consciousness and why. Gain insights from Koch, a physicist-turned-neurobiologist and president of the Allen Institute for Brain Science, as he presents his perspective on why digital brains may never replicate human-like conscious experiences, regardless of how closely their software mimics the human brain. This thought-provoking lecture offers a fascinating look at the modern science of consciousness, drawing from Koch's expertise as outlined in his book "Consciousness: Confessions of a Romantic Reductionist."