event | the Science of Consciousness

April 1, 2017

April 25–30, 2016, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Arizona


“To have a glimpse of what consciousness is would be the scientific achievement before which all others would pale.” – William James

After 23 years, the seminal conference “Toward a Science of Consciousness” is now simply “The Science of Consciousness.” But as consciousness cannot be observed, scientifically explained, nor commonly defined, is there now truly a science of consciousness’? Are we there yet?

We do have essential questions. Is the brain a computer? Does it process or generate conscious information as output?  When, where, and how did consciousness evolve? Can we have free will, or are we just “go along for the ride?”

Will consciousness be reproduced through brain mapping, transhumanism and/or artificial intelligence? Or, does the brain “tune into” and organize consciousness or its precursors existing naturally in the universe? What are the implications of either view on the nature of existence, and treatment of mental and cognitive disorders?

These and many other questions will be debated in a week-long gathering of 800 to 900 scientists, philosophers, artists, meditators and interested people from 50 countries at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, a luxurious eco-lodge in the mountains just north of Tucson, Arizona.

The program will consist of Pre-Conference Workshops, Plenary talks, Concurrent talks, Posters and Exhibits, Social Events and Entertainment.

The event is sponsored by the Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona; and Center for Consciousness Science, The University of Michigan.

Important Links


Conference Website
Registration Link
Link to Abstracts
Link to Plenary Abstracts

Speaker Bios — click on photos

General Conference Sessions

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016
2:00 pm to 4:10 pm
PL 1 -Five Roads to Consciousness (1)

Stanislas Dehaene, NSERM-CEA, Paris
Anil K. Seth, University of Sussex, Brighton
Stuart Hameroff, University of Arizona, CCS, Tucson

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016
8:30 am to 10:40 am
PL 2 – Brain Biology

Rudolph Tanzi, Harvard Medical School, Boston
Selen Atasoy, Brain and Cognition, UPF, Barcelona
Anirban Bandyopadhyay, NIMS, Tsukuba
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016
11:10 am to 12:30 pm
PL 3 – Consciousness and Reality

Deepak Chopra, Chopra Foundation, UCSD
David Chalmers, Australian National University, NYU
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016
2:00pm to 4:10 pm
PL 4 – Five Roads to Consciousness (2)

Naotsugu Tsuchiya, Monash University, Melbourne
Richard Brown, CUNY, Laguardia College, New York
Jakob Hohwy, Monash University, Melbourne

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016
8:30 am to 10:40 am
PL 5 – Conscious Intention and Free Will

Aaron Schurger, École Polytechnique Fédérale, Lausanne
Panel – Time, Free Will and the Brain
Ruth Kastner, University of Maryland; 
Daniel Sheehan, University of San Diego
; Ron Gruber, Stanford University: 
Martin Nowakowski, Gdansk University
; Matti Vuorre, Columbia University; 
Julia Mossbridge, IONS

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016
11:10 am to 12:30 pm
PL 6 – AI/Machine Consciousness

Hartmut Neven, Google
Christian Szegedy, Google

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016
8:30 am to 10:40 am
PL 7 – Quantum Approaches 1

Henry Stapp, UC-Berkeley
Kelvin McQueen, University of Tel Aviv
Alyssa Ney, UC-Davis
FRIDAY, April 29, 2016
11:10 am to 12:30 pm
PL 8 – Evolution and Consciousness

Terrence W. Deacon, UC-Berkeley
Katherine T. Peil, Northeastern U, Boston

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016
2:00 pm to 4:10 pm
PL 9 – ‘Pribram Session’ – Brain Dynamics

Anthony Hudetz, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Walter J. Freeman, UC-Berkeley
György Buzsáki, NYU Neuroscience Inst, NYC

SATURDAY, April 30, 2016
8:30 am to 10:40 am
PL 10 – Scale and Connectivity

Alison Gopnik, UC-Berkeley
Robin Carhart Harris, Imperial College, London
Martin Monti, Psychology, UCLA

11:10 am to 12:30 pm
PL 11 – Quantum Approaches 2

Dean Radin, IONS, Petaluma
Stuart Kauffman, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle

2:00 pm to 4:10 pm
PL 12  – NCC 3 -Anomalous Conscious Experience

George Mashour, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Jimo Borjigin, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Peter Fenwick, Kings College, Southampton

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Tuesday April 26, Wednesday April 27, Friday April 29
5:00 to 7:30 pm


Link to Concurrent Abstracts

Concurrent Sessions  C1-C8
Tuesday April 26, 2016   5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
C1   Knowledge Argument, Explanatory Gap and Conceivability
C2   Panpsychism, Idealism and Metaphysics 1
C3   Agency and Mental Causation
C4   Neural Correlate Of Consciousness (NCC) I
C5   Quantum Approaches
C6   Time and Consciousness
C7   Psi and Non-Locality
C8   Meditation and Technology

Concurrent Sessions (C9-C16)
Wednesday April 27, 2016  5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
C9    Phenomenal Consciousness
C10  Panpsychism, Idealism and Metaphysics 2
C11  Agency and Free Will
C12  The Extended Mind
C13  Neural Correlates of Consciousness 2
C14  Vibrations, Scale and Topology
C15  Cellular and Intra-Cellular Processes
C16  Meditation 2

Concurrent Sessions (C17-C24)
Friday April 29, 2016   5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
C17 Metacognition and Agency
C18  Panpsychism, Idealism and Metaphysics 3
C19  Unity and Self
C20  Ketamine and Anesthetics
C21  Sleep and Dreaming
C22  Machine Consciousness
C23  Quantum Biology
C24  Arts and Entertainment

POSTER SESSIONS
Poster Session 1
Wednesday April 27, 7:00 – 10:00 pm

Poster Session 2
Friday April 29, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm


Link to Poster Abstracts

ART/TECH/HEALTH EXHIBITS
Session 1
Wednesday April 27- 7:00-10:00pm
Session 2
Friday April 29 – 7:00-10:00pm
Art-Tech DesignHealth Technology Exhibits and Vendors

Link to Art-Tech Abstracts

SOCIAL EVENTS

  • Club Consciousness / Hospitality Suite – Monday-Thursday 10:00 pm-midnight
  • Welcome Reception – Tuesday April 26, 7:00-10:00 pm
  • Dinner Under The Stars – Thursday April 28, 7:00-10:00 pm – optional
  • Poetry Slam/Zombie Blues/Talent Show – Friday April 29, 10:00 pm to midnight
  • ‘End of Consciousness’ Party – Saturday, April 30, 8:00 pm to??

Conference Website – www.consciousness.arizona.edu

Consciousness Central TV

Daily roundup with speakers and guests from the
Science of Consciousness Conferences

Pre-Conference Workshops
April 25 and 26 (Optional)
Workshop Descriptions and Speaker Bios – here

MONDAY Morning, April 25, 2016 9am-1pm
Consciousness versus Attention
PSI Research and Consciousness
Consciousness, Memory and Music
Curriculum for Consciousness Studies
DEI East-West Forum   full day
Kant and the Conscious Mind-Salon
Altered State Healing in the Amazon
Quantum Biology – Nature of Life-Salon
Tenniscentric Approach to Consciousness

MONDAY Afternoon, April 25, 2016 2pm-6pm
Consciousness in Animals
Consciousness and the Arts, I
Designing a Conscious Robot
DEI East-West Forum, II
Naturalizing the Conscious Mind?
Transformative Technology
Unity of Consciousness

Pre-Conference Workshops continued

MONDAY Evening, April 25, 2016 7pm-10pm
How Your Conscious Mind Can Change Your Genes
(Deepak Chopra, Rudy Tanzi)

TUESDAY Morning, April 26, 2016 9am-1pm
Anesthesia Research and Consciousness
Complexity and Consciousness-
Consciousness and the Arts II
Hot Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience
First Person-Third Person Perspectives
Philosophical Theories of Consciousness
Quantum AI and Machine Consciousness
Walter Freeman Festschrift

Co-Sponsors
The Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona
The Center for Consciousness Science, The University of Michigan

Program Committee
Stuart Hameroff, Co-Chair, University of Arizona
George Mashour, Co-Chair, University of Michigan
Abi Behar-Montefiore, CCS, University of Arizona
Harald Atmanspacher, ETH Zurich
Brit Brogaard, University of Miami
Hakwan Lau, University of California at Los Angeles
Paavo Pylkkanen, Universities of Helsinki and Skovde
Jay Sanguinetti, University of Arizona
Marilyn Schlitz, Worldview Enterprises; IONS
Gino Yu, Hong Kong, Polytechnic Univ; SME Creativity Center

Additional Sponsors
Dennis Balson
Mani Bhaumik
The Chopra Foundation
Crystal Globe, Shanghai
Ron Gruber
Sofia University
Quantum Gravity Research
Yet-A-Del Foundation

Additional Cooperating Organizations
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arizona
UA Departments of Psychology, Cognitive Science Program, Philosophy
Dayalbagh Educational Institute
Journal of Consciousness Studies – Imprint Academic
Society for Mind-Matter Research
Consciousness Central TV
Swiss Biennial on Science, Technics + Aesthetics
Transformative Technology Lab
Prizes
Penguin Random House
Whole Foods Tucson

The Center for Consciousness Studies — Since 1994

The Science of Consciousness (TSC) is an interdisciplinary conference aimed at rigorous and leading edge approaches to all aspects of the study of conscious experience. These include neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, molecular biology, medicine, quantum physics, and cosmology, as well as art, technology, and experiential and contemplative approaches.

The conference is the largest and longest-running interdisciplinary gathering probing fundamental questions related to conscious experience. As in previous conferences, program sessions include plenary and keynote talks, concurrent talks, posters, art-science-film demos and exhibits, pre-conference workshops, side trips, and social events in the Tucson tradition.