Unraveling the Mind:
The Mystery of Consciousness
Moderated by Steve Paulson
Executive Producer, To the Best of Our Knowledge
Ned Block
Professor of Psychology and Philosophy, NYU
Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
Professor of Philosophy, New College of the Humanities
Philip Goff
Professor of Philosophy, Durham University
Few words in our language appear to cover such a broad and flexible swath of ideas as “the mind.” But what, actually, is the human mind? How does it relate to and differ from its seemingly inseparable companion, the brain? Where does the mind begin or emerge from? Is it merely a by-product of neural activities within the brain, or does it connect with deeper and more fundamental features of physical reality that possibly span across nature beyond the realm of living forms? Is there such a thing as the proper locus of the mind? How independent is the mind from its biological foundations? It is generally believed that what distinguishes the human mind is precisely its capacity to ask and probe these very questions. But is it actually equipped to answer them? How far does the scope of the mind extend? And what role does reflection and conscious thought play in its operation?
Philosopher of mind Ned Block, philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, and philosopher Philip Goff dissect the connections between the human mind, brain, and consciousness.
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