School Seminars on The Science of Consciousness

The SMN are offering two seminars to schools for their A-level students. The purpose of these seminars will be to introduce students to the science of consciousness (in other words, current thinking on 'what is subjective experience?' and 'how does the sense of self come about?') and to a university style of learning.

The seminars will span science, the arts, philosophy, psychology and religious education. Maximum participation from the students will be encouraged using thought experiments, practical exercises and film clips. The questions addressed will include: "How do chemical reactions in the brain produce subjective experience?" "Can a machine be conscious?" and "Are we free agents in control of our actions?"

Each seminar is one hour, or can be extended for a further half hour for discussion.

Seminar 1 - What is it like to be a bat?

Seminar Questions

• 1. What does it mean to be self-aware?
• 2. Does the brain produce consciousness?
• 3. If we are the result of chemical reactions in the brain, how can we act freely?
• 4. Can a machine have experience? Are we just complex machines - or zombies?

Seminar 2: "Who am I?"

Seminar Question

Is personal identity - the sense of self, of being or becoming a person, of being a free agent in control of our actions - an illusion?

The Seminars will be given by Dr. Guy Saunders and Janine Edge. If you are interested in receiving the seminars or would like to know more about them, please contact the SMN.

Guy Saunders BSc, PhD is senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of West of England , Bristol and for the last 4 years has been the course leader for the undergraduate module in Consciousness. He is a committee member for the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology section of the BPS. His latest publication is: ' Existence and Characterization' Consciousness and Experiential Psychology, 2004.

Janine Edge, MA (Cantab), MSc is visiting fellow at Nottingham Trent University in Organisational Psychology. Formerly she lectured in Philosophy on the Liverpool John Moores MSc in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology. She is a Chairman of the Scientific and Medical Network Charitable Trust. Her latest publication is: 'Enhancing musical performance through neurofeedback: Playing the tune of life' Transpersonal Psychology Review 2004.