The hard problem
Can we ever get a grip on consciousness? At the heart of consciousness are subjective experiences. As a result, some argue that science, which describes the world objectively, can never get a grip on consciousness. This is known as The hard problem. On the other hand, we are gaining more and more knowledge about what consciousness does for us. Could this knowledge eventually lead to a knowledge of what consciousness is?
Animals, AI, psychiatry and more
Having explained The hard problem, as a student you will learn what different fields of study have to say about what consciousness does for humans, animals and, who knows, even machines. Do animals have consciousness, and how is it different from that of humans? Can we talk about consciousness in robots, and what would be the consequences? How does our idea of consciousness affect how we think about psychiatric disorders? And what can neuroscience tell us about consciousness? Can consciousness be measured in the brain?
At the end of the course you will take stock: will we ever be able to understand what consciousness is by mapping what consciousness does? In the final lecture, all the lecturers will discuss with each other and with the students whether the problem of subjective experience - The hard problem - is solvable.
Join this course and learn more about consciousness.
