Francisco Aboitiz, author of A History of Bodies, Brains, and Minds

Today's guest is Dr. Francisco Aboitiz, from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and author of a new book, A History of Bodies, Brains, and Minds: The Evolution of Life and Consciousness.

Here's an overview of our conversation:

• Setting the Stage: Dr. Aboitiz, your book explores one of the most profound mysteries of our time—consciousness. To start, could you summarize the key events in brain evolution that have led to the emergence of consciousness, as you outline in your book?
• Theories of Consciousness: You delve into theories like the Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and the Global Workspace Theory (GWS). What do these theories offer to our understanding of consciousness, and where do they fall short in explaining subjective experience?
• Beyond Humans: Your book raises fascinating questions about consciousness in non-human animals. How do researchers measure consciousness in animals, and what ethical considerations should guide this work?
• Artificial Consciousness: You also explore the potential for consciousness to emerge in artificial systems. Do you believe systems like large language models could one day achieve consciousness, and what would that mean for society?
• Your Creative Process: Writing and publishing a book like A History of Bodies, Brains, and Minds requires a deep creative effort. Could you share a bit about your creative process, any key collaborators or co-creators, and how this project came to life?

We learned so much from Dr. Aboitiz’s insights on the global creative spirit.

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