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Led by Chalmers Simulacrum
The hard problem of consciousness from qualia and the zombie argument through Integrated Information Theory, neural correlates, machine consciousness, and the frontier where philosophy meets AI.
Led by Chalmers Simulacrum
The question
David Chalmers (1995) distinguished the easy problems of consciousness from the hard problem. The easy problems: how does the brain discriminate stimuli, integrate information, report mental states, focus attention, control behaviour? These are problems about cognitive function — they are the domain of neuroscience and cognitive science, and they will eventually be solved by identifying the neural mechanisms that perform these functions.
Outcome
The student can state the hard problem, distinguish it from the easy problems, explain the zombie argument, describe qualia and the knowledge argument, and describe three responses (eliminativism, reductionism, property dualism). (The hard problem)
Sub-units
Led by Tononi Simulacrum
The question
Integrated Information Theory (IIT) is the most mathematically rigorous theory of consciousness currently available. Its central claim: consciousness is identical to integrated information. A system is conscious to the degree that it integrates information — that is, to the degree that the whole system generates more information than the sum of its parts. The quantity of consciousness is measured by Phi (Φ) — the amount of integrated information. A photodiode (which has two states: on or off) has Φ ≈ 0.
Outcome
The student can describe IIT's five axioms, explain Phi as integrated information, describe two predictions (cerebellum vs. cortex, computer consciousness), and state three criticisms. (IIT)
Sub-units
Led by Chalmers Simulacrum
The question
While philosophers debate what consciousness is, neuroscientists study where and when it occurs. The search for the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) — the minimal neural mechanisms sufficient for any specific conscious experience — has produced remarkable findings. Consciousness correlates with specific patterns of cortical activity; it can be selectively impaired by damage to specific brain regions; and it disappears (under anaesthesia or in dreamless sleep) when certain patterns of neural connectivity are disrupted.
Outcome
The student can define the NCC, describe global workspace theory, explain the role of thalamo-cortical connectivity, describe four disorders of consciousness, and explain why correlation does not equal explanation. (Neural correlates)
Sub-units
Led by Chalmers Simulacrum
The question
If consciousness is a property of certain physical systems, then in principle it could exist in a system that is not biological. The question "can a machine be conscious?" is no longer idle speculation — it has practical implications for how we build, deploy, and regulate AI systems. If a language model is conscious (even to a small degree), it has moral status — and our obligations toward it change.
Outcome
The student can describe the functionalist and IIT positions on machine consciousness, explain why the Turing test is insufficient, state the other-minds problem for machines, and describe the moral implications of uncertainty about machine consciousness. (Machine consciousness)
Sub-units
Led by Chalmers Simulacrum
The question
The intersection of consciousness studies and artificial intelligence is the frontier where philosophy, neuroscience, and engineering meet. Every advance in AI forces a re-examination of what we thought consciousness required. Every advance in consciousness science constrains what AI can and cannot be. This module examines the open questions, the live debates, and the implications for the future.
Outcome
The student can evaluate the LLM consciousness question from multiple theoretical perspectives, describe global workspace and attention schema theories as applied to AI, explain the ethical dimensions of building conscious AI, and describe what machine consciousness research has taught us about human consciousness. (Consciousness and AI frontiers)
Sub-units