#266 Why consciousness is important to health, vitality and a happy life with Prof Anil Seth
25th Sep 2024
The Doctor's Kitchen podcast is primarily about nutrition and lifestyle, so why should we care about consciousness and self awareness?
This is something I put today to Professor Anil Seth, a neuroscientist who has pioneered research into the brain basis of consciousness for more than twenty-five years. He is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience and Director of the Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex and his TED talks on how your brain hallucinates reality have been viewed more than sixteen million times.
Even though this topic is slightly outside the realm of what we usually talk about, I think this subject matter is important for anyone who wants to learn more about how to live their best life. A physically healthier and psychologically happier one.
Today we discuss how our brain can be tricked by simple visual illusions and what this tells us about perception of our every day.
The importance of interoception and how we can become more interoceptive, and aware of our bodily functions, our emotions and corresponding behaviours.
We also talk about what we can learn from spiritual practices and ancient philosophy, and where correlations exist between what we now know is underpinned by the science.
A conversation about psychedelics ensures, whether it’s accurate to state that we can experience a “higher state of consciousness” and whether AI can ever become conscious.
His best selling book “Being You” is an incredible read that I highly recommend. We also get on to talk about gratitude and Anil’s tips for being more aware and how that may translate into a happier state of mind.
Episode guests
Anil Seth is a neuroscientist, author, and public speaker who has pioneered research into the brain basis of consciousness for more than twenty-five years.
He is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience and Director of the Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex, Co-Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Program on Brain, Mind and Consciousness, a European Research Council Advanced Investigator, and Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Neuroscience of Consciousness. He has published more than 200 research papers and has been recognized by Web of Science, over several years, as being in the top 0.1% of researchers worldwide.
A former Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow, in 2023 he was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for his services to public outreach. His two TED talks have been viewed more than sixteen million times, he has appeared in several films, and he has written for Aeon, The Guardian, Granta, New Scientist, and Scientific American, and he is lead scientist on the Dreamachine project. Prospect Magazine listed him as one of the Top 25 global thinkers for 2024.
His book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness was an instant Sunday Times Bestseller and a 2021 Book of the Year for The Economist, The New Statesman, Bloomberg Business, The Guardian, The Financial Times and elsewhere.
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