#53 Philosopher of Mind: Consciousness, Out-Of-Body Experiences & The Illusion of Self! Thomas Metzinger

Thomas Metzinger is a professor of theoretical philosophy,
consciousness researcher, and author of The Ego Tunnel, Being No
One and The Elephant and the Blind — some of the most radical
books on the nature of the self and reality ever written.


Download a FREE copy of The Elephant And The Blind HERE:
https://thomasmetzinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/


Metzinger_MIT_Press_2024-1.pdf


He’s spent decades exploring the hardest questions in
neuroscience and philosophy: What is consciousness? Is the self
an illusion? Could AI ever suffer? And what happens when our
models of reality — including ourselves — break down?


Expect to learn why your “self” is just a transparent model your
brain mistakes for reality, how out-of-body experiences (and
virtual reality) reveal the fragility of personal identity, why
conscious AI might be the greatest ethical threat of the next
century, how meditation and psychedelics dissolve the illusion of
“I”, why freedom of mind is under attack from attention-hacking
technology, what it means to have a contentless conscious
experience, why Metzinger believes we should ban synthetic
consciousness — and what happens when you try to visit your
girlfriend 85 kilometers away… without your body.


Timestamps:


00:02:50 Transformative Experiences and Their Impact


00:05:38 Exploring Out-of-Body Experiences


00:08:57 The Nature of the Self


00:11:43 Phenomenology of Consciousness


00:14:38 The Role of Mental Imagery


00:17:35 Ketamine and Consciousness


00:20:30 Therapeutic Aspects of Out-of-Body Experiences


00:23:24 Understanding the Self and Consciousness


00:26:38 The Complexity of Selfhood


00:29:27 Phenomenal Representations and Their Transparency


00:32:21 Cognitive Agency and Mathematical Operations


00:45:46 Mathematics and Psychoactive Substances


00:49:15 Exploring Inner Experience and Phenomenology


00:52:05 Suffering and Experience Sampling


00:58:25 The Eternal Playlist Thought Experiment


01:03:21 Reflections on Past Generations and Happiness


01:10:32 The Impact of Social Media on Connection


01:17:56 AI Companionship and Future Relationships


01:18:48 Cognitive Offloading and AI's Impact on Development


01:20:10 Teaching AI Philosophy: A Historical Perspective


01:21:34 The Influence of Industry on AI Regulation


01:22:57 The Attention Economy and Emerging Intimacy


01:23:28 Philosophical Discoveries Through AI Interactions


01:25:18 Social Hallucinations and AI's Role in Perception


01:28:55 Virtual Reality and the Blurring of Reality


01:31:08 The Future of Social Media and AI Avatars


01:33:34 Global Regulation Challenges in AI Development


01:35:55 The Risks of AI and Human Manipulation


01:39:15 The Uncertain Future of Humanity and AI


01:41:15 Finding Meaning in a Declining World


...


RECOMMENDED READINGThe Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and
the Myth of the Self: https://amzn.to/3UEcS0ABeing No One: The
Self-Model Theory of Subjectivity:
https://amzn.to/41i7X9k…Neuroscience Products I Swear By
(Supports the Channel)Sentia Spirits:
https://sentiaspirits.com/mcgloughlin4209355084Manta Sleep Mask:
Get the Comfiest Sleep Mask on the Planet (Use Code GIANTSMANTA10
https://bit.ly/4ilzfBL )Brain.FM: Music Entrainment for Focused
Deep Work (30 Day Free Trial:
https://www.brain.fm/giantsshoulder)Consensus.AI:
https://get.consensus.app/we00d2cmjpqeFollow My Neuroscience
Podcast - The Giants Shoulder Spotify -
https://open.spotify.com/show/5m3Gta5MtIYdk59pb2GJ7M?si=b33232eae67b4126Apple
Podcasts -
https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/brief-enquiry-to-the-brain/id1752486249