Brian Earl – The Biological Function of Consciousness

This hypothesis and theory article from the open access journal Frontiers in Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology is very in-depth and thought provoking. The main sticking point for me, however, is the first of the three primary premises Earl sets forth: (1) contrary to one’s intuitive understanding, consciousness does not have an active, executive role in … Read more

Zen Brain: Consciousness, Complex Systems, and Transformation (12 Parts)

It’s my favorite time of year – the annual Zen Brain Conference at Upaya Zen Center, hosted as always by Roshi Joan Halifax. Among the regular attendees who were there again this year were Richard Davidson, Evan Thompson, Al Kaszniak, and John Dunne. This year’s topic was Consciousness, Complex Systems, and Transformation. In this intensive … Read more