Monday, July 30, 2012

Non-Human Consciousness Exists Say Experts. Now What?


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Phillip Low at Singularity University
This post is written by Brian Hoffstein, guest writer at Singularity University
Have you ever considered the consciousness, or unconsciousness, of your dog? Well, a group of neuroscientists have been thinking on the subject pretty seriously, and it was announced last week that “humans are not the only conscious beings in the universe“.
Earlier this month, some of the leading scientists from around the world congregated at the Hotel Du Vin in Cambridge to discuss the evidence that has amassed over the years. The experts reached a unanimous decision that animals – specifically mammals and birds – are in fact conscious beings. Through advancements in brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and EEG machines, the scientists concluded that animals show a sufficient degree of characteristics that indicate they are not as non-human as some had believed. The official decision was reached late into the night after the Francis Crick Memorial Conference on July 7th.
the declaration of consciousness
Organized by Philip Low, CEO of NeuroVigil and inventor of the iBrain, the group consisted of 25 of the planet’s top minds on the mind, including honorary guest Stephen Hawking.  The scientists discerned the key differences in human and animal brains, mainly found in the frontal cortex, do not play a role in the phenomenon we associate with consciousness. The decision does not in any sense define what consciousness is, which will be a debate that continues to rage on. But moving forward, there are many consequences to this finding that will need to be addressed as we look to develop a more humane relationship with animals.
This announcement arises in a manner similar to the Pluto files in 2006, when the world’s leading astronomer’s demoted Pluto from planet to “dwarf planet”. Both of these events took place outside of the public sphere, and, while not necessarily groundbreaking conclusions, comprise much room for debate. It seems in this day and age, with prolific scientific discoveries being heralded left and right, it is time for some sort of established framework for making decisions of this order. The “philosopher king” mentality, where leading experts decide for the group, has emerged as the status quo – but moving forward it will be interesting to see how the groupmind of the Internet will react.
As mankind continues to explore the universe, many more discoveries will prompt an official announcement such as the one Phillip Low delivered this week at Singularity University.  Concluding animals have consciousness might be news, but it’s not as revolutionary as some of the things we can expect in the future. What happens when we build the first robot that passes the Turing Test? Would it be considered conscious too? Who would have the final say in the matter?
On another note, with the recent Higgs discovery Astronomers and Theoretical Physicists are entering their next phase of scientific inquiry. Super Symmetry, dark matter, dark energy and the multiverse are all questions waiting to be answered. Both in the microcosm of the quantum field and the macrocosm of the cosmos, there exist potential discoveries that could totally transform our perspective of life in the universe. All of these open-ended questions, in addition to the black swans we should (paradoxically) expect to encounter along the way, will need to be accounted by some type of bureaucratic standard. How this plays out is still up in the air – but at this point it would be hard to bet against the Internet. Hypothetically speaking if the old-school establishment says one thing but the powers-that-be on Wikipedia say something else, who would you listen to?
This story produced in cooperation with SU partner site Singularity Hub

Friday, July 27, 2012

Non-Human Consciousness Exists Say Experts. Now What?



by Brian Hoffstein July 27th, 2012 | Comments (1)
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Phillip Low at Singularity University
Have you ever considered the consciousness, or unconsciousness, of your dog? Well, a group of neuroscientists have been thinking on the subject pretty seriously, and it was announced last week that “humans are not the only conscious beings in the universe“.
Earlier this month, some of the leading scientists from around the world congregated at the Hotel Du Vin in Cambridge to discuss the evidence that has amassed over the years. The experts reached a unanimous decision that animals – specifically mammals and birds – are in fact conscious beings. Through advancements in brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and EEG machines, the scientists concluded that animals show a sufficient degree of characteristics that indicate they are not as non-human as some had believed. The official decision was reached late into the night after the Francis Crick Memorial Conference on July 7th.
the declaration of consciousness
Organized by Philip Low, CEO of NeuroVigil and inventor of theiBrain, the group consisted of 25 of the planet’s top minds on the mind, including honorary guest Stephen Hawking.  The scientists discerned the key differences in human and animal brains, mainly found in the frontal cortex, do not play a role in the phenomenon we associate with consciousness. The decision does not in any sense define what consciousness is, which will be a debate that continues to rage on. But moving forward, there are many consequences to this finding that will need to be addressed as we look to develop a more humane relationship with animals.
This announcement arises in a manner similar to the Pluto files in 2006, when the world’s leading astronomer’s demoted Pluto from planet to “dwarf planet”. Both of these events took place outside of the public sphere, and, while not necessarily groundbreaking conclusions, comprise much room for debate. It seems in this day and age, with prolific scientific discoveries being heralded left and right, it is time for some sort of established framework for making decisions of this order. The “philosopher king” mentality, where leading experts decide for the group, has emerged as the status quo – but moving forward it will be interesting to see how the groupmind of the Internet will react.
As mankind continues to explore the universe, many more discoveries will prompt an official announcement such as the one Phillip Low delivered this week at Singularity University.  Concluding animals have consciousness might be news, but it’s not as revolutionary as some of the things we can expect in the future. What happens when we build the first robot that passes the Turing Test? Would it be considered conscious too? Who would have the final say in the matter?
On another note, with the recent Higgs discovery Astronomers and Theoretical Physicists are entering their next phase of scientific inquiry. Super Symmetry, dark matter, dark energy and the multiverse are all questions waiting to be answered. Both in the microcosm of the quantum field and the macrocosm of the cosmos, there exist potential discoveries that could totally transform our perspective of life in the universe. All of these open-ended questions, in addition to the black swans we should (paradoxically) expect to encounter along the way, will need to be accounted by some type of bureaucratic standard. How this plays out is still up in the air – but at this point it would be hard to bet against the Internet. Hypothetically speaking if the old-school establishment says one thing but the powers-that-be on Wikipedia say something else, who would you listen to?

Lucid Dreamers Help Scientists Locate the Seat of Meta-Consciousness in the Brain


ScienceDaily (July 27, 2012) — Studies of lucid dreamers show which centers of the brain become active when we become aware of ourselves in dreams.
Which areas of the brain help us to perceive our world in a self-reflective manner is difficult to measure. During wakefulness, we are always conscious of ourselves. In sleep, however, we are not. But there are people, known as lucid dreamers, who can become aware of dreaming during sleep. Studies employing magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) have now been able to demonstrate that a specific cortical network consisting of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the frontopolar regions and the precuneus is activated when this lucid consciousness is attained. All of these regions are associated with self-reflective functions. This research into lucid dreaming gives the authors of the latest study insight into the neural basis of human consciousness.
The human capacity of self-perception, self-reflection and consciousness development are among the unsolved mysteries of neuroscience. Despite modern imaging techniques, it is still impossible to fully visualize what goes on in the brain when people move to consciousness from an unconscious state. The problem lies in the fact that it is difficult to watch our brain during this transitional change. Although this process is the same, every time a person awakens from sleep, the basic activity of our brain is usually greatly reduced during deep sleep. This makes it impossible to clearly delineate the specific brain activity underlying the regained self-perception and consciousness during the transition to wakefulness from the global changes in brain activity that takes place at the same time.
Scientists from the Max Planck Institutes of Psychiatry in Munich and for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and from Charité in Berlin have now studied people who are aware that they are dreaming while being in a dream state, and are also able to deliberately control their dreams. Those so-called lucid dreamers have access to their memories during lucid dreaming, can perform actions and are aware of themselves – although remaining unmistakably in a dream state and not waking up. As author Martin Dresler explains, “In a normal dream, we have a very basal consciousness, we experience perceptions and emotions but we are not aware that we are only dreaming. It’s only in a lucid dream that the dreamer gets a meta-insight into his or her state.”
By comparing the activity of the brain during one of these lucid periods with the activity measured immediately before in a normal dream, the scientists were able to identify the characteristic brain activities of lucid awareness.
“The general basic activity of the brain is similar in a normal dream and in a lucid dream,” says Michael Czisch, head of a research group at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry. “In a lucid state, however, the activity in certain areas of the cerebral cortex increases markedly within seconds. The involved areas of the cerebral cortex are the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, to which commonly the function of self-assessment is attributed, and the frontopolar regions, which are responsible for evaluating our own thoughts and feelings. The precuneus is also especially active, a part of the brain that has long been linked with self-perception.” The findings confirm earlier studies and have made the neural networks of a conscious mental state visible for the first time.
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Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Cabaret of Consciousness is Aug. 11


Meet Mama Earth! Mama is a presence to be reckoned with. In her very own one woman musical she combines wisdom, humor, storytelling and music and delivers a crystal clear message of hope for humanity and the earth. All with the energy and presence of a rock star! You will leave the show knowing anything is possible!
Meet Mama Earth! Mama is a presence to be reckoned with. In her very own one woman musical she combines wisdom, humor, storytelling and music and delivers a crystal clear message of hope for humanity and the earth. All with the energy and presence of a rock star! You will leave the show knowing anything is possible!
Featuring two songs produced by Grammy winning producer, Barry Goldstein.
The Cabaret is packed with invaluable information; it explores the way to better living, higher thinking and a greener path. It is more than entertainment; it is a vision of a new worldthat is educational, ignites imagination, touches, moves, inspires and is a whole lot of fun! This event will be held at Caring Hands, 427 Vermillion St. in Hastings on Saturday, August 11, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased at Caring Hands or at www..ACabaretofConsciousness.com. 651-329-8418.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Revolutionizing Revolutions: Virtual Collective Consciousness and the Arab Spring


Posted: 07/17/2012 9:59 am

Discussions about the influence of social media often remind those on the impact of TV in the 1980s: Everyone has an opinion, some have statistics, and a few others are trying to understand the psychological and sociological mechanisms that lie beneath.
The incredible connectivity amongst people that is provided by social media, combined with the speed at which information is exchanged and its potential global reach, have significantly empowered people. One way to have an estimate of this empowerment is to look at how users managed to "hijack" some social media platforms from their initial use. Twitter and Facebook users provide a spontaneous snapshot of their individual states of minds but, unintentionally, they also turn them into an incredible tool for collective estimates of behavioral dynamics (see, for example, a recent study on happiness) and crowdsourcing. Facebook -- despite its highly criticized IPO -- is on its way to reaching the billion-user landmark and has already changed the way more than 10 percent of the people on this planet interact with each other as revealed by a rich body of research in social sciences. Some people, including the founders of Twitter and Facebook, might have anticipated for all of this to happen. But did they expect the role social media play not only in igniting revolutions but also in modifying how regime change is achieved?
Think about what history will now remember as the Arab Spring. This recent wave of revolutions has yielded some successful and significant regime changes including, so far, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. One year after, established social movements' theories fall short in explaining how both the Tunisian and the Egyptian revolutions occurred. One reason is the influence of cyber-activism via social media platforms that classical approaches tocollective movements do not take into account. Indeed, these two successful popular uprisings are marked by the absence of a clearly identified leader, a political party or figure, an association, or an organizing capacity.
Instead of a leader that would have inspired people and driven them to start -- and achieve -- a revolution, Facebook was the main channel that facilitated and accelerated the Tunisian revolution as repeatedly reported in the news and by many observers. Twitter, too, played a crucial role during the Egyptian revolution. Hence, it is very likely that without these social networking platforms, these revolutions would certainly have evolved more slowly, if at alland would have never reached the global opinion.
But Twitter and Facebook were not ghosts in the machine. They were "just" catalysts to these emerging patterns of popular uprisings. They allowed not only to speed up information exchange but also to provide unprecedented waves of spread. A recently published study that was launched five days after the fall of the Ben Ali regime and lead by our team at Aix-Marseille University & CNRS provides a novel "cyberpsychological" take on how Tunisian Internet users perceive the contribution of Facebook to their 2011 revolution. The method is pretty straightforward. After analyzing a sizeable text corpus from Tunisian Internet users' responses to an onlinequestionnaire, three main clusters were extracted corresponding to what were labeled Facebook's (1) political function, (2) informational function and (3) media platform function.
This study provides a bottom-up approach to these new social uprisings that relied on virtual environments instead of the dominant top-down accounts of "classical revolutions" powered by leaders pulling strings. Accordingly, the interpretation of the results of this study lies on complex dynamical system by invoking the concept of emergent behavior. Indeed, the complex interconnectivity between individuals involved in the revolutionary process within the Tunisian Facebook cyber-activism network -- and the Twitter one in Egypt -- yields patterns of accumulating change.
Hence, the possibility of a leaderless revolution is likely to be (at least partially) explained by the spontaneity, the homogeneity and the synchronicity of the actions of these cyber-activism networks that were catalyzed by social media. This explanation is supported by what we coined virtual collective consciousness (VCC) referring to an internal knowledge shared by a plurality of persons. Coupled with "citizen media" activism, this knowledge emerges as a new form of consciousness via communication tools. The VCC in this study can be seen as an up-to-date version of the Durkheim's collective representation and as being also highly comparable to Žižek's collective mind or to the more recent Boguta's new collective consciousness to describe the computational history of the Internet shutdown during the Egyptian revolution. Accordingly, VCC has to be: timely, acute, rapid, domain-specific and purpose-oriented, which are potential "qualities" of a successful movement (see figure).
2012-07-17-MarzoukiOullier_Figurecopy.jpg
A tentative model explaining the dynamic of the "virtual collective consciousness" (VCC) as a byproduct of complex interactions between Internet users within a social networking platform. Adapted from Marzouki et al., 2012, Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, Vol. 15(5), p. 243.
André Panisson and his team provided a dynamic visualization of the network of retweets with the hashtag #jan25 few hours before and Mubarak'sresignation became public. This elegant work is to be considered through the lens provided by the model described in the figure especially when VCC is reaching a momentum of complexity that significantly impacts real-life behavior.
With the deepening of globalization in 21st century, the new geopolitical landscape allows a new vision of democracy where ordinary citizen might be more empowered than ever before to choose an alternative system and change policies. Carne Ross anticipated such global citizen behavior months before the Arab Spring burst out. In his manifesto "The Leaderless Revolution: How ordinary people will take power and change politics in the 21st century," he provides nine principles on how ordinary citizens can regain control of the decisions that directly impact their lives. We support the idea that these principles should be federated around a global consensus shared by citizens.
One of the lessons to be learned from the Arab Spring is that a new breed of revolutions, henceforth called leaderless revolutions, has started, driven by VCC and facilitated by social media. This does not mean that leaders cannot play a significant role in such contexts. Only that, with social media as catalysts, they are no longer a sine qua non condition to successful regime changes.
Virtual collective consciousness afforded by social media might have very well revolutionized revolutions.
Yousri Marzouki, PhD, is an associate Professor at Aix-Marseille University where he teaches cognitive psychology and statistical modeling applied to behavioral sciences. After his post-doc training at Tufts University where he studied cognitive neuroscience of visual attention, he is currently conducting research at the Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive (CNRS, France) focusing on the relationship between emotion, attention and consciousness. Yousri can be followed on twitter (@YousriMarzouki)
Olivier Oullier, PhD, is a full professor at Aix-Marseille University where he teaches behavioral and brain sciences and conducts research at the Cognitive Psychology Lab (UMR 7290) on social coordination dynamics and decision-making. A scientific adviser to the Center for Strategic Analysis of the French Prime Minister, the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader in 2011 and the vice-chair of its Global Agenda Council on Brain and Behavior in 2012. Olivier can be followed on twitter (@emorationality).