Many people go through life on autopilot, unaware of their conscious experiences. In a moderated discussion, neuroscientists Richard Davidson and Amishi Jha and clinical mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn explore how consciousness relates to mental and physical health, how mindfulness training can make the mind more flexible and adaptable, and recent neuroscience findings on transforming consciousness through contemplative practice. This is an edited transcript of the February 6, 2013 event at the New York Academy of Sciences.
A moderated discussion between cognitive scientist Donald D. Hoffman and neurologist Suzanne O'Sullivan challenges the common cognitive science assumption that perception constructs an accurate representation of reality. Hoffman argues that evolution may have shaped perception to guide adaptive behavior rather than to reveal objective truth, suggesting humans may not see reality as it actually is. O'Sullivan brings a neurological perspective, likely drawing on her work with dissociative seizures and synesthesia. The conversation explores implications for understanding consciousness, the mind-body problem, and the hard problem of consciousness, touching on interface theory and quantum physics as frameworks for rethinking the nature of perceptual experience.