Science of Consciousness

April 25-30, 2016 - Loews Ventana Canyon Resort-Tucson, AZ

Newswise — After 23 years, the seminal conference 'Toward a Science of Consciousness' is now 'The Science of Consciousness'. But as consciousness cannot be observed, nor commonly defined, is there now a true 'Science of Consciousness'? Are we there yet?

We don't have definite answers, but do have directions and essential questions.

Is the brain a computer? Does it process or generate information according to 'integrated information', 'global workspace', 'predictive coding', 'scale-invariant dynamics', 'Bayesian probabilities', 'pre-frontal feedback' or 'synchronous oscillations'? Did consciousness emerge during biological evolution, and if so, when, where, and how? Is consciousness causal, or are we just 'along for the ride'? Will consciousness be reproduced through brain mapping, transhumanism and/or artificial intelligence?

Or does the brain 'tune into' and organize conscious precursors existing naturally in the universe? Will understanding of consciousness come through the quantum wavefunction, panpsychism, cosmology, or the very structure of spacetime geometry? Has consciousness been in the universe all along, and if so, did life and the brain evolve because of consciousness? What are the implications of either view on the nature of existence and treatment of mental and cognitive disorders?

These questions and many others will be debated, discussed, celebrated and argued during a weeklong gathering of scientists, philosophers, artists, meditators and interested people from 70 countries at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, a luxurious eco-lodge in the mountains just north of Tucson, Arizona.

The pre-conference workshop program is complete, the plenary speaker list is growing, and the social, entertainment and exhibit programs are taking shape. The abstract submission deadline for plenary, concurrent, poster and exhibit consideration has been extended to December 31. A preliminary Plenary Program will be announced in December. See below for themes, confirmed Plenary speakers, pre-conference workshops, social events and other information.

Psychologist, philosopher and 'father' of the science of consciousness William James wrote: 'to have a glimpse of what consciousness is would be the scientific achievement before which all others would pale.' Join us on the path to that first glimpse.

Themes and topics will include:

• Three Roads to Consciousness: 'GW', 'PC' and 'HOT'• Moving From Correlates to Causes of Consciousness• Machine Consciousness and Artificial Intelligence• Origin and Evolution of Life and Consciousness• Quantum Brain Biology• Transcranial Brain Stimulation• The Karl Pribram Session - Levels, Scale and Content of Consciousness• Mechanisms of Anesthesia and Psychoactive Drugs • Virtual Reality• Consciousness and the Wavefunction• End-of-life Brain Activity

Plenary speakers will include:

• Gyorgy Buzsaki, NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York• Stanislas Dehaene, INSERM-CEA, Paris• Stuart Kauffman, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle• Harmut Neven, Google• Walter Freeman, UC-Berkeley• Katherine Peil, Northeastern University, Boston• Stuart Hameroff, University of Arizona, CCS, Tucson• Terrence Deacon, UC-Berkeley• George Mashour, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor• Biyu Jade He, NYU Neuroscience/Radiology• Anirban Bandyopadhyay, NIMS, Tsukuba• Rudolph Tanzi, Harvard, Massachusetts General, Boston• Deepak Chopra, Chopra Center, Carlsbad; UC-San Diego• David Chalmers, NYU; ANU• Henry Stapp, UC-Berkeley• Christian Szegedy, Google• Anil Seth, University of Sussex, Brighton• Aaron Schurger, Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne• Anthony Hudetz, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor• Jimo Borjigin, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor• Alison Gopnik, UC-Berkeley• Dean Radin, IONS, Petaluma• Jakob Hohwy, Monash University, Melbourne• Alyssa Ney, UC-Davis

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS - optionalMONDAY Morning, April 25, 2016 9am-1pm

• Kant and the Conscious Mind• Quantum Biology- Nature of Life• Consciousness, Memory and Music• DEI East-West Forum I• Consciousness Versus Attention• Altered State Healing In the Amazon• Curriculum for Consciousness Studies• Psi Research and Consciousness

MONDAY Afternoon, April 25, 2016 2pm-6pm

• Consciousness in Animals• Naturalizing the Conscious Mind?• Unity of Conscious Experience• Designing a Conscious Robot• Unity of Conscious Experience• DEI East-West Forum, II• Brain Stimulation• Consciousness and the Arts I

MONDAY Evening, April 25, 2016 7pm-10pm

• How Your Conscious Mind Can Change Your Genes

TUESDAY Morning, April 26, 2016 9am-1pm

• Hot Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience• Anesthesia Research and Consciousness• Quantum AI and Machine Consciousness• Philosophical Theories of Consciousness• Walter Freeman Festschrift• First Person - Third Person Perspectives• Consciousness and the Arts II• Complexity and Consciousness

TUESDAY through THURSDAY Mornings, April 26-28, 2016 7-8 am

• Tennis-Centrism• Yoga/Meditation

SOCIAL EVENTS

• Club Consciousness / Hospitality Suite - Monday-Thursday 10:00 pm-midnight• Welcome Reception - Tuesday April 26, 7:00-10:00 pm• Dinner Under The Stars - Thursday April 28, 7:00-10:00 pm• Poetry Slam/Zombie Blues/Talent Show - Friday April 29, 10:00 pm to midnight• 'End of Consciousness' Party - Saturday, April 30, 8:00 pm to ??

Conference Website www.consciousness.arizona.edu

SponsorsCenter for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona Center for Consciousness Science, The University of Michigan

Co-Chairs Stuart HameroffUniversity of Arizona, Center for Consciousness Studies, Tucson

George MashourThe University of Michigan, Center for Consciousness Science, Ann Arbor

Program AdvisorDavid Chalmers, New York University; ANU

Program Advisory Committee • Harald Atmanspacher, ETH Zurich• Brit Brogaard, University of Miami• Hakwan Lau, UCLA• Paavo Pylkkanen, Universities of Helsinki and Skovde• Jay Sanguinetti, University of Arizona• Marilyn Schlitz, IONS

Additional Cooperating Organizations

The Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arizona The Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona Department of Psychology, University of ArizonaSociety for Mind-Matter Research Dayalbagh Educational InstituteSwiss Biennial on Science, Technics + AestheticsCall for Conference Abstracts

Submitted abstracts will be considered for:

• Plenary talks (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday - 8:30a-4:10p (Thurs and Sat until 1:00 pm)• Concurrents (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - 5:00-7:00p)• Poster Sessions / Art Tech Film Exhibits (Wednesday and Friday 7:00 -10:00p)

Deadline for Online Abstract SubmissionThe Online Abstract deadline has been extended to December 31th. Please see the Conference Website: www.consciousness.arizona.edu for the following information:

• Abstract Submission Guidelines• Workshop Proposal Guidelines• Art-Tech-Film Call for Exhibit Proposals

General Conference Registration

Online Registration System will remain open EARLY REGISTRATION - Through December 31 General $550; Students $425; Spouse $300LATE REGISTRATION - After December 31 General $575; Students $450; Spouse $350

Registration includesConference Plenary, Concurrent, Poster, Art, Film Sessions and Exhibits, Welcome Reception, Poster & Art Receptions, TennisCentric Thursday afternoon Tourney, Friday evening Poetry Slam/Zombie Blues, Saturday evening End-of-Consciousness Party WorkshopsTSC registrants: $60; TSC student registrants $40 - General Public workshop only $125 and students $75

Optional Conference 'Dinner Under the Stars', Thursday, April 28, 2016 7 pm-9:30 PM $75 Forms of Payment

• Online Registration System - credit cards• Wire Transfer• Checks-Money Orders

Conference ManagerAbi Behar MontefioreCenter for Consciousness Studies Department of Anesthesiology University of Arizona - Tucson cell/text 520-247-5785email: [email protected] www.consciousness.arizona.eduHotel-VenueLoews Ventana Canyon Resort Tucson

The Hotel Conference rate is available from April 21 through May 3, 2016 - Based on availability.

$109 - Conference Rate

Loews Ventana TSC 2016 Conference - Hotel Booking Link - Registrants Should Reserve Now

Deadlines for Exhibitors and Sponsors - January 15

MAIN CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Plenary sessions (PL1-PL12)

Tuesday April 26 - (1) 2:00 pm to 4:10 pmWednesday April 27 - (2) 8:30 am to 10:40 am; (3) 11:10 am to 12:30 pm; (4) 2:00 pm to 4:10 pmThursday April 28 - (5) 8:30 am to 10:40 am; (6) 11:10 am to 12:30 pm (Afternoon free)Friday April 29 - (7) 8:30 am to 10:40 am; (8) 11:10 am to 12:30 pm; (9) 2:00 pm to 4:10 pmSaturday April 30 - (10) 8:30 am to 10:40 am; (11) 11:10 am to 12:30 pm; (12) 2:00 pm to 4:10 pm

Concurrent Talk Sessions (C1-C21) Tuesday April 26 (1-8), 5:00 pm to 7:05 pmWednesday April 27 (9-16), 5:00 pm to 7:05 pmFriday April 29 (17-24), 5:00 pm to 7:05 pmPoster Sessions (P1-P2)Wednesday April 27 (1) 7:00-10:00 pmFriday April 29 (2) 7:00-10:00 pmArt-Tech-Film ExhibitsWednesday April 27 (1) 7:30-9:00 pmFriday April 29 (2) 7:30-9:00 pm

Abstract Submission Schedule and Important Registration Deadlines

• December 31, 2015 Deadline for General Conference Abstracts• January 10, 2016 Abstract Notifications begin• January 15 Early Conference Registration Deadline• March 25 Hotel Reservation Deadline• April 25-26 Pre-Conference Workshops• April 26-30 The Science of Consciousness Conference

QuestionsThe Center for Consciousness Studies, University of [email protected] www.consciousness.arizona.edu

The Abstract Submission Deadline has been extended to: DECEMBER 31, 2015