uu77

1. Tuesday 28|10|25 - The Hard Problem of Consciousness 

   This lecture revolves around the concept of qualia - the qualitative properties of subjective experience that are said to undermine the materialist scientific worldview. After reviewing the arguments that seem to show this, we consider a number of important objections to the concept of qualia. This lecture outlines the debate about consciousness that serves as the background for the rest of the course. 
   Cognitive philosopher Marc Slors 

    

2. Tuesday 04|11|25 Animals and Consciousness 

   Which animals have consciousness? Can we say that a bird is "more conscious" than a fish, or are they just "differently conscious"? And how do animals' bodies and senses influence their consciousness? In this lecture we will look at how we can explore and understand the consciousness of non-human animals. 
   Philosopher Bas van Woerkum - Rooker

    

3. Tuesday 11|11|25 Artificial intelligence and consciousness 

   Although artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of processing vast amounts of data and solving complex problems, it still falls short in terms of flexibility, general applicability and access to the world of humans and other animals. Can AI ever develop true consciousness, or is it merely simulating an understanding of the world? We explore key perspectives within contemporary cognitive science and AI philosophy that challenge the idea that consciousness makes a clear distinction between mind and machine.
   Philosopher Nina Poth 

    

4. Tuesday 18|11|25 Psychiatry and Consciousness 

   Psychiatric dysregulation always involves a (radically subjective) change in consciousness. In some cases, such a change in consciousness is even seen as the essence of the disorder. Is this really the case? And what can these changes in consciousness teach us about how we are made?
   Philosopher Linde van Schuppen

    

5. Tuesday 25|11|25 Neuroscience and consciousness 

   How it is possible for something to exist that thinks, feels, and experiences has been described as “the biggest problem in science.” At the same time, some are convinced that (neuro)science will never actually be able to say anything about this “mystery of consciousness. Using studies and examples from (cognitive) neuroscience, it is shown how consciousness is like bread - with a little good will, the mystery evaporates in the light of solid research.
   Neuroscientist Eelke Spaak 
    

6. Tuesday 02|12|25 Is the hard problem solvable? Conversation with all teachers 

   Consciousness is subjective and unknowable. Is this hard problem solvable? All lecturers of the course will discuss it with each other.  
   Philosophers Marc Slors, Bas van Woerkum-Rooker, Nina Poth and Linde van Schuppen and neuroscientist Eelke Spaak. 

Marc Slors is professor of Cognitive Philosophy at uu77. Cognitive Philosophy examines the human “mind” and its relationship to the brain and behavior. Marc Slors' research focuses on the relationship between cognition and culture. His previous work has focused on the philosophy of neuroscience, free will, social cognition and the self.

Bas van Woerkum-Rooker received his PhD from uu77 in 2024 in the philosophy of animal cognition. His dissertation, Ecologies of Animal Minds, explores how we can understand the intelligence of non-human animal species without using our intuitions about human cognition as a starting point.

Nina Poth is university lecturer in Philosophy of Cognition and Language at uu77. Her research spans philosophy of cognition, philosophy of mind and epistemology. She is particularly interested in understanding learning, reasoning and rationality in human, nonhuman and artificial systems.

Linde van Schuppen is a visiting researcher in the Department of Philosophy of Cognition and Language at uu77. Her research combines (cognitive) linguistics and narrative theory with philosophy of cognition and the philosophy of psychiatry. During her PhD track, she investigated the narratives of people with a schizophrenia diagnosis.

Eelke Spaak is an associate professor at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. He conducts research on conscious visual perception and its neural bases. In particular, he uses magneto- and electrophysiological experimental techniques, advanced (behavioral) data analysis and models, and theoretical reflection.