Inst of Mind, Intelligence & Consciousness Studies – Consciousness & Reality 2024-25 Series
Inaugural Colloquium by Nick Lane, Professor of Evolutionary Biochemistry at the Centre for Life’s Origins and Evolution, University College London, delivered on 11/13/2024
Description:
As an evolutionary biologist, I am a realist: I see feelings as physical processes that reflect, albeit ambiguously, how an organism is doing in relation to its environment. Feelings such as pain have little information content and do not obviously relate to information processing in neural networks. Recent work on anaesthetics suggests they dissipate electron spin polarization generated by chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) in respiration. I will argue that local electromagnetic fields from mitochondria produce a physical state corresponding to feelings. Mitochondria derive from free-living bacteria, and I will outline why electromagnetic fields could have utility in bacterial cells.
Summary:1
- Consciousness Inquiry: The colloquium seeks to spark interdisciplinary discussions about mind, intelligence, cognition, consciousness, and the nature of reality. Lane emphasizes that understanding consciousness is a daunting challenge, known as the “hard problem.”
- Biological Basis of Feelings: Lane argues that feelings evolved through natural selection, providing a survival advantage. He discusses how feelings relate to neurological and biochemical processes, particularly in mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of cells.
- Mitochondrial Function: Mitochondria may generate electromagnetic fields due to their complex membrane structures. These fields could influence cellular functions, including the potential to affect consciousness and feelings.Anesthetics and
- Consciousness: The interaction of anesthetics with mitochondrial function leads to questions about whether consciousness can be altered or inhibited by such agents, as they may collapse ATP availability and disrupt normal cellular operations.
- Electromagnetic Fields and Feelings: Lane proposes that feelings might be governed by the physical state of the cell, influenced by electromagnetic fields generated by mitochondria. Importantly, he notes that this perspective diverges from traditional views of neuroscience.
- Future Implications for AI and Life: The conversation touches on whether non-biological life forms can experience feelings and consciousness similarly to biological entities. Lane suggests that there might be fundamental differences due to the intricate nature of biological systems.
About the series:
The Consciousness & Reality (C&R) colloquium series promotes interdisciplinary investigations on mind, cognition, consciousness, and the nature of reality. All recordings from this series are available at www.imics.org/seminars.
1 IA generated