Understanding consciousness remains one of the pre-eminent challenges of the 21st century. By taking an interdisciplinary approach that spans recent...

Consciousness

Location:

2000 NSW
Australia

Venue:
University of Newcastle Sydney Campus
Consciousness

Featuring

Kerry Sanders

Dr Kerry Sanders gained her PhD in philosophy at The University of Sydney and was recently awarded the title of Honorary Associate at the Department of Philosophy, The University of Sydney. She lectured at Sydney College of the Arts University of Sydney for 10 years, giving honours and masters courses in the philosophy of aesthetics. Kerry has taught in the areas of Philosophy of Mind; Ethics; Critical Thinking; Political Philosophy; Contemporary Philosophy of Technology; Phenomenology; and the Philosophy of Music. She has a particular interest in the new developments in neurobiology which have significantly changed ideas about the nature of consciousness and the workings of the human mind. Kerry also participates in the Gifted Students Program, giving philosophy sessions to high school students who show an interest in a broad scope of ideas and wish to develop their thinking abilities through the challenge which philosophy gives. Kerry has also published a book of poetry.

Event Details

Understanding consciousness remains one of the pre-eminent challenges of the 21st century. By taking an interdisciplinary approach that spans recent work in philosophy of mind, neuroscience, sociobiology and medicine, we’ll assess the current state of knowledge on what consciousness is, how it functions to produce the reality of ourselves and how it mediates our understanding of the world around us. We will also look at speculations about the impact of quantum theory on theories of mind and the perceived unity of consciousness.

This philosophy course is delivered as an interactive workshop that aims to:

  1. provide an in-depth introduction to the workings of the human brain
  2. give an up-to-date analysis of what consciousness is
  3. discuss the implications of decision-making processes performed by the unconscious brain
  4. understand the role of emotions in the workings of the brain
  5. give you an understanding of your own consciousness.

You’ll have a chance to explore the following topics:

  • What is consciousness and how is it produced by the brain?
  • Quantum theory, reality and consciousness.
  • Consciousness from a sociological and psychological point of view.
  • Defining consciousness as internal awareness: metacognition and consciousness.

Beyond the instructor-led lecture, expert facilitators will encourage active and informed participation, group analysis of case studies and debate. 

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