Maybe the free will debate is really about the scope of causal influences on our decisions. With Daniel Dennett's death, a lot of podcasters have been replaying his interviews, many of which concern his stance as a free will compatibilist. That and a recent Mind Chat episode focused on Kevin Mitchell's strong emergence understanding of … Continue reading The scope of free will
Month: May 2024
Doctor Who, science fiction and fantasy
The new Doctor Who season is starting off with maximum silliness, and an emphasis on fantasy over science fiction. One nice benefit of Doctor Who moving to Disney+ (at least in the US) and being available for streaming first, even in the UK, is that the episodes now drop for me on Friday evenings, a … Continue reading Doctor Who, science fiction and fantasy
Consciousness must be adaptive
The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness has been making a lot of headlines. The declaration itself has somewhat careful language in terms of what it's asserting, but many of the headlines don't. The declaration is short, so it's easy to quote in full. Which animals have the capacity for conscious experience? While much uncertainty … Continue reading Consciousness must be adaptive


