Opposing views on consciousness and reality - TEDTalks 2014 and 2017

The philosopher

A very interesting TEDTalk by philosopher David Chalmers on consciousness as the fundamental property of the universe, presented on March 2014. I agree with his views. Chalmers famously said that consciousness represents the hard problem in science.

TEDTalk March 2014. Our consciousness is a fundamental aspect of our existence, says philosopher David Chalmers: “There’s nothing we know about more directly…. but at the same time it’s the most mysterious phenomenon in the universe.” He shares some ways to think about the movie playing in our heads.

The neuroscientist

If you found that interesting, I recommend this TEDTalk by neuroscientist Anil Seth also, because he proposes the totally opposed vision, your material brain that hallucinates reality. Your consciousness lives completely inside your skull, together with the entire universe.

TEDTalk Aptil 2017. Right now, billions of neurons in your brain are working together to generate a conscious experience — and not just any conscious experience, your experience of the world around you and of yourself within it. How does this happen? According to neuroscientist Anil Seth, we’re all hallucinating all the time; when we agree about our hallucinations, we call it “reality.” Join Seth for a delightfully disorienting talk that may leave you questioning the very nature of your existence.

Make your choice.

Paul J van Leeuwen

Paul J. van Leeuwen graduated in applied physics in Delft TU in 1974. There was little attention to the significance of quantum physics for the view on reality at that time. However, much later in his life he discovered that there is an important and clear connection between quantum physics and consciousness. What he learned between then and today resulted in a post academic course in quantum physics for non-physicists. A little bit later he decided to put the contents of that course, and more, in a book published in Dutch: Kwantumfysica, Informatie en Bewustzijn - and started a website on the subject. He translated the Dutch version of his book in English, titled: 'Quantum Physics is NOT Weird'.

Quantum Physics is NOT Weird – available at Amazon.com

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From the back of the cover

Quantum Physics shows us that we create what we observe. Countless experiments confirm that it is our information which manifests reality. Matter and time are created by our observation. This is not only true when we do experiments in laboratories, but it works the same way in everyday reality. We manifest our own experiences. Science does not prove that our consciousness must be a product of our material brain. On the contrary. Consciousness emerging from the brain is just a belief. This book tells the story how physics did develop from a quest to understand nature into its current highly myopic materialistic paradigm. The profound spiritual message of Quantum Physics is ignored, to our detriment.

“A wonderful, very readable book that will convince thousands upon thousands of serious readers, including students of science, why consciousness is necessary to understand quantum physics and why materialist science is not adequate. I give the book my highest recommendation.” –– Amit Goswami, PhD, author of The Self-Aware Universe.

“A monumental book. A masterpiece in disguise” – Prof Emer dr. Dirk K.F Meijer, University of Groningen.

For a quick look at the contents: Quantum Physics is NOT Weird; The Contents

Opposing views on consciousness and reality – TEDTalks 2014 and 2017

The philosopher

The neuroscientist

Paul J van Leeuwen

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