Name: In the theater of consciousness
ISBN: 9780195147032

In the theater of consciousness

Combining psychology with brain science, Baars brilliantly brings his subject to life with a metaphor that has been used to understand consciousness since the time of Plato and Aristotlethe mind as theater. Here consciousness is seen as a "stage" on which our sensations, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings play to a vast, silent audience (the immensely complicated inner-workings of the brain's unconscious processes). Behind the scenes, silent context operators shape conscious experience; they include implicit expectations, self systems, and scene setters. Using this framework, Baars presents compelling evidence that human consciousness rides on top of biologically ancient mechanisms. In humans it manifests itself in inner speech, imagery, perception, and voluntary control of thought and action. Topics like hypnosis, absorbed states of mind, adaptation to trauma, and the human propensity to project expectations on uncertainty, all fit into the expanded theater metaphor. As Baars explores our present understanding of the mind, he takes us to the top laboratories around the world, where we witness some of the field's most exciting breakthroughs and discoveries. And throughout the book, Baars has sprinkled numerous and often highly amusing on-the-spot demonstrations that illuminate the ideas under discussion.

What Hacker News says

justinpombrioDec 2016

For anyone that wants to actually learn about consciousness, I recommend the book "In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind"[1]. It teases apart different aspects of what people call "consciousness", gives a theory that explains them, and describes the supporting evidence found so far. The theory suggests that some but not all animals are conscious.

I believe the theory -- "Global Workspace Theory"[2] -- is currently the leading theory of consciousness, though the field is still very new.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Theater-Consciousness-Workspace-Mind/... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Workspace_Theory

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mdkerseyJun 2007

Thanks for finding this article, Donna!

"looks a lot easier"? Please let everyone know when you've got it working!-))

To the best of my knowledge there's no neural network technology available today currently that could be described as providing "raw cognition". Neural nets are for the most part focussed on backpropagation networks, which aren't prevalent in nature. The brain has much more variety in it's architecture.

Gerald M. Edelman has argued that a biological approach based on evolution and biology will prove more fruitful than the physical symbol system hypothesis(PSSH) of "good old-fashioned AI". Edelman explicates his ideas in "Bright Air, Brilliant Fire: On the Matter of the Mind":

(http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Air-Brilliant-Fire-Matter/dp/0465007643/ref=sr_1_1/103-2087616-1051018?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182842907&sr=1-1).

In that book he clearly states his objections to the PSSH.

There is significant recent work on consciousness, tying it to neuroscience studies of the brain. Bernard J. Baars' explications of Global Workspace theory appear fruitful in leading us toward conscious computing. Right now I'm reading one of Baars' books, "In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind":

http://www.amazon.com/Theater-Consciousness-Workspace-Mind/dp/0195147030/ref=sr_1_1/102-9391404-9424956?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182841961&sr=1-1

The Galernter article is extremely timely since it mentioned several ideas that clicked into place as I read Baars.

I was surprised to find that Baars is now working at the The Neurosciences Institute which Edelman founded: http://www.nsi.edu/index.php?page=facilities_architecture

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