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The neuroscience of human consciousness [podcast]

How can the study of the human brain help us unravel the mysteries of life? Going a step further, how can having a better understanding of the brain help us to combat debilitating diseases or treat mental illnesses? On this episode of The Oxford Comment, we focused on human consciousness and how studying the neurological basis for human cognition can lead not only to better health but a better understanding of human culture, language, and society as well.

We are joined today by Dr John Parrington, author of the newly published book Mind Shift: How Culture Transformed the Human Brain, and Professor Anil Seth, Editor-in-Chief of the Open Access journal Neuroscience of Consciousness­, to learn more about the study of human consciousness and how it can help us to understand autism spectrum disorders, mental illnesses, and neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, the focus of this year’s World Brain Day (22 July).

Check out Episode 63 of The Oxford Comment and subscribe to The Oxford Comment podcast through your favourite podcast app to listen to the latest insights from our expert authors.

 

Recommended reading

To learn more about human consciousness, you can read a chapter from John Parrington’s recently released Mind Shift, and the articles in Neuroscience of Consciousness’ special issue on “Consciousness Science and its Theories,” currently in progress. We also suggest these past blog posts from Neuroscience of Consciousness authors that can be found on the OUPblog: “Does Consciousness Have a Function?” and “Can You Learn While You Sleep?

In addition, you can also listen to John Parrington’s guest spot on The Oxford Comment’s spin-off series, The Side Comment, from April of this year, and watch this video of Anil Seth from the launch of the Neuroscience of Consciousness journal back in 2015. Seth’s new book, Being You: A New Science of Consciousness, is also set for release in September.

Featured image: Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash.

Recent Comments

  1. Linda

    The podcast was interesting. It wasn’t what I hoped. There were two speakers, but they concentrated on the medical aspect of brain function.

    If you need to contact me, please use this forum or AA FB messenger. My email is dysfunctional (yeah, I messed it up) Thank you. L.

  2. Priyanka Garai

    Meme of the moment:-“…studying the neurological basis for human cognition can lead not only to better health but a better understanding of human culture, language, and society as well….” https://naturesalltheres.blogspot.com/

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