Languages in the Brain & Pictures in the Mind

LANGUAGES OF THE BRAIN & PICTURES IN THE MIND PRESENTED BY STERLING BUNNELL Historically, our inner experience and especially the nature of consciousness occupied a blind spot in the scientific world view. In recent years, however, we have developed ways of looking inside the “black box” and relating activities in the brain with subjective experience. Sterling will describe some interesting discoveries that have advanced our scientific understanding of the mind. He will also explore the evolutionary functions of consciousness, thought, emotions, memory, dreams, and other mental phenomena. Finally we will take up the question of human significance or insignificance in the Cosmos; examine the Anthropic Principle in its strong and weak interpretations; and consider John Wheeler’s assertion that only those universes that produce observers get made.