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From Biological to Artificial Consciousness

Neuroscientific Insights and Progress

  • Book
  • © 2022

Overview

Authors:
  1. Masataka Watanabe

    1. School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

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  • Sheds light on the complex mechanisms of consciousness
  • Explores the possibility of artificial consciousness
  • Proposes that consciousness emerges from a neural algorithm

Part of the book series: The Frontiers Collection (FRONTCOLL)

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
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  2. The Mystery of Consciousness

    • Masataka Watanabe
    Pages 1-26

  3. Pursuing the Shadows of Consciousness

    • Masataka Watanabe
    Pages 27-60

  4. Neural Manipulation for Causal Investigation of Consciousness

    • Masataka Watanabe
    Pages 61-85

  5. The Quest for a Natural Law of Consciousness

    • Masataka Watanabe
    Pages 87-113

  6. Is Consciousness Information or Algorithm?

    • Masataka Watanabe
    Pages 115-138

  7. Uploading Human Consciousness

    • Masataka Watanabe
    Pages 139-153

  8. Back Matter

    Pages 155-170
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Keywords

About this book

How does consciousness emerge from a brain that consists only of physical matter and electrical / chemical reactions? The deep mysteries of consciousness have plagued philosophers and scientists for thousands of years. This book approaches the problem through scientific studies that shed light on the neural mechanism of consciousness, and furthermore, delves into the possibility of artificial consciousness, a phenomenon that may ultimately solve the mystery. Finally, two key suggestions made in the book, namely, a method to test machine consciousness and a theory hypothesizing that consciousness emerges from a neural algorithm, reveal a novel and credible pathway to mind-uploading.The original Japanese version of this book has become a best-seller in popular neuroscience and has even led to a neurotech startup for mind-uploading.

Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Masataka Watanabe

About the author

Masataka Watanabe obtained a doctoral degree at University of Tokyo, School of Engineering in 1998. Following appointment as an assistant professor in 1999 and associate professor in 2001, he spent a sabbatical year in the USA at the California Institute of Technology, and also a decade at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. He currently holds a position as Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo and specializes in theoretical and experimental neuroscience with particular focus on consciousness. He has published in leading scientific journals such as Science, Current Biology and others.

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