Second Announcement
Workshop Program
Final Call for Abstracts
Toward a Science of Consciousness 2014
The 20th Anniversary Conference April 21-26, 2014
Marriott University Park, Tucson, Arizona
Sponsored by the Center for Consciousness Studies
at the University of Arizona
Toward a Science of Consciousness is a rigorous interdisciplinary
conference covering neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, cognitive
science, artificial intelligence, molecular biology, medicine, quantum
physics, cosmology, art, technology, and experiential and
contemplative approaches to the understanding of consciousness. This
20th anniversary conference will reflect on progress, challenges and
future directions from an estimated 800 participants from over 60
countries. Program sessions will include plenary and keynote talks and
panels, concurrent talks, posters, art/science demos and exhibits,
pre-conference workshops, side trips, and social events in the Tucson
tradition.
Plenary speakers will include
Susan Blackmore, Ned Block, David Chalmers, Karl Deisseroth, Daniel
Dennett, David Eagleman, Rebecca Goldstein, Stuart Hameroff, Christof
Koch, Henry Markram, George Mashour, Sam Parnia, John Searle, Petra
Stoerig, Giulio Tononi and many more.
Abstract Submission Deadlines
Final Abstracts are due no later than December 20th for plenary
consideration
All others: December 31 (Notifications by January 15)
General Conference Registration:
(Early registration by February 2)
The Plenary and full program will be announced in January, 2014.
Bhaumik Prize:
The first Bhaumik Prize in Consciousness Studies will be awarded for
significant research toward understanding consciousness. The award in
the amount of 10,000 dollars will be presented at the conference by
Dr. Mani Bhaumik.
Conference Sponsorships:
Bhaumik Foundation
The Chopra Foundation
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP PROGRAM:
Monday Morning, April 21, 2014 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Sleights of Mind: The Illusory Nature of Perception and Deception
Stephen L. Macknik
…how our brain constructs – rather than reconstructs – the world we
see, featuring exciting, novel illusions by the best magicians of the
new millennium.
Microtubules and Quantum Biology
Jack Tuszynski, Travis Craddock, Anirban Bandyopadhyay, Stuart
Hameroff
…quantum vibrations in microtubules support the controversial Orch
OR theory, and provide a basis for EEG as beat frequencies of
intra-neuronal dynamics
Toward a Standardized Curriculum of Consciousness Studies
Leslie Combs, Jeffery Martin (and others TBA)
…how to build, and receive institutional approval for college and
graduate level courses for a well-rounded course in consciousness
studies
Nondual Awareness and the Unity of Consciousness: Experience and
Research
Zoran Josipovic and Judith Blackstone
…contemplative experiences describe a unity transcending self-object
dichotomy.
Neuroimaging reveals possible mechanisms for nondual awareness
DEI East-West Forum 1 (Full Day workshop)
East: P. Sriramam S. Roy, V. Sahni, A.K. Mukhopadhyay, B. D. Dhir,
P.S. Satsangi
West: R. Gennaro, J. Barrell, J. Tuszynski, P. Pylkkanen, S. Hameroff
…Eastern spiritual traditions and Western science converge in a
series of talks and discussions. Live 2-way video hookup with
Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI), Agra, India
Monday Afternoon, April 21, 2014 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Preserving Consciousness: How a Missing Science of Consciousness
Hobbles Life-Saving Medical Research
Kenneth Hayworth, Randal Koene, Max More
…the age old dream of preserving consciousness after bodily death is
bolstered by new initiatives in brain mapping, cryonics and other
technologies. Three authorities boldly face the challenges of mind
uploading.
New Discoveries in Consciousness Science
Bernard J. Baars
…a survey of new developments regarding consciousness and coma,
brain stimulation, cognitive enhancers, sleep, emotion, oscillations,
brain hubs and global workspace theory
Perspectives in Philosophy & the Study of Dreaming
Jennifer Windt, Sascha Benjamin Fink
…first person introspection meets the science of dreams and spatial
navigation. Try the feelSpace belt to augment spatial orientation
Neuroscience of Music, Consciousness & Therapy
Alexander Graur
…how does music relate to consciousness, and vice versa?
Applications of Music Integration Neurotherapy TM to mood, personality
and sleep disorders
Monday Evening, April 21, 2014 7:00-10:00 PM
The Reality Problem: Can Science Become Enlightened?
Deepak Chopra
…since the quantum revolution, the solid, tangible nature of reality
has been undermined. Nevertheless, Western science and philosophy
place the physical world as primary, with consciousness secondary. In
Eastern traditions such as Vedanta, the situation is reversed. Which
came first, consciousness or reality?
Monday Evening, April 21, 2014 6:30 PM- 10:30 PM
Brain Stimulation
W.J. Tyler (and others TBA)
…noninvasive brain stimulation includes transcranial magnetic,
direct current and ultrasound (TMS, tDCS, TUS). Applications for
neurological, psychiatric, cognitive enhancement and experiential
entertainment will be presented. Attendees are invited to a
post-workshop brain stim social at a nearby venue, sponsored by
Neurotrek.
Tuesday Morning, April 22, 2014 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
From Phenomenology to Consciousness and Back:
Integrated Information Theory (IIT) 3.0
Giulio Tononi
…IIT is based on phenomenological axioms and ontological postulates
(information, integration, exclusion, and compositionality) in which
an experience is an irreducible conceptual structure, allowing
quantified levels of consciousness in wakefulness, sleep, anesthesia,
and disorders of consciousness
Philosophical Theories of Consciousness
Rocco Gennaro, Josh Weisberg
…dualism e.g. substance dualism, property dualism, and
epiphenomenalism as well as nonreductive (but also nondualist) neutral
monism and panpsychism will be compared with materialist identity
theory, eliminative materialism, functionalism and
representationalism.
Quantum Cognition
Harald Atmanspacher, Peter Bruza, Peter beim Graben,
Paavo Pylkkänen
…cognition more closely follows quantum mathematical principles than
classical, e.g. non-commutativity, bistable perception, choice as
quantum state reduction, entanglement and complementarity.
Irrespective of quantum biology, do quantum principles account for
cognition?
The Healthy Human Mind, Tibetan Lamas and The Science of the Stream of
Consciousness
Henry Vyner
…22 years of research and free healthcare amongst Tibetan lamas in
South and Central Asia indicate that the egoless mind is far healthier
than the egocentric mind, and generate a descriptive taxonomy of both
the egocentric and egoless stream of consciousness.
Expanded States Through Shamanic Wisdom
Francoise Bourzat
…while Western Psychology addresses dysfunction by strengthening the
ego and addressing psycho-emotional trauma, Shamanic methods seek to
unlock the unlimited potential of the psyche with expanded states of
consciousness based on preparation and integration
Theatre, Literature and Consciousness
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe, Harry Youtt
…the experience of theatre and literature, encompassing both
creative and receptive processes, can be better understood on the
basis of consciousness studies. Conversely, subjective experience at
the core of theatre and literature can provide insights in
first-person approaches.
The Conference Opening Plenary Program will begin Tuesday afternoon,
April 22 at 1:45 pm
Special Experiential Workshop/Side Trip/Field Study
Wednesday Evening April 23, 2014, 6:30 – 11:00 PM, Tucson Mountain
Park
Nightwalking- Peripheral Vision for Peak Experience
Nelson Zink, Petra Stoerig
…utilizing only peripheral vision to navigate – nightwalking can
lead to peak, or optimal experience. Nightwalking pioneer Nelson Zink
and blindsight neuroscientist Petra Stoerig lead a special workshop in
the Sonoran desert of Tucson Mountain Park. Buses leave at 6:30, and
return at 11:00 pm. (Note: This event is rigorous and challenging, and
participation is limited)
Side Trips
Thursday afternoon, April 24, 2014 1:00 – 6:00 PM
Mt. Lemmon-Sabino Canyon, The Santa Catalina Mts., and a Nature Walk
1:00-6:00 pm
10,000 Ft. above the desert floor, 5 climactic zones, and 30 degrees
cooler, lies Mt. Lemmon. Our trip up the Hitchcock Highway is like
traveling from central Mexico to Alaska. Desert scrubs plants to tall
ponderosa pines. A nature walk follows our journey up the mountain.
There is a mountain top community and a few shops
Desert Jeep Adventure 1:00 – 5:30 pm
The four wheeled open air jeep tour will lead you through some of the
most beautiful and rugged desert wilderness surrounding Tucson. Your
driver/guide will share with you all of the history and narrate thru
the cactus forests, canyons, washes and mountains that surround the
trail.
General Conference Sessions/ Schedule links
Pre-Conference Workshops
9:00 am Monday April 21 through 1:00 pm Tuesday, April 22.
Plenary sessions
1:45 pm Tuesday April 22 through 1:00 pm, Saturday April 26.
Concurrent sessions
4:30 pm to 6:35 pm on April 22, 23, and 25.
Poster sessions
From 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm on April 23 and 25.
Side Trips
During free afternoon Thursday April 24.
Conference Dinner
Thursday April 24, 6:30 to 11:00 pm, Skyline Country Club.
Additional social events
Welcome reception
April 22, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Arizona State Museum,
University of Arizona campus
Evening hospitality gatherings TBA
Poetry Slam/Zombie Bluesfest
April 25, 10:00 pm to midnight
‘End-of-Consciousness’ party
April 26, 7:00 pm to…xx, Gentle Bens Brewery
Program Co-Chairs
David Chalmers, Australian National University, New York University
Stuart Hameroff, University of Arizona
Conference Manager
Abi Behar-Montefiore, Center for Consciousness Studies, Assistant
Director
Sponsored by
The Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona
www.consciousness.arizona.edu <http://www.consciousness.
Conference Website <http://www.consciousness.
Abstract Submission Deadlines
Final Abstracts are due no later than December 20th for Plenary
Consideration
All others by December 31 (Notifications by January 15)
General Conference Registration:
Early registration by February 2)
Venue
For the first time, Toward a Science of Consciousness will be held at
the Marriott University Park Hotel, steps from the Main Gate of the
beautiful campus of the University of Arizona, near shops, restaurants
and pubs on University Boulevard. A special conference hotel rate of
$109 has been arranged and this rate is extended for 2-3 days pre/post
conference start/finish dates. See Links below.
Marriott University Park, 880 East 2nd Street, Tucson, AZ
TSC Conference, Booking Link TSC Group code Marriott U Park (lowercase
only): tsctsca
All Hotel reservations must correspond to a paid TSC Online Conference
Registration.
MARRIOTT HOTEL -TSC BOOKING LINK
<http://www.marriott.com/
Press Requests
Abi Behar-Montefiore, Center for Consciousness Studies,
center@u.arizona.edu <mailto:center@u.arizona.edu>
tel: 520-245-5785
Questions center@u.arizona.edu <mailto:center@u.arizona.edu>
Conference Website <https://www.consciousness.
Subscribe to TSC Email Notices
Conference Links
Online Abstract Submissions
<https://sbs.arizona.edu/
Online Registration <https://sbs.arizona.edu/
Workshops <http://consciousness.arizona.
Conference Website <https://www.consciousness.
Questions: center@u.arizona.edu <mailto:center@u.arizona.edu>
Subscribe to TSC Email Notices – see Website
<http://www.consciousness.
Marriott University Park TSC Conference Booking Link
<http://www.marriott.com/
See Conference Website for Additional Information and Links
<http://www.consciousness.
Toward a Science of Consciousness (TSC) is presented by the Center for
Consciousness Studies (CCS) at the University of Arizona, and
alternates yearly between Tucson, Ariz. (even-numbered years) and
various locations around the world (odd-numbered years) in cooperation
with partner organizations and institutions. Overseas TSC Conferences
have been held in: 1995 Ischia, Italy; 1997, Elsinore, Denmark; 1999,
Tokyo, Japan; 2001, Skovde, Sweden; 2003, Prague, Czech Republic;
2005, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2007, Budapest, Hungary; 2009, Hong Kong,
China; 2011, Stockholm, Sweden; 2013, Agra, India. The 2015 TSC will
take place in Helsinki, Finland.
The Center for Consciousness Studies (CCS) at the University of
Arizona was established in 1997 by the Arizona Board of Regents. CCS
is hosted by the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of
Arizona College of Medicine.
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