Consciousness! Without it, the Universe might as well not exist, because there wouldn’t be anyone there to experience reality, wouldn’t be anyone there to perceive that there’s such a thing as existence at all.

In this episode, I talk about the fundamental role I believe consciousness plays in reality and why we shouldn't look at it as an impossibly magical thing, but as the most natural thing in existence. I frame this discussion with the observation that consciousness seems to arise from certain types of information processing, and examine what this means for our understanding of reality and our place in the world. I also put forward some ideas about how thinking works, about how consciousness influences physical matter, about why consciousness evolved, and an understanding of the "binding problem" in the philosophy of mind. Some of the amazing possibilities awaiting us in the future in the form of augmented intelligence and AI are also described.

Music:0:30- Juana Molina, "Sin Dones"7:03- Charolastra, "Masked Warrior"14:33- Mouse on the Keys, "Elegie"21:53- Mild High Club, "Skiptracing (Reprise)"31:53- Skybison, "A Tool, A Distraction"34:43- Harumi, "Hello"