June 20, 2021 – At first glance, it seems that explaining what the ‘neural correlate of consciousness’ (NCC) is should be straightforward: it is whatever happens in our brains when we have a conscious experience that is lacking when we are not having a conscious experience. But this simple answer is misleading. It turns out that there might not be an NCC—even if we believe that consciousness is part of the material world and can be explained scientifically.

This presentation discussed some of the complexities in understanding what exactly a conscious experience is, as different groups (philosophers and physicians, for example) describe it very differently. Hardcastle then looked at the multitude of suggestions for the NCC and tried to draw some conclusions about what the NCC could be based on these ideas. She also explored the reasons some scholars believe that trying to identify the NCC is a fool’s errand and whether these reasons make sense from a scientific point of view. Finally, she examined the ‘embodied cognition’ movement that can shed some light on these issues.

Seeking the NCC presents a very simple vision for how to investigate and understand consciousness: isolate the thing inside the brain that is correlated with experience and you will have identified what consciousness is. Hardcastle suggests that whatever story ends up being told about consciousness is going to be much more complicated. The session ended in group discussion of whether seeking the neural correlates for consciousness is a productive approach for understanding our phenomenal experiences and what the outcomes of this search might bring.

Length: 2 hours