• Question: How does the brain generate consciousness?

    Asked by Júlia to Eoin, Ester, Ildiko, Natasha, Paul, Tom on 8 Nov 2017. This question was also asked by Júlia.
    • Photo: Natasha Myhill

      Natasha Myhill answered on 8 Nov 2017:

      To be honest, I have no idea. The brain isnt my area of knowledge but it is really cool. I would like to know myself, so hopefully one of the other scientists know this one!

    • Photo: Ester Gil Vazquez

      Ester Gil Vazquez answered on 8 Nov 2017:

      This is a really cool question. Unfortunately the answer is: we have no idea. Some people think that there are certain neuronal structures communicating different areas of the brain that can give you “consciousness”, and are trying to recreate them using intelligent computers. However, it is quite tricky because brains are plastic: that means that they change all the time. Computers can’t do that yet. But can you imagine that they succeed? we’d have computers acting consciously like humans!

    • Photo: Paul McKeegan

      Paul McKeegan answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      I wonder if we will ever really understand this! One theory was that consciousness was linked to the development of language, but I recently heard that this is falling out of favour – many animals seem conscious but do not have language. Perhaps we need artificial intelligence to tell us more!

    • Photo: Ildiko Somorjai

      Ildiko Somorjai answered on 13 Nov 2017:

      absolutely no idea! I have also thought that it has to do with so many neurons firing and the way that we can remember information….

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