Consciousness

What is consciousness? This has to be one of the biggest unresolved questions on the scientific books. In the past, the question was the reserve of theologians, psychologists and philosophers. Scientists seemed unable to find a way to question the grey matter between our ears. After all how can you get the brain to investigate itself? But that has all changed as will be revealed as part of the Barbican's forthcoming festival in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Wonder: Art and Science of the Brain.

On Mar 2nd 2013, UCL CABI director Mark Lythgoe joined Marcus du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, and his other guests in a performance-lecture titled 'Consciousness' that combined music, specially conceived visuals, lighting design and interactive experiences. The evening is divided into five chapters that cover different areas of consciousness from animals to artificial intelligence. The speakers explained how we can see inside the workings of the brain and asked questions such as 'What happens as our brain performs different tasks?', 'When do we become conscious?', 'Can you have multiple consciousnesses?', 'How much of my brain can I remove before I would lose my sense of I?', 'Is my cat conscious?', and 'Can a machine ever be conscious or be deemed intelligent?'.