Consciousness in Interaction: The role of the natural and social environment in shaping consciousness (CONTACT)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Philosophy Psychology & Language
Abstract
The brains and bodies of cognitive agents (humans and animals) interact dynamically with both their natural and social environments. This project opposes the claim that brain activity by itself enables conscious experience and instead investigates the claim that explaining consciousness requires studying the interactions of animals and humans - and their brains - with the environment.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Andy Clark (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Andy Clark (Author)
(2013)
Decomposing the Wil
Andy Clark (Author)
(2010)
Cognitive Life of Things: Recasting the Boundaries of the Mind
Andy Clark (Author)
(2007)
Augmentation, agency, and the spreading of the mental state
in American Journal of Bioethics
Carpendale J
(2008)
Mirroring cannot account for understanding action
in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Clark A
(2010)
The Extended Mind
CLARK A
(2008)
Pressing the Flesh: A Tension in the Study of the Embodied, Embedded Mind?*
in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
Clark A
(2007)
Curing Cognitive Hiccups A Defense Of The Extended Mind
in Journal of Philosophy
Clark A
(2007)
What Reaching Teaches: Consciousness, Control, and the Inner Zombie
in The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Clark A
(2009)
Perception, action, and experience: Unraveling the golden braid
in Neuropsychologia
| Title | Atlantic Monthly Interview |
| Description | Feb 2010 professor Clark was interviewed (on topics relating to the CONTACT project focus on embodiment and personhood) by Ada Brunstein for her article "Computational Couture: From Cyborgs to Supermodels", that appeared in Atlantic Monthly in 2010. The work later appeared in a book Fashion: Philosophy for Everyone. |
| Type Of Art | Creative Writing |
| Year Produced | 2010 |
| Impact | The article led to some useful email exchanges with folk working in fashion and in wearable computing. |
| URL | http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405199903.html |
| Title | Documentary Film Participation |
| Description | Work produced during the CONTACT grant was featured (in the form of talking head interview footage with me) in a documentary recorded in summer 2008, and shown from 2009 onwards. It was called The Singularity directed by Doug Wolens) and was also available on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-singularity/id583251717?ls=1 |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2009 |
| Impact | The film attracted critical acclaim. A typical screening was in March 2014 as part of an Edinburgh University public engagement event entitled "How are humans different to machines?". The event was built around a showing of the documentary and included panel discussion with Sethu Vijayakumar (Robotics, Edinburgh) and the Director Doug Wolens. It was attended by around 200 people and led to much useful live discussion. |
| URL | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Singularity_(film) |
| Description | Our aim was to produce and disseminate original research concerning consciousness, embodied action, agency, and the self. Planned activities were conference organization and volume, presentations, interactions with CNCC project partners, publication of high quality papers. We delivered on all these fronts (as detailed in the other sections of this report) and the project was subsequently assessed as Outstanding by AHRC. |
| Exploitation Route | The study of consciousness and it's relation to human embodiment is arguably of importance for every aspect of human society and for its future development. But specific areas where our own work might be extended or put to use include research on the role of the active body in the construction of sensory experience, the origins of conscious experience, and of the sense of selfhood and presence. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| URL | http://www.istc.cnr.it/project/contact-consciousness-interaction-role-natural-and-social-environment-shaping-consciousness |
| Description | We produced and disseminated original research concerning consciousness, embodied action, agency, and the self, as shown in the other sections of this report. In addition, work produced with this support was featured (in the form of talking head interview footage with me) in a documentary (recorded in summer 2008, and shown from 2010 onwards) called The Singularity directed by Doug Wolens) and also available on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-singularity/id583251717?ls=1 . In March 2014, the movie was shown as part of an Edinburgh University public engagement event entitled "How are humans different to machines?". |
| First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Book Festival appearance |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Clark spoke on themes relating to personhood and cognitive extensions as part of a panel on "Reclaiming the Body", at the Philosophy festival 'How The Light Gets In', which was held as part of the Book Festival in Hay-on-Wye from 27th May to 7th June 2010. See: www.howthelightgetsin.org The theme for the 2010 Philosophy Festival was 'Being Human' and the festival was attended by more than 3000 over the two weekends of talks. It received extensive coverage in The Guardian, Prospect and elsewhere Email requests for further information regarding this work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://blog.wellcome.ac.uk/2010/06/07/how-the-light-gets-in/ |
| Description | NYT Blog Entry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | My piece "Out of our brains" appeared in December 2010 on the NYT 'Opinionator' blog. It discussed the themes of the CONTACT grant concerning the nature and location of the mind. The editors suggest that the blog is read by up to 500,000, and I can attest that I sent much of the Christmas period replying to the mountain of emails and online discussion that ensued. The editors suggest that the blog is read by up to 500,000, and I can attest that I sent much of the Christmas period replying to the mountain of emails and online discussion that ensued. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/out-of-our-brains/?emc=eta1 |
| Description | Public Engagement Film Showing |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | March 2014, Professor Clark participated as a speaker in an Edinburgh University public engagement event entitled "How are humans different to machines?". The event was built around a showing of a documentary film, The Singularity, directed by Doug Wolens. The film (listed under creative and artistic products) included extensive footage of interviews with Professor Clark, speaking on topics relating to the nature of mind and persons. The event included panel discussion with Sethu Vijayakumar (Robotics, Edinburgh) and with the Director Doug Wolens. Requests for information relating to our work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.ppls.ed.ac.uk/events/view/what-s-the-difference-between-you-and-a-computer |