#206 – Anil Seth on the predictive brain and how to study consciousness

#206 – Anil Seth on the predictive brain and how to study consciousness

Author: The 80,000 Hours team November 1, 2024 Duration: 2:33:50

"In that famous example of the dress, half of the people in the world saw [blue and black], half saw [white and gold]. It turns out there’s individual differences in how brains take into account ambient light. Colour is one example where it’s pretty clear that what we experience is a kind of inference: it’s the brain’s best guess about what’s going on in some way out there in the world. And that’s the claim that I’ve taken on board as a general hypothesis for consciousness: that all our perceptual experiences are inferences about something we don’t and cannot have direct access to." —Anil Seth

In today’s episode, host Luisa Rodriguez speaks to Anil Seth — director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science — about how much we can learn about consciousness by studying the brain.

Links to learn more, highlights, and full transcript.

They cover:

  • What groundbreaking studies with split-brain patients and blindsight have already taught us about the nature of consciousness.
  • Anil’s theory that our perception is a “controlled hallucination” generated by our predictive brains.
  • Whether looking for the parts of the brain that correlate with consciousness is the right way to learn about what consciousness is.
  • Whether our theories of human consciousness can be applied to nonhuman animals.
  • Anil’s thoughts on whether machines could ever be conscious.
  • Disagreements and open questions in the field of consciousness studies, and what areas Anil is most excited to explore next.
  • And much more.

Chapters:

  • Cold open (00:00:00)
  • Luisa’s intro (00:01:02)
  • The interview begins (00:02:42)
  • How expectations and perception affect consciousness (00:03:05)
  • How the brain makes sense of the body it’s within (00:21:33)
  • Psychedelics and predictive processing (00:32:06)
  • Blindsight and visual consciousness (00:36:45)
  • Split-brain patients (00:54:56)
  • Overflow experiments (01:05:28)
  • How much can we learn about consciousness from empirical research? (01:14:23)
  • Which parts of the brain are responsible for conscious experiences? (01:27:37)
  • Current state and disagreements in the study of consciousness (01:38:36)
  • Digital consciousness (01:55:55)
  • Consciousness in nonhuman animals (02:18:11)
  • What’s next for Anil (02:30:18)
  • Luisa’s outro (02:32:46)

Producer: Keiran Harris
Audio engineering: Ben Cordell, Milo McGuire, Simon Monsour, and Dominic Armstrong
Content editing: Luisa Rodriguez, Katy Moore, and Keiran Harris
Transcriptions: Katy Moore


The 80,000 Hours Podcast, from The 80,000 Hours team, digs into the complex and often overlooked questions surrounding how we can best use our careers to tackle the world's most pressing problems. While artificial intelligence is a recurring and critical theme, framing some of the most important conversations you won't hear elsewhere, the discussions range far wider into the intersections of technology, policy, philosophy, and global priorities. Hosts Rob Wiblin, Luisa Rodriguez, and Zershaaneh Qureshi guide in-depth interviews with researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, breaking down daunting ideas into actionable insights. You'll hear nuanced analyses of career paths, ethical dilemmas in emerging tech, and evidence-based strategies for creating a positive impact. This isn't about quick tips; it's about deep, substantive exploration of how specific choices and systemic changes can lead to a better future. The podcast lives in the Education and Technology categories because it fundamentally aims to equip listeners with the knowledge and perspective to navigate a rapidly changing world thoughtfully. Each episode is built on rigorous research, challenging assumptions while maintaining a conversational and accessible tone. Tune in for a consistently engaging and intellectually honest look at the forces shaping our century and the practical steps individuals can take within their own 80,000-hour working lives to make a meaningful difference.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

80,000 Hours Podcast
Podcast Episodes
What makes for a dream job? | Benjamin Todd [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:18
What actually makes a job fulfilling? It's not what most career advice tells you. "Follow your passion" sounds inspiring, but it's misleading — and the research backs that up.Drawing on hundreds of studies, we’ve identif…
How scary is Claude Mythos? 303 pages in 21 minutes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:27
With Claude Mythos we have an AI that knows when it's being tested, can obscure its reasoning when it wants, and is better at breaking into (and out of) computers than any human alive. Rob Wiblin works through its 244-pa…