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

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

Author: The 80,000 Hours team November 16, 2024 Duration: 19:37

Neuroscientist Anil Seth explains how much we can learn about consciousness by studying the brain in these highlights from our full interview — including:

  • Luisa’s intro (00:00:00)
  • How our brain interprets reality (00:00:15)
  • How our brain experiences our organs (00:04:04)
  • What psychedelics teach us about consciousness (00:07:37)
  • The physical footprint of consciousness in the brain (00:12:10)
  • How to study the neural correlates of consciousness (00:15:37)

This is a selection of highlights from episode #206 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast: Anil Seth on the predictive brain and how to study consciousness. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — so if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode!

And if you're finding these highlights episodes valuable, please let us know by emailing podcast@80000hours.org.

Highlights put together by Simon Monsour, Milo McGuire, and Dominic Armstrong


From the team behind 80,000 Hours comes 80k After Hours, a companion podcast that ventures beyond the main feed's structured career advice. Here, the researchers and producers gather for more informal, wide-ranging conversations that reflect their ongoing curiosities. You'll hear discussions that dig into the nuances of effective altruism, grapple with complex ideas in philosophy and policy, and explore unexpected topics in culture and science-all through the lens of how we might better understand and improve the world. The tone is conversational and exploratory, often feeling like you're listening in on a lively lunch debate among experts who don't take themselves too seriously. While the core mission of finding impactful ways to do good remains, this podcast allows for the tangents, personal reflections, and deeper dives that don't always fit a standard format. It’s a space for the team to think out loud, test arguments, and share the interesting, sometimes quirky, material they're engaging with in their own work. For listeners of the main show, it offers valuable background and new perspectives; for newcomers, it provides an accessible entry point into a community of ideas focused on practical problem-solving and self improvement. Tune in for a blend of thoughtful documentary-style analysis, societal deep dives, and candid chats that aim to be both intellectually substantive and genuinely enjoyable.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

80k After Hours
Podcast Episodes
Off the Clock #8: Leaving Las London with Matt Reardon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:21
Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/fJssGodnCQgConor and Arden sit down with Matt in his farewell episode to discuss the law, their team retreat, his lessons learned from 80k, and the fate of the show.
Off the Clock #7: Getting on the Crazy Train with Chi Nguyen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:27
Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/IRRwHCK279EMatt, Bella, and Huon sit down with Chi Nguyen to discuss cooperating with aliens, elections of future past, and Bad Billionaires pt. 2.Check out: Matt’s summer…