Subjective Experience

Subjective Experience

A close-up of a spotted nudibranch with translucent, pointed cerata on a brown underwater branch against a black background, inviting reflection on the intricate nature of consciousness in marine life.
In this excerpt from "One Hand Clapping," Nikolay Kukushkin makes the case that neurons reveal how memory, meaning, and even consciousness emerge from the same biological roots in humans, sea slugs, and beyond.
Abstract collage with a butterfly, brain sketches, graphs, and scientific diagrams overlaid with red, black, and beige shapes and textured patterns.
A conversation with neuroscientist Erik Hoel about the future of consciousness research.
Black and white close-up of an older man with glasses, a bushy mustache, and beard, resting his chin on his hand and looking directly at the camera.
"For many people, the idea that consciousness is a set of tricks is offensive," the late philosopher told Big Think in 2012. "I think that's a prime mistake."
A digital illustration of a hermit crab with a shell resembling a human brain, shown in two square sections over the shell.
A conversation about intelligence and consciousness with philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith.
Five books on consciousness and philosophy are displayed upright in a row against a pale background with abstract black lines.
These expert-recommended books try to answer the questions of consciousness, from its fundamental nature to its role in human experience and the natural world.
Abstract illustration featuring five circles with various designs connected by curved white lines on a purple and blue background, symbolizing science or interconnected concepts.
A conversation with Annaka Harris on shared perception, experimental science, and why our intuition about consciousness is wrong.
Person sleeping with EEG cap and sensors on face, covered with a purple blanket.
"The amount of interest is enormous," says anesthesiologist Boris Heifets. "People are dropping in and coming out of the woodwork, trying to understand how to do this."
Black and white close-up of a woman savoring a burger wrapped in paper, her eyes reflecting her elevated taste expectations.
New research is uncovering why we eat first with our expectations.
A person seated in a wheelchair uses a communication device with a Stephen Hawking-like voice, blurred flowers gently framing the scene in the foreground.
Hawking’s refusal to upgrade his communication system preserved a voice that became iconic, not just for its sound, but for the profound identity it conveyed.
A single eye illuminated in the dark with a warm light.
The biases that shape our understanding of the mind.
Abstract image featuring glowing lines radiating outward, creating a wave-like, undulating pattern.
"We do not experience primarily because we have brains; we experience because we are alive."
Colorful, blurry streaks of red, blue, and green converge towards the center on a black background, creating a dynamic and radiant starburst effect that illustrates how we see color in all its vibrant glory.
The color of the shirt you're wearing right now depends on many factors, from your eye shape to what language you speak.
A person is sleeping, dreaming of a woman packing multiple bags and suitcases.
"Upon emergence, these patients are sincerely unsure what was reality and what was a ‘dream.'"
A small, warm-blooded brown bird with outstretched wings captured in mid-flight against a blue sky.
An excerpt from renowned neuropsychologist Nicholas Humphrey’s book “Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness.”
A display of various marble busts and sculptures arranged on two wooden shelves against a dark green wall.
An argument for emphasis on subjective experience.
Illustration of a young woman with closed eyes, smiling, next to a large, detailed eye and surrounded by vibrant, abstract elements and smiley faces.
A recent study suggests that exposure to visual stimuli can diminish the effects of psychedelic drugs.
An illustration of a hand with mechanical fingers and wires, symbolizing the inception of dreams in the integration of technology with the human body.
One MIT-trained poet spent nine months trying to find out.
A clock hanging from a wall.
Research suggests you can influence your sense of time by changing the “embodiedness” of your daily habits.
An AI-generated illustration of a man sitting at a desk, accompanied by thought-provoking poetry.
Cognitive psychologist and poet Keith Holyoak explores whether artificial intelligence could ever achieve poetic authenticity.
An image of a human heart in flames.
The heart's rhythms may play a larger role in shaping psychedelic experiences than previously thought.
A heat map of the human body.
Survey data suggests that our bodily perceptions of love extend far beyond the heart.
A phenomenological representation of a man's head with an intricate diagram.
The idea is to study the thing itself — be it a work of literature, death, family, a car, a vaccine, or the hospital — without preconceived notions, trendy easy answers, or dogma imposed on it.
A man's head symbolizing consciousness with a red heart on it.
Our minds seem both physical and intangible. That paradox has gripped this neuroscientist since childhood.
a collage of photos of a man with a hat and a book.
Dive into the twisted truths and concealed realities told by literature's most unreliable narrators.
a painting of a landscape with mountains and rain.
Unlock the paradoxes of life through poetic realism.
John Templeton Foundation
a map of the world with a red star in the middle.
“Who is the aggressor?” That depends on which of these maps you believe.
a man and a woman with their mouths open.
One from New Guinea rose to the top in a recent study.