Evolutionary Biologist, Jon Mallatt has always been interested in science, and early on became interested in vertebrates, and on a more granular level, the development of jaws in vertebrates. By understanding how insects, plants, and vertebrates are inter-related, we can better understand consciousness.

The type of consciousness we are talking about today is Primary Consciousness (Basic Sensory Consciousness). The feeling of something that it’s like to be! Being aware of stimuli and objects in the environment but without any processing or judging of the stimuli. The hard problem comes into play with subjectivity. In his book The Ancient Origins of Consciousness: How the Brain Creates Experience, Jon and Todd Feinberg explore sensory consciousness and how the brain uses subjectivity to create experience.

We discuss the 4 subdivisions of subjectivity and their impact on solving the hard problem. Qualia, Unity (central stage of consciousness), Mental Causation (how subjectivity can effect larger events), and  Referral (sensory input that is referred to the outside world; it places sensations everywhere except in the brain) are components of primary consciousness that have to be explored to solve the hard problem.

Join us for this interesting conversation about the latest trends and discoveries in consciousness!

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 References:

• The Ancient Origins of Consciousness: How the Brain Created Experience by Todd E. Feinberg and Jon M. Mallatt

• Thompson, Evan. Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2007. Print.

• Rose, J.D. (2002). "The neurobehavioral nature of fishes and the question of awareness and pain" (PDF). Reviews in Fisheries Science. 10 (1): 1–38. doi:10.1080/20026491051668.Jump up ^

• Rose, J.D. (2002). "Do fish feel pain?". Retrieved September 27, 2007.

• Panksepp, Jaak. "The Brain's Emotional Foundations of Human Personality and the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales." The Brain's Emotional Foundations of Human Personality and the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.

• Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi. "Christof Koch and Giulio Tononi on Consciousness at the FQXi Conference 2014 in Vieques." YouTube. YouTube, 02 May 2014. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.

• "Searle’s Biological Naturalism and the Argument from Consciousness." Afterallnet. N.p., 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.

• "A Nobel Laureate on 'Successful Aging' - Dr. Eric Kandel's Epic Search for the Biological Basis of Memory." Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (Formerly NARSAD). N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.

• Sagan, Carl. The Dragons of Eden. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

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