Keynote Presentation by Dr. Ian McGilchrist

Introduction

• Dr. Ian McGilchrist, keynote speaker known for his works:
  • "The Master and His Emissary" (2009)
  • "The Matter with Things" (2021)
• Background in humanities, medicine, psychiatry, neuroscience, and philosophy
• Integrates science and humanities with human experience

Main Topics Discussed

Attention and Consciousness

• Attention as a Moral Act: Influences how we perceive and interact with the world
• Consciousness and World Perception: Consciousness shapes the experiential world, which is the only world we can ever know

Perspectives on Consciousness

• Views on Consciousness:
  • Consciousness as fundamental, not fully understood
  • Various philosophical perspectives (e.g., Wittgenstein, Stuart Sutherland)
• Definition Challenges: Differing definitions based on states (e.g., coma, sleep, distraction)
• Conscious vs. Unconscious: Unconscious processes are vast and integral to human function

Hemisphere Theory of the Brain

• Brain divided into two hemispheres:
  • Left Hemisphere: Focused attention, detail-oriented, representation
  • Right Hemisphere: Broad awareness, holistic perception, interconnectedness
• Brain Asymmetry: Evolutionary reasons for division; corpus callosum connects but also inhibits hemispheric interaction

Matter and Consciousness

• Relation Between Matter and Consciousness: Cannot be simply explained by emergence from complexity
• Philosophical Stances: Engage with matters like panpsychism and the indivisibility of reality
• Critique of Pure Materialism: Highlights the extraordinary nature of matter

Creativity and the Universe

• Creative Universe: Universe inherently creative, organic, interlaced with consciousness
• Role of Resistance and Constraint: Essential for creativity; matter provides structure and permanence
• Imagination and Consciousness: Imagination as the core of scientific and artistic discovery

Philosophical Views on Consciousness

• Pansychism and Panentheism: Interconnectedness of consciousness, universe, and possibly divinity
• Consciousness as Ontological Primitive: Fundamental element of reality

Conclusion

• Human Role in the Universe: Humans as co-creators in an evolving cosmos
• Philosophical Reflections: Integration of consciousness with the material world, echoing thoughts from physicists and philosophers

Final Remarks

• Gerard Manley Hopkins Poem Recitation: Emphasizing individuality and existence

Closing

• Dr. McGilchrist’s presentation encourages a deeper understanding of consciousness as integral to our existence and experience.