What is the relationship between consciousness the brain? This symposium brings together leading scientists and scholars to explore cutting-edge thinking on the nature of consciousness and current findings and directions in scientific thinking and research.

The methodology of neuropsychology is to measure brain processes—to understand thought, emotions, disease, intention etc. in terms of neural processes and neural correlates. This methodology is in broad outline reductionistic—telling us that mind/consciousness/subjective experience is nothing but brain processes. From this point of view, there is no consciousness, no mind, no soul, independent of the brain; when the brain stops, mind and consciousness end as well.

This symposium will not only explore these very realistic possibilities but will also entertain radically different perspectives on the nature of consciousness proposed by some physicists and by some who explore near-death experiences. From these perspectives, the brain does not set the limits of consciousness, but rather the brain is only the correlate of embodied consciousness.