SCIENTIFIC COFFEE: Thinking only about me: neurobiology, philosophy and the idea of “self”
SCIENTIFIC COFFEE: Thinking only about me: neurobiology, philosophy and the idea of “self”
SCIENTIFIC COFFEE: Thinking only about me: neurobiology, philosophy and the idea of “self”
Being me is such an everyday experience that the idea of “self” seems straightforward. I look in the mirror and know that it’s me. You get toothache and it hurts because it’s yours. Children learn to say that this is their toy and not someone else’s. But who am I? Who do my ideas, memories and feelings come from? Our brain tells us that we are unique and independent. How do we construct this idea? Why is it lost, for example, by Alzheimer's patients? And to what extent can we ascribe “self” to viruses, flies, plants, machines, nations or even the Internet?
A first clue for answering these questions comes from the scientific study of brain activity during decision making, using the latest advances in behavioural neurobiology. As well as this, dialogue with other disciplines, such as physics and philosophy, is crucial to understanding how and from where the notion of “self” arises.
Invited speakers:
Rupert Glasgow. Teacher at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.
Alex Gómez Marín. Postdoctoral researchers from the Sensory Systems and Behaviour Group at the CRG.
Location: Sala la Caritat, National Library of Catalonia, Carrer de l'Hospital, 56, 08001 Barcelona.
Date: Decembre 11, 2012.
Time: 19.00h.
Free activity – No inscription necessary – Numbers limited
Organised by: The Centre for Genomic Regulation CRG
With the support of:
Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT), Red de Unidades de Cultura Científica, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca de la Generalitat de Catalunya and Institut de Cultura de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona.
