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The hard problem of consciousness, in 53 minutes

“Our conscious awareness is everything. And the fact that it’s still so mysterious to scientists and to all of humanity, the fact that it’s still one of the great unsolved mysteries makes it something that everyone can be excited about and that inspires awe in everyone.”

with Annaka Harris

Making a distinction between consciousness and thought is important because consciousness, in the sense that I'm interested in, in the sense that it's a mystery, can exist without thought. It can exist in a pure felt experience. It could exist in a very simple organism that is not capable of thought.

A woman sits on a chair against a white backdrop, gesturing with her hands, with a dynamic black background and white abstract swirl surrounding her. 53mins

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Science shows curiosity is at the heart of great dates—and lasting love

In this excerpt from The Intimate Animal, Justin Garcia shows why curiosity and self-disclosure — not attraction alone — help build intimacy and sustain it over time.

by Justin R. Garcia
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The Past

The deep history of AI began 3,000 years ago

AI is not a rupture in history, but a continuation of intelligence emerging where information becomes systematically arranged.

by Joel J. Miller
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Mini Philosophy

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I’m definitely a Kitsune, but would a Kitsune actually say that?

by Jonny Thomson
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What 150-year-old Japanese workshop Kaikado can teach us about finding calm through focus in an age of distraction.

by Eric Markowitz

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Learn from the world’s biggest thinkers.
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