In an adversarial collaboration researchers with opposing theories jointly investigate a disputed topic by designing and implementing a study in a mutually agreed unbiased way.
Results from adversarial testing of two well-known theories for consciousness, Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT) and Integrated Information Theory (IIT), were presented earlier this year.
In this podcast one of the proponents and developers of IIT describes this candidate theory, and also the design of, and results from, the adversarial study.
Link to paper on adversarial collaboration:
Links to books by Christof Koch:
- “Then I am myself the world” (2024)
- “The feeling of life itself – why consciousness is widespread but can’t be computed” (2020)
- “Consciousness – confessions of a romantic reductionist” (2012)
- “The Quest for Consciousness” (2004)
- “Biophysics of Computation – Information Processing in Single Neurons” (1999)
The podcast was recorded on July 21st, 2025 and lasts 2 hours and 17 minutes.
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