What’s So Hard About Understanding Consciousness?

[View this email in your browser]( [Nautilus logo]( Thursday, February 03, 2022 Dear Nautilus Reader, Reading good science is like settling into a conversation with people who light up your mind with one surprising insight after another. That’s just what happens when you read our conversation this week with Antonio Damasio and Anil Seth. We brought the two acclaimed neuroscientists together to discuss consciousness and how it arises from the biological machinery of the brain. That they do, but they also share their view about brain matters that are sure to spark conversations of your own. Panpsychism? They’re not fans. The self? The soul? Philosophy? They have plenty to say to about those too. Happy arguing! If kids are spending a lot of time in virtual reality games now, projecting their minds into fantastical worlds, wait until the next generation of immersive video worlds like Metaverse arrive. Kids may never go outside to skateboard again. Neuroscientists are watching this development with concern—we put the spotlight on the brain studies that explain why. Those two articles, and a separate one by Damasio himself on how feelings lead to knowing, mark the debut of [Brain](, a new channel on Nautilus, exploring neuroscience in partnership with the Bertarelli Foundation. [SUBSCRIBE TO NAUTILUS]( [EI Ventures]( [What’s So Hard About Understanding Consciousness?]( [We brought Antonio Damasio and Anil Seth together to share their insights into neuroscience’s big question.]( [Kristen French]( [Because you are reading these words, it’s safe to say you possess consciousness—that magic of awareness that you are alive and awake, and that you are you, not somebody else?.]( PAID ADVERTISEMENT [Psychedelics Are Opening a Pathway to Treat Many Mental Illnesses]( [EI Ventures]( According to [Ei Ventures](, nearly 1 billion people worldwide suffer from mental illness. While pharmaceuticals have long been the sole treatment option, there may be a natural way to help patients. Ei Ventures is disrupting the mental health space with its flagship product, Psilly, a plant-based treatment for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and alcohol and nicotine addiction. [Find out how you can invest]( in the first Psychedelic Medicine company to qualify for a Reg A+ Tier 2 offering before their campaign closes on March 22nd. [INVEST NOW]( [I Feel, Therefore I Am]( [Consciousness is a continuous conversation between the feeling body and the knowing mind.]( [Antonio Damasio]( [In the beginning was not the word; that much is clear. Life sailed forth without words or thoughts, without feelings or reasons, devoid of minds or consciousness.]( PAID ADVERTISEMENT [1440 Is Your News Source for All Facts, No Bias]( [1440]( Have trouble finding the truth in a sea of opinions disguised as facts? Just read [1440](. In the time it takes to drink your morning coffee, you can get an impartial overview of what’s going on in the world. 1440 scours hundreds of sources every day to bring you a single morning briefing, so you can stay up-to-date on culture, science, politics, business, and more—all in an easy, digestible newsletter. [Subscribe today for free](. [JOIN FOR FREE]( [Are Kids Ready for Virtual Reality?]( [Will too much time in the virtual world impact how children develop in the real one?]( [Kelsey Ichikawa]( [Neuroscientist Jenifer Miehlbradt knelt down next to a brown-haired 6-year-old boy. She fitted a visor over his eyes and head, fastened a sensor to his back, and with the push of a button, launched him into a virtual sky.]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [Web Site]( Copyright © 2021 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from [nautil.us](. Our mailing address is: NautilusNext 360 W 36th Street, 7S, New York, NY 10018 Don't want to hear from us anymore? [Click here to unsubscribe.](