Toward A Science of Consciousness 2010
April 12-17, 2010
Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, Arizona

Sponsored by:
The Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona
www.consciousness.arizona.edu

The ninth biennial Tucson conference Toward a Science of Consciousness will take place April 12-17, 2010 at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson conferences are known for rigorous, inter-disciplinary approaches to understanding all aspects of the problem of conscious experience. As in previous conferences, the program will include Plenary and Keynote talks, Concurrent talks, Poster presentations, Art/Science demos and exhibits, Pre-Conference workshops, Side trips and Social events.

Session themes will include

Brain default networks
Stimulus-independent thought
Mind wandering
Non-conscious processing
Machine consciousness
Body consciousness
Self and Transformation
William James Centennial

Plenary and Keynote speakers will include

John Bargh
David Chalmers
Henrik Ehrsson
Ben Goertzel
Malia Mason
Marcus Raichle
Jonathan Schooler
Robert Shulmer
Jeff Warren

A major focus for the conference will be the inter-related topics of Stimulus-independent thought, Brain default networks, Mind wandering, and Unconscious processing.

Historically, brain correlates of consciousness have been approached along hierarchical sensory processing, arousal and response. However recent work on conscious brain activity in the absence of sensory inputs reveals brain default networks, or the brains dark energy.  How does this activity relate to consciousness?  To internally generated states like meditation, fantasy or mind wandering?  To global workspace theory?  Is hierarchical thalamo-cortical activity necessary for consciousness?  Or can the processes underlying consciousness self-organize through synchrony?

We are pleased to have the two major pioneers in brain default networks as keynote speakers. Marcus Raichle and Robert Shulmer (separately) have opened doors on default networks, but have different views on their relation to consciousness.

Jonathan Schooler and Malia Mason have imaged brain activity moving through default networks, and correlating with mind wandering.  John Bargh has explored non-conscious processes governing behavior, free will and the boundary between conscious and nonconscious processes. Other plenary session themes will include Body consciousness, with Henrik Ehrsson on conscious awareness of body, and prosthetic devices, and Machine
consciousness, with AI leader Ben Goertzel discussing ‘bubbles of awareness’ in computational systems.  Jeff Warren, author of  ‘Head Trip’ will give a first person experiential presentation. Other Plenary sessions being planned include a William James Centennial, and Self and Transformation.

In addition to Keynote and Plenary talks, Pre-conference Workshops, Concurrent Talks, Posters, Art/Tech Demos, Social Events, and Side Trips will occur in the Tucson conference tradition.

For Information see:     http://www.consciousness.arizona.edu/Tucson2010.htm

On behalf of the Program Committee - Toward a Science of Consciousness 2010
Stuart Hameroff  - Co-chair
David Chalmers  - Co-chair
Bernard Baars
Anthony Freeman
Al Kaszniak
Christof Koch
Uriah Kriegel
Hakwan Lau
Marilyn Schlitz

Abi Behar-Montefiore, Manager, Center for Consciousness Studies, University of Arizona - center .-at.- u.arizona.edu

TSC 2010 Conference Abstract Submission System will be available via the CCS website after September 20, 2009

Schedule of Deadlines - Tentative
November 15      Abstracts Due
January 5           Decisions
February 15       Early Registration Due
March 1              Final Abstract Edits Due

Call for Pre-Conference Workshop proposals
Toward a Science of Consciousness 2010
April 12-17, 2010

The ninth biennial Tucson conference Toward a Science of Consciousness will occur April 12-17, 2010 at the Tucson Convention center, Tucson, Arizona.

As in previous years, the opening Plenary session on Tuesday afternoon April 13 will be preceded by pre-conference workshops held in three 4 hour sessions
1) Monday April 12, 9 am to 1 pm
2) Monday April 12, 2 pm to 6 pm
3) Tuesday April 13, 9 am to 1 pm

The conference Plenary program opens Tuesday April 13 at 1:45 pm.

Proposals for pre-conference workshops are invited in all areas related to understanding conscious experience. Workshops provide in depth, detailed treatments of various methodologies, perspectives, reviews and approaches.
Workshops may be solo presentations, or include two or more presenters. Attendance fees are $75 for 4 hour workshops and $125 for full day workshops, split evenly between presenter(s) and the conference which provides the room, A-V, promotion/advertisement and refreshments. A minimum number of registrants will be required.

Workshop presenters (up to 2 per workshop) also receive free registration for the conference. Please submit a 500 word (or less) abstract/summary and presenter information by email (or attachment) directly to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Deadline for Workshop proposals is October 20, 2009. Submitters will be notified by November 15.

Comments (1)

1  FINAL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT 2010 TSC Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , on 25-02-2010 12:11 Toward a Science of Consciousness 2010    April 12-17, 2010    Tucson Convention Center and Hotel Arizona, Tucson, Arizona    Sponsored by the Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona    www.consciousness.arizona.edu    The program for the ninth biennial interdisciplinary conference ‘Toward a Science of Consciousness 2010’ is complete. Held in even-numbered years since 1994, the Tucson conferences are the major world gatherings on a broad spectrum of approaches to the fundamental question of how the brain produces conscious experience, a question which addresses who we are, the nature of reality and our place in the universe. An estimated 700 scientists, philosophers, psychologists, experientialists, artists and others from 43 countries on 6 continents will participate in 400 presentations included in 17 Pre-Conference Workshops, 12 Plenary or Keynote sessions, 21 Concurrent Talk s! essions, 2 Poster Sessions, 3 Art-Tech interactive sessions and special evening performances. Abstracts for all presentations will be posted at www.consciousness.arizona.edu    Plenary Program Overview    Highlights of the 2010 Plenary Program will include Keynote speaker Antonio Damasio, the esteemed neurologist and best-selling author on how the Self arises from layers of processes from brainstem to cortex. Other Keynotes include psychiatrist/neuroscientist Karl Deisseroth on new technologies revealing brain circuits of the conscious mind, and Robert J. Sawyer, award-winning science fiction writer whose works (Flashforward, Mindscan, Hominids etc) feature various science-based aspects of consciousness.     Twin Keynotes by two prominent neuroscientists will present opposing views of an essential question arising from functional brain imaging: how does brain activity measured in the absence of sensory inputs relate to conscio! usness? Marcus Raichle describes this brain Dark Energy (see h! is cover piece in the March 2010 Scientific American) as default networks mediating thinking and daydreaming, toggling back-and-forth with stimulus-related processing and tasks. Robert G. Shulman contends that the underlying activity is a foundational substrate for all conscious processes which require critical levels of brain energy. A related Plenary Session is Mindwandering, conscious activity independent of sensory stimuli (Jonathan Schooler, Malia Mason, Jonathan Smallwood).    In Bodily Consciousness, Henrik Ehrsson will discuss and extend his well-known work on inducing out-of-body experiences in normal subjects, while Frederique de Vignemont    will distinguish different forms of conscious body awareness. Multi-Modal Experience will include synesthate and author Patricia Lynne Duffy describing her personal experience with fused and cross-wired senses, as well as how synesthesia affects and enables artists, writers, performers and scientists. Other speakers (Barry Ste! in, Casey O’Callaghan, Michael Proulx) will address the neuroscience and philosophical analysis of synesthesia, and how clinically-induced cross-modal perception can help blindness and other sensory defects.    Consciousness and Transformation will review long-term changes induced by meditation (Cassie Vieten), and analyze claims of enlightenment, mystical and transcendental experience (Jeffrey Martin). The session concludes with Za Rinpoche, a Tibetan Lama recognized in 1984 by the Dalai Lama as the sixth reincarnation of Zachoeje Lama. Author of Backdoor to Enlightenment, Za Rinpoche will discuss Buddhist perspectives on consciousness, enlightenment and reincarnation.    Machine Consciousness will feature IBM researcher Dharmendra Modha on efforts to simulate the brain through neuron-by-neuron reconstruction, and philosopher David Chalmers discussing prospects for a technological Singularity, the idea that human-level artificial intelligence (AI) will rapi! dly spiral to superintelligence. AI researcher Ben Goertzel wi! ll descr ibe mobile bubbles of executive function moving through computer architectures.    Theories of Consciousness features Sid Kouider summarizing and critiquing prevalent neurocognitive theories, and Marc Ebner with simulations of consciousness as a mobile zone of synchrony moving through the brain. Philosopher Galen Strawson will address philosophical theories of consciousness, focusing especially on panpsychism.    New Directions in Neural Correlates of Consciousness (NCC) Research is a panel of fresh ideas from young researchers. In the context of default networks, Michal Gruberger will discuss the use of deep trans-cranial magnetic stimulation inhibiting prefrontal cortex in human subjects, with alterations in measures related to the sense of self. Philosophers Adrienne Prettyman and Stephen Biggs will analyze the claim that default networks represent the baseline state of the brain. Moran Cerf will report on recordings from single neurons in conscious human subjects! , showing how activity in medial temporal lobe can regulate sensory entry into conscious awareness. Finally, Anirban Bhandyophadyay will discuss molecular ‘nanobrains’, and new experimental results suggesting microtubules are the missing fourth circuit element.    The William James Centennial session will open the Plenary Program as a tribute to the father of American psychology and philosophy who died in 1910. Eugene Taylor will discuss James in the context of modern approaches, Bernard Baars will describe how James’ disillusionment led to behaviorism which banished consciousness from science for seven decades. Bruce Mangan concludes with what James termed the fringe, cognitive information just outside consciousness which, Mangan argues, illuminates insight and mystical experience.    For further information, see www.consciousness.arizona.edu    Day-by-day full program follows below.    Subject to change    Registration must be completed by March ! 1 for inclusion in the program    Pre-conference workshops! will be held in 3 half day sessions Monday morning and afternoon April 12, and Tuesday morning April 13. (The conference Plenary Program begins Tuesday afternoon April 13.) Workshops are each focused on particular areas, and presented by well known, and lesser known, authorities from the world over.    Pre-Conference Workshops    Monday, April 12, 2010    9 am to 1 pm, Tucson Convention Center (TCC) and Hotel Arizona (HA) rooms TBA    Pre-Conference Workshop Session 1    1) Selective Attention, Christof Koch    2) Lucid Dreaming, Stephen LaBerge    3) Inner Experience, Russell Hurlburt, Eric Schwitzgebel    4) Biofeedback and Mindfulness, Keya Maitra, Connie Schrader    5a) Transforming consciousness, Stanley Krippner, Frank Echenhofer et al, Part 1    6a) Psychedelics in the mainstream, Thomas Roberts James Fadiman, Part 1    2 pm to 6 pm, TCC and HA rooms TBA    Pre-conference Workshop Session 2    7) Jaynes, voices and vi! sions, Brian McVeigh, Marcel Kuijsten    Neuroimaging of meditation, David Hubbard, Alarik Arenander    9) Neural basis of repression and dissociation, Heather Berlin, Michael Anderson    10) Yoga Asanas, Siegried Bleher    11a) Microtubules and quantum biology, Stuart Hameroff, Jack Tuszynski et al, Part 1    5b) Transforming consciousness, Stanley Krippner, Frank Echenhofer et al, Part 2    6b) Psychedelics in mainstream, Thomas Roberts, James Fadiman, Part 2    12a) A Victorian’s guide to consciousness, Pim van Lommel, Allan Combs et al, Part 1    Tuesday, April 13, 2010    9 am to 1 pm, TCC and HA rooms TBA    Pre-Conference Workshop Session 3,    13) Global broadcasting in brain, Bernard Baars, Katherine McGovern    14) Why synesthesia matters, Sean Day, Patricia Duffy, Maureen Seaberg et al    15) Experimenting with endogenic experience, Talma Hendler, Abraham Zangen et al    11b) Microtubules and quantum bi! ology; Stuart Hameroff, Jack Tuszynski et al, Part 2    16! ) Philos ophical theories of consciousness, Joshua Weisberg, Uriah Kriegel    17) Imperience: Self-transformation Pranahuti meditation, K. Madhava, K. Mannur et al,    12b) A Victorian’s guide to consciousness, Pim van Lommel, Allan Combs et al, Part 2    1:45 pm to 4:10 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Conference opening, Plenary Session 1    William James Centennial: Eugene Taylor, Bernard Baars, Bruce Mangan    4:30 pm to 6:35 pm, TCC and HA rooms TBA    Concurrent session 1-7    1 Consciousness and thought/representation: Spackman, Kobes, Brogaard, Goff, Pitt  2 Materialism, dualism, HOT: Weisberg, Molyneux, Fiala, Gennaro, Kiefer  3 Neurobiology, theories of consciousness: Josipovic, Buracas, Bieberich, Alto, Brown  4 Unconscious processes: Daltrozzo, Gorbunova, Shin, Walling, Polito  5 AI and computational models: Samsonovich, Wang, Dominey, Pearce, Maimon  6 Art, media and conscious perception: Pepperell, Kerwin, Patten, Steen, Van ! Schie  7 Altered states of consciousness: Baggott, Turausky, Lavallee, Roberts, Perry    6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, HA Starlight Ballroom Garden Patio    Welcome Reception     9:30 pm to 11:00 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Club Consciousness 1    Jeff Warren -- 'The wheel of consciousness'    Wednesday April 14, 2010    8:30 am to 10:40 am, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 2, Twin Keynotes:    Marcus Raichle: Brain dark energy and default networks    Robert G. Shulman: Baseline brain energy supporting the state of consciousness    11:10 am to 12:30 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 3    Bodily consciousness: Frederique de Vignemont, Henrik Ehrsson    2:00 pm to 4:10 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 4    Machine consciousness and the ‘Singularity’: David Chalmers, Dharmendra Modha, Ben Goertzel    4:30 pm to 6:35 pm, TCC and HA rooms TBA    Concurrent Sessions 8-15    8 Intro! spection: Horgan, Schwitzgebel, Siewert, Spener, Adams  9 Pa! npsychis m: Seager, Bruentrup, Buck, Robinson, Faw  10 First-person methodology: Heavey, Coseru, Kordes, Mrazak, Gomes  11 Dreaming: Kahn, D'Agostino, Zadra, Kozmova, Gackenbach  12 Neural correlates: Hubbard, Craigmyle, Mossbridge, Fekete, Saunders  13 Quantum/Subcellular: Neven, Castagnoli, Salari, Bernroider, Craddock, Woolf  14 Contemplation, religion: Shear, Klein, Bahir, Maitra, Seaberg, Bhamidipati    7:00 pm to 10:00 pm    Poster session 1, TCC    For Poster Schedule see www.consciousness.arizona.edu    7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, TCC    Art/Tech/Demo Sessions 1 and 2     1 Kerwin/Masterson, Kelly, Grossberger, Coates, Lupe     2 Zeng, Vaughn, Hurlburt, Taylor, Walters    9:45 pm to 11:30 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Club Consciousness 2    Vanda Mikolowski -- 'Enlighten up!' Consciousness comedy    Chase Masterson - 'Song stylings from Star Trek'      Thursday, April 15, 2010    8:30 am to 11:00 am, TCC Leo R! ich Theater    Plenary 5    Multimodal experience: Patricia Lynne Duffy, Barry Stein, Casey O'Callaghan,    Michael Proulx    11:30 am to 12:50 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 6, Keynote    Karl Deisseroth: Optogenetics: new developments, new applications     Afternoon free    Side trips: Mt. Lemmon/ Sabino Canyon/ Desert Jeep Tour    6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, The elegant Westin La Paloma Resort and Hotel    Conference Banquet    10:30 pm, HA     Hospitality Suite      Friday, April 16, 2010    8:30 am to 10:40 am, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 7    Consciousness and Transformation: Cassie Vieten, Jeffrey Martin, Za Rinpoche    11:10 am to 12:30 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 8, Keynote    Antonio Damasio: The neural self    2:00 pm to 4:10 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 8    Theories of Consciousness: Sid Kouider, Marc Ebner, Galen Strawson  4:30 pm to 6:35 pm    Concurrent Sessions 15-21, TCC! and HA rooms TBA    15 Consciousness and the self: Carter, Williford, Albahari, Fasching, Woodruff-Smith  16 Ontology of perception: Bricklin, Stubenberg, Grube, Manzotti, Siegel  17 Neurobiology, theories of consciousness: Young, Kozuch, Van Gulick, Sytsma, Hung  18 Psychotherapy and transformation: Mender, Johnson, Thurston, Beal, Kotagiri  19 Mind-wandering: Langland-Hassan, Song, Klonowski, Franklin, Troyer  20 Evolution of consciousness: Whitehead, Beran, McVeigh, Platt, McBeath  21 Nonlocal/Psi: van Lommel, Schwartz, Boccuzzi, Beischel, Delorme    7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, TCC    Poster Session 2    See www.consciousness.arizona.edu for Poster Session schedule    7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, TCC    Art/Tech/Demo Session 3    Creath, Perkins, Curtis, Girao, Betz    10:00 pm to 11:30 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Club Consciousness 3    Warm-up poetry performance Maighread Medbh    Poetry SLAM, Talent Show, Zombie Blues      Saturday April 17, 2010    8:30 am to 10:40 am, TCC Leo Rich Theater     Plenary Session 10    New directions in NCC research: Gruberger, Prettyman/Biggs, Cerf, Bandyopadyay    11:10 am to 12:30 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 11, Keynote    Robert J Sawyer: Science Fiction and Consciousness     2:00 pm to 4:10 pm, TCC Leo Rich Theater    Plenary Session 12    Mindwandering: Jonathan Schooler, Malia Mason, Jonathan Smallwood    8:00 pm to ???, Maynards at the Depot    End-of-consciousness party    Jazz, Lite Rock, Heavy Philo, Dancing DJ, Kris Patten, Fuzzy Robot Sound Labs and Band, Pub Crawl        BIOSCAPES    http://consciousness.arizona.edu/TSC2010ARTTECH.htm    The conference will host BIOSCAPES, the international traveling exhibit of outstanding images and videos from the Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition®, a world-wide contest f! or the best microscopic images. For the Tucson conference, ima! ges and video related to consciousness, awareness, brain, neurons and glia have been selected. Abi Behar Montefiore is organizing the Bioscapes installation that will later be shown at the University Medical Center. Tucson-based computer artist Lucia Grossberger Morales produced the DVD installation. Grossberger Morales will also present her own installation ‘Meditations on Computer Patterns.’     MORNING EXPERIENTIAL SESSIONS    By popular demand and especially for weary travelers, guided yoga and meditation sessions will be offered each morning.    WEBINAR Fellows    Finally, opportunity to connect in person...participants in Center for Consciousness Studies Webcourses presented in the past five years by Professor Bernard J Baars are invited for informal gatherings before the social events (TBA).    HOSPITALITY SUITE    The Conference Hospitality Suite on the 9th floor of Hotel Arizona will welcome our attendees -- times TBA, organized by U ! of A Philosophy graduate Czarina Sharpe.    www.consciousness.arizona.edu    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it     Conference Program Committee    Stuart Hameroff - Co-chair  David Chalmers - Co-chair    Abi Montefiore - Conference Manager    Bernard J. Baars  Anthony Freeman  Al Kaszniak  Christof Koch  Uriah Kriegel  Hakwan Lau  Marilyn Schlitz

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