[spectre] Toward a Science of Consciousness STOCKHOLM 2011 Announcement and CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

[Paul Brown]

Toward a Science of Consciousness 2011
Brain, Mind and Reality

May 2-8, 2011
Aula Magna Hall
Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
http://consciousness.arizona.edu/TSC2011AnnouncCALLforABSTRACTS.htm

Toward a Science of Consciousness is an interdisciplinary conference
emphasizing broad and rigorous approaches to the study of conscious
awareness. Topical areas include neuroscience, philosophy, psychology,
biology, quantum physics, meditation and altered states, machine
consciousness, culture and experiential phenomenology. Held annually
since 1994, the conference is organized by the Center for Consciousness
Studies at the University of Arizona, and alternates yearly between Tucson,
Arizona and various locations around the world. Toward a Science of
Consciousness 2011 will be held at Stockholm University, Aula Magna Hall,
Stockholm, Sweden, May 2-8, 2011.

Nine recent developments related to the understanding of consciousness
will be addressed:
1) Electromagnetic fields and massively coherent neuronal activities correlate
with consciousness in the brain
2) Transcranial therapies aimed at brain fields and neuronal targets promise
utility in various mental disorders
3) Neuronal connection maps enable computer simulations of brain ! functions, but
are axonal and/or dendritic processes! necessa ry/sufficient for consciousness?
4) Anesthetic gases selectively erase consciousness and block coherent gamma
synchrony EEG acting in a distributed array of dendritic proteins
5) Warm temperature biological quantum coherence and ballistic conduction in
microtubules have rejuvenated quantum approaches to consciousness
6) Physics and cosmology are approaching the nature of reality, time and the
place of consciousness in the universe
7) Libet backward time referral of subjective experience is now observed in
mainstream neuroscience, perhaps accounted for by quantum physics
8) Surprising end-of-life coherent brain activity suggests a physiological
correlate for so-called near death experiences
9) Eastern philosophy and secular spirituality accommodate quantum physics and
cosmology

Speakers (preliminary list)
Anirban Bandyopadh! yay
Dick Bierman
Moran Cerf
Lakhmir Chawla
Deepak Chopra
Nicholas Franks
Stuart Hameroff
Germund Hesslow
Anthony Hudetz
Tarja Kallio-Tamminen
Menas Kafatos
Johnjoe MacFadden
Rafi Malach
David McCormick
Leonard Mlodinow
Sue Pockett
Paavo Pylkkanen
Allan Snyder
Jack Tuszynski
W. Jamie Tyler
Pim Von Lommel
Eric Wasserman
and others

Special Pre-Conference Workshop
Deepak Chopra  Vedic approaches to consciousness
Monday May 2, 2011

Sessions, Themes and Speakers

1) Brain fields and coherence: Evidence and theory suggest brain electromagnetic
fields and large scale coherent potentials, ignitions and avalanches correlate
with consciousness and feed! back on neuronal activities, bolstering longstanding
electro magnetic field theories of consciousness.

David McCormick, Yale, Brain electric field feedback
Johnjoe McFadden, Surrey, Electromagnetic field theory of consciousness
Sue Pockett, Auckland, E-M field theory of consciousness

2) Transcranial therapy of mental states: New therapeutic modalities based on
brain stimulation aimed at conscious mental disorders include transcranial
electric and magnetic fields and ultrasound vibrations. Mechanisms and utility
in relation to consciousness and memory will be discussed.

Allan Snyder, Sydney, Transcranial Electric fields for memory enhancement
W. Jamie Tyler, Arizona State, Transcranial ultrasound for mental disorders
Eric Wasserman, NIH, Transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression

3) Neuronal computation and brain simulation: What systems, levels and specific
brain activities are critical for consciousness: axonal firings, dendritic
synchrony, macroscopic fields, complexity, intraneuronal processes, quantum
states? Will mapping the brain explain consciousness?

Germund Hesslow, Lund, Complex spike timing
Rafi Malach, Weizmann Institute, Neuronal ignitions

4) Anesthesia and consciousness: Anesthetic gases selectively erase
consciousness and block high frequency gamma synchrony EEG while sparing
non-conscious brain functions, acting by weak quantum forces in a distributed
array of post-synaptic proteins

Nicholas Franks, Imperial College London, Anesthetic sites of action
Stuart Hameroff, Arizona, Hydrophobic quantum pockets in dendritic proteins
Anthony Hudetz, MC Wisconsin, Anesthetics and gamma synchrony

5) Quantum biology: The role of quantum phy! sics in consciousness has been
discounted by the ass! umption that the biological brain is too warm and wet.
But quantum coherence, entanglement and ballistic conductance have now been
recognized in warm photosynthesis, DNA and microtubules.

Anirban Bandyopadhyay, Tsukuba, Ballistic conductance in microtubules
Jack Tuszynski, Alberta, Microtubule information processing capabilities

6) Consciousness, reality and the universe: Does the conscious observer collapse
the wave function? Is consciousness an emergent property of complex computation,
or irreducible and intrinsically related to spacetime geometry? How did the
universe arise from nothingness? What is entanglement?

Menas Kafatos, Chapman University, The holographic universe
Leonard Mlodinow, CalTech, Grand design (with Stephen Hawking)
Paavo Pylkkanen, Helsinki, Bohm and the quantum universe

7) Time, prec! ognition and consciousness: The Libet experiments and
parapsychology have long suggested backward time referral of subjective
conscious experience of hundreds of milliseconds in the brain. Now such effects
are seen in mainstream neuroscience. Can they be explained through quantum
physics?

Dick Bierman, Amsterdam, Pre-sentiment
Moran Cerf, NYU/UCLA, Pre-cognition in human brain neurons?

9) End-of-life brain activity: Recent clinical studies report a surge of
coherent, high frequency EEG at the time of human death, when neuronal
metabolic supplies are depleted. Historically, nearly all civilizations have
reported so-called near death experiences with remarkably consistent
phenomenology. Have brain monitors captured the correlate of near death
experiences?

Lakhmir Chawla, George Washington, End-of-life br! ain activity
Pim von Lommel, Arnhem, Near death expe! riences< /div>

9) Eastern philosophy, quantum physics and cosmology. Buddhism and Vedanta have
much in common with quantum physics and cosmology. Is consciousness inherent in
the universe?

Deepak Chopra, Chopra Center, Vedic approach to consciousness
Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Helsinki, Quantum physics and Eastern philosophy


In addition to Keynote and Plenary talks, the conference will feature
Pre-Conference Workshops, Concurrent Talks, Poster Sessions, Art/Tech
Demos, Social Events and Side Trips in the Stockholm tradition.

*Special Pre-Conference Workshop*
Deepak Chopra - Vedic approaches to consciousness
Monday May 2, 2011


TSC Stockholm 2011 Conference Abstract System will be available via the CCS
website after September 20.  All Abstracts must be submitt! ed via the online
system. Accepted abstracts will be included in the conference program book
and posted online.

Schedule of Deadlines:
Abstracts Due       November 15
Decisions           December  20
Registration        January  5
Final Edits         February 15

Pre-Conference Workshop Proposals:
Proposals (500 words or less) should be sent to: center at email.arizona.edu no
later than October  25 (notifications by November 15)
Workshops will be held in 4 hour sessions on Sunday May 1 and Monday May 2

Sponsors
Perfjell Wellness Center
Center for Consciousness Studies, University of Arizona
Mind Event SA
Chopra Foundation
Agora for Biosystems

Organi! zing Committee
Stuart Hameroff (University of Arizon! a)
Paavo Pylkkanen (University of Helsinki)
Christer Perfjell (Perfjell Wellness Center, Mind Event SA)
Deepak Chopra (Chopra Center)
Adrian Parker (University of Gothenburg)
Hans Liljenstrom (Stockholm University, Agora for Biosystems)
Annekatrine Puhle (University of Gothenburg)
Abi Behar-Montefiore (University of Arizona)

Arlene 'Abi' Behar-Montefiore | Manager
Center for Consciousness Studies 
c/o Dept. of Anesthesiology 
University Medical Center 
POB 245114 
Tucson, AZ 85724-5114 USA 
Office/DL 520-621-9317 | Cell 520-444-2813 | Fax: 520-626-5596
center at u.arizona.edu | www.consciousness.arizona.edu


====
Paul Brown - based in OZ April to November 2010
mailto:paul at paul-brown.com == http://www.paul-brown.com
OZ Landline +61 (0)7 3391 0094 == USA fax +1 309 216 9900
OZ Mobile +61 (0)419 72 74 85 == Skype paul-g-brown
====
Synapse Artist-in-Residence - Deakin University
http://www.deakin.edu.au/itri/cisr/projects/hear.php
Honorary Visiting Professor - Sussex University
http://www.cogs.susx.ac.uk/ccnr/research/creativity.html
====

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