Annaka Harris

Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. In this episode, Robinson and Annaka discuss panpsychism and the case that consciousness is fundamental. More particularly, they talk about complexity and emergence, the relationship between consciousness and physics, and artificial intelligence. Lights On: https://a.co/d/cy8YTpd Conscious: https://a.co/d/3uFZ2Jq Annaka’s Website: https://annakaharris.com OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Annaka’s Obsession with Consciousness 06:09 How Should We Define Consciousness? 13:06 Why the Complexity Might Not Explain Consciousness 25:30 Is Consciousness Emergent or Fundamental? 29:45 Are Fundamentalia Conscious? 45:18 How Can Consciousness Solve Deep Problems of Physics? 52:14 Consciousness and Quantum Entanglement 01:00:11 Consciousness and the Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics 01:10:50 What Does an Electron Feel? 01:13:41 AI and Consciousness 01:22:42 Science and the Fundamentality of Consciousness Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Annaka Harris is the New York Times–bestselling author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and the upcoming audio documentary Lights On: How Understanding Consciousness Helps Us Understand the Universe which wasl exclusively released on March 18, 2025 at audiobook retailers like Spotify, Audible, Apple Books, and the Libby App. Harris is an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics, and her work has appeared in The New York Times. Annaka is the author of the children's book I Wonder, a collaborator on the Mindful Games Activity Cards by Susan Kaiser Greenland, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the Inner Kids organization. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Annaka Harris is an American writer. Her work touches on neuroscience, meditation, philosophy of mind and consciousness. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind . Get Annaka Harris’ documentary Lights On here . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Commune Podcast, Jeff Krasno sits down with New York Times bestselling author Annaka Harris to explore one of the most profound and enduring questions in science and philosophy: What is consciousness? Annaka is the author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and the writer and producer of Lights On, a new audio documentary series that investigates the deepest mysteries of mind, matter, and awareness. Together, Jeff and Annaka examine the "hard problem" of consciousness—asking whether it’s simply a byproduct of brain activity or a fundamental aspect of reality itself. This conversation is a mind-bending journey to the frontiers of neuroscience, philosophy, and the very nature of being human. This podcast is supported by: Bon Charge Get 15% off when you order at boncharge.com and use promo code COMMUNE Puori Go to Puori.com/COMMUNE use promo code COMMUNE to save 20% on a one-time purchase Stemregen Get 20% off your first order at stemregen.co/commune with the code COMMUNEPOD QualiaGo to qualialife.com/commune to try Qualia Senolytic backed by a 100 day money back guarantee, and use promo code Commune to get 15% off! Biohacking Go to biohackingconference.com and get a 30% discount on ticket with the discount code COMMUNE30.

Questions about consciousness range from the precise and empirical -- what neurons fire when I have some particular experience -- to the deeply profound -- does consciousness emerge from matter, or does matter emerge from consciousness? While it might be straightforward to think that consciousness arises from the collective behavior of atoms in the brain, Annaka Harris and others argue that consciousness could be the fundamental stuff from which matter arises. She talks with a variety of experts in her new audio series, Lights On: How Understanding Consciousness Helps Us Understand the Universe . Blog post with show notes and transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2025/04/14/311-annaka-harris-on-whether-consciousness-is-fundamental/ Support Mindscape on Patreon . Annaka Harris received a BFA from New York University. She is the author of Consciousness: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind . She is a co-founder of Project Reason. Web site Wikipedia Amazon author page

Annaka Harris is an author, editor, and speaker focused on neuroscience and consciousness. What does it mean to be conscious? What is consciousness? These questions have puzzled humanity for millennia. Despite our greatest scientific breakthroughs and philosophical efforts, are we any closer to understanding the origins and true nature of consciousness? Expect to learn the most unsettling idea about consciousness that keeps Annaka up at night, if consciousness is behind our eyes, if love is a 3-dimensional construct, if consciousness is just a malfunction of the brain, rather than an essential feature, if AI is conscious or not, if neuroscience has been useful in unraveling the deep questions of consciousness, the illusions that dominate our brains, If we are living in a world where 99% of people are philosophical zombies and we just don’t know and much more… Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals Get a 20% discount on Nomatic’s amazing luggage at https://nomatic.com/modernwisdom Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom Find Kettle & Fire Maui Nui Venison Bone Broth at Whole Foods stores nationwide. Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/43hv6y59 #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: https://tinyurl.com/2rtz7avf #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3ccn5vkp - Get In Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Harris speaks with his wife, Annaka Harris, about LIGHTS ON , her ten-part audio documentary exploring the perplexities of consciousness and the cosmos. They discuss the hard problem of consciousness, whether consciousness is fundamental, what split-brain patients can teach us about consciousness, what consciousness being fundamental could mean for the world of physics, and other topics. After Annaka's conversation with Sam, we present an excerpt from LIGHTS ON . Chapter 8: Space and Time features author and science writer George Musser, as well as physicists Lee Smolin and Carlo Rovelli. Annaka draws on their noted expertise to explore some of the most mystifying conclusions in quantum theory, how they may validate certain meditative insights, and the ways in which they challenge our basic understanding of reality. Everyday experience tells us that space fills the universe; that causes have effects across time; that the future exists only as potential; that consciousness is confined to intelligent creatures, rather than fundamental to the very structure of being. These bedrock assumptions, when examined through both modern physics and contemplative practices, prove surprisingly fragile—and the fabric of existence profoundly counterintuitive. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe . Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That's why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life's most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

How to think about consciousness without breaking your brain. Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON . Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine, and she is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. In this episode we talk about: What consciousness is—and why we should care about it The question of whether or not consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe (so literally—is consciousness embedded in the chair I'm sitting in?) Why thinking about this mystery can create a sense of awe (a reliable antidote to suffering) Meditation techniques for exploring consciousness The illusion of the self The importance of challenging our intuitions And much more Related Episodes: The Fundamental Mystery of the Mind | Annaka Harris Susan Kaiser Greenland and Annaka Harris, Teaching Mindfulness to Kids #469. A Mystery That Matters | Anil Seth Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Jennifer Egan On: Panic, Awe, Fetishizing Authenticity, and Our Possible AI Futures Sign up for Dan's newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram , TikTok Ten Percent Happier online bookstore Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety , Sleep , Relationships , Most Popular Episodes Additional Resources: wakingup.com/tenpercent LIGHTS ON The Candy House The Case Against Reality On Having No Head: Zen and the Rediscovery of the Obvious <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Zen-Questions-Susan-Blackmore/dp/1851686428"

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/24604 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Lights On Author: Annaka Harris Narrator: Annaka Harris Format: mp3 Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins Release date: 03-20-25 Ratings: 5 out of 5 stars, 2 ratings Genres: Psychology & Mental Health Publisher's Summary: Is consciousness a fundamental building block of the universe, like gravity? Can humans develop new senses through neuroscience? And can artificial intelligence ever truly replicate the subjective experience of being conscious? Join Annaka Harris as she calls on distinguished experts in science and philosophy to find answers to today’s most perplexing questions about our minds and the universe at large.

#ads Stream any unabridged audiobook of your choice with premium access by starting your trial on: https://booksreader.space/al-2001/ Title: Lights On Author: Annaka Harris Narrator: Annaka Harris Format: mp3 Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins Release date: 03-18-25 Ratings: 4.4 out of 5 stars, 226 ratings Genres: Psychology Publisher's Summary: Is consciousness a fundamental building block of the universe, like gravity? Can humans develop new senses through neuroscience? And can artificial intelligence ever truly replicate the subjective experience of being conscious? Join Annaka Harris as she calls on distinguished experts in science and philosophy to find answers to today’s most perplexing questions about our minds and the universe at large.

Annaka Harris is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the groundbreaking audio documentary series “Lights On.” This conversation explores the profound question of whether consciousness is fundamental to the universe rather than merely an emergent property of complex matter. We discuss the ineffable nature of felt experience, the illusion of self, and how our perceptual limitations restrict our understanding of the world around us. Also, I share a very personal and meaningful experience that changed how I think about the nature of reality. Annaka is an insightful guide whose perspectives may shift your thinking about the substrate of existence. Enjoy! Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up Today’s Sponsors: iFit: Use the code RICHROLL to get 10% off any purchase of $999+ 👉 nordictrack.com/RICHROLL Squarespace: Use the offer code RichRoll to save 10% off your first purchase 👉 Squarespace.com/RichRoll AG1: Get a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs 👉 drinkAG1.com/richroll Calm: Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription 👉 calm.com/richroll On Running: High-performance shoes & apparel crafted for comfort and style 👉on.com/richroll OneSkin: Get 15% off with the code RICHROLL👉 oneskin.co Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors 👉 richroll.com/sponsors Find out more about Voicing Change Media at voicingchange.media and follow us @voicingchange

Annaka Harris is author of bestselling book "Conscious" and writer and producer of the forthcoming audio documentary series "Lights On." In this episode we mainly focused on panpsychism, although we also touched on free will and the self. Annaka is sympathetic to panpsychism, so Philip and Annaka compared their reasons for taking the view seriously, whilst Keith and Annaka tried to work out why they disagreed.