On Consciousness, feat. Andrés Gomez Emilssen | Traces, Appendix 19

A conversation with Andrés Gómez Emilssen about consciousness, qualia, measuring states of consciousness, meditation, psychedelics, digital intelligence and more.

Find me at cristian@ccb.life

About the Guest:
Andrés has a Master’s Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in computational models from Stanford and a professional background in graph theory, statistics, and affective science. Andrés was also the co-founder of the Stanford Transhumanist Association and first place winner of the Norway Math Olympiad. His work at QRI ranges from algorithm design, to psychedelic theory, to neurotechnology development, to mapping and studying the computational properties of consciousness. Andrés blogs at qualiacomputing.com. 

References: 
- Daniel Dennet's From Bacteria to Bach and Back (audiobook): https://amzn.to/41kJ1N6
- David Chalmers' Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy (book): https://amzn.to/3TmhZTy
- Hilary Putnam's Reason, Truth, and History: https://amzn.to/3uVvPCi
- Ray Kurzweil's How to Create a Mind (audiobook): https://amzn.to/3uXpsOV

Set Up:
- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)
- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5
- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y
- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31
- Teleprompter Screen:  https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)
- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps:
00:16 Introduction and Guest Background
01:51 Exploring Consciousness and Personal Identity
07:41 Understanding the Hard Problem of Consciousness
17:38 The Role of Symmetry in Consciousness
26:26 The Concept of Attractors in Consciousness
32:09 Analyzing Emotional Transitions and Attractors
35:51 Exploring Emotions and Attractors
37:18 Applicability of Emotional Findings
37:55 Studying Consciousness and Experience
38:14 Full Stack Approach to Consciousness Research
40:50 Exploring Vibration and Consciousness
43:49 Understanding the Music Theory of Vibration
50:11 Potential Side Effects of Repetitive Vibration
53:32 Exploring Different Meditation Techniques
53:46 The Power of Jana Meditation
01:02:39 Comparing Jana and Kundalini Meditation
1:06:38 Measuring the Impact of Meditation and Substances
1:06:57 The Role of QRI in Measuring Experiences
1:07:30 The Candy Flipping Experience
1:08:45 The Limitations of Current Research Methods
1:10:26 The Tracer Tool: A New Approach to Studying Psychedelic Experiences
1:14:03 The Challenges of Describing Psychedelic Experiences
1:16:02 The Spiritual Aspect of Psychedelic Experiences
1:16:22 The Strong and Weak Interpretations of Mystical Experiences
1:16:41 Exploring the Complexity of the Human Mind
1:17:23 The Role of Energy in Consciousness
1:22:41 The Potential of Psychedelics for Human Evolution
1:25:02 The Concept of Energy in Consciousness
1:26:00 Understanding the Intensity of Experience
1:26:32 The Role of Energy in Experience
1:28:16 The Interplay of Vibrations and Energy
1:28:53 The Science of Vibrations and Energy
1:29:5 The Concept of Tuning Body Vibrations
1:30:34 The Intersection of Subjective and Objective Experiences
1:30:52 Exploring Digital Consciousness and AI
1:31:04 The Binding Problem for Digital Neural Networks
1:34:48 The Difference Between Brain and Consciousness
1:39:13 The Ethical Implications of Conscious Computers
1:46:56 The Potential of Blissful Conscious Computers
1:44:57 Closing Thoughts and Future Discussions