BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Memento EPFL// BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Vision & Cognition Seminar // Cyriel M.A. Pennartz: From neural ac tivity and predictive processing to multi-level representations and consci ousness DTSTART:20221214T140000 DTEND:20221214T150000 DTSTAMP:20260527T190408Z UID:03dfffbf14a1747ccd979d441e732e436e489828df8552770a71ee95 CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars DESCRIPTION:Cyriel M.A. Pennartz\, University of Amsterdam\nThis seminar r evolves around Neurorepresentationalism\, a theoretical framework that def ines conscious experience as multimodal\, situational survey and explains its neural basis from brain systems constructing best-guess representation s of sensations originating in our environment and body. It posits that co nscious experience is first characterized by five essential hallmarks and\ , second\, by a biological function that can be framed by the contrast bet ween reflexes and habits versus goal-directed\, planned behavior. Consciou s experience is thereby understood as a sensorily rich\, spatially encompa ssing representation of body and environment\, while we nevertheless have the impression of experiencing external reality directly. Contributions to understanding neural mechanisms underlying consciousness are derived from models for predictive processing\, which are trained in an unsupervised m anner\, do not necessarily require overt action\, and have been extended t o multi-layer neural networks. Even with predictive processing in place\, however\, the question remains why this type of neural network activity wo uld give rise to phenomenal experience. The so-called Hard Problem is appr oached here with the concept of multi-level representations. Finally\, I w ill discuss implications of Neurorepresentationalism for defining indicato rs of consciousness in animals\, artificial intelligence devices and immob ile or unresponsive patients with disorders of consciousness. LOCATION:SV 1717 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==SV%201717 STATUS:CONFIRMED END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR