Exeter Fellows host new seminar series on consciousness
Two Exeter Fellows, Professor Charles Foster (Law) and Professor Kerry Walker (Neuropathology/Neuroscience), are hosting a new interdisciplinary seminar series, Conversations on Consciousness, bringing leading thinkers together to explore one of the most profound questions in philosophy, science, and the humanities: what does it mean to be conscious?
Across three evening events on 29 January, 12 February, and 26 February, expert speakers from psychology, philosophy, archaeology, psychiatry, literature, and AI research will examine topics ranging from the nature and origins of consciousness to whether non-human animals – or even artificial intelligence – might possess it. Each session will feature multiple short talks followed by discussion with the audience, and is designed for a general audience.
The series includes a contribution from Exeter Fellow Dr Chris Fletcher (Keeper of Special Collections, Bodleian Library; Professorial Fellow and Fellow Librarian, Exeter College), whose talk, ‘I am!’: Literature and consciousness, will explore how literary texts shape and interrogate our sense of self.
All events take place from 5.30–7.00 pm in the Fitzhugh Auditorium, Cohen Quad, and are open to all University members, alumni, and their guests. No registration is required. The series is kindly sponsored by Exeter College, Oxford.
