Free Will and Non-Computability

More from The Consciousness Project - Mind Shift All episodes →

1. 

   S3 · 27 Feb 2026 · 17 min

   Bodies, Relations & Evolutions

   How do our bodies, our relationships, and even our evolutionary past shape the nature of consciousness itself? In this episode of Mind Shift, Kate invites listeners to challenge the idea that consciousness is only a mysterious process inside the brain. Instead, she explores revolutionary theories that root consciousness in our embodied experience, the ways we interact with our world, and the deep currents of our evolutionary history. Throughout this episode, you’ll be guided through a fascinating exploration of embodied cognition, the extended mind, and what it really means to be a conscious…

2. 

   S3 · 20 Feb 2026 · 15 min

   Fields, Functions, and Computations

   The quest to unravel consciousness takes us deeper than neurons and synapses in this episode of Mind Shift. Kate guides listeners beyond the classic materialist views and probes cutting-edge theories that grapple with how the mind might emerge from fields, computations, and the mysterious integration of information itself. Every moment is designed to spark curiosity, challenging us to rethink where consciousness truly resides. This episode unpacks a range of contemporary materialist theories, including electromagnetic field models and computational approaches, and faces off with their…

3. 

   S3 · 13 Feb 2026 · 17 min

   The Materialist Foundation

   Why does it seem so obvious that consciousness must be grounded in the physical workings of the brain, and why do some thinkers find this view so profoundly unsatisfying? In this episode of Mind Shift, Kate sets the stage inside a modern neuroscience lab, inviting listeners to consider how concrete brain activity maps onto fleeting, vivid experiences. The philosophical debate around materialism unfolds, from basic scientific findings to deeper puzzles about the nature of inner experience. Building on the big questions introduced in the last episode, this discussion guides you through key…

4. 

   S3 · 6 Feb 2026 · 16 min

   Mapping the Terrain

   Consciousness is the most immediate reality we know, yet it remains one of the deepest mysteries we face. From everyday moments of awareness to philosophical puzzles, consciousness is the terrain that science, philosophy, and even mysticism seek to explore and explain. In this season opener, Kate invites you to stand at the edge of a vast intellectual landscape, where every path offers a radically different map of the mind, and questions that feel intimately personal can shake the very foundations of reality. Through this guided tour, Kate charts the major theories of consciousness, from…

5. 

   S2 · 30 Dec 2025 · 13 min

   Consciousness in the Universe

   Is your stream of consciousness more than neurons firing? Could it be the universe itself becoming aware through you? In this mind-bending season finale of Mind Shift, host Kate weaves together quantum physics, neurobiology, and philosophy to examine the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) theory, which suggests that conscious experience is a consequence of quantum events deep within the fabric of space and time. As Kate pulls together ideas from microtubule quantum states to the roots of free will and the flow of time, listeners are invited to reconsider what consciousness is and its…

6. 

   S2 · 15 Dec 2025 · 10 min

   The Flow of Time

   What if the reason you feel time rushing forward, leaving the past behind, and propelling you into an unknown future has more to do with consciousness than with clocks? In this solo episode, host Brian pulls back the curtain on a truly mind-bending idea: that consciousness might not just observe time’s flow but could actually be responsible for creating it. If you’ve ever wondered why the present feels different than the past or future, or how your experience of time changes in moments of crisis or meditation, you won’t want to miss this tour through the cutting edge of physics,…

7. 

   S2 · 13 Dec 2025 · 8 min

   The Hard Problem

   What is it that makes the taste of coffee so vivid, or the sharp pucker of a lemon so memorable—and why do we experience them at all? In this episode, Kate pulls us deeper into the philosophical mystery at the core of neuroscience: not just how consciousness might arise, but why any physical process can produce subjective experience—the raw "what it's likeness" we call qualia. From the mind-bending concept of philosophical zombies to the foundational riddle posed by David Chalmers, she sets the stage for a journey through cutting-edge theories and ancient mysteries. As Kate explores the…

8. 

   S2 · 11 Dec 2025 · 9 min

   Twenty Testable Predictions

   What if a theory of consciousness stood boldly in the scientific arena, not by hiding in vague language, but by sticking its neck out with 20 concrete, testable predictions? On this solo episode of Mind Shift, host Kate walks us into the heart of ORC OR, a theory born from the collaboration of eminent minds, and asks whether its predictions have survived experimental scrutiny. This episode is a riveting look not just at ideas, but at the rare courage of staking a theory’s reputation on the outcome of real-world trials. Join Kate as she explores each of Hameroff’s predictions, from…

9. 

   S2 · 9 Dec 2025 · 8 min

   The Critics Respond

   Season Two Episode 5: The Critics Respond Can quantum effects explain consciousness, or is the idea just science fiction dressed up in equations? In this episode of Mind Shift, Kate dives deep into the saga of scientific skepticism, confronting the controversial Orch OR theory, which proposes that consciousness arises from quantum gravity within microtubules. The remarkable claims surrounding quantum phenomena in biology and the quest to explain awareness ignite fierce debate, demanding extraordinary evidence and rigorous scrutiny. As the episode unfolds, Kate guides listeners through major…

10. 

    S2 · 7 Dec 2025 · 7 min

    Quantum Biology

    Season Two Episode 4: Quantum Biology  What if the building blocks of life, not just the universe, ran on quantum mechanics? In this episode, Kate dives into the surprising realm where biology and quantum physics meet, exploring how living systems like plants and even our own brains may harness the most counterintuitive laws of nature. The mysteries of consciousness get a quantum twist, challenging everything we thought we knew about what our minds are really made of. This episode unravels the story of quantum biology, tracing how researchers discovered quantum mechanics at work in the…