How do we experience consciousness? Does it exist at all? We are excited to announce our new seminar, “Consciousness and Orientation: Philosophical and Scientific Perspectives,” organized by Dr. Angelica Kaufmann and Dr. John Sykes.
Consciousness is one of the most familiar and yet most puzzling aspects of human life. We may experience our consciousness whenever we become aware of how we perceive the world, feel our bodies, act, remember, imagine, reflect on ourselves, or relate to others, and especially when our orientation does not run as usual. Whenever new decisions are needed, conscious thinking sets in. And yet, it is unclear what consciousness in itself is and to what extent it “exists.”
This seminar explores consciousness not as an objective entity, but by means of how we experience it in its various dimensions of human orientation. After engaging with classic texts on consciousness, such as Thomas Nagel and David Chalmers, we will focus on contemporary research via the perspectives of time and space, bodily awareness, action, the self, metacognition, social relations, as well as the altered states of consciousness and meditation. Proceeding from the philosophy of orientation, each topic will connect philosophical with current scientific research.
The sessions will take place on Wednesdays, 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. US Central Time (=3:30–6:00 p.m. CET), beginning on July 09, 2026.
The seminar is free, but space is limited. Apply by July 02, 2026, here.