On the non-computability of conscious thinking

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• Prof. Sir Roger Penrose
• Monday 06 March 2017, 20:00-21:00
• Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, Room 3.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Swaraj Dash.

We invite you to our very exciting fifth talk of the year by Prof. Sir Roger Penrose – a mathematician, physicist, and philosopher of science. He is the Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute of the University of Oxford.

Abstract: It is argued, using the Gödel-Turing argument and considerations of natural selection, that human understanding cannot be an entirely computational activity. It is further argued that the non-computational ingredient of human thinking is a product of consciousness and, moreover, that this cannot be the result of solely classical physical actions in the brain. Even quantum procedures, as currently understood will not suffice, and it is argued that actions going beyond current quantum mechanics will be needed. Arguments from physics give some indication of the nature of these new actions.

Come along to the talk to find out more about the connection between fundamental physics, consciousness, and computability! We are heading to the pub with Roger Penrose after the talk, and the first drink is on CUCaTS! FREE DRINKS ! Hope to see many of you at the talk and pub.

This talk is part of the Cambridge University Computing and Technology Society (CUCaTS) series.

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• Cambridge University Computing and Technology Society (CUCaTS)
• Cambridge talks
• Chris Davis' list
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• Featured talks
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• Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, Room 3
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