What is the relationship between your brain and your conscious experiences? This is is the fundamental question of the work of Donald Hoffman, a professor of computer science and cognitive science at UC Irvine.

When Hoffman was a child, he wondered whether there was a cognitive dividing line between humans and machines, and that curiosity has driven him to his current work–building a mathematical framework which we can use to model consciousness.

Humans would like to believe that evolution selects for traits that allow us to understand the world as it is. From his experimental simulations, Hoffman has shown the opposite–that evolution pushes us towards a mistaken version of reality.

For listeners who are interested in theories about whether we live in a simulation, this episode is for you. If you are skeptical of the simulation theory then this episode will also be useful for you, as Hoffman gives one of the most nuanced, comprehensive explanations of reality that I have heard.

TED Talk

The Case Against Reality

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