Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD - Origins of the Mind
Dr. Antonio Damasio, neurologist and best-selling author, discusses where our brain, mind, and consciousness come from on The FitMind Podcast episode 83.
You can also listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or any other major podcast platform. Here it is in video format, if you’d prefer:
Episode Overview
Dr. Antonio Damasio is a neurologist, psychologist and best-selling author.
He's the Founder & Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, which researches human emotions, memory, communication, and decision-making, and is regarded as one of the most influential psychologists of the modern era.
On this episode, we discuss the evolution of the mind, the surprising role of feelings in consciousness, and why we have a brain in the first place.
Hope you enjoy!
P.S. — If you’re serious about starting or deepening your meditation practice, check out the FitMind meditation app.
Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD Bio
Dr. Antonio Damasio is the current David Dornsife Chair in Neuroscience, as well as a professor at the University of Southern California in psychology, philosophy, and neurology.
He received an MD and PhD from the University of Lisbon, Portugal.
Dr. Damasio has also authored several highly acclaimed books including Descartes’ Error, The Feeling of What Happens, Looking for Spinoza, Self Comes to Mind, and, most recently, Feeling and Knowing.
Show Notes
0:00 | Introduction to Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD
2:07 | Why Do We Have a Brain?
4:00 | Brain & Nervous System Are One
6:08 | Evolution of the Mind
10:28 | Minds are Representation Machines
16:51 | Distinguishing Between Feeling & Emotions
19:04 | Feelings are the Beginning of Consciousness
22:38 | Nervous Systems Produce Consciousness
29:30 | Importance of Understanding Feelings
34:34 | How Feelings Impact Culture & Politics
39:37 | Building Conscious Machines
43:30 | Rapid Fire Questions