[April 19, 10am-5:30pm ET] The Emerging Science of Animal Consciousness

[Sofia Fogel]

NYU Animal Studies presents The Emerging Science of Animal Consciousness

Friday, April 19, 2024 from 10:00am-5:30pm ET Hemmerdinger Hall | Silver Center for Arts and Science | 31 Washington Pl Coffee and light refreshments will be served when doors open at 9:30am Reception to follow from 5:30pm-7:00pm   Register to attend in person This event will also be accessible virtually on Zoom Register to attend online About the event Which other animals have the capacity for conscious experience? For a long time this question was neglected in science, but a new interdisciplinary field is now emerging to tackle it, drawing on expertise from neuroscience, psychology, evolutionary biology, animal welfare/veterinary science, the social sciences, and the humanities. While much uncertainty remains, some points of wide agreement have emerged. In this public-facing event, experts from across the field will meet to discuss the progress that has been made, the key points of agreement and disagreement, the most promising directions for the future, and what recognizing other animals as conscious beings means in practice for ethics and policy. Sessions Scientific Methodology Kristin Andrews: The history of the science of animal consciousness Jonathan Birch: The marker method for studying animal consciousness Moderated by David Chalmers Vertebrate Consciousness Noam Miller: Evidence regarding consciousness in reptiles Anna Wilkinson: Evidence regarding consciousness in amphibians Becca Franks: Evidence regarding consciousness in fishes Moderated by Kristin Andrews Invertebrate Consciousness Alexandra Schnell: Evidence regarding consciousness in cephalopod mollusks Robert Elwood: Evidence regarding consciousness in decapod crustaceans Lars Chittka: Evidence regarding consciousness in insects Moderated by Jonathan Birch Public Policy Cleo Verkuijl: Public policy at the global level Katrina Wyman: Public policy at the local level Moderated by Jeff Sebo   Register to attend in person Register to attend online Thank you to our co-sponsors for supporting this event NYU Mind, Ethics, and Policy Program NYU Wild Animal Welfare Program NYU Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness NYU Bioethics