How to Build a Consciousness Meter (with Christof Koch & Claire Webb)

Mar 3, 2026

01:23:05

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Where does consciousness come from, and who (or what) gets to have it? The newest AI models have the power to convince users that they’re very much alive inside. But what if there were a test to check if they’re right? Consciousness science is working on just that.

In this episode, renowned neuroscientist Christof Koch chronicles his decades-long exploration of the biology of consciousness. Sharing the field’s leading theories and what they say about everything from brain bridging to quantifying the soullessness of LLMs, he reveals why his own beliefs have changed on the subject and where he thinks all this talk of self-awareness is headed next.

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Mentioned in this Episode:

Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It — Christof Koch (Book, 2024)

The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature — William James (Book, 1902)

My Octopus Teacher — Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed (Documentary Film, 2020)

Website: https://christofkoch.com/