Christof Koch: The neural correlates of being the world

We're delighted to have Chrisof Koch returning for a second dialogue & Q&A with Bernardo Kastrup.

Christof is one of the most celebrated figures in consciousness science, renowned for his groundbreaking work alongside Francis Crick (co-discoverer of the DNA double helix) and spearheading the modern search for the neural correlates of consciousness.

A prolific researcher, author, and public intellectual, he has played a central role in shaping the field, earning widespread recognition for bringing serious scientific attention to questions once thought purely philosophical. His leadership at the Allen Institute and his championing of Integrated Information Theory have positioned him as a visionary voice at the intersection of neuroscience, technology, and the nature of mind.

Integrated Information Theory (IIT) attempts to account for consciousness by identifying and mathematically modeling the intrinsic structure of information that gives rise to subjective experience.

Christof has recently undergone a surprising and profound shift toward idealism. After decades of celebrated and pioneering work in neuroscience and consciousness research, he now openly embraces the view that consciousness is fundamental to reality. In recent interviews and dialogues—including with Bernardo—Christof reflects on the limitations of physicalist explanations and acknowledges that experience may not emerge from matter, but rather, that matter itself could be a manifestation of mind.

Respectively, whilst once critical of IIT, Bernardo Kastrup now believes it's recent iterations, and its mathematical formalism as a potential map of how universal consciousness dissociates into seemingly separate minds. A groundbreaking tool for modeling consciousness from an idealist perspective.

As always, your comments and questions below will help shape the event, with some questions chosen for dialogue.

You can the recording of the first event here:

About Christof

Christof Koch was the president and chief scientist of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle where he remains as a Meritorious Investigator. He is known for his interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from neuroscience, physics, and philosophy to tackle the complex problem of consciousness. His work has been published in over 350 scientific papers, significantly shaped modern understanding of the neural correlates of consciousness and visual perception.

In collaboration with Francis Crick, Cristof initiated the modern search for the neuronal correlates of consciousness, a systematic experimental program to identify the minimal bio-physical mechanisms jointly sufficient for any one specific conscious percept. In collaboration with Giulio Tononi, he co-developed the Integrated Information Theory of consciousness.

29th July:
6-8pm UK time / 7-9pm CET / 1-3pm EST