#23 Dr. Mark Miller - Cognitive Philosophy and Human Flourishing

Mark Miller is a philosopher and cognitive scientist. He is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, Monash University. Additionally he is a Research Fellow in Psychology at the University of Toronto. He is also a Visiting Researcher at the Centre for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, Hokkaido University. Mark's research investigates the implications of a leading new perspective on cognition, which conceptualizes the mind as an engine of knowledge-driven predictions. He works to integrate this body of work with the so called “4E cognition” view, which emphasizes the role of embodied and environmental processes in constituting what we call mind. Currently, Mark is exploring how these same developments in cognitive neuroscience may help us gain a clearer understanding of the impact that our increasingly technologically-mediated world has on our happiness and well-being. He is developing new perspectives on contemporary discussions in domains such as human-computer interaction and socio-technical systems, with a specific emphasis on human flourishing. Our zoom call only recorded my view of Mark. Apologies for that, only one video feed today. Mark Miller's website: https://www.markdmiller.live/ The Contemplative Science Podcast: https://www.thecontemplativescientist... Monash University contemplative studies: https://www.monash.edu/consciousness-... 00:00 How we construct reality. Model: predictive processing / active inference 10:24 Change your experience of the world by changing the experiencer 13:15 How to build and update our inner system 27:12 Superforcaster and qualities of good forcasters 37:27 What goals are good for our system? Virtue, growth 46:28 Virtue ethics (become virtuous and then you will know what to do) 49:57 Contemplation, attention & thoughts about thinking