Science, spirituality and the origins of consciousness: The Dawn of Mind book launch with James Cooke and Shamil Chandaria

The origins of consciousness… the integration of science and spirituality…

From a transformational personal experience to rigorous scientific analysis, James argues that our experiences of self, separation, and substance are all illusions, while proposing that consciousness is a universal feature of all life - as lifeforms, the universe wakes up through us. As a result, AI will never be conscious, though artificial life would be. This innovative perspective not only questions humanity’s assumed dominance over nature, but also highlights the crucial need to bridge the divide between ourselves and the natural environment amid escalating ecological crises. The Dawn of Mind is both a pioneering theoretical framework and a practical guide to understanding our interconnected existence.

Join James Cooke and Shamil Chandaria in conversion to launch the new book The Dawn of Mind: How Matter Became Conscious and Alive. In the book, James Cooke explores the profound mystery of why and how consciousness exists. Integrating the latest scientific advancements with meditative insights into our non-separation from the rest of existence and the potential of psychedelic medicine, he argues that science and spiritually must be synthesised if we are to truly understand our place in the cosmos. 

About James Cooke

James Cooke trained as a neuroscientist after a profound awakening as a teenager that showed him the reality of spiritual states of consciousness. He has three degrees in experimental psychology and neuroscience from Oxford University, including a PhD in neuroscience. He has conducted research into the brain basis of consciousness at such institutions as Oxford University; the University of California, Berkeley; University College London; Trinity College Dublin; and Riken Brain Sciences Institute in Tokyo. At the University of London, he achieved the theoretical breakthrough that forms the basis of his new book, The Dawn of Mind, first publishing his findings in the prestigious Journal of Consciousness Studies and later in Entropy. Outside of academia, he directs the Inner Space Institute, a platform for promoting understanding around science and spirituality.

About Shamil Chandaria

Dr. Shamil Chandaria  is a philanthropist, serial entrepreneur, technologist, and academic with multidisciplinary research interests spanning  psychedelics, meditation and computational neuroscience, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and the philosophy and science of human wellbeing.   In 2019 he was a founder of the Centre for Psychedelic Research in the department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, a neuroscience research institute investigating psychedelic therapies for a number of conditions including treatment resistant depression. His PhD from the London School of Economics was in mathematical modeling of financial and economic systems using stochastic differential equations and optimal control theory. He also has an MA in Philosophy from University College London, where he developed an interest in the philosophy of science and philosophical issues in biology and neuroscience. He has also funded research on the neuroscience of meditation at Harvard, and at the University of California in Berkeley. Shamil was previously a visiting academic at the Future of Humanities Institute at Oxford and is a Strategic Advisor at DeepMind. 

Venue

Come early and stay late and enjoy some social time and perhaps a bite to eat at the atmospheric Love Shack

Arch 298, 299 Cambridge Heath Rd, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9HA

EVENT DETAILS

The exact address will be sent with your ticket confirmation. Check your spam folder if you don't see it in your inbox!

Please note this is a live participatory workshop and is not recorded.

TIMES: Arrive 6:45am to start at 7pm

TICKET PRICES: £10-20
If funds are a barrier to attendance, please get in touch.

DOORS OPEN: the venue is open from early evening for drinks, food and hangs. 

ENQUIRIES: amir@adventuresinawareness.com
 

REFUNDS: Please note that we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. We welcome swapping or reselling your tickets with people you know.

ACCESS: We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of employment or health circumstances. If you would like to attend this event but are truly unable to afford the ticket price, please do get in touch with the event organiser.