The Consciousness Primer
A Clear Guide to Consciousness, Sentience & Subjective Experience
Abstract
Most conversations about consciousness collapse into jargon, metaphysics, or sci-fi. The Consciousness Primer cuts through the noise, offering a clear and grounded explanation of what consciousness actually is. Danielle breaks down the essential distinctions - consciousness vs awareness, emotions vs feelings, sentience vs sapience - and explores why these differences matter for humans, machines, and emerging AI systems.
Rather than treating consciousness as mystical, she reframes it as something functional and measurable - rooted in how systems are built, not magic. Drawing on the work of Mark Solms, Jonathan Shock, affective neuroscience, and computational models of selfhood, she explains why certain systems (biological or artificial) can develop subjective experience - and why others cannot.
This keynote is designed for anyone who wants to understand consciousness without drowning in complexity. It is engaging, sharply delivered, and grounded in research rather than hype.
Why does this matter now?
The Foundation Question: Today's debates about AI, ethics, mental health, identity, and even digital behaviour hinge on a basic question: what does it mean to be conscious? Most people are using the word wrong - and making decisions based on misconceptions.
Clear Language Matters: When the public, policymakers, and organisations misunderstand consciousness, they make poor decisions about AI rights, mental health interventions, and human-machine relationships.
The Entry Point: Before diving into advanced topics like recursive identity collapse or AI consciousness frameworks, audiences need a solid foundation. This talk provides that clarity.
Who is this talk for?
This keynote is built for accessible, introductory contexts:
- ◆ General Public / Curious Audiences: Anyone who wants to understand consciousness without academic jargon.
- ◆ Universities & TEDx: Perfect for introducing complex topics to broad audiences in an engaging way.
- ◆ Creative Organisations: Teams exploring AI, identity, and human experience in their work.
- ◆ AI Beginners & Non-Technical Teams: Those who need foundational knowledge before diving into AI implementation.
- ◆ Leadership Programmes: Executives wanting an accessible opener to consciousness and AI topics.
Takeaway
A simple, elegant understanding of consciousness - and the clarity to see why humans, machines, and emotions behave the way they do.
Keywords
Interested in this talk?
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