Dear TSC2023 participants,
As organizers of the 2023 international edition of The Science of Consciousness series
(TSC2023), we want to take a moment to thank you once again for giving voice to the research on
the nature of consciousness. You all know very well that among all the problems in science and
philosophy, consciousness is the most difficult, yet the most fascinating, as it lies at the
source of the tension between science and experience, nature and individual, quantity and
quality, observed and observer. It's no coincidence that our conference is the most
interdisciplinary of all and has fostered intense dialogue among neuroscientists, physicists,
philosophers, artificial intelligence experts, scholars of humanities, and artists.
Beyond the intellectual contributions made by all the speakers and the audience, we also want to
thank you for creating an open and friendly atmosphere where we could experience a moment of
equality facing a frontier that, despite differences in preparation, approach, and methodology,
is shared among us all. We are all individuals who question not only what consciousness is, but
also its value and its relationship with our human lives.
It's not by chance that the Consciousness Challenge has rewarded social approaches to
consciousness, highlighting the intertwining of society and mind, as well as panpsychism, which
suggests a resemblance between person and nature. It's also significant that the third place is
shared equally by three strong hypotheses: David Chalmers' naturalistic dualism, ORCH theory by
Stuart Hameroff, and the radical new hypothesis advanced by Riccardo Manzotti of the identity
between mind and object, or MOI.
In particular, we want to thank the team from Bisazzagangi (Nazzareno Foti and Anna Lucentini),
the technical support of Inlight (Giovanni Bombabi), Emilio Manzotti for keeping the website
constantly updated, Abi Montefiore for her coordination and wise advices, and of course, all the speakers and,
particularly, the plenary speakers who attended and made themselves available for a remarkable 6
days: from Anil Seth to David Chalmers, from Nicholas Humphrey to Frans De Waal, from Giorgio
Vallortigara to Alberto Voltoni.
There were many touching and thought provoking moments during the conference -- from the
connection between birth, delivery, and consciousness outlined by Orli Dahan, to the existential
and intellectual summary offered by the legendary figure of Sir Roger Penrose, from the witty
and sophisticated irony of Alex Byrne's bananas to the deep existential dialogue about the
meaning of life by Nicholas Humphrey and Emanuele Castano.
In short, what can we say... It was an unforgettable week! Thanks to you all!
But we can't say goodbye without expressing a heartfelt thank you to Stuart Hameroff, who has
kept the spirit of this conference alive year after year! Grazie di cuore, Stu!
A big hug to you all,
Riccardo, Antonio, and Pietro.
Taormina, 2023
