Paris Mathematical Models of Cognition and Consciousness (PMMC²)

Scope

PMMC is a seminar that started in 2023 which encompasses mathematical and computational models of cognition and consciousness. Its aim is to stay updated on novel findings and emerging computational frameworks related to cognition and consciousness. The particularity of this seminar is to go into the technical details (mathematical and formal) of these models and the associated results. The sessions are longer than usual seminars (2h).

Organizers

Sponsor

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To join the mailing list please send a mail to paris-mathematical-models-of-consciousness@googlegroups.com

We will try our best to record the session, and the videos will be posted on our YouTube channel: Visit Our YouTube Channel

Sessions

1. Date: 27 September, 2024
   Time: 4:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Biochemical computation for phototaxis: a Bayesian view
   Speakers: David Colliaux (Sony CSL)
   Where: 44-54, 1st floor, room 116, Centre de Conférences, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu
   Abstract, Video of the session, Slides.

   Abstract: Neurons in the brain are often considered the elementary units of biological computation. Various codes, either spike-based or rate-based, have been proposed to support computations distributed in the brain. These theories leave open the question of how computations may be implemented in organisms lacking a nervous system, such as unicellular organisms. These organisms, however, may engage in simple purposeful behaviors like phototaxis or chemotaxis and can be seen as performing computation during such behaviors. We show that biochemical cascades can be seen as implementing Bayesian computations related to such behaviors.



2. Date: 27 September 2024
   Time: 2:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Phenomenological Structures, Self-Consciousness & Circularity
   Speaker: Kenneth Williford (University of Texas at Arlington)
   Where: 44-54, 1st floor, room 116, Centre de Conférences, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu
   Abstract, Video of the session, Slides.

   Abstract: Any theory of consciousness must answer to the phenomenologically invariant or essential structures of consciousness. What are these structures? And how do the various attempts to model them mathematically relate to one another? After considering some possible answers to these questions, I focus on one essential phenomenological structure of consciousness, pre-reflective self-consciousness, discuss one way of articulating it mathematically (using the theory of nonwellfounded sets), and conclude with some open questions about how this model may relate to other mathematical and quasi-mathematical efforts in the "ballpark" (e.g., D. Hofstadter's "Strange Loops", F. Varela's and H. Maturana's notion of Autopoiesis, IIT, and the PCM).



3. Date: 30 May, 2024
   Time: 4:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Structural Computational Phenomenology
   Speakers: Johannes Kleiner (LMU Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy)
   Where: room 1516-4-13, IMJ-PRG, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu
   Video of the session


4. Date: 29 May, 2024
   Time: 6:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Active Inference in String Diagrams
   Speakers: Sean Tull (Quantinuum)
   Where: Room 1516-4-11, IMJ-PRG, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu
   Video of the session, Slides.


5. Date: April 2, 2024
   Time: 1:30 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Modèles et utilité de la notion de conscience
   Speaker: Gérard Sabah (Académie des Technologies)
   Where: Maurice Fréchet room Institut Henri Poincaré, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005, Remark: In French
   Video of the session, Slides.


6. Date: March 20, 2024
   Time: 4:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Active inference
   Speaker: Gregoire Sergeant-Perthuis (Sorbonne Universite)
   Where: Auditorium C707, LCQB Sorbonne Université, Bâtiment C 4e étage 4 place Jussieu
   Video of the session, Notes of the session.


7. Date: February 6, 2024
   Time: 4:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Mathematical Aspects of Integrated Information Theory (IIT) 2
   Speaker: Gregoire Sergeant-Perthuis (Sorbonne Universite) & Gaspard Fougea (ENS Paris-Saclay)
   Where: Maurice Fréchet room Institut Henri Poincaré, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005
   Video of the session, Notes of the session, slides.


8. Date: November 24, 2023
   Time: 4:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Mathematical Principles of Consciousness Science: Noncommutative Probability and Categorical Structure
   Speaker: Hayato Saigo (Nagahama Institute of Bio-science and Technology)
   Where: Maurice Fréchet room Institut Henri Poincaré, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005
   Video of the session


9. Date: September 29, 2023
   Time: 4:00 PM (Paris time)
   Title: Mathematical Aspects of Integrated Information Theory (IIT)
   Speaker: Gregoire Sergeant-Perthuis (Sorbonne Universite)
   Where: Olga Ladyjenskaïa room, Institut Henri Poincaré, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005
   Video of the session, Notes of the session, slides.

Associations and seminars and web-seminars around consciousness studies