The Consciousness of Bitcoin
Consciousness and bitcoin are both emergent network phenomena. When you dive into both, you realize that they share a lot in common.
Brian Appavu, MD
brian.appavu@iris.to
Physician, father, husband, and enthusiast for solutions to complex problems.
Beyond the Brain: The Hard Problem of Consciousness
In this article, we discuss what is known as the 'Hard Problem of Consciousness', and explore the idea that consciousness extends beyond the brain itself.
Biological Theories of Consciousness
Here, I discuss historical and modern biological theories of consciousness.
Consciousness: Western Metaphysical and Philosophical Foundations
Consciousness remains a great mystery of life. A comprehensive analysis of it brings together philosophy, psychology, neuroscience and religion. In this article, we discuss the Western metaphysical and philosophical foundations of consciousness.
Consciousness: Eastern Metaphysical and Philosophical Foundations
In this article, we discuss metaphysical and philosophical foundations of consciousness that arise from eastern traditions, including Hinduism with the Advaita Vedanta and Samkhya schools of thought, Buddhism with the Anatta and Yogacara, Daoism, Confucianism, and Zen Buddhism.
National Tragedies and Our Challenge with Empathy
The recent murders of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska have led to complex reactions across our political landscape. Empathy is a powerful but complex emotion. When we recognize authentic empathy and differentiate it from feigned responses, we help others and avoid turning compassion into manipulation.
The Art of Medicine: My Recent Experience
Our recent experience welcoming our fourth child into this world inspired me to think about how we can better practice the art of medicine.
Reification: The Invisible Spectra Our Words Ignore
In life, we sometimes examine complex data and then create definitions to help us understand what we're seeing. But when we accept these definitions dogmatically, we can make mistakes and limit progress. When others implement these definitions dogmatically, they can manipulate us. This is the fallacy of reification.
Redefining Brain Death: Why We Must Uphold Medical and Philosophical Integrity
Recently, a group of physicians proposed that we need to redefine brain death to optimize rates of organ procurement and transplantation. As a neurologist, I fundamentally disagree and put forth my rationale here.
