By 
Dan Dennett
 | 
TED Stage Talk

The illusion of consciousness

Philosopher Dan Dennett makes a compelling argument that not only don't we understand our own consciousness, but that half the time our brains are actively fooling us.

Related tags:

brain
consciousness
culture
entertainment
illusion
self
visualizations
TED is supported by ads and partners

Watch next

4:53
Sheila Marie Orfano
Can you trust your memory?
3:35
Jen Gunter
Why healthy bones are about so much more than milk
4:57
Mark Robinson
A day in the life of the Oracle of Delphi
5:07
Soraya Field Fiorio
The epic of Gilgamesh, the king who tried to conquer death
4:53
Khalil Ramadi
Electronic pills that could transform how we treat disease
6:24
Katie Mack
The death of the universe -- and what it means for life
5:12
Gary Devore
Run, sail or hide? How to survive the destruction of Pompeii
5:02
Masako Tamaki
Can you be awake and asleep at the same time?
4:32
Marianne Schwarz
What causes migraines?
5:11
Ilan Stavans
Who decides what's in the dictionary?
4:43
Sara C. Mednick
How long should your naps be?
18:23
Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
The cure for burnout (hint: it isn't self-care)
15:39
Simon Sinek
How to discover your "why" in difficult times
16:02
Adam Grant
What frogs in hot water can teach us about thinking again
12:44
Marcos Aguiar
7 tools for building a business people trust
5:27
Elizabeth Cox
Can you outsmart the apples and oranges fallacy?
22:25
Lisa Genova
How your memory works -- and why forgetting is totally OK
4:46
Brian A. Pavlac
A brief history of the devil