University of Bamberg
September 30 – October 4, 2024

▸ MoC5 Main Page ▸ Practical Information ▸ Registration ▸ Talk Application

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Dear friends and colleagues,

On behalf of the Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science, the Institute for Psychology of the University of Bamberg, the Centre for Philosophy and AI Research {PAIR} of the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, the MPE-Project, and all of our organising and supporting institutions, we are excited to announce the fifth Models of Consciousness conference (MoC5). We are delighted that this year’s conference is a collaboration with the Centre for Philosophy and AI Research {PAIR} and the MPE-Project, and that it also features the third annual MPE meeting.

The conference is devoted to bringing together researchers whose scientific activities relate to models of consciousness, mathematical approaches in the scientific study of consciousness, and minimal phenomenal experience, and welcomes members of all fields in consciousness science to join and present their research. This year’s edition of the conference comprises the following core themes:

▸ Consciousness of Artificial Intelligence

▸ Mathematical Structure and Spaces of Conscious Experiences

▸ Minimal Phenomenal Experience

The MoC conference series began at the University of Oxford in 2019 and was held at Stanford University in 2022 and Oxford University in 2023. Future venues are Japan in 2025 and Shanghai in 2026. We are delighted to host the 2024 version at Bamberg University in central Germany from September 30 to October 4, 2024.

The conference comprises a diverse programme of activities designed to maximize opportunities to advance the scientific goals of the field, including a range of talk options available based on applications, discussion sessions on open questions, and a colourful social programme. Participation is by registration only; the link is at the bottom of this page.

We look forward to welcoming you to Bamberg!

The MoC5 organising committee.

Conference Programme

Invited speakers

We are delighted to welcome the following invited speakers to Models of Consciousness 5!

	—–	Topic (Talk titles will be announced here closer to date.**)
Nihat Ay Head of the Institute for Data Science Foundations, Hamburg University of Technology Santa Fe Institute		AI Consciousness
Charlotte Gauvry Center for Science & Thought, University of Bonn		Borderline Cases of Synthetic Consciousness
Christoph Benzmüller Chair for AI Systems Engineering Department of Information Systems and Applied Computer Sciences University of Bamberg*		AI Consciousness – From the Perspective of a Logician
Martine Nida-Rümelin Department of Philosophy Université de Fribourg		Philosophy of Consciousness
Manuel Blum Bruce Nelson Professor of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University Turing Award Winner		AI Consciousness
Ute Schmid Head of Cognitive Systems Group Department of Information Systems and Applied Computer Sciences University of Bamberg*		Can AI systems simulate or have consciousness?
Joel Frohlich Institute for Neuromodulation and Neurotechnology, University of Tübingen		Infant and Fetal Consciousness
Heleen Slagter Director of the Cognition & Plasticity Laboratory, Department of Applied and Experimental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam		Minimal Phenomenal Experience
Henry Shevlin Associate Director, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, University of Cambridge		AI Consciousness
*Shared keynote **50 minutes plus 10 minutes for questions

Apply to give a talk!

The conference hosts various opportunities for participants to present their research to the community. (Participants are also welcome to attend without giving a talk.)

Discussion sessions

Following the spirit and tradition of previous MoC conferences, discussion sessions in small groups are an integral part of the conference. These give participants a chance to discuss open questions in the field and are intended to help develop a shared sense of purpose and long-term goals among researchers who work on mathematical approaches in the scientific study of consciousness.

Each discussion session will focus on a specific question, related to models of consciousness, the development of Mathematical Consciousness Science, characterization and classification of research projects, and similar topics that focus on bringing greater clarity and transparency to the field. Participants will also be able to suggest and vote on topics using the conference’s web interface during the conference.

Core Themes

We are delighted to announce that Models of Consciousness 5 comprises the following core themes. (Please note that contributed talk applications are open to any topic, however.)

Social Programme

Excursion

In tradition of earlier meetings, the first day of the conference is devoted to an excursion that allows participants to connect and discuss their ideas, research and interests on a one-on-one basis.

For MoC5, we are excited to host an excursion that features technology, modern art and local culture:

Socializing

Outside of conference activities, Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and once centre of the Holy Roman Empire, offers a host of opportunities for cultural and social activities. Stay tuned for details!

More Information

For more information, please visit the conference’s subpages:

▸ MoC5 Main Page ▸ Practical Information ▸ Registration ▸ Talk Application

Conference Videos

Conference Booklet

The conference booklet will be made available on this website 3-4 weeks before the conference.

Poster

A conference poster will be made available here shortly.

Carbon offsetting

How to join the conference?

We invite researchers of all disciplines who have an interest in the scientific study of consciousness to join MoC5.

▸ Participation in the conference requires registration using the online registration form.
▸ Details about travel, accommodation, and the venue are available on our practical information page.
▸ If you would like to give a talk, please apply using our talk application form.

Deadline for registration: 31 August 2023.

Organisers and Advisory Board

Organising and Supporting Institutions

Contact

In case of any question, please do not hesitate to contact us at moc5-organisers@amcs.science.

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▸ MoC5 Main Page ▸ Practical Information ▸ Registration ▸ Talk Application

Main picture from Wikimedia Commons, shared under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Pictures of artwork of the Pinakothek der Moderne from Wikipedia.