TED2017
Anil Seth: Your brain hallucinates your conscious reality
阿尼尔·赛斯: 你的大脑如何幻化出你所意识到的现实
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此时此刻，你脑中的数十亿个神经元正在一起作用，以产生有意识的体验——不仅仅是任何有意识的体验，同时也是你对身边世界和你自己的体验。 这是如何发生的？神经学家阿尼尔·赛斯认为：我们一直生活在幻觉中。当我们认同我们的幻觉时，我们称之为“现实”。 让我们跟随赛斯，观看一段难以置信的演讲，让你质疑你存在的本质。
Anil Seth - Cognitive neuroscientist
How can the "inner universe" of consciousness be explained in terms of mere biology and physics? Anil Seth explores the brain basis of consciousness and self. Full bio
How can the "inner universe" of consciousness be explained in terms of mere biology and physics? Anil Seth explores the brain basis of consciousness and self. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Just over a year ago,
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就在一年之前，
00:14
for the third time in my life,
I ceased to exist.
I ceased to exist.
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我陷入了人生的第三次休克。
00:17
I was having a small operation,
and my brain was filling with anesthetic.
and my brain was filling with anesthetic.
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当时我正经历一个小手术，
我的大脑里满是麻醉剂。
我的大脑里满是麻醉剂。
00:22
I remember a sense
of detachment and falling apart
of detachment and falling apart
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我记得，我感到了超脱与分离，
还有寒冷的感觉。
00:25
and a coldness.
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00:27
And then I was back,
drowsy and disoriented,
drowsy and disoriented,
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随后我苏醒了，
昏昏欲睡，毫无方向感，
昏昏欲睡，毫无方向感，
但确乎是活过来了。
00:30
but definitely there.
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00:32
Now, when you wake from a deep sleep,
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当你从深睡中醒来时，
00:34
you might feel confused about the time
or anxious about oversleeping,
or anxious about oversleeping,
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你会分不清时间，
还可能会担忧睡过了头，
还可能会担忧睡过了头，
但至少能感到时间的流逝，
00:37
but there's always a basic sense
of time having passed,
of time having passed,
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00:40
of a continuity between then and now.
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可以感到过去到现在是连续的。
00:42
Coming round from
anesthesia is very different.
anesthesia is very different.
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然而从麻醉中苏醒是非常不同的。
我可能已经昏睡了5分钟，5小时，
00:44
I could have been under
for five minutes, five hours,
for five minutes, five hours,
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5年，甚至50年。
00:47
five years or even 50 years.
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我感觉不到自己的存在。
00:48
I simply wasn't there.
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是完全麻木无感的。
00:50
It was total oblivion.
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00:52
Anesthesia --
it's a modern kind of magic.
it's a modern kind of magic.
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麻醉剂——
是现代的一种魔法，
是现代的一种魔法，
它把人变成物体，
00:54
It turns people into objects,
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然后我们希望之后还能变回常人。
00:57
and then, we hope, back again into people.
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在这个过程中，
00:59
And in this process
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蕴含着一个科学与哲学的未解之谜。
01:00
is one of the greatest remaining
mysteries in science and philosophy.
mysteries in science and philosophy.
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01:04
How does consciousness happen?
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意识是如何形成的？
在每个人的大脑中，
01:06
Somehow, within each of our brains,
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有数十亿的神经元以某种方式联合作用，
01:08
the combined activity
of many billions of neurons,
of many billions of neurons,
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每个小小的神经元都是生物机器，
01:11
each one a tiny biological machine,
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它们创造了每一段意识体验。
01:14
is generating a conscious experience.
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而且这并不是任意的意识体验，
01:16
And not just any conscious experience --
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01:18
your conscious experience
right here and right now.
right here and right now.
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而恰好是你此时此地的意识体验。
这是如何发生的？
01:20
How does this happen?
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01:22
Answering this question is so important
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这个问题的答案很重要，
01:24
because consciousness
for each of us is all there is.
for each of us is all there is.
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因为我们每个人都有意识，
没有意识，就没有世界，
01:27
Without it there's no world,
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01:30
there's no self,
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没有自我，
01:31
there's nothing at all.
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没有一切。
当我们经受苦难时，
也是有意识地经历着，
也是有意识地经历着，
01:33
And when we suffer, we suffer consciously
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01:35
whether it's through
mental illness or pain.
mental illness or pain.
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无论是心理还是身体上的痛苦。
01:38
And if we can experience
joy and suffering,
joy and suffering,
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如果我们可以感到快乐和痛苦，
01:41
what about other animals?
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其它的动物呢？
01:43
Might they be conscious, too?
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它们是否也有意识？
01:44
Do they also have a sense of self?
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是否也有自我的认知？
01:46
And as computers get faster and smarter,
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而且现在电脑的运转越来越迅速，
越来越智能，
越来越智能，
也许突然之间，
也许就在不久的将来，
也许就在不久的将来，
01:49
maybe there will come a point,
maybe not too far away,
maybe not too far away,
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01:52
when my iPhone develops
a sense of its own existence.
a sense of its own existence.
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我的 iPhone 会意识到它自己的存在。
事实上，我认为
距离有意识的人工智能出现还是很遥远的。
距离有意识的人工智能出现还是很遥远的。
01:54
I actually think the prospects
for a conscious AI are pretty remote.
for a conscious AI are pretty remote.
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01:59
And I think this because
my research is telling me
my research is telling me
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因为我的研究告诉我，
02:02
that consciousness has less to do
with pure intelligence
with pure intelligence
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意识不单单是智力的表现，
02:05
and more to do with our nature
as living and breathing organisms.
as living and breathing organisms.
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而是更多的有关于我们的本性，
作为活着、能呼吸的有机体。
作为活着、能呼吸的有机体。
02:09
Consciousness and intelligence
are very different things.
are very different things.
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意识和智力差别是很大的。
就算你不聪明你也会感到痛苦，
但前提是你得活着。
但前提是你得活着。
02:12
You don't have to be smart to suffer,
but you probably do have to be alive.
but you probably do have to be alive.
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02:17
In the story I'm going to tell you,
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在接下来我要讲给你们的故事中，
我们对周围世界的意识体验，
02:18
our conscious experiences
of the world around us,
of the world around us,
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以及我们自己的存在，
02:21
and of ourselves within it,
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都是被控制的错觉，
02:22
are kinds of controlled hallucinations
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都源自我们的生命体。
02:25
that happen with, through
and because of our living bodies.
and because of our living bodies.
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02:29
Now, you might have heard
that we know nothing
that we know nothing
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你可能听说过，
我们对大脑和身体如何产生意识一无所知。
02:33
about how the brain and body
give rise to consciousness.
give rise to consciousness.
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02:35
Some people even say it's beyond
the reach of science altogether.
the reach of science altogether.
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甚至有人认为这已超过了科学的范畴。
02:39
But in fact,
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但事实上，
在过去的25年里，在这一领域里的
科学研究取得了重大突破。
科学研究取得了重大突破。
02:40
the last 25 years have seen an explosion
of scientific work in this area.
of scientific work in this area.
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02:44
If you come to my lab
at the University of Sussex,
at the University of Sussex,
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如果你来到我在苏塞克斯大学的实验室，
02:47
you'll find scientists
from all different disciplines
from all different disciplines
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你会发现来自不同学科的科学家们，
甚至哲学家们，
02:51
and sometimes even philosophers.
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02:53
All of us together trying to understand
how consciousness happens
how consciousness happens
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都在试着弄明白意识是如何形成的，
02:57
and what happens when it goes wrong.
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还有当它出错时会发生什么。
02:59
And the strategy is very simple.
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其实我们的办法非常简单。
03:02
I'd like you to think about consciousness
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我希望你们思考意识
03:04
in the way that we've
come to think about life.
come to think about life.
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就像我们思考生命一样。
人们曾一度认为生命
03:06
At one time, people thought
the property of being alive
the property of being alive
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03:08
could not be explained
by physics and chemistry --
by physics and chemistry --
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不能完全被物理和化学原理所解释，
03:11
that life had to be
more than just mechanism.
more than just mechanism.
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也就是说人们认为生命不仅仅是机制。
03:14
But people no longer think that.
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但现在人们不再这样想了。
03:16
As biologists got on with the job
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随着生物学家的研究推进，
03:18
of explaining the properties
of living systems
of living systems
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用物理、化学原理解释
生物系统的特性
03:20
in terms of physics and chemistry --
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03:22
things like metabolism,
reproduction, homeostasis --
reproduction, homeostasis --
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像是新陈代谢，繁衍后代，体内平衡这些——
03:25
the basic mystery of what life is
started to fade away,
started to fade away,
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生命的神秘感渐渐消退，
人们也不再给出神奇的解释，
03:29
and people didn't propose
any more magical solutions,
any more magical solutions,
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比如这是生命的力量，生命的热忱之类的。
03:32
like a force of life or an élan vital.
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03:35
So as with life, so with consciousness.
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所以意识其实和生命一样。
一旦我们试着解释它的特性，
03:37
Once we start explaining its properties
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就大脑和身体内部发生的事情而言，
03:40
in terms of things happening
inside brains and bodies,
inside brains and bodies,
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03:43
the apparently insoluble mystery
of what consciousness is
of what consciousness is
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什么是意识的不解之谜
就会变得了无生趣。
03:47
should start to fade away.
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我们计划就是这样的。
03:49
At least that's the plan.
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03:51
So let's get started.
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那么咱们开始。
意识的特性是什么？
03:52
What are the properties of consciousness?
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意识科学需要解释什么？
03:54
What should a science
of consciousness try to explain?
of consciousness try to explain?
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03:57
Well, for today I'd just like to think
of consciousness in two different ways.
of consciousness in two different ways.
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那么今天，我想把意识分为两类讨论。
一类是我们对于外界的认知，
04:01
There are experiences
of the world around us,
of the world around us,
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包括影像、声音、气味，
04:04
full of sights, sounds and smells,
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这是多感官的、全景的、
3D的、身临其境的内心电影。
3D的、身临其境的内心电影。
04:06
there's multisensory, panoramic,
3D, fully immersive inner movie.
3D, fully immersive inner movie.
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04:11
And then there's conscious self.
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第二类就是意识本身了。
04:13
The specific experience
of being you or being me.
of being you or being me.
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也就是成为你或我的明确的体验。
是这部电影的主角，
04:15
The lead character in this inner movie,
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也可能就是我们所执着的意识层面。
04:17
and probably the aspect of consciousness
we all cling to most tightly.
we all cling to most tightly.
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04:21
Let's start with experiences
of the world around us,
of the world around us,
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让我们从体验周围的世界开始讲起，
从认识到大脑是一个预测引擎开始。
04:24
and with the important idea
of the brain as a prediction engine.
of the brain as a prediction engine.
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04:28
Imagine being a brain.
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想象你就是大脑。
04:30
You're locked inside a bony skull,
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你被禁锢在头颅里，
尝试了解外面的世界有什么。
04:32
trying to figure
what's out there in the world.
what's out there in the world.
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头颅里没有光，也没有声音。
04:34
There's no lights inside the skull.
There's no sound either.
There's no sound either.
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你所能感到的只有脉冲电流，
04:37
All you've got to go on
is streams of electrical impulses
is streams of electrical impulses
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这是你与外界事物的唯一的间接联系，
04:40
which are only indirectly related
to things in the world,
to things in the world,
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不管它们是什么。
04:43
whatever they may be.
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04:45
So perception --
figuring out what's there --
figuring out what's there --
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所以说感知——
或者说搞明白那是什么
或者说搞明白那是什么
是一个“已知”的猜测过程。
04:47
has to be a process of informed guesswork
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大脑将这些感觉信号
04:50
in which the brain combines
these sensory signals
these sensory signals
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与之前对世界的预期或信念相结合
04:53
with its prior expectations or beliefs
about the way the world is
about the way the world is
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做出是什么产生了这些信号的最佳猜想。
04:57
to form its best guess
of what caused those signals.
of what caused those signals.
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大脑是看不见也听不见的。
05:00
The brain doesn't hear sound or see light.
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我们所感知到的是它对外界事物的最佳猜测。
05:03
What we perceive is its best guess
of what's out there in the world.
of what's out there in the world.
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05:09
Let me give you a couple
of examples of all this.
of examples of all this.
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我举些例子说明一下吧。
05:12
You might have seen this illusion before,
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你之前可能有过这样的错觉，
但我希望你能重新思考一下。
05:14
but I'd like you to think
about it in a new way.
about it in a new way.
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当你看这两块区域时，A和B，
05:16
If you look at those two patches, A and B,
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它们是深浅不同的灰色，对吧？
05:18
they should look to you to be
very different shades of gray, right?
very different shades of gray, right?
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05:23
But they are in fact
exactly the same shade.
exactly the same shade.
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但实际上它们颜色是一样的。
我能解释这一现象。
05:26
And I can illustrate this.
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如果我再在这儿加上第二版图像
05:27
If I put up a second version
of the image here
of the image here
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用灰条连接这两块区域，
05:29
and join the two patches
with a gray-colored bar,
with a gray-colored bar,
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你会发现，它们毫无差别。
05:32
you can see there's no difference.
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它们的灰度完全一样。
05:34
It's exactly the same shade of gray.
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如果你还不相信我，
05:36
And if you still don't believe me,
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我把灰条移走
把它们重合在一起。
把它们重合在一起。
05:37
I'll bring the bar across
and join them up.
and join them up.
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05:40
It's a single colored block of gray,
there's no difference at all.
there's no difference at all.
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它们是一样的灰度，
完全相同。
完全相同。
05:44
This isn't any kind of magic trick.
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这不是什么魔术。
它们就是一样的灰度，
05:46
It's the same shade of gray,
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但是去掉灰条，
它们看起来有不一样了。
它们看起来有不一样了。
05:47
but take it away again,
and it looks different.
and it looks different.
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05:51
So what's happening here
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那么究竟发生了什么呢？
就是大脑用它先前的预期
05:52
is that the brain
is using its prior expectations
is using its prior expectations
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深入到视觉皮层的回路中
05:55
built deeply into the circuits
of the visual cortex
of the visual cortex
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使得一个投影看起来变暗了，
05:58
that a cast shadow dims
the appearance of a surface,
the appearance of a surface,
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所以我们看到的区域B比实际的颜色要亮。
06:01
so that we see B as lighter
than it really is.
than it really is.
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06:05
Here's one more example,
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还有一个例子，
证明大脑可以快速使用新的预测
06:07
which shows just how quickly
the brain can use new predictions
the brain can use new predictions
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来改变我们的意识体验。
06:10
to change what we consciously experience.
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请听这段声音。
06:12
Have a listen to this.
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06:15
(Distorted voice)
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（扭曲的声音）
06:19
Sounded strange, right?
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听起来很奇怪，对吧？
咱们再听一次
看你能不能听出点什么。
看你能不能听出点什么。
06:20
Have a listen again
and see if you can get anything.
and see if you can get anything.
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06:23
(Distorted voice)
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（扭曲的声音）
06:27
Still strange.
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还是很奇怪。
接下来，请听这个
06:29
Now listen to this.
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06:30
(Recording) Anil Seth: I think Brexit
is a really terrible idea.
is a really terrible idea.
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（录音）Anil Seth:
“我觉得英国脱欧真是个馊主意。”
“我觉得英国脱欧真是个馊主意。”
（笑声 ）
06:34
(Laughter)
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这是我的声音。
06:35
Which I do.
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你们听到了一些词，对吧？
06:36
So you heard some words there, right?
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现在再听一遍第一段声音。
我会重播一遍。
我会重播一遍。
06:38
Now listen to the first sound again.
I'm just going to replay it.
I'm just going to replay it.
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（扭曲的声音）
06:41
(Distorted voice)
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你可以听出一些单词了吧？
06:44
Yeah? So you can now hear words there.
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再试一次。
06:47
Once more for luck.
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（扭曲的声音）
06:49
(Distorted voice)
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06:53
OK, so what's going on here?
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所以到底是怎么回事？
值得注意的是
进入大脑的感受信息
进入大脑的感受信息
06:55
The remarkable thing is the sensory
information coming into the brain
information coming into the brain
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完全没有改变。
06:58
hasn't changed at all.
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07:00
All that's changed
is your brain's best guess
is your brain's best guess
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变了的，只是你脑中的猜测，
对感受信息的猜测。
07:03
of the causes of that sensory information.
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而这改变了你下意识所听到的东西。
07:05
And that changes
what you consciously hear.
what you consciously hear.
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07:08
All this puts the brain
basis of perception
basis of perception
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这些使大脑的感知基础
处于不同的亮度中。
07:11
in a bit of a different light.
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感知并不单纯取决于
07:13
Instead of perception depending largely
on signals coming into the brain
on signals coming into the brain
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外界传入脑中的信号，
07:17
from the outside world,
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而是更多地取决于
07:18
it depends as much, if not more,
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反向流动的感知预测。
07:21
on perceptual predictions
flowing in the opposite direction.
flowing in the opposite direction.
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07:26
We don't just passively
perceive the world,
perceive the world,
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我们并非被动地感受着世界，
相反，我们积极地创造着一切。
07:28
we actively generate it.
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我们对于世界的意识体验
07:29
The world we experience
comes as much, if not more,
comes as much, if not more,
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既是由内而外的，
07:32
from the inside out
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也是由外到内的。
07:33
as from the outside in.
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07:35
Let me give you
one more example of perception
one more example of perception
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我再举一个感知的例子，
这是一个积极的，有建设性的过程。
07:37
as this active, constructive process.
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07:41
Here we've combined immersive
virtual reality with image processing
virtual reality with image processing
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我们将沉浸式虚拟现实与图像处理结合起来，
模拟我们体验中相当强烈的
07:46
to simulate the effects
of overly strong perceptual predictions
of overly strong perceptual predictions
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感知预测。
07:49
on experience.
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在这段全景影像中，
我们重塑了世界——
我们重塑了世界——
07:50
In this panoramic video,
we've transformed the world --
we've transformed the world --
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我们把苏塞克斯校园
07:53
which is in this case Sussex campus --
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变为一个迷幻的游乐场。
07:55
into a psychedelic playground.
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07:57
We've processed the footage using
an algorithm based on Google's Deep Dream
an algorithm based on Google's Deep Dream
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我们用谷歌的“深层梦想”的算法
处理了这段视频
处理了这段视频
来模拟我们在
相当强烈的感知预测下的真实体验。
相当强烈的感知预测下的真实体验。
08:01
to simulate the effects
of overly strong perceptual predictions.
of overly strong perceptual predictions.
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在这种情况下，我们看到了狗狗。
08:05
In this case, to see dogs.
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你可以看到这些很奇怪。
08:07
And you can see
this is a very strange thing.
this is a very strange thing.
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当感知预测太过强烈，
08:09
When perceptual
predictions are too strong,
predictions are too strong,
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正如这一案例中，
08:11
as they are here,
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画面看起来就像是幻觉。
08:13
the result looks very much
like the kinds of hallucinations
like the kinds of hallucinations
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人们看起来像是变形的状态，
08:16
people might report in altered states,
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甚至像患有精神病一样。
08:18
or perhaps even in psychosis.
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08:21
Now, think about this for a minute.
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让我们想一想。
08:23
If hallucination is a kind
of uncontrolled perception,
of uncontrolled perception,
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如果幻觉是一种不可控的感知，
那么我们此时此刻的感知
也恰是一种幻觉，
也恰是一种幻觉，
08:28
then perception right here and right now
is also a kind of hallucination,
is also a kind of hallucination,
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08:32
but a controlled hallucination
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但如果幻觉可控
那么大脑的预测将由
08:34
in which the brain's predictions
are being reigned in
are being reigned in
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从外界获取的感官信息所主宰。
08:37
by sensory information from the world.
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08:40
In fact, we're all
hallucinating all the time,
hallucinating all the time,
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事实上，
我们一直都在幻想，
我们一直都在幻想，
包括现在。
08:43
including right now.
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只是当我们认同我们的幻觉时，
08:44
It's just that when we agree
about our hallucinations,
about our hallucinations,
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我们称之为现实。
08:47
we call that reality.
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08:49
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
接下来，我要告诉你们
作为自我的体验，
作为自我的体验，
08:53
Now I'm going to tell you
that your experience of being a self,
that your experience of being a self,
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08:56
the specific experience of being you,
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成为你自己的特定体验。
也是一种大脑产生的可控幻觉。
08:58
is also a controlled hallucination
generated by the brain.
generated by the brain.
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这听起来很奇怪，对吧？
09:01
This seems a very strange idea, right?
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没错，视觉错觉可能会欺骗我们的眼睛，
09:04
Yes, visual illusions
might deceive my eyes,
might deceive my eyes,
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但我怎么可能会能被自我存在的意义所骗呢？
09:06
but how could I be deceived
about what it means to be me?
about what it means to be me?
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09:10
For most of us,
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对于大多数人而言
“作为人”的体验
09:11
the experience of being a person
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是如此的熟悉、统一、
并且从不间断，
并且从不间断，
09:13
is so familiar, so unified
and so continuous
and so continuous
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所以它也极易被忽视。
09:15
that it's difficult
not to take it for granted.
not to take it for granted.
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但我们不应视之为理所当然。
09:17
But we shouldn't take it for granted.
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有很多方式可以体验自我。
09:19
There are in fact many different ways
we experience being a self.
we experience being a self.
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我们可以体验拥有一个身体
09:22
There's the experience of having a body
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掌控这个身体。
09:24
and of being a body.
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09:26
There are experiences
of perceiving the world
of perceiving the world
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我们可以体验以第一视角
来认知这个世界。
09:28
from a first person point of view.
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09:30
There are experiences
of intending to do things
of intending to do things
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我们可以体验试着去做某事
或是成为世上发生的事情的缘由。
09:32
and of being the cause of things
that happen in the world.
that happen in the world.
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09:35
And there are experiences
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我们还可以体验
随着时间流逝，
基于丰富的记忆及社会相互作用
基于丰富的记忆及社会相互作用
09:36
of being a continuous
and distinctive person over time,
and distinctive person over time,
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我们仍是一个与众不同的人。
09:40
built from a rich set
of memories and social interactions.
of memories and social interactions.
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09:44
Many experiments show,
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许多实验表明，
精神病学家和神经学家其实非常了解
09:45
and psychiatrists
and neurologists know very well,
and neurologists know very well,
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我们体验自我的这些不同的方式
09:47
that these different ways
in which we experience being a self
in which we experience being a self
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是相互独立的。
09:50
can all come apart.
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这意味着
对于大脑而言
对于大脑而言
09:52
What this means is
the basic background experience
the basic background experience
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成为一个统一的自我的体验是很脆弱的。
09:55
of being a unified self is a rather
fragile construction of the brain.
fragile construction of the brain.
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10:00
Another experience,
which just like all others,
which just like all others,
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另一个与之相似的体验
需要进一步解释。
10:02
requires explanation.
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10:04
So let's return to the bodily self.
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让我们先回到身体本身。
大脑是如何产生成为一个身体的体验的？
10:06
How does the brain generate
the experience of being a body
the experience of being a body
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或者说拥有一个身体？
10:09
and of having a body?
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之前的原理同样适用。
10:10
Well, just the same principles apply.
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大脑做出了它的最佳推测，
10:12
The brain makes its best guess
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关于哪一部分属于身体，哪一部分不属于。
10:13
about what is and what is not
part of its body.
part of its body.
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10:16
And there's a beautiful experiment
in neuroscience to illustrate this.
in neuroscience to illustrate this.
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神经科学里有一个很棒的实验
可以说明这一点。
可以说明这一点。
与大多数神经科学试验不同，
10:20
And unlike most neuroscience experiments,
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这一试验你在家里就可以进行。
10:22
this is one you can do at home.
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你只需要这个。
10:24
All you need is one of these.
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（笑声）
10:26
(Laughter)
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再准备一些画笔。
10:27
And a couple of paintbrushes.
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10:30
In the rubber hand illusion,
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我们将测试者的一只真手遮盖起来，
取而代之的是这只橡胶手，
10:32
a person's real hand is hidden from view,
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1976
将橡胶手放在人们面前。
10:34
and that fake rubber hand
is placed in front of them.
is placed in front of them.
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让人们注视着假手
10:36
Then both hands are simultaneously
stroked with a paintbrush
stroked with a paintbrush
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然后用画笔同时轻触两只手。
10:40
while the person stares at the fake hand.
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10:43
Now, for most people, after a while,
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对大多数人来说，只需很短的时间，
就会有不可思议的感觉，
10:45
this leads to the very uncanny sensation
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你会感到假手成为了身体的一部分。
10:47
that the fake hand
is in fact part of their body.
is in fact part of their body.
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10:51
And the idea is that the congruence
between seeing touch and feeling touch
between seeing touch and feeling touch
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视觉触摸和感知触摸叠合在了一起
看起来就像是假手所在的地方大致就是手的位置，
10:55
on an object that looks like hand
and is roughly where a hand should be,
and is roughly where a hand should be,
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这足以让大脑做出它的最佳推测
11:00
is enough evidence for the brain
to make its best guess
to make its best guess
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认为假手就是身体的一部分。
11:03
that the fake hand
is in fact part of the body.
is in fact part of the body.
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（笑声）
11:06
(Laughter)
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11:15
So you can measure
all kinds of clever things.
all kinds of clever things.
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你可能懂得很多原理，
包括皮肤传导，惊吓反应，
11:17
You can measure skin conductance
and startle responses,
and startle responses,
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但其实没什么必要。
11:20
but there's no need.
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显而易见身着蓝衣的测试者
真的将假手视为了自己身体的一部分。
真的将假手视为了自己身体的一部分。
11:22
It's clear the guy in blue
has assimilated the fake hand.
has assimilated the fake hand.
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11:25
This means that even experiences
of what our body is
of what our body is
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这意味着，即使是我们对自己身体的认知
都只是一种最佳猜测——
11:28
is a kind of best guessing --
256
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一种可控的大脑幻觉。
11:30
a kind of controlled
hallucination by the brain.
hallucination by the brain.
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11:33
There's one more thing.
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还有一点。
11:36
We don't just experience our bodies
as objects in the world from the outside,
as objects in the world from the outside,
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我们不只是单纯地从外界
认知我们的身体，
认知我们的身体，
我们也从本身来感受。
11:39
we also experience them from within.
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我们都从本身去感知、体验过身体。
11:41
We all experience the sense
of being a body from the inside.
of being a body from the inside.
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4240
11:47
And sensory signals
coming from the inside of the body
coming from the inside of the body
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这些感觉信号都由身体自身产生，
它们不断向大脑汇报
身体内器官的状况，
身体内器官的状况，
11:49
are continually telling the brain
about the state of the internal organs,
about the state of the internal organs,
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比如心脏是如何跳动的
血压是怎样的，
血压是怎样的，
11:53
how the heart is doing,
what the blood pressure is like,
what the blood pressure is like,
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等等。
11:56
lots of things.
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这一类型的感知
我们称之为“内感”，
我们称之为“内感”，
11:57
This kind of perception,
which we call interoception,
which we call interoception,
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12:00
is rather overlooked.
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常常被我们忽视，
但它们却异常重要。
12:02
But it's critically important
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因为对于体内状况的感知和规律的了解
12:03
because perception and regulation
of the internal state of the body --
of the internal state of the body --
269
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是使我们活着的条件。
12:06
well, that's what keeps us alive.
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12:09
Here's another version
of the rubber hand illusion.
of the rubber hand illusion.
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还有另一种橡胶手错觉。
这是我们苏塞克斯大学实验室的试验。
12:11
This is from our lab at Sussex.
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人们看着他们虚拟现实中的手，
12:13
And here, people see
a virtual reality version of their hand,
a virtual reality version of their hand,
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闪烁着红色，
12:16
which flashes red and back
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闪烁频率和心率一致或是不同。
12:18
either in time or out of time
with their heartbeat.
with their heartbeat.
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当闪烁频率和心率一致时，
12:21
And when it's flashing
in time with their heartbeat,
in time with their heartbeat,
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人们会强烈地感到这是他们身体的一部分。
12:23
people have a stronger sense
that it's in fact part of their body.
that it's in fact part of their body.
277
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3120
12:27
So experiences of having a body
are deeply grounded
are deeply grounded
278
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所以当我们从内感知我们的身体时
可以强烈地感到拥有一个身体。
12:31
in perceiving our bodies from within.
279
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2400
12:35
There's one last thing
I want to draw your attention to,
I want to draw your attention to,
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最后我想要你们注意，
从内感知身体
12:38
which is that experiences of the body
from the inside are very different
from the inside are very different
281
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远不同于从外感知
12:42
from experiences of the world around us.
282
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2056
当我看着周围的事物时，
这个世界充斥着各种各样的东西——
这个世界充斥着各种各样的东西——
12:44
When I look around me,
the world seems full of objects --
the world seems full of objects --
283
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桌子，椅子，橡胶手，
12:46
tables, chairs, rubber hands,
284
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2176
人们，在座的各位——
12:49
people, you lot --
285
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甚至包括我自己的身体，
12:50
even my own body in the world,
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我可以感知到它们是外界的一个物体。
12:52
I can perceive it
as an object from the outside.
as an object from the outside.
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但我的内在感知，
12:55
But my experiences
of the body from within,
of the body from within,
288
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却完全不同。
12:57
they're not like that at all.
289
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我没有在这儿感知到我的肾脏，
12:58
I don't perceive my kidneys here,
290
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我在这儿的肝脏，
13:00
my liver here,
291
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我的脾脏
13:02
my spleen ...
292
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我也不知道我的脾脏在哪里，
13:03
I don't know where my spleen is,
293
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但它就在某处。
13:05
but it's somewhere.
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我不认为我的身体内部的东西是物体。
13:06
I don't perceive my insides as objects.
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实际上，除非他们病了
我是不会感觉到它们存在的。
我是不会感觉到它们存在的。
13:08
In fact, I don't experience them
much at all unless they go wrong.
much at all unless they go wrong.
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13:13
And this is important, I think.
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我认为这很重要。
13:15
Perception of the internal
state of the body
state of the body
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对于机体内部状况的认知
并不是弄明白它们在哪儿，
13:17
isn't about figuring out what's there,
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而是控制和调节——
13:19
it's about control and regulation --
300
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13:21
keeping the physiological variables
within the tight bounds
within the tight bounds
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将生理参数保持在
与生存相适应的范围内。
13:25
that are compatible with survival.
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13:28
When the brain uses predictions
to figure out what's there,
to figure out what's there,
303
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当大脑用预测判断那是什么的时候，
我们感觉物体就是感觉的起因。
13:31
we perceive objects
as the causes of sensations.
as the causes of sensations.
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当大脑用预测控制和调节事物时
13:34
When the brain uses predictions
to control and regulate things,
to control and regulate things,
305
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我们可以感知到控制的好与坏。
13:38
we experience how well
or how badly that control is going.
or how badly that control is going.
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13:41
So our most basic experiences
of being a self,
of being a self,
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所以我们最基本的自我体验，
作为一个具体的有机体的体验，
13:44
of being an embodied organism,
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深深扎根于维持我们生存的生物机制中。
13:46
are deeply grounded in the biological
mechanisms that keep us alive.
mechanisms that keep us alive.
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13:52
And when we follow this idea
all the way through,
all the way through,
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当我们一路追寻个中原理，
我们会发现
我们所有的意识体验，
我们所有的意识体验，
13:55
we can start to see
that all of our conscious experiences,
that all of our conscious experiences,
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都依赖于相同的预测感知机制，
13:58
since they all depend on the same
mechanisms of predictive perception,
mechanisms of predictive perception,
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因为这一基本的驱动力
我们才能活着。
我们才能活着。
14:03
all stem from this basic
drive to stay alive.
drive to stay alive.
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通过活着，也正是因为活着
14:07
We experience the world and ourselves
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我们才能感受世界和我们自己。
14:09
with, through and because of
our living bodies.
our living bodies.
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14:13
Let me bring things together step-by-step.
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让我们一步一步来分析一下。
14:16
What we consciously see depends
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我们有意识看到的东西
是基于大脑对外界事物的最佳猜测。
14:18
on the brain's best guess
of what's out there.
of what's out there.
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我们对世界的体验也会由内而外产生，
14:20
Our experienced world
comes from the inside out,
comes from the inside out,
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并不只是由外到内的。
14:22
not just the outside in.
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14:24
The rubber hand illusion shows
that this applies to our experiences
that this applies to our experiences
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橡胶手错觉表明
这适用于我们对什么是
这适用于我们对什么是
以及什么不是我们自己身体的体验。
14:27
of what is and what is not our body.
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14:30
And these self-related predictions
depend critically on sensory signals
depend critically on sensory signals
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这些与自我相关的预测主要依赖于
来自身体深处的感官信号。
14:34
coming from deep inside the body.
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14:36
And finally,
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最后，
作为一个具体化的自我的体验
更多的是关于控制和调节，
更多的是关于控制和调节，
14:37
experiences of being an embodied self
are more about control and regulation
are more about control and regulation
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14:42
than figuring out what's there.
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而不是去弄清楚到底是什么。
14:44
So our experiences of the world
around us and ourselves within it --
around us and ourselves within it --
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所以我们对外界事物及我们自己的感知，
都是可控的幻觉，
14:48
well, they're kinds
of controlled hallucinations
of controlled hallucinations
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数百万年的进化形成了这些幻觉，
14:50
that have been shaped
over millions of years of evolution
over millions of years of evolution
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14:53
to keep us alive in worlds
full of danger and opportunity.
full of danger and opportunity.
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让我们能存活在这充满机遇和挑战的世界中。
14:56
We predict ourselves into existence.
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我们推测我们是存在的。
15:00
Now, I leave you with three
implications of all this.
implications of all this.
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现在我给大家三个启示。
15:03
First, just as we can
misperceive the world,
misperceive the world,
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第一，就像我们会误解世界一样，
当预测机制出错时
15:05
we can misperceive ourselves
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我们也会误解自我。
15:07
when the mechanisms
of prediction go wrong.
of prediction go wrong.
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了解这点会在精神病学和神经学方面
挖掘出更多新的发现，
挖掘出更多新的发现，
15:09
Understanding this opens many new
opportunities in psychiatry and neurology,
opportunities in psychiatry and neurology,
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因为我们终于可以深入其中的机制
15:14
because we can finally
get at the mechanisms
get at the mechanisms
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而不仅仅局限于治疗
15:16
rather than just treating the symptoms
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抑郁症和精神分裂症的症状。
15:18
in conditions like
depression and schizophrenia.
depression and schizophrenia.
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15:21
Second:
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第二：
“成为自我”的意识
15:22
what it means to be me
cannot be reduced to or uploaded to
cannot be reduced to or uploaded to
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不能被上传到控制机器人的软件程序里，
15:26
a software program running on a robot,
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无论它多聪明，多精密也不行。
15:29
however smart or sophisticated.
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我们是有血有肉的生物体，
15:31
We are biological, flesh-and-blood animals
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我们的意识感知经由不同的层次塑造，
15:34
whose conscious experiences
are shaped at all levels
are shaped at all levels
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我们凭借生物机制活着。
15:37
by the biological mechanisms
that keep us alive.
that keep us alive.
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即使电脑更加智能
它们也不会有知觉。
它们也不会有知觉。
15:40
Just making computers smarter
is not going to make them sentient.
is not going to make them sentient.
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15:45
Finally,
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最后，
我们内在的小宇宙，
15:46
our own individual inner universe,
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1976
我们人类存在意识的方式，
15:48
our way of being conscious,
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只是存在意识的其中一种方式。
15:50
is just one possible
way of being conscious.
way of being conscious.
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15:53
And even human consciousness generally --
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即使人们普遍都存在意识，
在有意识的广阔空间里，
它也只是一个很小的区域。
它也只是一个很小的区域。
15:55
it's just a tiny region in a vast space
of possible consciousnesses.
of possible consciousnesses.
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自我和世界对我们每个人而言都是独一无二的，
15:59
Our individual self and worlds
are unique to each of us,
are unique to each of us,
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但它们都以生物机制为基础，
16:03
but they're all grounded
in biological mechanisms
in biological mechanisms
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所以同样也适用于其它生物体。
16:06
shared with many other living creatures.
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16:09
Now, these are fundamental changes
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如今，我们对于“如何理解自我”
16:13
in how we understand ourselves,
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有了根本性的改变，
我想这是值得庆祝的事情，
16:16
but I think they should be celebrated,
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因为科学界经常引用哥白尼的一句话：
16:17
because as so often in science,
from Copernicus --
from Copernicus --
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我们不是宇宙的中心。
16:20
we're not at the center of the universe --
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达尔文也说过：
16:22
to Darwin --
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万物皆相关，
16:23
we're related to all other creatures --
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直至今日。
16:25
to the present day.
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16:28
With a greater sense of understanding
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我们有更强的理解力，
更大的惊奇感，
16:31
comes a greater sense of wonder,
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更好的认知力，
16:33
and a greater realization
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我们知道我们属于自然界的一部分，
密不可分。
密不可分。
16:35
that we are part of
and not apart from the rest of nature.
and not apart from the rest of nature.
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16:40
And ...
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而且······
16:42
when the end of consciousness comes,
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当我们失去意识时，
也无需害怕些什么。
16:45
there's nothing to be afraid of.
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16:48
Nothing at all.
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根本没什么。
16:50
Thank you.
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谢谢。
（掌声）
16:51
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Anil Seth - Cognitive neuroscientistHow can the "inner universe" of consciousness be explained in terms of mere biology and physics? Anil Seth explores the brain basis of consciousness and self.
Why you should listen
In his groundbreaking research, Anil Seth seeks to understand consciousness in health and in disease. As founding co-director of the University of Sussex’s Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, his research bridges neuroscience, mathematics, artificial intelligence, computer science, psychology, philosophy and psychiatry. He has also worked extensively with playwrights, dancers and other artists to shape a truly humanistic view of consciousness and self.
Seth is the editor and co-author of the best-selling 30-Second Brain, a collection of brief and engaging neuroscience vignettes. His forthcoming book The Presence Chamber develops his unique theories of conscious selfhood within the rich historical context of the mind and brain sciences.
Follow Seth on Twitter at @anilkseth, and visit his website at anilseth.com and neurobanter.com. The Sackler Centre, at the University of Sussex, is at sussex.ac.uk/sackler. Seth's work is supported by the Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation.
Anil Seth | Speaker | TED.com