The Program

Conference Details:

• A one-day conference (8:30 to 17:30)
  with a lunch break  (12:30 to 14:00)

Four, one and a half hour sessions

• 05  October 2007, HS 1 UZA 1,
  Althanstr. 14, 1090  Vienna

• Transportation:
  D Streetcar (Althanstr), Subway U4 or U6 (Spittelau)
• Parking Accommodation: Economics University

Session Format:

There is an invited lecture (30 minutes), four to six designated discussants (30 minutes in total) and a general discussion.
The lecturers were chosen from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, fine arts and neurology. Discussants will include local, national and international scholars from the arts, sciences and humanities with a view to promote interdisciplinary communication: the fields range from mathematics to art history, anthropology, literature and philosophy.
Each invited speaker will present a tentative answer to the question. The basis of the position will be circulated to discussants before the conference. The invited discussants will prepare a written response. Both the position papers and the responses will be available before the conference.

What is the relationship of consciousness to brain activity? The formal analysis of mental content and its relationship to neural processes.
(J. Allan Hobson, Harvard University)

a preliminary answer...

Moderated by: Christian Noe, O. Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Mag. Dr.

With contributions from:
  Michael Berger, Dr., Medical University of Vienna
  Gustav Bernroider, Ao. Univ.Prof. Dr., University of Salzburg
  Fred Bookstein, GastProf. DDr., University of Vienna
  Katrin Schäfer, Ao. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr., University of Vienna

What revisions are necessary in scientific models of unconscious mental activity? Contrasts between cognitive neuroscience and traditional psychoanalytic models.
(John Kihlstrom, University of California Berkley)

a preliminary answer...

Moderated by: Peter Kampits, Univ.-Prof. Dr.

With contributions from:
 Lüder Deecke, emer.o.Univ.Prof. Dr., Medical University of Vienna
 Ludwig Huber, Ao. Univ.Prof. Mag. Dr., University of Vienna
Rainer Maderthaner, Ao. Univ.Prof. Dr., University of Vienna
 Patrizia Giampieri-Deutsch, Univ.Prof. Dr., University of Vienna

Is creativity an automatic? Modern brain science and theories of art.
(Hellmut Wohl, Professor Emeritus Boston University and Consultant to Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal)

a preliminary answer...

Moderated by: Verena Winiwarter, Univ. Prof. Ing. Mag. Dr.

With contributions from:
Christiane Hartnack, Dr., Danube University Krems
Karl Grammer, Ao. Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Biol. Dr., University of Vienna
Violetta L. Waibel, Dr., University of Vienna
 Gerhard Klösch, Medical University of Vienna

Session 4 (16:00-17:30)

What does neurological disease teach us about consciousness? Imaging neural activity and understanding conscious processes.
(Steven Laureys, University of Liège)

a preliminary answer...

Moderated by: Gerd Müller, Univ.-Prof. DDr.

With contributions from:
Peter Kampits, Univ.Prof. Dr., University of Vienna
Lukas Pezawas, Dr., Medical University of Vienna
Horst Seidler, O. Univ.Prof. Dr., University of Vienna
 Josef Zeitlhofer, Ao. Univ.Prof. DDr., Medical University of Vienna