A 25-year science wager between neuroscientist Christof Koch and philosopher David Chalmers has come to an end. The bet concerned the discovery of the mechanism by which the brain’s neurons produce consciousness, with Chalmers being declared the winner. The bet was settled with the unveiling of a study testing hypotheses about the neural basis of consciousness. Despite the progress in the field, researchers still don’t fully understand how the brain produces consciousness. The study’s findings suggest that both leading hypotheses on consciousness need to be revised.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science wager ends | No discovery of brain’s mechanism | Revision of theories on consciousness | Technological advancements |
| Adversarial collaboration | Proponents of theories collaborate in experiments | Advancement of scientific understanding | Advancement of science through collaboration |
| Findings from experiments | Revision of theories on consciousness | Rethinking proposed mechanisms | New evidence from experiments |
| Rare collaboration | Proponents of competing theories test predictions | Advancement of science | Courage and trust from researchers |
| Possibility of new wager | Another wager in 25 years | Technological advancements | Desire to find a definitive answer |