George Zarkadakis
Encyclopedia
George Zarkadakis is novelist, poet, playwright, and popular science
writer, born in Athens
in 1964.
, England
, where he studied systems engineering at City University
. At the age of 24 he received his PhD in Artificial Intelligence
. Since then he has worked for the European Commission in Brussels, as an IT consultant
for a number of US companies, and as a scientific researcher.
In 1999 he launched in Greece the monthly popular science magazine Focus
(originally published in Italy by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
since 1992) and in 2004 he wrote a very popular television program for the communication of science called “Εύρηκα
! - Evrika!” (produced and hosted by Antonis Kafetzopoulos). He was also very active in organizing the first Cafés Scientifiques
in Greece; an attempt to improve the dialogue between scientists and lay citizens. He remained Editor-in-chief of Focus till the end of 2006. Then he became the publisher of Avgo Books, an imprint of Oceanida Publications that is specializing in popular science books and the organization of science and art events for a wider audience.
In this paper, he suggested the use of the term Noetics in an explicitly non-metaphysical context, as the name of a hypothetical unified
science of the Mind
. Based on David Chalmers
' philosophical work “The Puzzle of Consciouss Experience”, he proposed several speculative laws
of such a theory. In both the paper and the book, Zarkadakis favors a multilevel description of mental phenomena. He admits the existence of the following levels of description: 1) a quantum level
(Roger Penrose
, David Chalmers, Andreas Mershin
, and Stuart Hameroff
are cited as the original proposers of this approach); 2) a self-organization level (the book endorses the paradigm of Neural Darwinism
); 3) a phenomenological level
(the study of qualia
); and 4) a sociobiological level
(the study of memes
). (Confer the similar in this respect Tree of Knowledge System
proposed by Gregg Henriques
.)
Popular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
writer, born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1964.
Academic and popular science work
In 1982, he migrated to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he studied systems engineering at City University
City University, London
City University London , is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute and became a university in 1966, when it adopted its present name....
. At the age of 24 he received his PhD in Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
. Since then he has worked for the European Commission in Brussels, as an IT consultant
Information technology consulting
Information technology consulting is a field that focuses on advising businesses on how best to use information technology to meet their business objectives...
for a number of US companies, and as a scientific researcher.
In 1999 he launched in Greece the monthly popular science magazine Focus
Focus (Italian magazine)
Focus is a very popular Italian scientific magazine published by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore since 1992. It includes articles about popular science, technology, history, health and social issues.- External links :* *...
(originally published in Italy by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore is the biggest publishing company in Italy.-History:Founded by the 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori in 1907 to publish the magazine titled Luce!, it soon became an important publisher. Its headquarters are in Milan....
since 1992) and in 2004 he wrote a very popular television program for the communication of science called “Εύρηκα
Eureka effect
The eureka effect is any sudden unexpected discovery, or the sudden realization of the solution to a problem, resulting in a eureka moment , also dubbed as "breakthrough thinking"...
! - Evrika!” (produced and hosted by Antonis Kafetzopoulos). He was also very active in organizing the first Cafés Scientifiques
Café Scientifique
Café Scientifique is a grassroots public science initiative currently running in 42 cities across the United Kingdom and cities in other countries. At least twelve cafés outside the UK are organised by the British Council alone. Similar but independent events have also sprung up in many cities...
in Greece; an attempt to improve the dialogue between scientists and lay citizens. He remained Editor-in-chief of Focus till the end of 2006. Then he became the publisher of Avgo Books, an imprint of Oceanida Publications that is specializing in popular science books and the organization of science and art events for a wider audience.
Noetics
In 2001 he published an academic paper called “Noetics: A proposal for a theoretical approach to consciousness”, and a popular science book called “The Mystery of the Mind: how the brain evokes consciousness” explaining the status of the contemporary cognitive and philosophical studies of consciousness.In this paper, he suggested the use of the term Noetics in an explicitly non-metaphysical context, as the name of a hypothetical unified
Unity of science
The unity of science is a thesis in philosophy of science that says that all the sciences form a unified whole.Even though, for example, physics and politics are distinct disciplines, the thesis of the unity of science says that in principle they must be part of a unified intellectual endeavor,...
science of the Mind
Philosophy of mind
Philosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness and their relationship to the physical body, particularly the brain. The mind-body problem, i.e...
. Based on David Chalmers
David Chalmers
David John Chalmers is an Australian philosopher specializing in the area of philosophy of mind and philosophy of language, whose recent work concerns verbal disputes. He is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Consciousness at the Australian National University...
' philosophical work “The Puzzle of Consciouss Experience”, he proposed several speculative laws
Scientific law
A scientific law is a statement that explains what something does in science just like Newton's law of universal gravitation. A scientific law must always apply under the same conditions, and implies a causal relationship between its elements. The law must be confirmed and broadly agreed upon...
of such a theory. In both the paper and the book, Zarkadakis favors a multilevel description of mental phenomena. He admits the existence of the following levels of description: 1) a quantum level
Quantum mind
The quantum mind or quantum consciousness hypothesis proposes that classical mechanics cannot explain consciousness, while quantum mechanical phenomena, such as quantum entanglement and superposition, may play an important part in the brain's function, and could form the basis of an explanation of...
(Roger Penrose
Roger Penrose
Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS is an English mathematical physicist and Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College...
, David Chalmers, Andreas Mershin
Andreas Mershin
Andreas Mershin is a physicist notable for studying the biophysics of the cytoskeleton.-Education:He received his MSci in Physics from Imperial College London and his PhD in Physics from Texas A&M University , under Dimitri V. Nanopoulos, where he studied the theoretical and experimental...
, and Stuart Hameroff
Stuart Hameroff
Stuart Hameroff is an anesthesiologist and professor at the University of Arizona known for his scientific studies of consciousness.-Career:...
are cited as the original proposers of this approach); 2) a self-organization level (the book endorses the paradigm of Neural Darwinism
Neural Darwinism
Neural Darwinism, a large scale theory of brain function by Gerald Edelman, was initially published in 1978, in a book called The Mindful Brain...
); 3) a phenomenological level
Neurophenomenology
Neurophenomenology refers to a scientific research program aimed to address the hard problem of consciousness in a pragmatic way. It combines neuroscience with phenomenology in order to study experience, mind, and consciousness with an emphasis on the embodied condition of the human mind...
(the study of qualia
Qualia
Qualia , singular "quale" , from a Latin word meaning for "what sort" or "what kind," is a term used in philosophy to refer to subjective conscious experiences as 'raw feels'. Examples of qualia are the pain of a headache, the taste of wine, the experience of taking a recreational drug, or the...
); and 4) a sociobiological level
Sociobiology
Sociobiology is a field of scientific study which is based on the assumption that social behavior has resulted from evolution and attempts to explain and examine social behavior within that context. Often considered a branch of biology and sociology, it also draws from ethology, anthropology,...
(the study of memes
Memetics
Memetics is a theory of mental content based on an analogy with Darwinian evolution, originating from Richard Dawkins' 1976 book The Selfish Gene. It purports to be an approach to evolutionary models of cultural information transfer. A meme, analogous to a gene, is essentially a "unit of...
). (Confer the similar in this respect Tree of Knowledge System
Tree of Knowledge System
]The Tree of Knowledge System is a theoretical approach to the unification of psychology developed by Gregg Henriques, associate professor and Director of the Combined-Integrated Doctoral Program in Clinical and School Psychology at James Madison University.The outline of the system was published...
proposed by Gregg Henriques
Gregg Henriques
Gregg Henriques, Ph.D., is an assistant professor, Combined-Integrated Doctoral Program, James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA....
.)