How Does the Brain Create Consciousness and Self-Awareness?
“Consciousness may be the brain’s way of turning billions of signals into the feeling of being a person.” — Dr. Vicki Draeger
How Does the Brain Create Consciousness and Self-Awareness?
Episode [7] · [May 23, 2026] · Blossoming Brains Podcast
Introduction:
Your brain is made of cells, electricity, chemistry, and signals — yet somehow it creates a living inner world filled with memories, emotions, and awareness.
In this episode of Blossoming Brains, Dr. Vicki Draeger explores the science and mystery of consciousness through neuroscience, philosophy, mindfulness, and metacognition. Why do we experience an inner sense of self? How does the brain decide what enters awareness? And could consciousness exist beyond humans alone?
Through vivid analogies and accessible explanations, this episode examines how scientists are trying to understand the phenomenon that shapes every moment of human life.
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In this episode
What consciousness actually means in neuroscience
Why awareness feels different from simple information processing
The brain’s “spotlight” model of attention and consciousness
How unconscious processing shapes daily behavior
Integrated Information Theory and the idea of consciousness as interconnected information
Quantum theories of consciousness and the Orch OR model
Mindfulness and metacognition as tools for observing awareness
Why consciousness matters for AI, ethics, and human identity
Key takeaways
Consciousness helps create a continuous sense of self.
Attention filters reality into manageable awareness.
Much of cognition happens unconsciously.
Metacognition allows us to think about our own thinking.
Scientists still debate whether consciousness emerges from complexity or reflects something more fundamental.
Mindfulness provides a direct experience of observing consciousness itself.
Resources mentioned
Baars, B. J. (1988). A cognitive theory of consciousness. Cambridge University Press.
Baars, B. J. (1997). In the theatre of consciousness: The workspace of the mind. Oxford University Press.
Chalmers, D. J. (1995). Facing up to the problem of consciousness. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2(3), 200–219.
Crick, F., & Koch, C. (2003). A framework for consciousness. Nature Neuroscience, 6(2), 119–126. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0203-119
Goff, P. (2017). Consciousness and fundamental reality. Oxford University Press.
Hameroff, S., & Penrose, R. (2014). Consciousness in the universe: A review of Orch OR theory. Physics of Life Reviews, 11(1), 39–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2013.08.002
Koch, C. (2019). The feeling of life itself: Why consciousness is widespread but can’t be computed. MIT Press.
Tononi, G. (2004). An information integration theory of consciousness. BMC Neuroscience, 5, Article 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-5-42
Tononi, G. (2008). Consciousness as integrated information: A provisional manifesto. Biological Bulletin, 215(3), 216–242. https://doi.org/10.2307/25470707
Tononi, G., & Koch, C. (2015). Consciousness: Here, there and everywhere? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 370(1668), 20140167. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2014.0167
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Episode transcript
Note: This summary was created from the episode transcript and highlights the main topics discussed.
Consciousness is something each of us experiences every moment of our lives, yet it remains one of the greatest mysteries in neuroscience and philosophy. In this episode of Blossoming Brains, Dr. Vicki Draeger explores what consciousness is, how scientists study it, and why understanding awareness continues to challenge researchers across multiple disciplines.
The episode begins by examining the distinction between brain activity and conscious experience. While neuroscience can identify brain regions and neural processes associated with perception, thought, and behavior, a deeper question remains: why do these processes produce a subjective experience at all? This question is often referred to as the "hard problem" of consciousness.
Dr. Draeger introduces several leading theories that attempt to explain consciousness. Global Workspace Theory suggests that consciousness functions like a spotlight, bringing selected information into a shared mental workspace that can be accessed by different parts of the brain. Integrated Information Theory proposes that consciousness emerges from the degree to which information is interconnected and unified within a system. Other perspectives discussed include emergent theories of consciousness, higher-order thought theory, panpsychism, and quantum approaches such as the Orch OR theory proposed by Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff.
The episode also explores the relationship between consciousness and self-awareness. Dr. Draeger discusses metacognition—the ability to think about our own thinking—and how this capacity may contribute to our sense of self. Listeners are encouraged to consider how attention, reflection, memory, and introspection shape conscious experience.
Mindfulness is presented as a practical way to observe consciousness directly. By paying attention to thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise, individuals can gain insight into the workings of awareness and the constantly changing nature of conscious experience.
The discussion extends beyond human consciousness to questions about animals and artificial intelligence. If consciousness exists on a spectrum, what might that mean for other species? Could advanced AI systems ever become conscious, or are they simply processing information without subjective experience? These questions raise important scientific and ethical considerations that are becoming increasingly relevant as technology advances.
Throughout the episode, Dr. Draeger emphasizes that consciousness sits at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and even physics. Despite significant advances in brain science, researchers still do not fully understand how the physical brain gives rise to the rich inner world of thoughts, emotions, memories, and awareness.
Key themes discussed include:
• What consciousness is and why it remains difficult to explain
• The difference between brain activity and subjective experience
• The "hard problem" of consciousness
• Global Workspace Theory and Integrated Information Theory
• Emergent, higher-order, and quantum theories of consciousness
• Metacognition and self-awareness
• Mindfulness as a tool for observing awareness
• Consciousness in animals and the possibility of conscious AI
• Ethical questions surrounding machine consciousness
• Why consciousness remains one of science's greatest unanswered questions
The episode ultimately encourages listeners to reflect on the remarkable fact that while consciousness is the most familiar aspect of our daily lives, it may also be one of the least understood phenomena in the universe.
About the host
Dr. Vicki Draeger is a science educator, author, and mother of five whose work focuses on lifelong learning, neuroscience, and how the brain changes at every age. Named one of Hawaii’s top science teachers and a finalist for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, she now hosts Blossoming Brains to explore how minds—from human children to octopuses—learn, adapt, and thrive.
