Jay Ingram's Blog

About Jay Ingram

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:45:00 +0000

Jay Ingram is a Canadian science journalist, author and broadcaster. He has been host of the television show Daily Planet (originally titled @discovery.ca), which airs on Discovery Channel Canada, since the channel's inception in 1995, and is the former host of the CBC Radio show "Quirks and Quarks."

Jay has written of several bestselling books including Talk, Talk, Talk: Decoding the Mysteries of Speech, The Science of Everyday Life, The Velocity of Honey: And More Science of Everyday Life and The Burning House: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Brain, which won the 1995 Canadian Science Writers Book Award. Ingram's most recent popular science book is titled Theatre of the Mind: Pulling Back the Curtain on Consciousness published by Harper Collins in October 2005.

Ingram earned a master's degree in microbiology from the University of Toronto. He has also been awarded honorary degrees from three different Canadian universities (Carleton, McGill and McMaster), and his books have been awarded three Canadian Science Writers' Awards.

In January 2006, Ingram launched Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind, a podcast inspired by his most recent book. The weekly program was co-hosted and produced by performer and blogger David Newland.

Where the podcasts went

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:39:00 +0000

Tons of people have been emailing to ask, where are the podcasts?

A good question. Basically, both of us got really busy with our "real lives," and we haven't recorded a new session in ages.

On top of that, the costs of hosting the files and allowing people to download them were pretty steep. So we've removed the audio files from the site for now, until we can work out some kind of reasonable way to share the episodes without draining our own resources.

We do encourage you to email. It's been great hearing from so many of you, and it's wonderful to know who's out there and what people are looking for. One idea is to make the podcasts available on CD, and if you're interested in that, or can suggest another brilliant idea, please let us know.

Thanks for bearing with us.

JITOTM46: The Rubber Hand

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:03:00 +0000

It starts as a simple illusion: place a rubber arm next to your own on a table, hide your arm, and stroke the fake one with a paintbrush. You'll be amazed! You'll be transfixed! You'll be in the mood to question just how easily your awareness can me misplaced!

The trick is a simple one, but the implications are profound. If stimulating a simulated limb can send your mind into a tizzy... isn't consciousness itself all about location, location, location?

Where is the mind, really? Can it be above and behind the body, as in a third-person-shooter? What about floating up and away, as in an out-of-body-experience? Can your mind be in your heart, as some Native peoples believe? Where did Helen Keller - blind and deaf from birth - feel her mind was? How did Wayne Gretzky "see the ice from above?"

These and many other questions are asked intriguingly, if not answered resoundingly, in the latest episode of JITOTM, The Rubber Hand. We stimulate - you respond!

JITOTM45: Butterfly Mind?

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 02:03:00 +0000

Humans have wondered if animals can think for ages. But here's a new twist on the old question: How do you think you're influenced by speed of movement, and or kind of movement, when it comes to deciding whether an animal has a mind?

That curious question, from Jay to you, is inspired by research that indicated people seem likelier to attribute the quality of "mind" to animals that move at near-human speed.

Anthropomorphism? Egotistical bias? Or just an odd anomaly of data? It's not clear why, for example, turtles might be judged to have "mind" while cows and squirrels make the cut.

Sometimes studying consciousness is more about questions, than answers. Give the questions a listen and then send your responses to this week's episode of JITOTM, Butterfly Mind.

JITOTM44: Jolting the Thalamus

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 23:26:00 +0000

Stimulus and response: one of life's most elementary relationships. Response, or lack of response to stimuli is one way modern medicine determines someone's condition, especially when it comes to severe brain injury.

Now, the application of a special kind of stimulus may hold promise for some people in states of prolonged unconsciousness or partial consciousness. It seems that in one man's case, at least, applying electric current to the thalamus - a walnut-sized region near the centre of the brain - led to a significant improvement in his minimally conscious state.

He's regained a vocabulary of basic words, and is engaging with loved ones and even playing cards. All from a little zap to the thalamus? So it would seem... and that raises some weird and wonderful questions about the possibilities for others in similar states.

Listen along as we speculate on the implications in the latest episode of JITOTM, Jolting the Thalamus.

JITOTM43: Eyes and Mind

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:36:00 +0000

You know that whirring sound your hard drive makes when it's working on a big application? What if REM - rapid eye movement, which normally signifies dreaming - is actually a sign your brain is "chugging" when it's writing to memory?

The suggestion is that you might be dreaming all night long; it's just that you can only remember dreams that happen during REM sleep - because any other dreams you might have just don't 'stick'.

It's a wacky, unsubstantiated theory from a certain podcaster who admits to knowing nothing about it, but it makes for a good discussion. One that includes winking, blinking, darting, RAM, ROM, dreams, long-term memory, memorizing multiple decks of cards, solving Rubik's cube blindfolded...

The usual good stuff, in other words. You'll be blinking along to the conversation in this week's edition of JITOTM, Eyes and Mind.

JITOTM42: Consciousness Questions

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 01:24:00 +0000

It's one of our favourite things to do, but let's face it, we don't do it enough. The comments and emails from listeners are always often intriguing, sometimes inspiring, and always interesting. We took a few moments on a summer's afternoon to discuss the consciousness of twins, the power of neural marketing, the Pepsi challenge, Jay's multiple trips to the MRI in the cause of science...

It's a little random and at times, lofty - fundamental disconnect between human consciousness and nature, anyone? - but it's a whole lot of fun. Whether you're being complimentary, confusing, supportive, or argumentative... we're listening, and we love it.

Especially when we get to sing heavy metal riffs to cure your earworms: You have to hear it to believe it... dear listeners, these are your Consciousness Questions. Enjoy!

JITOTM41: Simulated Consciousness

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:45:00 +0000

It's the year 2030, and Moore's Law still holds true: in fact, computers have become so sophisticated that it is now possible to simulate human consciousness perfectly. So perfectly, that it's indistinguishable from the real thing. So it's possible, by inputting really rich data, to simulate a past environment in complete detail, effectively endowing sim-like characters with their own consciousness.

That's the sort of scenario envisioned by philosopher Nick Bostrum. Cool stuff, eh?

Now... suppose someone simulates, say, the month of June, 2007? Suppose they create a couple of characters called "Jay" and "David." Suppose those two characters have a simulated discussion, using their carefully crafted artificial intelligence to optimum effect...

Just how, exactly, will you, the listener, know whether this is the real deal, or not? That's the question in this episode of JITOTM, Simulated Consciousness. Trust us if you dare!

JITOTM40: Earworms & Oddities

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 01:17:00 +0000

Remember earworms? Of course you do - that's the problem. Earworms are those little phrases of songs that you just can't get out of your head. There's not a whole lot of research out there on earworms, but some findings suggest that unusual rhythms and odd melodic twists - like lack of resolution - may make them more memorable.

That's how it works with audio cues, anyway. We've talked about them before. But what about visual memories? And smells, tastes, and touch sensations? Is there such a thing as an "eyeworm?"

We have no clue... But come on in, the speculation's fine in this week's episode of JITOTM, Earworms and Other Oddities.

JITOTM39: Cell Phone Consciousness

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 01:52:00 +0000

You can walk and chew gum at the same time. You can also sing and play guitar at the same time, or at least some people can. But can you write and watch the hockey game at the same time? "Multi-taskers" would say yes... Jay says, maybe not. But then, Jay's not a big believer in multi-tasking, period.

Multi-tasking is a challenging subject to talk about. The topic is rife with speculation, much of which is based on data collected from one of the most common attempts at multi-tasking: driving while talking on the cell phone. What's the difference between talking to a friend on the phone, and a talking to a passenger next to you?

We don't know, but we're asking good questions in this week's episode of JITOTM, Cell Phone Consciousness. Enjoy.

JITOTM38: You Asked Us Again

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 23:50:00 +0000

You keep asking us questions, and it's been ages since we answered them. We're listening, really! And to prove it we've taken on your comments as this week's topic for discussion.

We've got the kid who learned to count in her mind, a fellow who had to fight his way out from under his duvet in a lucid dream, and a curious gentleman who wondered if the soul was the same as the unconsious mind. All this and more in this week's episode of JITOTM, You Asked Us Again.

JITOTM37: Imagine the Future

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:01:00 +0000

How do we think about the future? It seems obvious, right? We just... think about it! But a pair of recent studies are shedding new light on what parts of the brain are involved in that simple activity, and it's more complex than you might think.

That's especially true when you think about the fact that for both Buddhists, and physicists... the future doesn't exist! Find out what's to come in this week's episode of JITOTM, Imagine the Future.

JITOTM36: Kinds of Consciousness

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:06:00 +0000

You know what consciousness is like... for you. But what was it like for an early human? What would it be like if you could heed your gut feelings better? What if you had a better sense of smell? Let's get really funky: what if you were a bee? Or a robot? Or a computer program trained to fly like a bird?

You don't know, do you? Neither do we. But we're talking about what it's like, anyway - it's just too interesting to resist - on this week's episode of JITOTM, Kinds of Consciousness.

JITOTM35: Deja Vu Again

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 02:22:00 +0000

This one may seem eerily familiar: it's deja vu again. Those uncanny moments where you'd swear you've been there before are endlessly fascinating, especially because no one really understands what exactly is going on in the mind to cause them. Recent research featuring a blind subject may shed some light on the subject, but then.... haven't we heard that before somewhere?

You may need to listen twice to this episode of JITOTM, Deja Vu Again.

JITOTM34: Flashbulb Memories

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 17:55:00 +0000

We all have them, and to some extent, we all share them. But why, and how, do flashbulb memories imprint themselves so strongly on our consciousness? Whether it's the death of an American president, or the series-winning goal of a Canadian hockey hero, something is going on in our minds - or is it our hearts? - in those memorable moments...

Find out what might be behind the camera of consciousness in this episode of JITOTM, Flashbulb Memories.

JITOTM33: Cosmic Consciousness

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:11:00 +0000

Now the big question: what happens when a normal person grasps the unity of everything? You'd think it would be great achievement, because it's seen that way by monks and shamans and other spiritual adepts. But for ordinary folks, a moment of cosmic consciousness may be followed by a lifetime of disappointment!

Find out what's wrong with becoming one with the universe in this week's episode of JITOTM, Cosmic Consciousness.

JITOTM32: Synesthesia

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:14:00 +0000

Five is blue. Mountains are bitter. Get it? If you do, you're either a poet, or a person gifted with synesthesia. Synesthetics can sometimes 'feel' colour, or 'hear' visual stimuli. The phenomenon is both intriguing, and revealing when it comes to speculating on how the mind may work.

Taste the synthesis of the senses in this week's episode of JITOTM, Synesthesia.

JITOTM31: Altered States

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 19:54:00 +0000

What qualifies as an altered state of consciousness? That's what one of our listeners wanted to know. Drugs, meditation, dreaming, daydreaming, and the runner's high (and not canoeing!) are the 'official' states as recognized by the scientific consensus. The real question is, what causes these altered states in the first place?

Alter your own state of mind by bending an ear to this week's episode of JITOTM, Altered States.

JITOTM30: Dream Consciousness 3

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 12:58:00 +0000

The dream of all dreamers: to take charge of the surreal circumstances that present themselves, and take control of the dream. That's what lucid dreaming is all about.

Twenty years ago, it was a fringe topic, barely worthy of scientific investigation - in fact, the scientific consensus was that lucid dreaming was impossible! After all, how could you be conscious, and asleep, at the same time?

Find out how in the final episode of the JITOTM dream trilogy: Dream Consciousness 3.

Behind the curtain

More dream podcasts: The CBC radio progam Ideas did a great series on the subject, presented by Jeff Warren
The Lucidity Institute: their website includes tips for lucid dreamers
Waking Life: this beautiful and evocative animated film by Richard Linklater comes highly recommmded for aspiring lucid dreamers. Click on the image to learn more or to order from Chapters-Indigo.

JITOTM 29: Dream Consciousness 2

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:32:00 +0000

Do dreams contain a deeper wisdom? The plot thickens: we're into our second episode exploring "sleep, dreams, and weirdness," and we're picking it up in a peculiar place.

Last week, we were just dipping our toes into dreamland, and I mentioned two peculiar sorts of dreams that recur with me: dreams where I meet dead people I've known, and dreams where I meet my rock & roll heroes.

Credit Jay with an open mind: he likes hard evidence, but he loves a compelling story, too. So this episode begins by exploring dream conversations with my dear departed grandmother, and moves on to some serious (rude) words of advice, imparted by a dream version of Irish rockstar Bono!

What does it all mean? That's the rub. No scientist can tell you where dreams come from, let alone what a dream means, and we're not about to try. But there are a few things we know.

For example, 20 % of kids who are ten will report dreams they've experienced; while 80 % of kids at age 12 do. Kids younger than that do dream, but their dreams are not well-developed, nor particularly interesting (with the exception of night terrors). Yet waking consciousness has been fully developed since about age four!

That's a mystery. And it leads to another: the bizarre, intriguing, but scientifically frustrating case of the lucid dreamers. That's where we're headed by the end of this episode of JITOTM, Dream Consciousness 2.

Thanks for listening!

To listen to this episode of Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind, simply subscribe to the weekly podcast using iTunes or the RSS feed reader of your choice. It's easy and it's free. Just click the icon below!

When you've subscribed, you'll automatically receive new episodes as soon as they're published. You will have the option to download past episodes including this one.
Subscribe to JITOTM now!

JITOTM28: Dream Consciousness 1

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 18:32:00 +0000

Now we're getting into the good stuff. We've talked about dreams before, but we've never really delved deeply into the experiences that await the lucky visitor to dreamland.

This is some of the very richest, most intriguing territory in the world of consciousness studies, so we're going to present this discussion in three parts. I originally thought it might be "sleep, dreams, and weirdness" ... but right off the top, Jay pointed out that non-dreaming sleep isn't really consciousness anyway.

Good point - but then, isn't it odd that dreaming IS considered consciousness? After all, you're lying there prone and inactive, just as you are during the rest of the night... but when your mind enters the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep, you become AWARE even though you're not AWAKE.

And in that state of mind, what dreams may come? It's difficult to investigate dreams scientifically, but we're collectively learning lots as we go along. And it's clear that dream studies offer some of the most exciting insights into the workings of human consciousness.

The trouble is that all dream reports are completely subjective- we can only know what goes on in a dream from the dreamer's perspective. On the other hand, that means our own experiences of dreams are fine fodder for discussion: Jay's, mine, and yours too, we hope.

Enter, sandman... in this episode of JITOTM, Dream Consciousness 1.

Behind the Curtain:

The lobotomy prize: here's how the Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to Egaz Moniz in 1949 for the development of the frontal lobotomy.
Alan Hobson wrote The Dreaming Brain among others.
Robert Stickgold has a whole whack of dream-related articles to his credit.
Sound fixed! The issues we had when we first left the studio setting have been dealt with. We're now recording on location, but without the strange stereo split that was caused by using two seperate lavalier mics. We're now using a single stero mic, into a Canon XL1 digital camera, and post-processing using Audacity, in case anyone wondered.
What's the rustling? Jay's 1960s era bean bag chairs. Seriously. They are really, really comfortable for conversation, but it turns out, they show up on the tape. I kinda like it.
Brainard is back! We missed David Matheson's theme music.

To listen to this episode of Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind, simply subscribe to the weekly podcast using iTunes or the RSS feed reader of your choice. It's easy and it's free. Just click the icon below!

When you've subscribed, you'll automatically receive new episodes as soon as they're published. You will have the option to download past episodes including this one.
Subscribe to JITOTM now!

JITOTM27: Coma Consciousness

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:51:00 +0000

Controversy alert: a woman in a so-called 'vegetative state' proves to have what investigators suggest may be a 'rich mental life', according to functional MRI scans.

As Jay puts it, "this is going to set the cat among the pigeons." The obvious question raised, is how many people in so-called vegetative states are actually experiencing a rich mental life? This new finding is bound to influence discussion of cases like that of Terry Schiavo, and the ethical issues it raises.

But let's not jump to conclusions. We don't yet know what the findings really mean; just because one person in a vegetative state shows brain activity doesn't mean they all have brain activity. It's a sad fact that most people who are thought to be brain-dead really are brain-dead.

Nevertheless, this is an immensely important finding in the field of conscsiousness research, and one well worth the flurry of discussion it's bound to raise. We dive into the debate in this week's episode of JITOTM, Coma Consciousness.

Behind the curtain

Audio files for audiophiles: we're using a different system to record this year, a portable set-up rather than a studio. The main goal was to reduce file size. The second goal was to make conversation more conversational, by recording in comfortable familiar settings. The third goal was to maintain quality and consistency of recording. The producer (me) is working out just a few bugs (mic bumps, primarily, plus a little too much seperation between left and right in the stereo mix.) It should be smooth as silk by next week.
Coming up: Speaking of next week, we're beginning a three-part series on sleep and dreams, by request of you, the listeners. We'll cover everything from sleep consciousness, to sleep walking, to lucid dreaming. Stay tuned!
Where's the music? It's been an ongoing JITOTM issue since the beginning: tunes or no tunes? We've gone without music so far this year, and though one person says they miss it, we're getting more comments and compliments than ever.... I love the music, personally, but it does increase the file size and adds complications in production. For now it's out, but hey... feel free to disagree. We're listening.
Buying Jay's books: Some folks, especially those in the US, were having a hard time finding Jay's books online. So we've entered into an affiliation with Chapters-Indigo, which should make it easier to purchase the books you want by clicking through from this site. We're also planning to link to the books we refer to in the shows, in case you're interested in further reading. Also, let us know if you'd like reviews or recommendations of books or other media, and we can add that feature here on the website.

JITOTM26: The Shadow Self

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 02:55:00 +0000

Okay, we said we'd be back in September, and it's now mid-October. But we really are back... and better than ever, we hope.

Actually, our slogan for this year could be "Shadows of Our Former Selves," because we've cut out theme music, the song of the week, and the massive file sizes that were hallmarks of Season One.

That's because we're making a concerted effort to be more laid back, casual and interactive this year -based in part on the feedback we got from our friends and fans at Podcasters Across Borders in Kingston last spring. We're hoping that you'll find the conversation more accessible and stimulating as a result.

So it's back to the (new) mind-grind in this week's epsiode of JITOTM... aptly titled The Shadow Self.

Thanks for listening, and thanks for staying subscribed.

Behind the Curtain

Podcasters Across Borders we salute you... see you next year
Michael Persinger's wild and wooly works, as seen in Wired
Burnt Toast: the Wilder Penfield moment Canadians all know

JITOTM: Season One

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:15:00 +0000

Season One of Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind has now been archived and the audio files are no longer available. You can listen to current and new episodes by subscribing to our RSS feed. Just click on the "subscribe" button at right.

Text synopses of Season One episodes are viewable by clicking the titles below:

It's A Wrap

Dream Rehearsals

Musical Dreams

Creativity and Consciousness

Subliminal Messaging

Think Like An Animal

Time And Memory

You Asked Us Too

You Asked Us

Geography Of The Brain

The Brainpower Myth

Coralling Consciousness

Memorable Moments

To Be A Bat

Earworms!

Childhood Amnesia

Deja Vu All Over Again

One Track Mind

Hello, Homunculus

Einstein's Brain

To listen past episodes of Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind, simply subscribe to the weekly podcast using iTunes or the RSS feed reader of your choice. It's easy and it's free. Just click the icon below!

When you've subscribed, you'll automatically receive new episodes as soon as they're published. You will have the option to download past episodes as well.
Subscribe to JITOTM now!

Subscribe to Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind.

JITOTM25: It's A Wrap

noreply@blogger.com (David Newland) — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 23:36:00 +0000

All good things must come to an end, and that includes JITOTM. This makes 25 episodes for Season One, and we decided to give the last word to you… mostly, anyway.

One of the best things about JITOTM is the feedback and questions we get from our listeners. That includes everything from childhood amnesia anecdotes, to speculation about the location of consciousness, to comments and critique on the podcast itself.

That interaction is a big part of our success, and we'd like to thank all of you for your interest and participation in Season One. We'll be back for Season Two in September with lots more conversation about consciousness. For now... It's A Wrap.

Thanks for listening, happy summer, stay subscribed and we'll talk to you in September!

Behind the Curtain

Song of the Week: "You Might See Me Soon" by Raghu Lokanathan

This audio portion of this episode of Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind has now been archived and is no longer available.
You can listen to new episodes as they are published by subscribing to our RSS feed. It's easy and free- just click on the icon below.

Subscribe to Jay Ingram's Theatre of the Mind.