Dr. Lucia Melloni - "Using Adversarial Collaboration to Harness Collective Intelligence"

                     Speaker | Lucia Melloni, PhD,
                                        W2 Group Leader (Tenure), Department of Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for
                                        Empirical Aesthetics

                            Title | Using Adversarial Collaboration to Harness Collective Intelligence

                           Date | Thursday, May 2nd, 2024

                           Time | 2:00 PM

                     Location | JJR Macleod Auditorium, MSB 2158, Medical Sciences Building,
                                        1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8

                           Host | 2024 Joint Neuroscience Conference
                                        (CPIN Research Day, The Max Planck-University of Toronto Centre (MPUTC) for
                                        Neural Science Research Day and Technology and The CenteR for Advancing Neurotechnological
                                        Innovation to Applications (CRANIA))

        Speaker Details | https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/en/the-institute/people/lucia-melloni-en.html

Abstract

There are many mysteries in the universe. One of the most significant, often considered the final frontier in science, is understanding how our subjective experience, or consciousness, emerges from the collective action of neurons in biological systems. While substantial progress has been made over the past decades, a unified and widely accepted explanation of the neural mechanisms underpinning consciousness remains elusive. The field is rife with theories that frequently provide contradictory explanations of the phenomenon. To accelerate progress, we have adopted a new model of science: adversarial collaboration in team science. Our goal is to test theories of consciousness in an adversarial setting. Adversarial collaboration offers a unique way to bolster creativity and rigor in scientific research by merging the expertise of teams with diverse viewpoints. Ideally, we aim to harness collective intelligence, embracing various perspectives, to expedite the uncovering of scientific truths. In this talk, I will highlight the effectiveness (and challenges) of this approach using selected case studies, showcasing its potential to counter biases, challenge traditional viewpoints, and foster innovative thought. Through the joint design of experiments, teams incorporate a competitive aspect, ensuring comprehensive exploration of problems. This method underscores the importance of structured conflict and diversity in propelling scientific advancement and innovation.