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CortexCast - A Neuroscience PodcastAuthor: Oxford University
In-depth yet accessible interviews with world-leading neuroscientists, exploring cutting edge techniques, challenges in the field, and how these researchers think not only about the brain but life in general. The conversations are accessible to anyone with an interest in science. CortexCast is the official podcast of the Oxford University Cortex Club, a student run society that connects local and internationally recognised neuroscientists with students and researchers in Oxford through forums such as panels discussions, lectures and small debates. If you are interested in Cortex then this is the 'cast for you. Language: en Genres: Education, Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Season 3 Episode 3 | Between Order and Chaos: Exploring the Entropic Brain
Monday, 26 January, 2026
Why do psychedelics, dreams, and mental illnesses feel so different from everyday awareness? We unpack the Entropic Brain Hypothesis and what it tells us about flexibility, rigidity, and the architecture of conscious experience. Consciousness may not be a stable state, but a delicate balance between structure and freedom. In this episode, we explore the Entropic Brain Hypothesis - a framework proposing that the richness of conscious experience depends on how flexible and unpredictable brain activity becomes. Drawing on research into psychedelics, altered states, and psychiatric disorders, we discuss how shifts in brain entropy may underlie creativity, rigidity of thought, and therapeutic change, offering a new lens on the dynamics of the mind. Reference: Carhart-Harris, R.L. (2018) The entropic brain – revisited, Neuropharmacology, 142, pp. 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.03.010
