Speaking.

A passion for people.

One of the best parts of my job is sharing state-of-the-art research with people all over the world.

Selected Talks.

  1. Grasping the Good Life: Insights from the Optimal Grip Framework, symposium with John Verveake, American Psychological Association, Seattle, USA, August 8-10, 2024.

  2. The Impact of Vibro-Tactile False Physiological Feedback on Emotional Intensity Judgments: A Behavioral and fMRI Study. Poster at Organization for Human Brain Mapping Conference, Seoul, Korea, June 23-27, 2024.

  3. The Neurophenomenology of Jhana Meditation: Neuroscientific, Computational, and Phenomenological Perspectives on Meditative Absorption, symposium with Jonas Mago, Micheal Lifshitz and Josh Bradinsky. International Society for Contemplative Research, Italy. June 19-24th.

  4. The Predictive Dynamics of Human Flourishing. 2023 International Conference on Embodied Cognitive Science (ECogS 2023). November 13-17 2023, Okinawa, Japan.

  5. On the Varieties of Selflessness. Prism Lab, Leiden, Netherlands. June 28 2023.

  6. What Recent Advances in Computational Neuroscience Can Tell us About Authenticity. 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference. Biological and Social Factors in Authenticity Then, Now, and Tomorrow Participant(s): Zachary Witkower (University of Toronto), Anne Solbu (U at Buffalo - SUNY) and Elena Svetieva (U of Colorado Colorado Springs). May 25-29 2023

  7. Cognitive Science of Death and Deception. RE:COG, University of Toronto. April 5 2023.

  8. Surfing Deception Ecologies: Social Media, Gas Lighting and the Predictive Brain. RE:COG, University of Toronto. March 31 2023.

  9. On the Variety of Selflessness. The Unconscious Mind Conference. University of Toronto. October 29 2022.

  10. Lies, Damned Lies, and Fake News: Civic Engagement and Justice in a Post Truth Society. University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Civics Initiative. October 21 2022.

  11. What do Social Media and Gaslighting Have in Common? Heller Center Fall 2022 Fellow Seminar Series. October 20 2022.

  12. Third-Wave Artificial Empathy: an Active Inference Approach to Affective Computing. International Conference on Embodied Cognitive Science. August 19 2022.

  13. Predictive Dynamics of Curiosity and Playfulness. Plenary Talk at Cabinets of Curiosities Conference, Diverse Intelligence Institute (DISI), Collegium Helveticum, Zürich, Switzerland, March 31 2022.

  14. Neuroaesthetics of Horror Films. University of Toronto Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence Student Association. March 28 2022.

  15. Neuroaesthetics of Horror Films. The Scottish Aesthetics Forum, University of St Andrews. March 1 2022.

  16. Active Inference, Emotion and New Robotics. Honda Research Institute. March 17 2022.

  17. Exploring the Predictive Dynamics of Happiness and Well-Being. University of Toronto Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence Student Association. February 18 2022.

  18. On the Predictive Dynamics of Happiness and Well-Being. The Free Energy Principle: Science, Tech and Philosophy. February 17 2022.

  19. Artificial Empathy: Active Inference and the New Collective Intelligence. Co-presented with Ben White. Cognitio2021. October 15-17 2021.

  20. Filtered Lives: Active Inference, Social Media and Mental Health. Second International Workshop on Active Inference. September 13th.

  21. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Horror. When Fear is Fun, First Annual Aarhus Workshop on Recreational Fear. August 26 2021.

  22. The Warped Self: Active Inference, Social Media and Mental Health at Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience Seminar Series. July 15 2021.

  23. The Joy of Horror Films: Active Inference, Aesthetic Pleasure and the Paradox of Horror. Art and Affect in the Predictive Mind Conference.. June 30-July 2 2021.

  24. Getting a Kick Out of Film: Aesthetic Pleasure and Play in Prediction Error Minimizing Agents. European Philosophical Society for the Study of Emotions June 10-12 2021..

  25. Filtered States: Active Inference, Social Media and Mental Health at the CogniTalks Summer 2021 Edition. June 7 2021.

  26. Active Inference and the Paradox of Horror. Prediction and Emotion Conference.. March 31-April 2021.

  27. Curiosity in the Predictive Brain. Symposium title: Surprising Play, Interacting Minds and Predictive Brains, with Andreas Roepstorff,, Marc Malmdorf Andersen, Savhannah Schulz and Meredith Bak. Learning through Play and Imagination, Society for Research in Child Development Conference, St. Louis, USA, 2021.

  28. Predictive Minds in a Socio-Technological Niche; Keynote at WASP-HS Winter Conference, Lund, Sweden. February 9-11 2021.

  29. Curiosity in an Ecological-Enactive Predictive Organism. Learning, Breaking, Making: Analysing Processes of Play, Second International PLAYTRACK Conference, Aarhus University, Denmark. 2021.

  30. Why Neuroscience Needs Philosophy. Corpus Curiosum: Stimulating Critical Thinking in Neuroscience. Online June 23 2020. https://corpuscuriosum.com/#pastseries.

  31. Why Neuroscience Needs Philosophy. July 16th Colloquium Lecture of Cognitive Science, Tübingen University. Online July 16.

  32. Losing Ourselves: Active Inference, Depersonalization and Enlightenment. Plenary talk at the Science of Consciousness conference Nov 9 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojzKvU8G0x0&feature=emb_logo

  33. Rewilding the Predictive Brain: Embodied, Emotional and Extended. York University Neurology Group, Jan 16 2020.

  34. Rewilding the Predictive Brain: Embodied, Emotional and Extended. University of Toronto Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence Student Association, Jan 10 2020.

  35. Hitting the Slopes: Temporal Error Dynamics and the Surprise-Loving Predictive Organism. Keynote at Timescales of Life and Mind Conference. University of Edinburgh, Nov 4-6 2019.

  36. Mood as Predicting Momentum. Symposium title: Losing Our Grip: Psychopathology and Embodied Predictive Processing, with Julian Kiverstein, Jelle Bruineberg and Regina Fabry. European Conference on Cognitive Science. Bochum, DE. Sept 2-4 2019. Edinburgh UK. Jan 23 2019.

  37. The Gripless Grip: A Predictive Processing Account of Buddhist Awakening, Pint of Science, Edinburgh, UK. May 21 2019.

  38. Embodying Addiction: A Predictive Processing Account, keynote at Beyond the Brain: Academic Conference at the University of Edinburgh on Reconceptualizing Mental Disorders, University of Edinburgh, UK. May 9-10 2019.

  39. Still Happily Entangled: Prediction, Emotion and Embodied Cognition Philosophy, Psychology and Informatics Group Seminar Series, University of Edinburgh UK. Jan 23 2019.

  40. Feelings Gone Wild. 2nd Annual X-Spect Workshop, University of Edinburgh. Nov 02 2018.

  41. Fleshing Out Visual Consciousness: Philosophy, Neuropsychology and the Two- Visual Systems. Philosophy of Mind, Language, and Cognitive Science Graduate Conference. Western University, Canada. May, 14-16th 2018

  42. Predictive Coding and the Bodily Self. 25th Annual University of Waterloo Philosophy Graduate Student Association Conference. Waterloo, Canada. March, 8th 2018

  43. The Neuroscience of Human Perception and the Image of Self. University of Edinburgh Psychedelic Society. Edinburgh, UK. April, 5th 2017. Wisdom and Compassion in the Predictive Brain.

  44. Compassion and Wisdom in the Predictive Brain. A Patient's Tale: compassion in our NHS? Global Compassion Initiative, Royal College of Physicians. Edinburgh UK. March, 13 2017.

  45. The Puzzle of Curiosity: Why Would a Prediction Error Minimizing Brain Move Agents to Seek Out Novelty? Presented with Julian Kiverstein at Worlding the Brain: Predictive Processing as an Interdisciplinary Concept. University of Amsterdam, NL. November, 16 2016.

  46. Embodying the Brain. 4th Global Experts Meeting on Neuropharmacology. San Antonio, USA. September, 15-17 2016.

  47. Predictive Brains and Compassionate Hearts. TEDx Compassion and Courage Salon. Edinburgh, UK. June, 28 2016.

  48. Predictive Emotions, Emotional Predicting. The Second Annual Conference of the European Philosophical Society for the Study of Emotions. Edinburgh, UK. July, 15-17 2015.

  49. Is the Brain a Prediction Machine? International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology Meeting. Montreal, CA. July, 5-10 2015.

  50. Affective Realism: The Light and Dark Side of Seeing-With-Feeling. The World as We Feel It - Talking About Emotions Across the Disciplines Lecture Series. University of Edinburgh, UK. April, 28 2015.

  51. The Embodied Brain.The Second Symposium on Embodied Cognition and Performance at The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour Conference. Kent, UK. April, 22 2015.

  52. Is Empathy (Radically) Embodied? Cognition of Self and Other: Perceptual and Social Processes. University of Stirling Psychology Symposium, UK. November, 13 2014.

Conferences & Workshops Organized

  1. Wisdom as an Antidote to Compassion BurnOut Workshop. Consciousness and Wisdom Studies Lab.

  2. Cognitive Science of Death and Deception. Consciousness and Wisdom Studies Lab & CASA,

    University of Toronto. April 2nd, 2023.

  3. Flourishing in an Age of Misinformation. Consciousness and Wisdom Lab & CASA. University of Toronto. September 18th, 2023.

  4. Emotion and Prediction Conference. Organized with Jose Araya, Pablo Fernandez & Slawa Loev. (University of Chile). March 31-April 1 2021.

  5. All Things Predictive. Expecting Ourselves International Conference, Online. November 4-6 2020.

  6. Wilding the Predictive Brain: Prediction, Culture and Context. 3rd Annual Expecting Ourselves Workshop, University of Sussex UK. November 1 2019.

  7. Innovative Minds: Prediction, Embodiment and Consciousness. Six-week online course June-July 2019.

  8. Beyond the Brain: Academic Conference at the University of Edinburgh Reconceptualizing Mental Disorder, University of Edinburgh, UK, May 9-10 2019.

  9. State of the Art (and Just Beyond). 2nd Annual Expecting Ourselves Workshop, University of Edinburgh UK. November 10 2018.

  10. Embodied Mind, Embodied Design. University of Edinburgh, November 9 2015.

  11. The Mindful Brain: Meditation and Cognitive Science. Eight-week course, University of Edinburgh’s Student Association, October 20 2015.

Media & Public Engagement.

  1. Embodied Robotics: What Breakdancing Robots Teach Us About Human Minds, Nerd Nite Hamilton, July 8th 2024.

  2. Horror, Death and Humans, Rocky Talky Podcast, July 3 2024 .https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rockytalky/episodes/EP80-HORROR--DEATH---HUMAN S-Dr--Mark-Miller-e2li193

  3. Scrolling Struggles: Unraveling the Mystery of Social Media Addiction. Nerd Nite Hamilton, March 11th, 2024.

  4. Love on the brain: What can cognitive science teach us about how to better love one another? The Varsity. https://thevarsity.ca/2024/04/07/love-on-the-brain-an-interview-with-professor-mark-miller/

  5. Interviewed about Surfing Uncertainty with Screams (Phil. Trans. B) on 3AW Breakfast is the highest-rating radio program in Australia. Daily audience of 610,000.

  6. Interviewed about Surfing Uncertainty with Screams (Phil. Trans. B) on Australia’s 6PR radio show.

  7. Why watching scary movies can help in real-life times of stress, Newsable, NZ, January 10 2023. https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/301029936/newsable-why-watching-scary-movies-can-help-in -reallife-times-of-stress.

  8. Horror Film’s Sweet-Spot, Melbourne's Herald Sun, December 19 2023.

  9. The Benefits of Horror Movies, 6PR Radio Interview, December 20 2023

  10. Cognitive Philosophy and Human Flourishing. Maximilian Rehn Podcast.

  11. Video Games, Wisdom and Happiness. Jack Roycroft’s Podcast.

  12. Happiness and the Predictive Mind. The Many Minds Podcast, https://manyminds.libsyn.com/happiness-and-the-predictive-mind.

  13. Predictive Processing and Physical Therapy. Todd Hargrove’s Podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPTSVwgjPfs.

  14. Predictive Processing Framework and Flourishing Wellbeing. Predicting Better Podcast with Tony Fitzgerald. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fV3yjzv5zY.

  15. Predictive Processing, Well-Being and Wisdom. Voices with Vervaeke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4bO-3SJp1s.

  16. Being Mark Miller. The Positive Encouragers Podcast. https://anchor.fm/richmond-stace/episodes/Being-Mark-Miller-e1ffsti.

  17. Predictive Dynamics of Happiness and Well-Being. Active Inference Lab Guest Stream. August 9 2021.

  18. The Warping Effects of Social Media. The Academic Minute, WAMC Northeast Public Radio. July 2021.

  19. On Being a Cognitive Scientist. Cognitive Science Society Podcast. July 2021.

  20. Getting Unstuck. The Positive Encouragers Podcast. https://anchor.fm/richmond-stace/episodes/Mark-Miller--philosopher-of-cognition-e12saoc/a-a5t758k. June 16 2021.

  21. Philosophy and Cognitive Science: The Predictive Brain. The Scientistt Podcast. https://anchor.fm/scientistt/episodes/Philosophy-and-Cognitive-Science-The-Predictive-Brain-ev15k8/a-a58unil. April 17 2021.

  22. Public Outreach, presenting research outputs from Expecting Ourselves to the public at The Digital Festival, Brighton UK, October 13 2019.

  23. Public Outreach, presenting neuroscience behind the award-winning psychological illusion ‘The Mirage Box’. Camera Obscura, Edinburgh UK, September 2017.

  24. Embodying Addiction. Interview on the podcast Philosophers Chatting with Clinicians. February 11th 2020. philsclinschat.podbean.com/e/3-maka/.

Podcasts.

 

Recorded Talks.