b. 1946
Bernard Baars is a Dutch-American cognitive scientist best known for developing Global Workspace Theory, one of the most influential neuroscientific frameworks for understanding consciousness. His work bridges cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy of mind by proposing that conscious experience arises from a 'global workspace' in which information is broadcast widely across distributed brain networks.
Developed Global Workspace Theory (GWT) of consciousness
Authored 'A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness' (1988), a foundational text in consciousness studies
Co-founded the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC)
Advanced the integration of cognitive psychology and neuroscience in consciousness research
Authored 'In the Theater of Consciousness' (1997), popularizing the theater metaphor for conscious experience