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What is this talk about ?
What if the letter A were bright red, or Wednesday tasted like cinnamon? This condition, called synesthesia, offers a surprising window into how the brain shapes what we see, hear, and feel. In this talk, Dr Olympia Colizolu will invite you to explore what synesthesia reveals about one of the most fascinating questions in both neuroscience and philosophy: Do we all experience the same world? She will share her own path—from starting as a philosopher asking abstract questions about consciousness to becoming a neuroscientist studying the brain’s inner workings—and how synesthesia helped bridge those worlds for her. By examining how different brains combine or separate sensations, we’ll see that perception is not a simple reflection of reality, but a creative construction shaped by our unique neural wiring. Synesthesia offers a vivid glimpse into the diversity of human minds and challenges our assumptions about what “normal” perception is. Together, we’ll explore what these extraordinary experiences teach us about consciousness, the brain, and our own inner worlds.
About the Speaker
Dr. Olympia Colizoli is an Assistant Professor of Cognitive Psychology at the Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, where she studies how the brain gives rise to individual differences in perception and conscious experience. Originally trained as a philosopher, Dr. Colizoli later moved into cognitive neuroscience to investigate philosophical questions about the mind experimentally. Her research explores how unusual perceptual experiences, such as synesthesia, can reveal the remarkable diversity of human minds. Dr. Colizoli is passionate about making neuroscience accessible and enjoys sharing the wonder of the brain with audiences of all backgrounds.
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Event Venue
University of Malta - Valletta Campus, 158 Triq San Kristofru, Valletta, VLT, Malta
Tickets
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