What if neurons aren’t the foundation of mind?

In this Mind-Body Solution Colloquia, Michael Levin and Robert Chis-Ciure challenge one of neuroscience’s deepest assumptions: that cognition and intelligence are exclusive to brains and neurons.

Drawing on cutting-edge work in bioelectricity, developmental biology, and philosophy of mind, this conversation explores how cells, tissues, and living systems exhibit goal-directed behavior, memory, and problem-solving — long before neurons ever appear.

We explore:
• Cognition without neurons
• Bioelectric networks as control systems
• Memory and learning beyond synapses
• Morphogenesis as collective intelligence
• Implications for AI, consciousness, and ethics

This episode pushes neuroscience beyond the neuron, toward a deeper understanding of mind, life, and intelligence as continuous across scales.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Introduction: Why Neuroscience Must Go Beyond Neurons
3:12 – The Central Claim: Cognition Is Not Exclusive to Brains
7:05 – Defining Cognition, Intelligence, and Agency Without Neurons
11:02 – Bioelectricity as a Control Layer for Morphogenesis
15:08 – Cells as Problem-Solvers: Goals, Memory, and Error Correction
19:41 – The Body as a Cognitive System: Scaling Intelligence Across Levels
24:10 – Developmental Plasticity and Non-Neural Decision-Making
28:36 – Morphological Computation and Collective Cellular Intelligence
33:02 – Challenging Neuron-Centric Neuroscience Assumptions
37:18 – Bioelectric Networks vs Neural Networks: Key Differences
41:55 – Memory Without Synapses: Storing Information in Living Tissue
46:07 – Rewriting Anatomy: Regeneration, Repatterning, and Control
50:29 – Cancer, Developmental Errors, and Cognitive Breakdown
54:48 – Pluribus: Philosophical Implications
59:14 – From Cells to Selves: Where Does Agency Begin?
1:03:22 – Implications for AI: Intelligence Without Brains or Neurons
1:08:11 – Rethinking Consciousness: Gradualism vs Binary Models
1:12:47 – Ethics of Expanding the Moral Circle Beyond Humans
1:17:31 – Future Science: New Tools for a Post-Neuron Neuroscience
1:22:54 – Closing Reflections: Life, Mind, and Intelligence All the Way Down

EPISODE LINKS:
- Cognition All the Way Down 2.0: Neuroscience Beyond Neurons in the Diverse Intelligence Era: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-025-05319-6
- Robert's Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7V9C7skAAAAJ&hl=en
- Mike's Podcast 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6gp-ORTBlU
- Mike's Podcast 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMxTS7eKkNM
- Mike's Podcast 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-tdscgxu4
- Mike's Podcast 4 (with Terrence Deacon): https://youtu.be/HuWbHwPZd60?si=z2unvX37OjXMjjIv
- Mike's Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQEX-twenkA
- Mike's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drmichaellevin
- Mike's Website: https://drmichaellevin.org/
- Mike's Blog: https://thoughtforms.life

CONNECT:
- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org
- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mindbodysolution
- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu
- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

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