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Science & Cocktails: Liquid brains and mapping the cognitive space

Tuesday 18 February 2025

In Tolhuistuin - Club

Doors: 19:00, Support: 19:30, Main programme: 20:30

Program is half seated, half standing

This show is part of

Kosmos

Science & Cocktails is a series of public talks by scientists with live music and smoky dry-ice chilled cocktails in your hand.

19:00 doors open for cocktails

19:30 Dear Omen (live)

20:30 Ricard Sole (talk)

Event in English, semi-seated.

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Brains are costly so why did brains develop? Is intelligence a universal property of living matter? Is human intelligence singular? Can we evolve other kinds of minds using artificial life models?

We live on a planet filled with life, where very diverse intelligences have emerged, from cells and ants to octopi and humans. With such diversity comes a wide range of brains and minds that living systems use to explore and sense their worlds. Moreover, cognition takes place in nature in two major classes of architecture, which we can roughly classify as "solid" (the standard, synaptic connectivity picture) versus those that are performed by "liquid" networks, such as the immune system or ant colonies. Why is that? This talk explores what constitutes a “brain”, how complex brains evolved, what differences and commonalities span living brains, and how we might build a space for possible new minds, from synthetic biology to artificial intelligence.

This event is an initiative by the Dutch Institute for Emergent Phenomena (DIEP) with the support of the University of Amsterdam. Science & Cocktails Amsterdam is presented in cooperation with Paradiso Amsterdam.

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Line-up

Club

Ricard Sole
Dear Omen

About the speaker

Ricard Sole is a research professor at ICREA and Head of the Complex Systems Lab at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. He holds degrees in Physics and Biology from the University of Barcelona and earned his PhD in Physics from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Additionally, he is an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute and has received prestigious awards, including grants from the James McDonnell Foundation and the ERC.

His research explores the evolutionary origins of complex systems through mathematical models and synthetic biology. He introduced the concept of Synthetic Major Transitions, a framework for studying evolutionary innovation by simulating past events. His work spans protocells, multicellularity, cognition, language, and novel cognitive networks; coining the term liquid brains to describe decentralized intelligence found in ant colonies, slime molds, and artificial swarms. He also leads research on terraforming endangered ecosystems to mitigate climate change and prevent ecological tipping points.

Dear Omen

Dear Omen is a three-headed, heavy-hearted gothic rock band from Amsterdam. Their sound is driven by a deep, resonant organ, a growling, driving bass, brimming drums, and dramatic vocals. With a knack for grit and romance, their live performances deliver an explosive and dark experience.

How to get to Tolhuistuin

Tolhuistuin (formerly Paradiso Noord) is located at IJpromenade 2 in Amsterdam North. A free ferry runs from Amsterdam Central Station to Buiksloterweg. From there, turn left and you’ll walk straight into Tolhuistuin. For club nights, the rear entrance (Buiksloterweg 5C) is used. This entrance can be reached via Overhoeksplein

Restaurant
Tolhuistuin also has a restaurant where you can enjoy a meal before the show. We recommend making a reservation in advance via this website.

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