Non-fiction by George Zarkadakis

Noetics
The scientific study of consciousness has intensified over the past few years. New technological developments in measurement and computer simulation have enabled the closer investigation of one the most “mysterious” phenomena in nature, namely the subjective experience of awareness. Neuroscience, aspiring to provide a complete theoretical framework for brain dynamics, has greatly advanced the level of understanding of the intricate machinery of the brain. Recently, the field has been enriched with radical ideas from quantum physics and yet no concise scientific theory of the mind exists so far.
George Zarkadakis has published an academic paper (Zarkadakis, G. (2001), "Noetics: A proposal for a theoretical approach to consciousness", Proceedings of International Conference “Toward a Science of Consciousness: Sweden 2001; Consciousness and its place in Nature”, University of Skovde, Sweden, 7-11 August 2001.) proposing a theoretical framework for such a theory.
The theory is called Noetics and is based on the systemic categorization of noetic phenomena. Noetics, the science of the mind, seeks to construct a theoretical framework and experimental paradigms in order to explore the interrelationship

between those categories. A “Noetic theory” may thus arise by regarding the brain as an entropy-reducing computation machine where massively parallel computations at the neural and sub-neural level give rise to noetic phenomena in groups of neurons at various anatomical areas of the neocortex. These computations may possibly be of a quantum nature, as it has been suggested by other researchers, but this is not necessary in order to arrive at the information magnitudes necessary for consciousness. Complexity and information theory suffice to provide the theoretical base for further exploration. In this context, Consciousness arises around attractors of neural computations called “critical points”, which link the various categories of noetic phenomena together. A book by George Zarkadakis has been published in Greece in 2000, (“The Mystery of Mind”) that expanded on the Noetic Theory.

Science Journalism

George is a popularizer of science as well as a science journalist and blogger. You can read samples of his work by visiting the science blog FELINE QUANTA.

He is also an active science communicator and organizer of public events for the understanding of science.

He has written the very successful popular science series “Eureka!”, screened on Mega Channel (the biggest private TV station in Greece) during 2004 and 2005.

He has also taken part on the History Channel´s “Greece: Building an Empire” and “Clash of the Gods”.

He was science advisor and co-presenter of “Green Team”, the first TV program for the environment on Greek television.

Journalist at-large

George is also a contributor of non-fiction stories on various other subjects, for several magazines and newspapers. You may read a sample of this work by clicking here.