---
title: "Paul Davies and Sara Walker on Consciousness, Awareness, and Time’s Arrow"
subtitle: "A conversation between physicist and best-selling author Professor Paul Davies, and theoretical physicist and astrobiologist Professor Sara Walker."
author: "Andrew Maynard"
date: 2024-03-11
original: https://www.futureofbeinghuman.com/p/in-conversation-with-paul-davies-and-sara-walker
mirror: https://text.futureofbeinghuman.com/substack/in-conversation-with-paul-davies-and-sara-walker.html
---

# Paul Davies and Sara Walker on Consciousness, Awareness, and Time’s Arrow

*A conversation between physicist and best-selling author Professor Paul Davies, and theoretical physicist and astrobiologist Professor Sara Walker.*

By Andrew Maynard · March 11, 2024 · [Original post](https://www.futureofbeinghuman.com/p/in-conversation-with-paul-davies-and-sara-walker)

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Part of a [series of intimate conversations](https://text.futureofbeinghuman.com/substack/chronodiversity-other-minds-and-the.html) between leading thinkers around the theme of “Chronodiversity, other minds, and the temporal dimensions of consciousness” and co-hosted with the ASU’s [Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science](https://beyond.asu.edu/)).

*[Image: Image: Midjourney — [view image](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fc82887e-a428-4d05-8d5c-2e1936c27c76_1456x816.png)]*

This conversation was an absolute treat to listen to as we recorded. Paul is a giant of a thinker and physicist, and internationally known for his scholarship and science communication. Sara is equally impressive as a physicist and creative thinker who is pushing the bounds of how we think about life beyond Earth.

Despite their hat comes across loud and clear in the conversation though is that these are two quite wonderful, generous and humble individuals. Plus, what you get to hear is two of the foremost theoretical physicists around talking about things that are on their mind.

As I said, it was an absolute treat for me, and I hope it will be for you.

### Paul Davies

Paul is a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist, cancer researcher and best-selling science author. He has published about 30 books, hundreds of research papers and review articles across many scientific fields

Paul co-leads the [Beyond Center](https://beyond.asu.edu/) at Arizona State University.

*[More on Paul](https://cosmos.asu.edu/)*

### Sara Walker

Sara is a theoretical physicist and astrobiologist who has made major contributions to astrobiology, developing new approaches to the problem of understanding universal features of life.

Along with Paul, Sara co-leads the [Beyond Center](https://beyond.asu.edu/) at Arizona State University.

*[More on Sara](https://search.asu.edu/profile/1731899)*

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*[[Image](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c8a51de7-385b-45a3-b4fe-ace1b1c32b6f_3840x2160.jpeg)]*

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*In Conversation With …* is a series of intimate conversations between creative thinkers and leading experts as they explore the intersection of technology, the future, and what it means to be human.

*Recorded on February 15, 2024 in ASU’s Future of Being Human initiative multipurpose space. Production: Sean Leahy.*

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*This Markdown file is a text-only version of “Paul Davies and Sara Walker on Consciousness, Awareness, and Time’s Arrow” by Andrew Maynard, from The Future of Being Human (<https://www.futureofbeinghuman.com>). The original post at <https://www.futureofbeinghuman.com/p/in-conversation-with-paul-davies-and-sara-walker> is the canonical version. Images, video, audio and interactive elements are indicated inline and available in the original. © Andrew Maynard.*