# Erik Hoel

> Erik Hoel is an American neuroscientist, novelist, and philosopher who turned the hardest problem in science - consciousness - into a literary career. Holding a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison under consciousness pioneer Giulio Tononi, Hoel developed 'causal emergence' theory and the 'overfitted brain hypothesis' before trading academic tenure for a Substack with 69,000+ subscribers. His newsletter The Intrinsic Perspective blends rigorous science with razor-sharp cultural commentary, while his books - the debut mystery novel The Revelations (2021) and the nonfiction The World Behind the World (2023) - bring consciousness science to general readers. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, he grew up in his mother's independent bookstore in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and was mentored by novelist Andre Dubus III at age 13.

- **Role:** Independent writer and researcher; Research Assistant Professor at Tufts University (Allen Discovery Center)
- **Organizations:** Tufts University, Columbia University, Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), The Intrinsic Perspective
- **From:** Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA, Hampshire College, PhD in Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- **Known for:** Forbes 30 Under 30 - Science (2018), New York City Center for Fiction Emerging Writers Fellow, First place in Writer's Digest Annual Fiction Award

## Career timeline

- **2013-2017** — PhD in neuroscience at University of Wisconsin-Madison under Giulio Tononi; developed causal emergence theory
- **2017-2018** — Postdoctoral researcher in Rafael Yuste's NeuroTechnology Lab at Columbia University
- **2018** — Joined Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University as Research Assistant Professor
- **2018** — Named Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science
- **2021** — Published debut novel The Revelations (Abrams/Overlook Press); launched The Intrinsic Perspective on Substack
- **2022** — Left Tufts University full-time to write and research independently
- **2023** — Published The World Behind the World: Consciousness, Free Will, and the Limits of Science (Simon & Schuster)
- **2024-2025** — The Intrinsic Perspective reaches 69,000+ subscribers; returned to active scientific research

## Achievements

- Forbes 30 Under 30 - Science (2018)
- New York City Center for Fiction Emerging Writers Fellow
- First place in Writer's Digest Annual Fiction Award
- Notable essay in Best American Essays 2017
- Visiting scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton
- Developed causal emergence theory - formal framework showing macroscale systems can have stronger causal power than their microscale components
- Developed the Overfitted Brain Hypothesis on the function of dreams
- The Revelations longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
- The Intrinsic Perspective newsletter ranked #16 in Science on Substack with 69,000+ subscribers

## Latest updates

- **2025-01** — The Intrinsic Perspective surpasses 69,000 subscribers on Substack, ranking #16 in Science
- **2025-01** — Returned to active scientific research alongside writing career
- **2023-07** — The World Behind the World published by Simon & Schuster
- **2022-11** — Left full-time position at Tufts University to pursue independent writing and research

## Links

- Website: https://www.theintrinsicperspective.com
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/erikphoel

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/erik-hoel
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-23