Can Machines Mourn? Affective neuroscience, AI and the work of grief
Hosted by BB Zeitlyn Trust
Register with organizer
What to look forward to
Psychotherapist Paul Moore will explore the neuroscience of grief, Freud’s account of mourning, whether AI can mourn, and the therapist’s role in supporting the grieving process.
Inside the event
**Please note: This talk is part of ****a ****fascinating series of talks on ****AI and Psychotherapy**** ****by ****three speakers who ****will bring their expertise, their clinical experience and the latest research findings in the field of AI. It will provide**** a unique opportunity to attend three in-person events in Cambridge between January and May 2027. ****Tickets for these events can be booked separately at full price or as a discounted bundle package. Simply add the 'Bundle ticket for Adolescence series (3 events)' to your basket to get the discounted tickets.**
**In addition, and to start the discussion, we are holding an event on 21st November 2026, at which we will be showing an episode from the series Black Mirror, entitled San Junipero, (series 3, episode 4, available on Netflix for those who wish to watch it in advance). The event will be free to all who book one or more of the talks starting in January 2027 and you can register your attendance as an 'add on' ticket during the checkout process.** Contributions towards tea and coffee are welcome.
The Bernard Zeitlyn Memorial Lecture
This talk will explore the affective neuroscience of separation distress, Panksepp's PANIC/GRIEF system and its opioid basis, alongside Freud's account of mourning as slow, piecemeal reality testing. Whether or not an AI system can be said to mourn or only to speak of mourning is a key focus of the paper, and therefore what, if any, the therapist's affective presence, the felt availability of one mind to another, appears to add to the work of mourning.
In addition if you would like to support the work of the BB Zeitlyn trust you can make a seperate donanation via the following link
Friends Meeting House
Hartington Grove, Cambridge, CB1 7UB, England, GB. Confirm the venue with the organizer before traveling.
Open in Google Maps ↗Discovered through Cerebral Valley. Details come from the event listing and the organizer page; registration is managed by the organizer.
Last checked: Oct 25, 2026. Confirm current availability before making plans.
Organizer page checked: Oct 25, 2026. Check registration for the latest details.