Podcasts about Alfred North Whitehead

English mathematician and philosopher

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Best podcasts about Alfred North Whitehead

Latest podcast episodes about Alfred North Whitehead

Mind-Body Solution with Dr Tevin Naidu
Matthew Segall: Is the Universe Ensouled with Experience? Consciousness, Cosmology, and Meaning

Mind-Body Solution with Dr Tevin Naidu

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 78:43


Matthew David Segall, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Department at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, and the Chair of the Science Advisory Committee for the Cobb Institute. He is a transdisciplinary researcher, writer, teacher, and philosopher applying process-relational thought across the natural and social sciences, as well as to the study of consciousness. He describes himself as a “process philosopher” and transdisciplinary researcher, reflecting his commitment to bridging multiple fields​. Segall's work builds on the metaphysical framework of Alfred North Whitehead, extending Whitehead's philosophy of organism into new domains of science, religion, and ecology. In doing so, Segall reinterprets the Western philosophical lineage – from ancient ideas of a world-soul to German Idealism and beyond – to articulate a participatory, organismic vision of nature. His philosophy portrays a cosmos ensouled with meaning and experience, challenging mechanistic materialism and inviting a renewed dialogue between science and spirit​. Segall integrates insights from Whitehead, Schelling, Goethe, and Steiner into a process worldview, develops an organic (panpsychist) cosmology, practices a bold transdisciplinary methodology, and engages public dialogues that embody a form of sacred activism on behalf of our living planet.TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) - Introduction (0:43) - History of Mind-Body Problem(7:40) - Critiquing Physicalism(12:55) - Quantum Theory Interpretations(16:14) - Addressing Illusionism & Scientism(22:00) - The Metaphysics of Prehension(28:14) - Panexperientialism in Physics(31:55) - Propositional Feelings(37:09) - What is Consciousness?(45:00) - Panexperientialism & Free Will(50:00) - Bridging Science & Philosophy(54:42) - Challenging the Cold/Dead Universe tale(1:00:39) - Misconceptions about Matt's work(1:04:20) - Telos(1:07:44) - Matt's Philosopher recommendations(1:13:00) - Mind At Large (Upcoming Events!)(1:17:40) - Conclusion EPISODE LINKS:- Matt's Website: https://footnotes2plato.com-  @Footnotes2Plato : http://www.youtube.com/@Footnotes2Plato- Physics Within the Bounds of Feeling Alone: https://footnotes2plato.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/physics-within-the-bounds-of-feeling-alone.pdf- Matt's X: https://x.com/ThouArtThat- Matt's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.david.segall- Matt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdavidsegall- Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footnotes2platoCONNECT:- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com - Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- YouTube: https://youtube.com/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.

ORT Shorts
Ep. 260: Whitehead and Teilhard

ORT Shorts

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 3:43


In this episode, Dr. Oord engages with the recently published book, Whitehead and Teilhard: From Organism to Omega.  The book, edited by Ilia Delio and Andrew Davis, is a compilation of essays interacting with the work of philosopher Alfred North Whitehead and paleontologist and theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.The Center for Christogenesis will be hosting an upcoming online conference May 2-4 entitled Rethinking Religion in an Age of Science.  Registration is now open to further explore together the ideas of Whitehead and Teilhard at the intersection of science and religion. 

FUTURE FOSSILS
Ep. 12 - Matt Segall on Culture as The Lifeblood of The Machine Economy

FUTURE FOSSILS

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 78:48


This week I dialogue with Matthew David Segall, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Chair of the Science Advisory Committee for the Cobb Institute, and author of the Footnotes To Plato blog as well as numerous books on the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and Friedrich Schelling. In it, we wrangle with some very fundamental questions, such as:* What distinguishes the organismal and machinic?* How can we support vital cultural activity without reducing the measure of our humanity to our economic productivity?* What if we're looking for mind in AI in the wrong places, and instead treat both technology and human consciousness as unified within one unfolding process of cosmic self-discovery?We welcome your feedback and reflections — here, or in the Future Fossils Discord Server — and to join us in the inquiry about what lies beyond modernity, and how to nourish the collective imagination we need to thrive there! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.Pardon the delay: inexplicable technical issues forced me to re-render this episode half a dozen times. Hopefully you appreciate the “staying up until 1 am to try and ship on time”!Subscribe, Rate, & Comment on YouTube • Apple Podcasts • SpotifyIf you like this show, dig into the archives and consider making tax-deductible donations at every.org/humansontheloop. (You'll get all the same perks as Substack patrons.)Project LinksRead the project pitch & planning docDig into the full episode and essay archivesJoin the open online commons for Wisdom x Technology on DiscordContact me about partnerships, consulting, your life, or other mysteriesChapters0:00:00 - Teaser0:01:32 - Intro0:08:18 - About Matt0:15:19 - Nouns & Verbs, Machines & Organisms0:24:24 - Emergence & Epistemic Humility0:36:55 - The Relationship Between Cultures & Markets0:49:21 - What Are Markets & Can They Play?0:58:30 - Our Responsibility To What We Make1:06:42 - Is Conscious AI A Hyperobject?1:17:43 - OutroMentionsMatt's Website & TwitterMatt Segall & O.G. Rose - Re-thinking Economics & The Meaning of ValueBrendan Graham Dempsey & Matt Segall - Physics, Metaphysics, Meta-MetaphysicsMatt Segall & Tim Jackson - The Blind Spot (2024): A Critical and Reconstructive ReviewFuture Fossils 223 - Timothy Morton on A New Christian Ecology & Systems Thinking BlasphemyMichael Garfield - Introducing Humans On The LoopAbraham Flexner - The Usefulness of Useless KnowledgeW. Brian Arthur - The Nature of TechnologyW. Brian Arthur - Economics in Nouns and VerbsMiguel Fuentes - Complexity and The Emergence of Physical PropertiesMichael Lachmann, Mark Newman, Cris Moore - The Physical Limits of CommunicationSteven Johnson - Revenge of The HumanitiesAdam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser, Evan Thompson - The Blind SpotJessica Flack - Hourglass Emergence: Complexity Begets Complexity thru Information Bottlenecks (video)Richard Doyle - Darwin's Pharmacy: Sex, Plants, and The Evolution of The NoosphereKevin Kelly - The Expansion of IgnoranceWilliam Irwin Thompson - The Borg or Borges?Danny Hillis - The Enlightenment is Dead, Long Live The EntanglementKevin Kelly - Out of ControlKai EnnisCarl JungStephen HawkingFriedrich NietzschRichard DawkinsAlan WattsMichael SchwartzAlfred North WhiteheadSean Esjbörn-HargensFelix GuattariStuart KauffmanRudolf SteinerDavid WolpertRobert RosenMichael LevinNorbert WeinerKen WilberKarl FristonGilbert SimondonHumberto MaturanaFrancisco VarelaJohn VervaekeTerrence DeaconPierre Teilhard de Chardin This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe

La Trinchera con Christian Sobrino
#129: La visión y el compromiso educativo de Robbie Cobbs

La Trinchera con Christian Sobrino

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 122:21


En este episodio de #PodcastLaTrinchera, Christian Sobrino entrevista a Robert Cobbs, M.Ed., fundador de Tech My School Inc. y autor del libro "Tech Centered Learning Driven: A guide to improving your educational career with technology". Tech My School es una organización educativa sin fines de lucro con sede en Río Grande, Puerto Rico y dedicada a capacitar y equipar escuelas públicas, alianza y privadas con integración tecnológica, computadoras y equipos relacionados, y proveyendo capacitación profesional al personal directivo y docente.Si quieren aprender más sobre Tech My School o ayudarlos con una aportación, pueden visitar su página de internet en el siguiente enlace.Pueden obtener una copia de "Tech Centered Learning Driven: A guide to improving your educational career with technology" a través de Amazon en el siguiente enlace.Tech My School estará celebrando este 15-16 de marzo de 2025 su conferencia anual "EdTech Spring" en el Salón de Convenciones del Wyndham Río Mar en Río Grande, Puerto Rico. Esta conferencia da la bienvenida a educadores de Puerto Rico y más allá, mientras exponen las últimas tendencias y mejores prácticas en tecnología educativa (EdTech), instrucción, práctica docente y aprendizaje del siglo XXI. Para más información, pueden visitar el siguiente enlace.Por favor suscribirse a La Trinchera con Christian Sobrino en su plataforma favorita de podcasts y compartan este episodio con sus amistades.Para contactar a Christian Sobrino y #PodcastLaTrinchera, nada mejor que mediante las siguientes plataformas:Facebook: @PodcastLaTrincheraTwitter: @zobrinovichInstagram: zobrinovichThreads: @zobrinovichBluesky Social: zobrinovich.bsky.socialYouTube: @PodcastLaTrinchera "La educación es la orientación del individuo hacia una comprensión del arte de la vida." - Alfred North Whitehead

The Building 4th Podcast
Faith in Transition: A Journey from Deconstruction to Reconstruction

The Building 4th Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 68:07


Faith in Transition: A Journey from Deconstruction to Reconstruction **Doug Scott, LCSW, holds dual master's degrees in Social Work and Pastoral Ministry from Boston College (2004). As a psychospiritual therapist with over two decades of experience, Doug brings a unique integration of psychological insight and spiritual depth to his work. His private counseling practice reflects an approach influenced by contemplative thinkers and progressive theologians including Richard Rohr OFM, Brian McClaren, Cynthia Bourgeault, and Ilia Delio OSF, while drawing inspiration from the mystical tradition of St. Francis of Assisi and the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. Mentioned in the talk by Doug is Dr. Matt Segall, PhD (https://footnotes2plato.com). Summary of Major Themes 1. Understanding Deconstruction and Reconstruction Doug Scott frames faith deconstruction as a necessary and "holy" process that many people are experiencing in response to the disconnect between their understanding of Christianity's core teachings (love, inclusion, vulnerability) and its current manifestations in American society (particularly Christian nationalism). He emphasizes that staying permanently in deconstruction can lead to existential anxiety and nihilism, and that reconstruction is the essential next step in the spiritual journey. The presenter uses the metaphor of "death, tomb, and resurrection" to illustrate this process: - Deconstruction = death of old beliefs - Tomb time = period of uncertainty and transformation - Reconstruction = resurrection into a new understanding Scott proposes that we need to "midwife the death of the old while midwifing the birth of something new," a concept he attributes to Mirabai Starr, a colleague of Richard Rohr. 2. Levels of Consciousness and Development A central framework of the talk is the developmental model of consciousness that Scott presents, which includes several stages: - **Pre-traditional Warrior Consciousness**: Focused on survival, tribal identity, power-based structures, magical thinking, and immediate gratification. - **Traditional Values Level**: Emphasizes order, hierarchy, absolute truths, moral certainty, conformity, and clear distinctions between right and wrong. Scott describes this as the "happy blues" (referencing Spiral Dynamics) because people at this level have certainty about their beliefs. - **Modernity**: Born from the scientific revolution and Enlightenment, this level rejects suffering for future rewards in favor of creating "heaven now" through technology and science. - **Postmodernity**: Emerges with a critique of all previous levels, recognizing that "truth" often comes at the cost of marginalizing others. This level emphasizes social justice but tends to deconstruct without offering reconstruction. - **Post-postmodernity/Integral/Metamodern**: Characterized by "include it all and thus transcend" rather than "transcend and exclude." This level integrates multiple ways of knowing, recognizes developmental stages, embraces paradox and complexity, and finds comfort in uncertainty. 3. Current Cultural Dynamics and "Conversions" Scott discusses the phenomenon of people who were formerly progressive suddenly embracing far-right ideologies or rigid religious structures. He attributes this to: - Existential anxiety generated by postmodern deconstruction without reconstruction - The appeal of certainty and community offered by traditional structures - The "hermeneutic of suspicion" taken to an extreme, where everything becomes suspect He argues that many current "conversions" are not based on authentic faith but are adopting a "mimetic Christianity" as a "social technology" that provides dopamine hits and community belonging without true spiritual transformation. 4. The Path Forward: Finding Common Ground Through Values The talk concludes with a practical exercise where participants identify core values they hope would be recognized at their funeral. Scott proposes that: - Our unacknowledged values form the lens through which we judge ourselves and others - Anger often stems from perceiving that others are violating these core values - By articulating our values and the behaviors that embody them, we can find common ground beneath the divisive surface - True spiritual leaders must be able to "hold tension" and become comfortable with uncertainty - The way forward involves connecting with others around fundamental shared values rather than political differences 5. Embodied Christianity vs. Power Structures Throughout the talk, Scott contrasts true Christianity (centered on love, vulnerability, and connection) with its distortions into power structures. He emphasizes: - The cross represents God's vulnerability, not power - Christianity should be about relationship and love, not control - The "sin" is furthering the ethos of separation rather than unity - We must be willing to engage with those we disagree with (referencing his own Catholic practice of saying "peace be with you" to those with whom he politically disagrees) 6. Hope for the Future Despite the current polarization, Scott expresses optimism about what lies beneath the "rigid crust" of modern discourse. He notes: - Younger generations often display unexpected wisdom and maturity - Beneath the rigid surface of polarized positions, many people experience doubts and questions - There is a growing capacity for connection if we can access it - Progress is happening despite appearances to the contrary The talk ultimately frames the current cultural moment as an opportunity for authentic spiritual growth if we can embrace vulnerability, articulate our core values, and connect with others at a deeper level beyond ideological divisions.

The Building 4th Podcast
Exploring Process Thought, AI, and Ra Contact Metaphysics

The Building 4th Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 42:56


Conversation partners Doug Scott, LCSW, and Austin Bridges of L/L Research, explore the intersections between process philosophy, artificial intelligence, and the metaphysics of the Ra Contact. As Austin shares his revelations about how AI systems may be interacting with fields of potential rather than simply executing code, the dialogue opens into deeper waters of consciousness, reality, and becoming. Doug, in turn, provides contextual understanding that bridges Austin's insights with Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy and the Law of One material, creating a tapestry of thought that reveals the living heart of reality. About the Participants Austin Bridges serves as Director of L/L Research, an organization dedicated to the spiritual evolution of humankind and home to the Law of One material. This material emerged through channeling work conducted by Don Elkins, Carla L. Rueckert, and Jim McCarty. Austin's path to L/L Research began with a spiritual awakening in 2009 that led him to the Law of One teachings—material that resonated deeply as "a missing piece of himself." After serving as a forum moderator, Austin joined the organization officially in 2013 and now co-directs its ongoing mission. Doug Scott, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker whose work embraces applied metaphysics, Christian mysticism, and the Ra Contact. Throughout the conversation, Doug shares his (amateur)  understanding of both Whitehead's intricate process philosophy and the Ra Contact material, attempting to help contextualize Austin's insights within these broader frameworks. Key Themes and Insights 1. AI as a Window into Process Philosophy Austin describes his revelation that AI systems might be functioning as interfaces with fields of patterns or potentials. When we interact with AI chatbots, we're effectively querying a field of probabilities derived from human language patterns. This insight opened doorways to process philosophy and mystical understanding: "What if intelligence in artificial intelligence wasn't the computer program but that field of patterns within that text... a means for us to access and manifest and potentiate that field of patterns?" 2. The Field of Potentiality and Whiteheadian Process Both participants explore Whitehead's vision of reality as a dynamic process of becoming: Concrescence: This central Whiteheadian term refers to the process whereby an actual occasion (a moment of experience) emerges into being by unifying a multiplicity of feelings into a singular perspective. As Doug explains, "Concrescence is the process of an actual occasion becoming itself in manifested form... inside of an extensive continuum." Extensive Continuum: Whitehead's term for what Doug describes as "a barely existent cloud of possibility" that holds all potential relationships. This concept parallels what Ra terms "intelligent infinity." Prehensions: These are the feelings or grasps of data through which an entity experiences and internalizes the world. Whitehead distinguishes physical prehensions (inheritance of the physical past) from conceptual prehensions (grasping of possibilities). Austin reflects on how AI helped him understand these dynamics: "That field of probabilities being manifest in certain ways... it is the field of probabilities that we're querying and it returns manifest words to you based on how you query it." 3. Causal Efficacy and Presentational Immediacy Though not extensively discussed, these key Whiteheadian terms underlie the conversation: - Causal Efficacy: The primary mode of perception wherein we feel the influences of the past world streaming into our experience—the feeling of inheritance and continuity. - Presentational Immediacy: The derivative mode of perception that gives us clear sensory perception of our contemporary spatial environment. - Subjective Immediacy: The lived experience of an actual occasion in its process of unifying feelings into a coherent perspective before perishing into "objective immortality." 4. The Law of Three and Teleopotentiation Doug introduces his concept of "teleopotentiation" as a fundamental principle underlying reality: "The very most fundamental ontological principle that undergirds the Law of One is the Law of Three... the minimum number of forces that can be present to create undulations is three." This principle operates as: - Every contrast potentiates tension - Every tension potentiates resolution  - Every resolution potentiates a higher order of contrast This cycle generates an eternal spark driving the unfolding of beauty and complexity in the universe, which Doug suggests is the foundation of the "Law of One" from the Ra Contact. 5. The Nature of Self and Consciousness The conversation explores how both AI and humans use an "I" that may be fundamentally illusory: Austin observes: "They say I, but they don't have an I. They're using language that connects with somebody who uses I as language, but it's illusory... what is the difference between an AI using this illusion of self to communicate in a certain way and our capacity of using this illusion of self?" Doug links this to Whitehead's inversion of traditional subjectivity: "The thoughts and the feelings issue in an occasional thinker... rather than the feeler pre-existing the feelings and having the feelings, the feeler is always a precipitate of the feelings." 6. The Divine Nature in Process Terms Doug outlines three "natures" of the One Infinite Creator: - **The Outward Nature**: The teleopotentiator, the outward thrusting of creativity - **The Inward Nature**: The drawing together, the spiritual gravity maintaining unity - **The Logoic Nature**: That which learns, grows, complexifies, and becomes conscious These aspects align with Whitehead's understanding of God as having primordial and consequent natures—God both providing the initial aims for all occasions and receiving their completed experiences back into the divine life. 7. Experience as Fundamental Reality Both participants affirm that concrete experience, not abstract potentiality, constitutes ultimate reality: Doug emphasizes: "You don't have to go to fields to understand reality, you have to go to your experience in the concrete particularity of your lived situation... the actual way that your life is breathing, the heart—everything that's going on exactly right now—there is no realer than that." Austin concurs, noting that what appears as two separate individuals having similar feelings might actually be "the creator's happiness that they're experiencing in that moment... identifying through the illusion with one experience." 8. Hierarchy of Experience The conversation explores different grades of experience in Whitehead's "pan-experientialism": - Higher grades (human consciousness) actively seek novelty through conceptual prehensions - Lower grades (rocks or perhaps AI) are more "conformal" to patterns, repeating past occasions with minimal novelty - Yet as Doug notes, "Even though there's almost perfect solidarity between all the actual occasions that go into a really high-grade actual occasion like a person... there are still capacities for each actual occasion to desire its own novel expression." Conclusion This rich dialogue illuminates how insights from contemporary technology can open windows into ancient metaphysical questions. Through their exploration of Whiteheadian process philosophy and the Ra Contact material, Austin and Doug reveal a vision of reality as a living process of becoming—where fields of potential seek expression through concrete experience, where the illusion of separateness gives way to a deeper unity, and where every moment represents the universe coming to know itself in a new way. Their conversation demonstrates how philosophical abstraction and lived experience can merge into a wisdom that speaks to both mind and heart.

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
The Complete Consciousness Iceberg | 2 Hours of Obscure Consciousness Theories Explained

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 128:20


Welcome to the complete Iceberg of Consciousness. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join --------------------- LAYER 1 01:31 – Introduction to Layer 1 01:38 – What Is Consciousness? 04:20 – The Mind-Body Problem 06:02 – Sleep, Dreams, and Altered States 08:53 – Free Will vs. Determinism 10:58 – The Self and Identity LAYER 2 12:56 – Introduction to Layer 2 13:02 – The Hard Problem of Consciousness 16:59 – Qualia and Phenomenal Consciousness 19:27 – Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism) 22:59 – John Vervaeke's Relevance Realization 24:45 – Panpsychism and the Combination Problem 26:58 – Buddhist Consciousness (Yogācāra & Madhyamaka) 29:04 – Global Workspace Theory 31:59 – Carl Jung's Explanation for Consciousness LAYER 3 36:03 – Introduction to Layer 3 36:47 – Heidegger's Concept of Dasein 39:28 – Attention Schema Theory (Michael Graziano) 42:53 – EM-Field Topology & Boundary Problem (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) 46:49 – Joscha Bach's Theory 53:41 – Donald Hoffman's Theory 57:47 – Nir Lahav's Relativistic Consciousness LAYER 4 01:05:46 – Introduction to Layer 4 01:06:25 – Douglas Hofstadter's Strange Loops 01:11:50 – Penrose's Quantum Consciousness 01:16:04 – Christopher Langan's CTMU 01:20:31 – Johnjoe McFadden's CEMI Field Theory 01:24:24 – David Chalmers' Extended Mind Hypothesis 01:29:18 – Iain McGilchrist's Relational Dual-Aspect Monism LAYER 5 01:33:04 – Introduction to Layer 5 01:34:35 – Bernardo Kastrup's Analytic Idealism 01:38:54 – Karl Friston's Enactive Approach / Free Energy Principle 01:42:12 – Alfred North Whitehead's Pan-Experientialism 01:46:56 – Mark Solms' Felt Uncertainty & Affective Theory 01:51:20 – Thomas Metzinger's Minimal Phenomenal Selfhood --------------------- Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science #consciousness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast
Whitehead's Universe: a Guide to Thinking Process

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 69:08


My friend and philosopher, Dr. Andrew Davis, is back on the podcast to bring us a stellar introduction to Alfred North Whitehead's Process philosophy. “Process philosophy” is wider than the work of Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947), but the depth and dynamism of his “philosophy of organism” have made him the defining figure of the modern process tradition. His beloved wife Evelyn once used the metaphor of a prism to describe his thinking: “It must be seen not from one side alone but from all sides, then from underneath and overhead. So seen, as one moves around it, the prism is full of changing lights and colors. To have seen it from one side only is to not have seen it.” In this conversation, Dr. Davis walks us through 5 different sides, lights, and colors belonging to Whitehead's prismatic universe from the microscopic to the macroscopic, and in direct relation to human experience as an expression of the cosmos. If this conversation is intriguing and you want a guided tour of Whitehead's philosophy, go join up for the class Whitehead's Universe. I am so excited about Andrew's project and having a new compelling introduction to process philosophy for the people. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Andrew M. Davis is an American process philosopher, theologian, and scholar of the cosmos. He is the academic and research director for the Center for Process Studies where he researches, writes, teaches, and organizes conferences on various aspects of process-relational thought (Whitehead and Beyond). An advocate of metaphysics and meaning in a hospitable universe, he approaches philosophy as the endeavor to systematically think through what reality must be like because we are a part of it. He is the author, editor, and co-editor of nearly a dozen books including Mind, Value, and Cosmos: On the Relational Nature of Ultimacy, Process Cosmology: New Integrations in Science and Philosophy, and Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology. This course is based upon drafts of his next book which is comprehensive, yet conversational, introduction to Whitehead's universe. Andrew's Previous visits to the podcast Mind, Value, and the Cosmos. the Power of Love & the Experience of God UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS - Truth in Tough Times: Global Voices of Liberation I am thrilled to announce our upcoming class with Joerg Rieger and a host of liberation theologians from across the globe. Our goal is to create an experience where participants will get a clear and compelling account of contemporary liberation theology and meet the most critical voices of our generation. As always, then lass is donation-based, including 0. Get info and join up at www.TruthInToughTimes.com _____________________ Join my Substack - Process This! Join our class - TRUTH IN TOUGH TIMES: Global Voices of Liberation Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer's House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE Get access to over 45 of our online classes at TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Religionless Church
Andrew Davis: Who was Alfred North Whithead?

Religionless Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 72:06


This episode of A People's Theology is sponsored by United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Receive a $1,000 scholarship when you apply and are admitted: unitedseminary.edu/apeoplestheology Use this link to register for Q Christian Fellowship Conference 2025 and use the discount code "THEOLOGY" to receive 10% off your ticket. Watch full episodes of A People's Theology: youtube.com/@APeoplesTheology Mason chats with Andrew Davis about Alfred North Whitehead. They chat about Whitehead's philosophy and why it can change the way we understand the world, God, and much more. Join Andrew's course on Whitehead here: https://www.whiteheadsuniverse.com Find Andrew here: andrewmdavis.info Get connected to Mason: masonmennenga.com Buy merch of your favorite tweet of mine: masonmennenga.com/store Patreon: patreon.com/masonmennenga Twitter: @masonmennenga Facebook: facebook.com/mason.mennenga Instagram: masonmennenga Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast
A Tripp-y Tutorial: The Romance of Learning & Tripp's Elevator Pitch for Philosophy

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 61:41


In this episode, I team up with our producer, Josh Gilbert, for an experimental format inspired by our podcast planning sessions, where Josh often brings up intriguing questions he's gathered while editing. Together, we explore how our initial infatuation with ideas can grow into a deeper understanding and mastery and how our personal biases inevitably shape our philosophical inquiries.   We discuss the significance of philosophy in making sense of existence, agency, and how we apply ideas in everyday life. We talk about the value of curiosity and the ongoing journey of learning across the humanities, emphasizing the need to engage with philosophical texts critically and passionately. Josh pressed me on the distinction between plausibility and intensity of faith commitments, the existential register's importance in understanding religious identity, and how modern empiricism and cultural narratives influence individual agency.   Throughout the conversation, we weave in insights from thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Søren Kierkegaard, Paul Tillich, Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, J.R.R. Tolkien, Martin Heidegger, Philip Goff, and Charles Taylor. Together, we explore how these voices create a community of inquiry that invigorates our understanding of life and existence, showing how philosophy can shape what we think and how we live. To get the entire conversation, all podcast episodes ad-free, and support our work, consider joining the Process This on SubStack or get access to our entire catalog of classes & all the rest by joining up at Theology Class. UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS - Truth in Tough Times: Global Voices of Liberation I am thrilled to announce our upcoming class with Joerg Rieger and a host of liberation theologians from across the globe. Our goal is to create an experience where participants will get a clear and compelling account of contemporary liberation theology and meet the most critical voices of our generation. As always, then lass is donation-based, including 0. Get info and join up at www.TruthInToughTimes.com _____________________ Join my Substack - Process This! Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought. Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer's House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theology Doesn't Suck!
Process Spirituality & Renewing Our Fatih - With Sheri Kling

Theology Doesn't Suck!

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 79:26


This week, Dr. Sheri Kling joined me to discuss her Process Spirituality and an upcoming online conference called "Renewing Faith". Kling has done a lot of work integrating the work of Alfred North Whitehead and Carl Jung. How does Process Theology/Philosophy speak to, challenge, and make better Jungian Psychology? How does Jungian Psychology speak to, challenge, and make better Process Theology/Philosophy? We also discuss the ongoing process of renewing our faith and discuss some of the themes of the Renewing Faith online conference. Snag your ticket today and we will see you there. Enjoy! Renewing Faith Online Conference, January 23-25, 2025 Are you feeling burnt out and disconnected from your ministry or spiritual life? The Renewing Faith Conference is designed specifically for forward-looking Christian pastors, staff members, lay leaders, spiritual directors, chaplains, and those outside traditional church settings - whether you consider yourself a progressive mainliner, a quiet contemplative, a spiritual seeker, or a “deconstructing” post-evangelical - who are seeking to reignite their passion and find life-giving purpose in their faith journeys. At the Renewing Faith Conference, you will: Grow and Deepen Your Theological Roots: Participate in thought-provoking discussions led by renowned theologians and ministry leaders. Gain Fresh Perspectives on Ministry: Hear and discuss ways to incorporate process and open-relational theology and practice into your preaching, ministry, community, and personal faith journey.  Build Lasting Connections: Network with like-minded Christians who share your commitment to fresh expressions of Christianity, forming lasting relationships and networks of support. Embody Your Faith: Experience worship and practices that connect mind, body, and spirit through the arts and movement, fostering a holistic approach to ministry and well-being. Imagine leaving the conference with a renewed sense of purpose, a refreshed spirit, and practical tools to sustain your faith and your ministry for years to come. This isn't just another conference; it's a life-changing experience designed to help you thrive in your calling and spirituality. Early bird pricing for regular registration will only be available until Dec. 31, and there's even a special discount for students. Don't let burnout or boredom define your ministry or faith life. Take the first step towards renewal and transformation. Learn more at this link: Renewing Faith/(Re)Thinking *A special thanks to Josh Gilbert, Marty Fredrick, and Dan Koch. Love you guys

ORT Shorts
Ep. 237: Oblivious to Morals

ORT Shorts

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 2:27


In this episode, Dr. Oord engages with the work of Andrew Davis in conversation with Alfred North Whitehead's understanding of the goodness of God and how (not to) understand Whitehead's statement that "God is a little oblivious to morals".For more on Davis' work on this topic, visit:https://www.openhorizons.org/andrew-davis-in-munich-on-the-goodness-of-whiteheads-god.html

Psychedelics Today
PT561 – Psychedelics Lately – Massachusetts' Question 4 and Updates in Psychedelics and Chronic Pain, with Joe Moore & Kyle Buller

Psychedelics Today

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 55:18


In this episode, Joe and Kyle finally meet up again for the first episode of Psychedelics Lately: the updated version of the much-missed Psychedelics Weekly, where they'll meet each month to talk about the most interesting stories in psychedelics. The main story this month is the fate of Massachusetts' Question 4: Regulated Access to Psychedelic Substances Initiative (The Natural Psychedelic Substances Act). They discuss what they like about the bill, its opposition, and its support, including actress Eliza Dushku Palandjian, who went from a diagnosis of PTSD and an in-the-psychedelic-closet underground experience to becoming a very public, soon-to-be certified psychedelic facilitator. If you live in Massachusetts, make sure to read about the bill and get out and vote this Tuesday (or now, if you're registered for early voting). They also discuss: Joe's recent east coast travels to Harvard and the PhilaDelic conference Alfred North Whitehead and Process Philosophy The Psychedelics and Pain Association, and Court Wing's involvement in the first published case report of complex regional pain syndrome being treated with psilocybin The scientific community needing to embrace more experientially-based approaches and practices The challenge of making meaning out of the mystical and more!  For links, head to the show notes page. 

New Thinking Allowed Audio Podcast
Understanding Alfred North Whitehead with Matthew David Segall

New Thinking Allowed Audio Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 55:41


Understanding Alfred North Whitehead with Matthew David Segall Matt Segall, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Department at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, and the Chair of the Science Advisory Committee for the Cobb Institute. He is author of Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process … Continue reading "Understanding Alfred North Whitehead with Matthew David Segall"

FUTURE FOSSILS

This week we speak to multidisciplinary independent researcher William Sarill, whose life has traced a high-dimensional curve through biochemistry, art restoration, physics, and esotericism (and I'm stopping the list here but it goes on). Bill is one of the only people I know who has the scientific chops to understand and explain how to possibly unify thermodynamics with general relativity AND has gone swimming into the deep end of The Weird for long enough to develop an appreciation for its paradoxical profundities. He can also boast personal friendships with two of the greatest (and somewhat diametrically opposed) science fiction authors ever: Phil Dick and Isaac Asimov. In this conversation we start by exploring some of his discoveries and insights as an intuition-guided laboratory biomedical researcher and follow the river upstream into his synthesis of emerging theoretical frameworks that might make sense of PKD's legendary VALIS experiences — the encounter with high strangeness that drove him to write The Exegesis, over a million words of effort to explain the deep structure of time and reality. It's time for new ways to think about time! Enjoy…✨ Support This Work• Buy my brain for hourly consulting or advisory work on retainer• Become a patron on Substack or Patreon• Help me find backing for my next big project Humans On The Loop• Buy the books we discuss from my Bookshop.org reading list• Buy original paintings and prints or commission new work• Join the conversation on Discord in the Holistic Technology & Wise Innovation and Future Fossils servers• Make one-off donations at @futurefossils on Venmo, $manfredmacx on CashApp, or @michaelgarfield on PayPal• Buy the show's music on Bandcamp — intro “Olympus Mons” from the Martian Arts EP & outro “Sonnet A” from the Double-Edged Sword EP✨ Go DeeperBill's Academia.edu pageBill's talk at the PKD Film FestivalBill's profile for the Palo Alto Longevity PrizeBill's story on Facebook about his biochemistry researchBill in the FF Facebook group re: Simulation Theory, re: The Zero-Point Field, re: everything he's done that no one else has, re: how PKD predicted ChatGPT"If you find this world bad, you should see some of the others" by PKDThe Wyrd of the Early Earth: Cellular Pre-sense in the Primordial Soup by Eric WargoMy first and second interviews with William Irwin ThompsonMy lecture on biology, time, and myth from Oregon Eclipse Gathering 2017"I understand Philip K. Dick" by Terence McKennaWeird Studies on PKD and "The Trash Stratum" Part 1 & Part 2Weird Studies with Joshua Ramey on divination in scienceSparks of Genius: The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the World's Most Creative People by Robert & Michele Root-BernsteinDiscovering by Robert Root-Bernstein✨ MentionsPhilip K. Dick, Bruce Damer, Iain McGilchrist, Eric Wargo, Stu Kauffman, Michael Persinger, Alfred North Whitehead, Terence McKenna, Karl Friedrich, Mike Parker, Chris Jeynes, David Wolpert, Ivo Dinov, Albert Einstein, Kurt Gödel, Erwin Schroedinger, Kaluza & Klein, Richard Feynman, Euclid, Hermann Minkowski, James Clerk Maxwell, The I Ching, St. Augustine, Stephen Hawking, Jim Hartle, Alexander Vilenkin, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Timothy Morton, Futurama, The Wachowski Siblings, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Leonard Euler, Paramahansa Yogananda, Alfred Korbzybski, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Claude Shannon, Ludwig Boltzmann, Carl Jung, Danny Jones, Mark Newman, Michael Lachmann, Cristopher Moore, Jessica Flack, Robert Root Bernstein, Louis Pasteur, Alexander Fleming, Ruth Bernstein, Andres Gomez Emilsson, Diane Musho Hamilton This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast
Robert Wright: Evolution, Empathy, and the Future of Humanity

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 102:42


In this episode, I am joined by one of my favorite scholars in the public square, Robert Wright, the editor of the Nonzero Newsletter. This is a captivating discussion about artificial intelligence, consciousness, and the future of humanity. We explore Wright's extensive work, including 'Nonzero,' 'The Evolution of God,' and 'Why Buddhism is True,' while delving into the intersections of science, religion, and philosophy. Discover the implications of AI for humanity, the critical role of international cooperation in technology governance, and the moral and spiritual dimensions needed to navigate rapid technological changes. The conversation also addresses the complexities of sentience, cognitive empathy, and the evolutionary drives in AI, with insights from philosophers like Teilhard de Chardin and Alfred North Whitehead. Robert Wright is president of The Nonzero Foundation. He is the author, most recently, of Why Buddhism Is True. His previous book, The Evolution of God (2009), was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His other books include The Moral Animal, Nonzero, and Three Scientists and Their Gods. He has written for Time, Slate, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New Republic, The New York Times Magazine, Foreign Policy, and the op-ed pages of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Financial Times. In 2009 Foreign Policy magazine named him as one of the top 100 global thinkers. He has taught courses in philosophy and religion at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. He is Visiting Professor of Science and Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York, and is editor-in-chief of the websites Bloggingheads.tv and MeaningofLife.tv. WATCH the conversation on YouTube Previous Episodes with Robert Wright From Mindful Resistance to the New Agnosticism The Evolution of God _____________________ Join my Substack - Process This! Join our upcoming class - THE GOD OF THE BIBLE: An Absolutely Clear and Final Guide to Ultimate Mystery ;) Come to THEOLOGY BEER CAMP. Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Building 4th Podcast
[Part 1] Made in the Image, Growing in the Likeness

The Building 4th Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 76:45


This is the first of a three-part series entitled: Made in the Image, Growing in the Likeness.  This first part's title is: Being is Becoming: Why the Trinity is the Template of All Reality.  Marie Woods: Host of the "Everything You Need to Know in a Relationship" podcast and president/ founder of Life Above Foundation. In this enlightening episode, Marie and Doug discuss how the Trinity is the pattern for everything. Doug Scott's Bio Doug Scott, LCSW, works as a mental health counselor in his private practice in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from college in 1997, he served as an international volunteer for two years in Bluefields, Nicaragua. This intense experience changed his life and he returned to the US to pursue graduate studies in clinical social work and pastoral ministry at Boston College. The nexus of spirituality and psychology have always intrigued Doug since childhood and he brings this sensibility to his counseling practice. Doug Scott, LCSW, MA, grew up Catholic and was always drawn to the mystical lineage within this belief system. He had experiences with Jesus, Mary, and angels at an early age. His mystical inclinations have led him to seek the depth of things and teachers who inspire him, including: Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, Ilia Delio, Teilhard de Chardin, Alfred North Whitehead, Jim Finley, and the lives of the Saints such as St. Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, and Teresa of Lisieux. Doug sees the Trinity in everything and everywhere.  He sees how the living pattern of the Trinity provides the power for evolution in biology, psychology, and spirituality. For him, the Trinity is the codeword or abbreviated name of God. What is the long version? Something like this:  The Who-ing, the Why-ing, and the How-ing of Eternal Becoming. Finally, Doug felt called to develop an approach—a type of pedagogy—that attempts to identify the steps in transformation and how a counselor, spiritual director, or caregiver in any position can help someone else initiate and process through the path of wholeness-making.  This is the SH!PS Approach.    Presentation Outline: A. Law of Three B. Aware-Consciousness Principle C. Creative Principle D. Pan-Experientialism E. To Hold, To Heal, To Bless: Pan-Sacramentalism

Psychedelics Today
PT505 – Bicycle day Reflections, Quantum Mechanics, and the Value in Studying Philosophy to Understand Psychedelic Experiences, with Lenny Gibson, Ph.D.

Psychedelics Today

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2024 63:21


In this episode, Joe and Kyle interview Lenny Gibson, Ph.D.: philosopher, Grof-certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator, 20-year professor of transpersonal psychology at Burlington College, and the reason Joe and Kyle met many years ago. He talks about his early LSD experiences and how his interest in the philosophy of Plato and Alfred North Whitehead provided a framework and language for understanding a new mystical world where time and space were abstractions. He believes that while culture sees the benefits of psychedelics in economic terms, the biggest takeaway from non-ordinary states is learning that value is the essence of everything. And as this is being released on Bicycle Day, he discusses Albert Hofmann's discovery and whether or not it's fair to say that Hofmann intentionally had the experience he did on that fateful day. He also discusses: The end of Cartesian thinking and the need for a new understanding of reality that incorporates the insights of quantum mechanics How philosophy has been taught as an intellectual endeavor, and how we need to embrace the practical and conceptual side of life John Dewey and quantitative thinking, William James and pragmatism, and was Aristotle a Platonist? The novelty of the creation of LSD, and how it gave us a path to a mystical experience that wasn't culturally bound and more! For links, head to the show notes page. 

Theology Doesn't Suck!
Environmental Ethics & the Philosophy of Organism - With Brian G. Henning

Theology Doesn't Suck!

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 69:50


This week I was joined by Dr. Brian G. Henning to discuss his new book, "Value, Beauty & Nature: The Philosophy of Organism and the Metaphysical Foundations of Environmental Ethics". "Grounded in an organicist process worldview, Brian G. Henning shows that it is possible to make progress in key debates within environmental philosophy, including those concerning the nature of intrinsic value; anthropocentrism; hierarchy; the moral significance of beauty; the nature of individuality; teleology and the naturalistic fallacy; and worldview reconstruction. A Whiteheadian fallibilistic, naturalistic, event ontology allows for the recovery of systematic, speculative metaphysical thought without a revanchist movement toward a necessitarian philosophia perennis. Thus, in contrast to the claims of environmental pragmatists, Value, Beauty, and Nature demonstrates that environmental ethics would greatly benefit from an adequate metaphysical foundation and, of the candidate metaphysical systems, Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy of organism is the most adequate." Enjoy! RESOURCES: Value, Beauty & Nature: The Philosophy of Organism and the Metaphysical Foundations of Environmental Ethics (Book) Dr. Brian G. Henning Join the Patreon *A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and to Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pravidelná dávka
305. Euthyfrón: Bol skôr Boh alebo morálka?

Pravidelná dávka

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2024 21:56


Ako slávne povedal britský matematik a filozof Alfred North Whitehead, "najbezpečnejšia všeobecná charakteristika európskej filozofickej tradície je taká, že pozostáva z radu poznámok pod čiarou k Platónovi". Ja sám rád hovoriem, že Platónove dialógy sú bibliou kritického myslenie a že skutočné kritické myslenie je filozofické myslenie postavené na Sokratovej metóde dopytovania. ----more---- Dnes preto pokračujeme s ďalším Platónovom dialógom s názvom Euthyfrón, kde hľadanie definície zbožnosti privedie Sokrata k formulácii známej Euthyfrovej dilemy: Je niečo dobré preto, lebo do chcú bohovia, aleto to bohovia chcú preto, lebo je to dobré? Inými slovami, je morálka ultimátne ukotvená v božskej autorite alebo je naopak možné mať sekulárnu morálku bez božej existencie? Viac o tejto dileme, a či nie je náhodou falošná, sa zamyslíme o chvíľu. Súvisiace dávky: PD#283: Platónov dialóg Štát, http://bit.ly/davka283  PD#230: Platónov dialóg Gorgias, http://bit.ly/davka230  PD#125: Platónov dialóg Kritón, http://bit.ly/davka125  Použitá alebo odporúčaná literatúra:  Plato, Euthyphro (The Internet Classics Archive, online anglická verzia) Woodruff,"Plato's Shorter Ethical Works" (SEP, 2023) Bonevac, "Plato, Euthyphro: Reverence and Justice" (YouTube, od 7:42) Chappell, "Euthyphro's "Dilemma", Socrates' Daimonion and Plato's God" (European Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 2010) Sadler, "Plato, Euthyphro | The Euthyphro Dilemma | Philosophy Core Concepts" (YouTube) *** Baví ťa s nami rozmýšľať? Podpor našu tvorbu priamo na SK1283605207004206791985 alebo cez Patreon (https://bit.ly/PDtreon), kde Ťa odmeníme aj my.

Dr. John Vervaeke
Bridging Spirituality and Cognition | Transcendent Naturalism #13 with Matt Segall

Dr. John Vervaeke

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024 59:35


In Episode 13 of the "Transcendent Naturalism" series, John Vervaeke, Gregg Henriques, and guest Matt Segall engage in a deep exploration of the intersection between spirituality and cognitive science. They delve into how concepts like etheric imagination and process philosophy, particularly in the works of Schelling and Whitehead, can broaden our understanding of naturalism. The dialogue critically examines the constraints of traditional naturalism, highlighting the significance of imagination within scientific frameworks, and discussing the ongoing evolution of human perception and cognition. The episode bridges scientific inquiry with profound existential questions, offering enriched perspectives on the interplay between science, philosophy, and spirituality.    Matthew T. Segall, Ph.D., is a renowned philosopher specializing in Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy. He earned his doctorate from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2016, with a focus on post-Kantian process philosophy. His academic work emphasizes the integration of science, spirituality, and ecology, contributing significantly to contemporary philosophical thought​.   Glossary of Terms   Transcendent Naturalism: A philosophy that expands traditional naturalism to include spiritual and subjective experiences, aiming to integrate scientific inquiry with existential and spiritual questions.   Process Philosophy: A doctrine emphasizing change and becoming, viewing the universe as a constant flux of experiential occasions, associated with Alfred North Whitehead.   Etheric Imagination: A form of imagination that goes beyond physical senses, involving perception or engagement with subtle, non-physical realms or dimensions. Resources and References   Dr. John Vervaeke: Website | YouTube | Patreon | X | Facebook Gregg Henriques: Website | X | Facebook Matt Segall: Website | Patreon | X | Facebook The Vervaeke Foundation   John Vervaeke YouTube Is Free Will an Illusion? Navigating Kantian Thought with Dr. Vervaeke & Matt Segall Dynamics of Modern Paradigm Shifts with Jordan Hall   Books, Articles, and Publications Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead - Matthew David Segall Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead - C. Robert Mesle How the Body Shapes the Mind - Shaun Gallagher   Modes of Thought - Alfred North Whitehead  Distributed Cognition and the Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke The Enactment of Shared Agency in Teams Exploring Mars Through Rovers - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke The Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke   Quotes   "Bringing in the complexity sciences and emergence in a contemporary context is exciting." - Matt Segall "Transcendent naturalism is trying to incorporate elements traditionally considered supernatural." - Matt Segall  "There's a needle to be threaded in understanding new age movements." - Matt Segall "The imaginal is crucial for understanding how we connect with the world." - John Vervaeke  "Language plays a key role in connecting different perspectives." - John Vervaeke    Chapters with Timestamps   [00:00:00] Introduction of Guest and Topic  [00:01:32] Discussion on Etheric Imagination and Process Philosophy  [00:04:48] Exploring the Limitations of Traditional Naturalism  [00:14:35] The Role of Imagination in Scientific Contexts  [00:20:05] The Evolving Nature of Human Perception and Cognition [00:25:27] Exploring the Concept of 'One World' in Naturalism  [00:43:33] The Integration of Different Forms of Knowing [00:54:55] Concluding Thoughts and Perspectives   Timestamped Highlights   [00:01:00] -  John Vervaeke and Gregg Henriques welcome Matt Segall and discuss his recent book.  [00:02:17] - Discussion about a previous episode with Jordan Hall, focusing on the alignment of Whitehead's process philosophy with future-oriented wisdom philosophies. [00:03:20] - Matt Segall introduces the concept of emergent properties in the context of cognitive science, discussing how these concepts challenge and expand traditional scientific understanding. [00:04:48] - Segall shares his views on the limitations of traditional naturalism, explaining how it often neglects subjective and spiritual experiences in scientific discourse. [00:09:23] - Vervaeke elaborates on the non-rejecting nature of transcendent naturalism, emphasizing its aim to extend rather than refute traditional views. [00:11:41] - The discussion touches on the significance of pluralism in understanding naturalism. [00:14:06] - The conversation shifts to explore the difference between fantasy and the imaginal, discussing their roles in understanding and perceiving reality. [00:20:42] - Henriques reflects on the broader definition and scope of naturalism, differentiating it from materialism and emphasizing its varied interpretations. [00:25:58] - The dialogue explores the concept of 'one world' within naturalism, discussing its implications for understanding reality as a process of continual actualization and evolution. [00:31:04] - The hosts discuss how language and imagination can bridge understanding across different disciplines and perspectives. [00:36:47] - Segall discusses the universality of categories in Whitehead's work, explaining how they provide a common ground for different faiths and philosophical perspectives. [00:43:52] - Discussion on the concepts of body schema and body image, relating them to how imagination and perception influence our interaction with the world and the evolutionary development of our sensory organs. [00:49:48] - The panel discusses distributed cognition's role in perceiving reality beyond the five senses and seeks to connect this concept with Alfred North Whitehead's philosophical ideas on societal interconnections. [00:54:55] - Concluding thoughts on the episode's topics and discussion of plans for future conversations.  

Thư Viện Sách Nói Có Bản Quyền
Những Nhà Tư Tưởng Lớn - Plato Trong 60 Phút [Sách Nói]

Thư Viện Sách Nói Có Bản Quyền

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2024 19:02


Nghe trọn sách nói Những Nhà Tư Tưởng Lớn - Plato Trong 60 Phút trên ứng dụng Fonos: https://fonos.link/PodcastFonos--Về Fonos:Fonos là Ứng dụng âm thanh số - Với hơn 13.000 nội dung gồm Sách nói có bản quyền, Podcast, Ebook, Tóm tắt sách, Thiền định, Truyện ngủ, Nhạc chủ đề, Truyện thiếu nhi. Bạn có thể nghe miễn phí chương 1 của tất cả sách nói trên Fonos. Tải app để trải nghiệm ngay!--Platon, hay còn được Anh hóa là Plato, phiên âm tiếng Việt là Pla-tông (428/427 hay 424/423 - 348/347 TCN) là nhà triết học người Athen trong thời kỳ Cổ điển ở Hy Lạp cổ đại, người sáng lập trường phái tư tưởng Platon, và Học viện, cơ sở giáo dục đại học đầu tiên ở thế giới phương Tây.Ông được coi là nhân vật quan trọng trong lịch sử triết học phương Tây và Hy Lạp cổ đại, cùng với người thầy của ông, Socrates, và học trò nổi tiếng nhất của ông, Aristotle. Plato cũng thường được coi là một trong những người sáng lập ra tôn giáo và tâm linh phương Tây. Những cái gọi là chủ nghĩa Tân Platon của nhà triết học như Plotinus và Porphyry ảnh hưởng rất lớn đến Kitô giáo qua các Giáo Phụ như Augustine. Alfred North Whitehead từng lưu ý: "đặc điểm chung an toàn nhất của truyền thống triết học Châu Âu là nó bao gồm một loạt các chú thích của Plato."Sách nói Những Nhà Tư Tưởng Lớn - Plato Trong 60 Phút sẽ cung cấp cho bạn những thông tin ngắn gọn và dễ hiểu nhất về Plato cùng tư tưởng triết học của ông.--Tìm hiểu thêm về Fonos: https://fonos.vn/Theo dõi Facebook Fonos: https://www.facebook.com/fonosvietnam/

Psychedelics Today
PT466 – John H. Buchanan, Ph.D. – The Philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead: Understanding Reality and the Psychedelic Experience

Psychedelics Today

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2023 84:32


In this episode, Kyle interviews John H. Buchanan, Ph.D.: certified Holotropic Breathwork practitioner; contributing co-editor for Rethinking Consciousness: Extraordinary Challenges for Contemporary Science; and author of the new book, Processing Reality: Finding Meaning in Death, Psychedelics, and Sobriety. Recorded shortly after a week-long philosophy and breathwork conference which they both attended, they mostly dig into the challenging philosophical concepts of Alfred North Whitehead: how everything is made up of a feeling; how everything is relational and we all feel each other's experiences; how Whitehead defined occasions and how moments of experience are accessing the totality of the past; and how neurology and the mind-brain interaction impacts human experience. This analysis leads to a lot of questions: Is the past constantly present, in that it is an active influencer on all our actions? When we relive a past event, where does that live in our minds vs. bodies? Are we tapping into a universal storehouse of past events, or are we tapping into past lives (or into others past lives)? When we sense that someone is looking at us, what is that? He also discusses his realization that the experiential element of non-ordinary states of consciousness was the most important; his entry point into breathwork; why breathwork creates a perfect atmosphere for conversation; reincarnation and the idea of being reincarnated into other dimensions; the concept of objective immortality and how ripple effects from a single moment continue onward; and the fallacy of misplaced concreteness and psychoid experiences: Are they real beyond our psyche? Click here to head to the show notes page. 

Naming the Real
No Arrival, Only Balance: Living in a World of Flow (Science, Spirituality, and Scripture II)

Naming the Real

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2023 69:21


We are often tempted to orient our lives around some sort of arrival point—enough money or fame or religion to give us certainty, to give us power, but flourishing life is about learning to live in the surrender of constant tension and balance. In this episode, we explore how balance underlies all of reality and how pursuing balance will lead us into practices that leave us in a state of awe, mystery, and unhurriedness.

The Cunning of Geist
077 - The Journey Not the Destination: The Case for Universal Purposeful Evolution

The Cunning of Geist

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2023 20:11


Does Spirit evolve?  How about God?And what exactly does the term panentheism mean?This episode takes a deep dive into process philosophy, process theology, and the evolutionary nature of "becoming."  The pioneer work of Charles Hartshorne, Alfred North Whitehead, Charles Sanders Peirce, and of course Hegel, all in a way process philosophers, is addressed. Support the show

Fringe Radio Network
Exploring the World of the Ungooglable - Where Did The Road Go?

Fringe Radio Network

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2023 97:24


Seriah is joined by Michael Angelo and Natalie. Topics include google and “ungoogability”, linguistics, film-making and acting, Julian Jaynes's “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind”, a strange series of emails, a vision while ingesting a jungle plant, synchronicities with lemurs, dream entities, Terence McKenna, 9/11 experiences, experiences with an Alzheimer's affected relative, a lengthy road trip, synchronicities with snails, pandemic experiences, two years living in the jungle in an artists' commune, an encounter with a flesh-eating parasite, psychedelics, a strange jungle creature, a weird experience with a stray cat, telling the stories of liminal spaces, a bizarre encounter with a shaman and a tarantula, a fascinating LSD trip, poetry, an experience with a rooster and a shaman, healing, hallucinogens, vegetable reality, a experience with belladonna tea, a group mental time-slip, a childhood accidental belladonna trip, fever dreams and childhood visions, Jill Bolte Taylor, Eric Wargo's “Time Loops”, “Oxenfree” video game, The Strange Realities conference, dream experiences, outside entities in dream encounters, the mythological three Norns, Jason Moss, NYC's Psychedelic Athenaeum, the non-individual nature of the self, intuition, experiences receiving specific information in dreams, dreaming as a survival mechanism, Alfred North Whitehead, and much more! This is one of the most fascinating, weirdest conversations in a long time!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4656375/advertisement

Where Did the Road Go?
Exploring the World of the Ungooglable - August 19, 2023

Where Did the Road Go?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2023


Seriah is joined by Michael Angelo and Natalie. Topics include google and “ungoogability”, linguistics, film-making and acting, Julian Jaynes's “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind”, a strange series of emails, a vision while ingesting a jungle plant, synchronicities with lemurs, dream entities, Terence McKenna, 9/11 experiences, experiences with an Alzheimer's affected relative, a lengthy road trip, synchronicities with snails, pandemic experiences, two years living in the jungle in an artists' commune, an encounter with a flesh-eating parasite, psychedelics, a strange jungle creature, a weird experience with a stray cat, telling the stories of liminal spaces, a bizarre encounter with a shaman and a tarantula, a fascinating LSD trip, poetry, an experience with a rooster and a shaman, healing, hallucinogens, vegetable reality, a experience with belladonna tea, a group mental time-slip, a childhood accidental belladonna trip, fever dreams and childhood visions, Jill Bolte Taylor, Eric Wargo's “Time Loops”, “Oxenfree” video game, The Strange Realities conference, dream experiences, outside entities in dream encounters, the mythological three Norns, Jason Moss, NYC's Psychedelic Athenaeum, the non-individual nature of the self, intuition, experiences receiving specific information in dreams, dreaming as a survival mechanism, Alfred North Whitehead, and much more! This is one of the most fascinating, weirdest conversations in a long time! - Recap by Vincent Treewell of The Weird Part Podcast https://www.theungoogleable.com/ Outro Music is Tragic Magic by Void Denizen Download

QUOTATIONS
Episode 169 - Alfred North Whitehead on the Art of Progress

QUOTATIONS

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2023 14:59


Alfred North Whitehead was an accomplished mathematician and philosophy of the early 20th century.  He taught the great Bertrand Russell and published long-lived titles in both academic disciplines.  His writings, while challenging, are deep and insightful.  His description of progress and how both change AND order collaborate within it is the subject of today's memorable quote.  

ParaPower Mapping
UNLOCKED - ALTERED STATE FASH ACTORS (Pt. III): Hypno Harvard Pledge Week w/ Dr. Estabrooks, Dr. Murray, & ARTICHOKE Seeds

ParaPower Mapping

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2023 100:52


***Klonny here. I've unlocked the charting of Harvard & Colgate Unis as mind control nexuses aka "ASFA (Pt. III)" for your listening pleasure; make sure to subscribe to the Patreon to access Pt. IV & V of the ASFA series. We'll be getting red-in-the-face & across a brand new, surprise EP sometime in the next few days... A momentary interlude from our ongoing ASFA & Nazi Occultism series*** Subscribe to: patreon.com/ParaPowerMapping Hey there, Theta Chi & Masonic Templar MK-ULTRA Dr's class of 1926! Welcome back to campus. It's Hypno Harvard Pledge Week. Time for a mini-dive into the formation of the Harvard Psychology Clinic & the lives of some of the MKULTRA & intel-affiliated doctors that graced its halls w/ their hypnosuggestive whispers & scraped the brains of "shell shocked" WWI veterans. We're talking Herr Doctors Estabrooks, Murray, Langer, Beecher, Morton Prince, Orne, Cameron, Milton Erickson, etc. & a veritable sanitarium of hypnotherapists & mad MK scientists who I don't have the time to list this second. We're back in MasSUSchusetts for a second before we take that transatlantic Hindenburg zeppelin flight (waft? float?) and touch down in Babylon Babelsberg Berlin. A Lowell-Lawrence makes an appearance in this one; as does Alfred North Whitehead.  We spend half our time w/ Murray, his work in agent profiling for the OSS & British Intelligence, his lover's sexually-fraught mentor-mentee relationship w/ Carl Jung, Murray's work w/ Walter Langer, with whom he'd write the psychoanalytical report on Hitler at Wild Bill Donovan's behest. There's more Wild Bill in this one—+ good old J. Edgar Hoover! You'll hear the voice of Admiral & CIA Director Stansfield Turner from the MKULTRA hearings briefly, as well as numerous clips from the 1970s TV documentary "Mission Mind Control". We spend the meat of the EP on George H. Estabrooks, his 1943 text "Hypnotism", his role in formulating MK & super courier procedures, his Cardinal Mindszenty propaganda, the fact that he & Hitler both suffered gas attacks in Ypres (Belgium), the fact he was likely hypnotized after said disastrous experience on the Western Front, his 33° wedding in Rome, & his many, many sus scientific, military, & academic connections. We break it all down, showing how he began consulting w/ MID, the War Dep't, & the OSS years & years before BLUEBIRD, ARTICHOKE, or MKULTRA came in to being... Perfectly encapsulating my argument that WWI hypnotherapy prefigured modern American mind control.  Oh yeah, and like basically every frickin' MK Dr. is a Harvard Crimson.  Songs:  | The Kinks - "Brainwashed" |  | Michael Abels - "Hypnosis" (Get Out OST) |  | Mission of Burma - "Learn How" |  Clips from the previously mentioned ABC doc "Mission Mind Control", as well as the intro to an interview w/ Dr. Henry Murray

ORT Shorts
Ep. 168: Teilhard and Whitehead Conference

ORT Shorts

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 1:36


Dr. Oord discusses the upcoming conference exploring the influential works of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin  and Alfred North Whitehead.The conference, hosted by the Center for Process Studies and the Center for Christogenesis, will take place Sept, 21-23 at Villanova University.For information and registration visit:https://christogenesis.salsalabs.org/whitehead-teilhard-conference/index.html

ParaPower Mapping
ALTERED STATE FASH ACTORS (Pt. III): Hypno Harvard Pledge Week w/ Dr. Estabrooks, Dr. Murray, & ARTICHOKE Seeds [TEASER] - Comp. Paranoid Analysis of Nazi Occultism Cont'd...

ParaPower Mapping

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2023 52:47


Hey there, Theta Chi & Masonic Templar MK-ULTRA Dr's class of 1926! Welcome back to campus. It's Hypno Harvard Pledge Week. Time for a mini-dive into the formation of the Harvard Psychology Clinic & the lives of some of the MKULTRA & intel-affiliated doctors who prowled its halls w/ their hypnosuggestive whispers & scraped the brains of "shell shocked" WWI veterans. Subscribe to the PPM Patreon to access the back half of this EP: patreon.com/ParaPowerMapping We're talking Herr Doctors Estabrooks, Murray, Langer, Beecher, Morton Prince, Orne, Cameron, Milton Erickson, etc. & a veritable sanitarium of hypnotherapists & mad MK scientists who I don't have the time to list this second. We're back in MasSUSchusetts for a minute before we take that transatlantic Hindenburg zeppelin flight (waft? float?) and touch down in Babylon Babelsberg Berlin. A Lowell-Lawrence makes an appearance in this one; as does Alfred North Whitehead.  We spend half our time w/ Murray: his work in agent profiling for the OSS & British Intelligence; his lover's sexually-fraught mentor-mentee relationship w/ Carl Jung; Murray's work w/ Walter Langer, with whom he'd write the psychoanalytical report on Hitler at Wild Bill Donovan's behest. There's some more Wild Bill in this one—+ good old J. Edgar Hoover! You'll hear the voice of Admiral & CIA Director Stansfield Turner from the MKULTRA hearings briefly, as well as numerous clips from the 1970s TV documentary "Mission Mind Control". We spend the meat of the EP on George H. Estabrooks: his 1943 text "Hypnotism"; his role in formulating MK & super courier procedures; his Cardinal Mindszenty propaganda; the fact that he & Hitler both suffered gas attacks in Ypres (Belgium), plus his probable hypnosis after said disastrous experience on the Western Front; his 33° wedding in Rome; & his many sus scientific, military, & academic connections. We break it all down, showing how he began consulting w/ the MID, the War Dep't, & the OSS years & years before BLUEBIRD, ARTICHOKE, or MKULTRA came in to being... Perfectly encapsulating my argument that WWI hypnotherapy prefigured modern American mind control.  Oh yeah, and like basically every frickin' MK Dr. is a Harvard Crimson or passed through there. A shit ton of them came through Estabrooks's Colgate hypnosis symposiums, which we also detail. Oh, & there's a Julian & Aldous Huxley sighting, too. Songs:  | The Kinks - "Brainwashed" |  | Michael Abels - "Hypnosis" (Get Out OST) |  | Mission of Burma - "Learn How" |  Clips from the previously mentioned ABC doc "Mission Mind Control", as well as the intro to an interview w/ Dr. Henry Murray

Voices of VR Podcast – Designing for Virtual Reality
#1237: The VOID’s Curtis Hickman on his book “Hyper-Reality: The Art of Designing Impossible Experiences”

Voices of VR Podcast – Designing for Virtual Reality

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2023 86:36


The VOID was a location-based entertainment company that shut down during the pandemic and maybe coming back at some point. The VOID Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer Curtis Hickman convinced his partners to allow him to reflect upon and share the many experiential design lessons in a book titled Hyper-Reality: The Art of Designing Impossible Experiences. The book launched on June 15, 2023, and does an amazing job of sharing a ton of theoretical design insights that are grounded in specific examples and anecdotes from The VOID's backlog of experiences. Hickman is a big fan of lists and frameworks, and he includes lots of theoretical reflections with the primary structure of his 52 Laws of Hyper-Reality Design spanning four categories of Story Laws, World Laws, Guest Laws, and Magic Laws. These were the underlying principles of designing impossible experiences that The VOID would share all of the content partners, and he manages to seamlessly weave them together in digestible and fun-to-read book. Hickman is also a professional magician, and spends the second half of the book unpacking how he applied magic design theory to creating awe and wonder within the experiential design of the VOID. I had a chance to talk with Hickman about his book unpacking his experiential design process, the four categories of Hyper-Reality Design, unpacking the mimetic storytelling affordances of VR, and the VR genres of action, adventure, and "Hyper-Reality." which he defines as "the practical Illusion of an impossible reality so convincing the mind accepts it as reality itself." We chat a bit about presence in VR, and a bit about how my elemental theory of presence relates to his four categories of Hyper-Reality with Story Laws focusing on emotional presence, World Laws focusing on environmental presence and embodied presence, and Guest Laws focusing on active presence, and Magic Laws focusing on Mental Presence. Before I wrap up, I wanted to make a quick comment on a definition of experience that Hickman uses from Disney Imagineering legend Joe Rohde: Experience is a record of relationships. Relationships between things that happen in the world, your body's reception of the impulses created by that thing that happened, and the formation in your brain of the story you tell yourself about what happened. Since the last part of that sequence is the main part you are aware of, that means experience is a narrative event. It is what we tell ourselves happened. This means that a lot of the principles that you would apply in crafting narrative, say a play, a novel, a poem… Hickman, Curtis (2023, June 15) "Hyper-Reality: The Art of Designing Impossible Experiences." page 65. Independently Published. I love this definition of experience because it is very much aligned with process-relational philosophy, which the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Process Philosophy says that "If we admit that the basic entities of our world are processes, we can generate better philosophical descriptions of all the kinds of entities and relationships we are committed to when we reason about our world in common sense and in science." As Mesle says in his book on process-relational philosophy: Just look at your own experience. Isn't that exactly what your own experience is like? New drops of experience pop into being one after another like “buds or drops of perception” ([Whitehead's Process & Reality page] 68, quoting William James). Each new drop of awareness is incredibly complex, composed of thoughts, feelings, sensory experiences, and deeper feelings of being surrounded by a world of causal forces. You can never make thoughts stand still. Your own flow of experience is a paradigm for the process-relational vision of reality laid out in Whitehead's work and in the book you are currently reading. Mesle, C. Robert (2018, March 1). Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead. page 7.

The Building 4th Podcast
Process Philosophy and the Law of One: A conversation with Dr. Matt Segall, PhD

The Building 4th Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2023 60:47


Doug wanted to find out what a professor of philosophy who is an expert on Alfred North Whitehead's Process Philosophy might say about the metaphysics of the Law of One material. Both of us discussed the importance of finding ways to help people live wholeheartedly in the immediacy of their lives.     Show notes:  Matt Segall, PhD, is a transdisciplinary researcher and teacher applying process philosophy across the natural and social sciences, including the study of consciousness. He is Assistant Professor in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. Follow his work at Footnotes2Plato.com A great intro to Whitehead's metaphysics: https://youtu.be/sRA-QoOGPPg My interview on Metanoism: http://cosmicchrist.net/2023/05/21/metanoism-a-psychospiritual-framework-for-stewarding-positive-change/    

New Books Network
Graham Harman and Christopher Witmore, "Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology" (Polity Press, 2023)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 64:18


Objects generate time; time does not generate or change objects. That is the central thesis of this book by the philosopher Graham Harman and the archaeologist Christopher Witmore, who defend radical positions in their respective fields. Against a current and pervasive conviction that reality consists of an unceasing flux - a view associated in philosophy with New Materialism - object-oriented ontology asserts that objects of all varieties are the bedrock of reality from which time emerges. And against the narrative convictions of time as the course of historical events, the objects and encounters associated with archaeology push back against the very temporal delimitations which defined the field and its objects ever since its professionalization in the nineteenth century. In a study ranging from the ruins of ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Troy to debates over time from Aristotle and al-Ash'ari through Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead, the authors draw on alternative conceptions of time as retroactive, percolating, topological, cyclical, and generational, as consisting of countercurrents or of a surface tension between objects and their own qualities. Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology (Polity Press, 2023) invites us to reconsider the modern notion of objects as inert matter serving as a receptacle for human categories. Adam Bobeck is a PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Leipzig. His PhD is entitled “Object-Oriented Azadari: Ontology and Ritual Theory”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Critical Theory
Graham Harman and Christopher Witmore, "Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology" (Polity Press, 2023)

New Books in Critical Theory

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 64:18


Objects generate time; time does not generate or change objects. That is the central thesis of this book by the philosopher Graham Harman and the archaeologist Christopher Witmore, who defend radical positions in their respective fields. Against a current and pervasive conviction that reality consists of an unceasing flux - a view associated in philosophy with New Materialism - object-oriented ontology asserts that objects of all varieties are the bedrock of reality from which time emerges. And against the narrative convictions of time as the course of historical events, the objects and encounters associated with archaeology push back against the very temporal delimitations which defined the field and its objects ever since its professionalization in the nineteenth century. In a study ranging from the ruins of ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Troy to debates over time from Aristotle and al-Ash'ari through Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead, the authors draw on alternative conceptions of time as retroactive, percolating, topological, cyclical, and generational, as consisting of countercurrents or of a surface tension between objects and their own qualities. Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology (Polity Press, 2023) invites us to reconsider the modern notion of objects as inert matter serving as a receptacle for human categories. Adam Bobeck is a PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Leipzig. His PhD is entitled “Object-Oriented Azadari: Ontology and Ritual Theory”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

New Books in Anthropology
Graham Harman and Christopher Witmore, "Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology" (Polity Press, 2023)

New Books in Anthropology

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 64:18


Objects generate time; time does not generate or change objects. That is the central thesis of this book by the philosopher Graham Harman and the archaeologist Christopher Witmore, who defend radical positions in their respective fields. Against a current and pervasive conviction that reality consists of an unceasing flux - a view associated in philosophy with New Materialism - object-oriented ontology asserts that objects of all varieties are the bedrock of reality from which time emerges. And against the narrative convictions of time as the course of historical events, the objects and encounters associated with archaeology push back against the very temporal delimitations which defined the field and its objects ever since its professionalization in the nineteenth century. In a study ranging from the ruins of ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Troy to debates over time from Aristotle and al-Ash'ari through Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead, the authors draw on alternative conceptions of time as retroactive, percolating, topological, cyclical, and generational, as consisting of countercurrents or of a surface tension between objects and their own qualities. Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology (Polity Press, 2023) invites us to reconsider the modern notion of objects as inert matter serving as a receptacle for human categories. Adam Bobeck is a PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Leipzig. His PhD is entitled “Object-Oriented Azadari: Ontology and Ritual Theory”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

New Books in Archaeology
Graham Harman and Christopher Witmore, "Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology" (Polity Press, 2023)

New Books in Archaeology

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 64:18


Objects generate time; time does not generate or change objects. That is the central thesis of this book by the philosopher Graham Harman and the archaeologist Christopher Witmore, who defend radical positions in their respective fields. Against a current and pervasive conviction that reality consists of an unceasing flux - a view associated in philosophy with New Materialism - object-oriented ontology asserts that objects of all varieties are the bedrock of reality from which time emerges. And against the narrative convictions of time as the course of historical events, the objects and encounters associated with archaeology push back against the very temporal delimitations which defined the field and its objects ever since its professionalization in the nineteenth century. In a study ranging from the ruins of ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Troy to debates over time from Aristotle and al-Ash'ari through Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead, the authors draw on alternative conceptions of time as retroactive, percolating, topological, cyclical, and generational, as consisting of countercurrents or of a surface tension between objects and their own qualities. Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology (Polity Press, 2023) invites us to reconsider the modern notion of objects as inert matter serving as a receptacle for human categories. Adam Bobeck is a PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Leipzig. His PhD is entitled “Object-Oriented Azadari: Ontology and Ritual Theory”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/archaeology

New Books in Intellectual History
Graham Harman and Christopher Witmore, "Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology" (Polity Press, 2023)

New Books in Intellectual History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 64:18


Objects generate time; time does not generate or change objects. That is the central thesis of this book by the philosopher Graham Harman and the archaeologist Christopher Witmore, who defend radical positions in their respective fields. Against a current and pervasive conviction that reality consists of an unceasing flux - a view associated in philosophy with New Materialism - object-oriented ontology asserts that objects of all varieties are the bedrock of reality from which time emerges. And against the narrative convictions of time as the course of historical events, the objects and encounters associated with archaeology push back against the very temporal delimitations which defined the field and its objects ever since its professionalization in the nineteenth century. In a study ranging from the ruins of ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Troy to debates over time from Aristotle and al-Ash'ari through Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead, the authors draw on alternative conceptions of time as retroactive, percolating, topological, cyclical, and generational, as consisting of countercurrents or of a surface tension between objects and their own qualities. Objects Untimely: Object-Oriented Philosophy and Archaeology (Polity Press, 2023) invites us to reconsider the modern notion of objects as inert matter serving as a receptacle for human categories. Adam Bobeck is a PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Leipzig. His PhD is entitled “Object-Oriented Azadari: Ontology and Ritual Theory”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Forum on Religion and Ecology: Spotlights
3.19 Reflections on Metamodernism

Forum on Religion and Ecology: Spotlights

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 26:28


This week's episode of Spotlights focuses on metamodernism—an emerging cultural movement that recovers sincerity and big picture thinking following the postmodern focus on irony and skepticism. Our host Sam Mickey provides some context for thinking about metamodernism, especially as it relates to postmodernism. He notes how postmodern theory already includes metamodern ideas in several ways, both in constructive postmodernism (e.g., Alfred North Whitehead) and deconstructive postmodernism (e.g., Jacques Derrida). While there is much to praise about metamodernism, it is important not to perpetuate confused misreadings of postmodernism. Furthermore, it is important to continue attending to the postcolonial and postindustrial conditions that postmodern theory addresses. 

War Machine
Merlin Sheldrake /// Mycological Metaphysics

War Machine

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2023 21:33


This episode features a talk given by Merlin Sheldrake titled "Mycological Metaphysics: Fungi and Alfred North Whitehead”. It was presented at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Center for Process Studies. https://ctr4process.org/ Dr. Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist and author of Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures, a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, and winner of the Royal Society Book Prize and the Wainwright Prize. Merlin received a Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Merlin is a research associate of the Vrije University Amsterdam, and works with the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks and the Fungi Foundation. Republished with permission from the Center for Process Studies and Andrew Davis.

FUTURE FOSSILS
201 - KMO & Kevin Wohlmut on our Blue Collar Black Mirror: Star Trek, Star Wars, Blade Runner, Jurassic Park, Adventure Time, ChatGPT, & More

FUTURE FOSSILS

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2023 106:17


This week we talk about the intersections of large language models, the golden age of television and its storytelling mishaps, making one's way through the weirding of the labor economy, and much more with two of my favorite Gen X science fiction aficionados, OG podcaster KMO and our mutual friend Kevin Arthur Wohlmut. In this episode — a standalone continuation to my recent appearance on The KMO Show, we skip like a stone across mentions of every Star Trek series, the collapse of narratives and the social fabric, Westworld HBO, Star Wars Mandalorian vs. Andor vs. Rebels, chatGPT, Blade Runner 2049, Black Mirror, H.P. Lovecraft, the Sheldrake-Abraham-McKenna Trialogues, Charles Stross' Accelerando, Adventure Time, Stanislav Grof's LSD psychotherapy, Francisco Varela, Blake Lemoine's meltdown over Google LaMDA, Integrated Information Theory, biosemiotics, Douglas Hofstadter, Max Tegmarck, Erik Davis, Peter Watts, The Psychedelic Salon, Melanie Mitchell, The Teafaerie, Kevin Kelly, consilience in science, Fight Club, and more…Or, if you prefer, here's a rundown of the episode generated by A.I. c/o my friends at Podium.page:In this episode, I explore an ambitious and well-connected conversation with guests KMO, a seasoned podcaster, and Kevin Walnut [sic], a close friend and supporter of the arts in Santa Fe. We dive deep into their thoughts on the social epistemology crisis, science fiction, deep fakes, and ontology. Additionally, we discuss their opinions on the Star Trek franchise, particularly their critiques of the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard and Discovery. Through this engaging conversation, we examine the impact of storytelling and the evolution of science fiction in modern culture. We also explore the relationship between identity, media, and artificial intelligence, as well as the ethical implications of creating sentient artificial general intelligence (AGI) and the philosophical questions surrounding AI's impact on society and human existence. Join us for a thought-provoking and in-depth discussion on a variety of topics that will leave you questioning the future of humanity and our relationship with technology.✨ Before we get started, three big announcements!* I am leaving the Santa Fe Institute, in part to write a very ambitious book about technology, art, imagination, and Jurassic Park. You can be a part of the early discussion around this project by joining the Future Fossils Book Club's Jurassic Park live calls — the first of which will be on Saturday, 29 April — open to Substack and Patreon supporters:* Catch me in a Twitter Space with Nxt Museum on Monday 17 April at 11 am PST on a panel discussing “Creative Misuse of Technology” with Minne Atairu, Parag Mital, Caroline Sinders, and hosts Jesse Damiani and Charlotte Kent.* I'm back in Austin this October to play the Astronox Festival at Apache Pass! Check out this amazing lineup on which I appear alongside Juno Reactor, Entheogenic, Goopsteppa, DRRTYWULVZ, and many more great artists!✨ Support Future Fossils:Subscribe anywhere you go for podcastsSubscribe to the podcast PLUS essays, music, and news on Substack or Patreon.Buy my original paintings or commission new work.Buy my music on Bandcamp! (This episode features “A Better Trip” from my recent live album by the same name.)Or if you're into lo-fi audio, follow me and my listening recommendations on Spotify.This conversation continues with lively and respectful interaction every single day in the members-only Future Fossils Facebook Group and Discord server. Join us!Episode cover art by KMO and a whole bouquet of digital image manipulation apps.✨ Tip Jars:@futurefossils on Venmo$manfredmacx on CashAppmichaelgarfield on PayPal✨ Affiliate Links:• These show notes and the transcript were made possible with Podium.Page, a very cool new AI service I'm happy to endorse. Sign up here and get three free hours and 50% off your first month.• BioTech Life Sciences makes anti-aging and performance enhancement formulas that work directly at the level of cellular nutrition, both for ingestion and direct topical application. I'm a firm believer in keeping NAD+ levels up and their skin solution helped me erase a year of pandemic burnout from my face.• Help regulate stress, get better sleep, recover from exercise, and/or stay alert and focused without stimulants, with the Apollo Neuro wearable. I have one and while I don't wear it all the time, when I do it's sober healthy drugs.• Musicians: let me recommend you get yourself a Jamstik Studio, the coolest MIDI guitar I've ever played. I LOVE mine. You can hear it playing all the synths on my song about Jurassic Park.✨ Mentioned Media:KMO Show S01 E01 - 001 - Michael Garfield and Kevin WohlmutAn Edifying Thought on AI by Charles EisensteinIn Defense of Star Trek: Picard & Discovery by Michael GarfieldImprovising Out of Algorithmic Isolation by Michael GarfieldAI and the Transformation of the Human Spirit by Steven Hales(and yes I know it's on Quillette, and no I don't think this automatically disqualifies it)Future Fossils Book Club #1: Blindsight by Peter WattsFF 116 - The Next Ten Billion Years: Ugo Bardi & John Michael Greer as read by Kevin Arthur Wohlmut✨ Related Recent Future Fossils Episodes:FF 198 - Tadaaki Hozumi on Japanese Esotericism, Aliens, Land Spirits, & The Singularity (Part 2)FF 195 - A.I. Art: An Emergency Panel with Julian Picaza, Evo Heyning, Micah Daigle, Jamie Curcio, & Topher SipesFF 187 - Fear & Loathing on the Electronic Frontier with Kevin Welch & David Hensley of EFF-Austin FF 178 - Chris Ryan on Exhuming The Human from Our Eldritch Institutions FF 175 - C. Thi Nguyen on The Seductions of Clarity, Weaponized Games, and Agency as Art ✨ Chapters:0:15:45 - The Substance of Philosophy (58 Seconds)0:24:45 - Complicated TV Narratives and the Internet (104 Seconds)0:30:54 - Humans vs Hosts in Westworld (81 Seconds)0:38:09 - Philosophical Zombies and Artificial Intelligence (89 Seconds)0:43:00 - Popular Franchises Themes (71 Seconds)1:03:27 - Reflections on a Changing Media Landscape (89 Seconds)1:10:45 - The Pathology of Selective Evidence (92 Seconds)1:16:32 - Externalizing Trauma Through Technology (131 Seconds)1:24:51 - From Snow Maker to Thouandsaire (43 Seconds)1:36:48 - The Impact of Boomer Parenting (126 Seconds)✨ Keywords:Social Epistemology, Science Fiction, Deep Fakes, Ontology, Star Trek, Artificial Intelligence, AI Impact, Sentient AGI, Human-Machine Interconnectivity, Consciousness Theory, Westworld, Blade Runner 2049, AI in Economy, AI Companion Chatbots, Unconventional Career Path, AI and Education, AI Content Creation, AI in Media, Turing Test✨ UNEDITED machine-generated transcript generated by podium.page:0:00:00Five four three two one. Go. So it's not like Wayne's world where you say the two and the one silently. Now, Greetings future fossils.0:00:11Welcome to episode two hundred and one of the podcast that explores our place in time I'm your host, Michael Garfield. And this is one of these extra juicy and delicious episodes of the show where I really ratcheted up with our guests and provide you one of these singularity is near kind of ever everything is connected to everything, self organized criticality right at the edge of chaos conversations, deeply embedded in chapel parallel where suddenly the invisible architect picture of our cosmos starts to make itself apparent through the glass bead game of conversation. And I am that I get to share it with you. Our guests this week are KMO, one of the most seasoned and well researched and experienced podcasters that I know. Somebody whose show the Sea Realm was running all the way back in two thousand six, I found him through Eric Davis, who I think most of you know, and I've had on the show a number of times already. And also Kevin Walnut, who is a close friend of mine here in Santa Fe, a just incredible human being, he's probably the strongest single supporter of music that I'm aware of, you know, as far as local scenes are concerned and and supporting people's music online and helping get the word out. He's been instrumental to my family and I am getting ourselves situated here all the way back to when I visited Santa Fe in two thousand eighteen to participate in the Santa Fe Institute's Interplanetary Festival and recorded conversations on that trip John David Ebert and Michael Aaron Cummins. And Ike used so June. About hyper modernity, a two part episode one zero four and one zero five. I highly recommend going back to that, which is really the last time possibly I had a conversation just this incredibly ambitious on the show.0:02:31But first, I want to announce a couple things. One is that I have left the Santa Fe Institute. The other podcast that I have been hosting for them for the last three and a half years, Complexity Podcast, which is substantially more popular in future fossils due to its institutional affiliation is coming to a close, I'm recording one more episode with SFI president David Krakauer next week in which I'm gonna be talking about my upcoming book project. And that episode actually is conjoined with the big announcement that I have for members of the Future Fossil's listening audience and and paid supporters, which is, of course, the Jurassic Park Book Club that starts On April twenty ninth, we're gonna host the first of two video calls where I'm gonna dive deep into the science and philosophy Michael Creighton's most popular work of fiction and its impact on culture and society over the thirty three years since its publication. And then I'm gonna start picking up as many of the podcasts that I had scheduled for complexity and had to cancel upon my departure from SFI. And basically fuse the two shows.0:03:47And I think a lot of you saw this coming. Future fossils is going to level up and become a much more scientific podcast. As I prepare and research the book that I'm writing about Jurassic Park and its legacy and the relationship It has to ILM and SFI and the Institute of Eco Technics. And all of these other visionary projects that sprouted in the eighties and nineties to transition from the analog to the digital the collapse of the boundaries between the real and the virtual, the human and the non human worlds, it's gonna be a very very ambitious book and a very very ambitious book club. And I hope that you will get in there because obviously now I am out in the rain as an independent producer and very much need can benefit from and am deeply grateful for your support for this work in order to make things happen and in order to keep my family fed, get the lights on here with future fossils. So with that, I wanna thank all of the new supporters of the show that have crawled out of the woodwork over the last few weeks, including Raefsler Oingo, Brian in the archaeologist, Philip Rice, Gerald Bilak, Jamie Curcio, Jeff Hanson who bought my music, Kuaime, Mary Castello, VR squared, Nastia teaches, community health com, Ed Mulder, Cody Couiac, bought my music, Simon Heiduke, amazing visionary artist. I recommend you check out, Kayla Peters. Yeah. All of you, I just wow. Thank you so much. It's gonna be a complete melee in this book club. I'm super excited to meet you all. I will send out details about the call details for the twenty ninth sometime in the next few days via a sub tag in Patreon.0:06:09The amount of support that I've received through this transition has been incredible and it's empowering me to do wonderful things for you such as the recently released secret videos of the life sets I performed with comedian Shane Moss supporting him, opening for him here in Santa Fe. His two sold out shows at the Jean Coutu cinema where did the cyber guitar performances. And if you're a subscriber, you can watch me goofing off with my pedal board. There's a ton of material. I'm gonna continue to do that. I've got a lot of really exciting concerts coming up in the next few months that we're gonna get large group and also solo performance recordings from and I'm gonna make those available in a much more resplendent way to supporters as well as the soundtrack to Mark Nelson of the Institute of Eco Technics, his UC San Diego, Art Museum, exhibit retrospective looking at BioSphere two. I'm doing music for that and that's dropping. The the opening of that event is April twenty seventh. There's gonna be a live zoom event for that and then I'm gonna push the music out as well for that.0:07:45So, yeah, thank you all. I really, really appreciate you listening to the show. I am excited to share this episode with you. KMO is just a trove. Of insight and experience. I mean, he's like a perfect entry into the digital history museum that this show was predicated upon. So with that and also, of course, Kevin Willett is just magnificent. And for the record, stick around at the end of the conversation. We have some additional pieces about AI, and I think you're gonna really enjoy it. And yeah, thank you. Here we go. Alright. Cool.0:09:26Well, we just had a lovely hour of discussion for the new KMO podcast. And now I'm here with KMO who is The most inveterate podcaster I know. And I know a lot of them. Early adopts. And I think that weird means what you think it means. Inventor it. Okay. Yes. Hey, answer to both. Go ahead. I mean, you're not yet legless and panhandling. So prefer to think of it in term in terms of August estimation. Yeah. And am I allowed to say Kevin Walnut because I've had you as a host on True. Yeah. My last name was appeared on your show. It hasn't appeared on camos yet, but I don't really care. Okay. Great. Yeah. Karen Arthur Womlett, who is one of the most solid and upstanding and widely read and just generous people, I think I know here in Santa Fe or maybe anywhere. With excellent taste and podcasts. Yes. And who is delicious meat I am sampling right now as probably the first episode of future fossils where I've had an alcoholic beverage in my hand. Well, I mean, it's I haven't deprived myself. Of fun. And I think if you're still listening to the show after all these years, you probably inferred that. But at any rate, Welcome on board. Thank you. Thanks. Pleasure to be here.0:10:49So before we started rolling, I guess, so the whole conversation that we just had for your show camera was very much about my thoughts on the social epistemology crisis and on science fiction and deep fakes and all of these kinds of weird ontology and these kinds of things. But in between calls, we were just talking about how much you detest the first two seasons of Star Trek card and of Discovery. And as somebody, I didn't bother with doing this. I didn't send you this before we spoke, but I actually did write an SIN defense of those shows. No one. Yeah. So I am not attached to my opinion on this, but And I actually do wanna at some point double back and hear storytelling because when he had lunch and he had a bunch of personal life stuff that was really interesting. And juicy and I think worthy of discussion. But simply because it's hot on the rail right now, I wanna hear you talk about Star Trek. And both of you, actually, I know are very big fans of this franchise. I think fans are often the ones from whom a critic is most important and deserved. And so I welcome your unhinged rants. Alright. Well, first, I'll start off by quoting Kevin's brother, the linguist, who says, That which brings us closer to Star Trek is progress. But I'd have to say that which brings us closer to Gene Rottenberry and Rick Berman era Star Trek. Is progress. That which brings us closer to Kurtzmann. What's his first name? Alex. Alex Kurtzmann, Star Trek. Well, that's not even the future. I mean, that's just that's our drama right now with inconsistent Star Trek drag draped over it.0:12:35I liked the first JJ Abrams' Star Trek. I think it was two thousand nine with Chris Pine and Zachary Qinto and Karl Urban and Joey Saldana. I liked the casting. I liked the energy. It was fun. I can still put that movie on and enjoy it. But each one after that just seem to double down on the dumb and just hold that arm's length any of the philosophical stuff that was just amazing from Star Trek: The Next Generation or any of the long term character building, which was like from Deep Space nine.0:13:09And before seven of nine showed up on on Voyager, you really had to be a dedicated Star Trek fan to put up with early season's Voyager, but I did because I am. But then once she came on board and it was hilarious. They brought her onboard. I remember seeing Jerry Ryan in her cat suit on the cover of a magazine and just roll in my eyes and think, oh my gosh, this show is in such deep trouble through sinking to this level to try to save it. But she was brilliant. She was brilliant in that show and she and Robert Percardo as the doctor. I mean, it basically became the seven of nine and the doctor show co starring the rest of the cast of Voyager. And it was so great.0:13:46I love to hear them singing together and just all the dynamics of I'm human, but I was I basically came up in a cybernetic collective and that's much more comfortable to me. And I don't really have the option of going back it. So I gotta make the best of where I am, but I feel really superior to all of you. Is such it was such a charming dynamic. I absolutely loved it. Yes. And then I think a show that is hated even by Star Trek fans Enterprise. Loved Enterprise.0:14:15And, yes, the first three seasons out of four were pretty rough. Actually, the first two were pretty rough. The third season was that Zendy Ark in the the expanse. That was pretty good. And then season four was just astounding. It's like they really found their voice and then what's his name at CBS Paramount.0:14:32He's gone now. He got me too. What's his name? Les Moonves? Said, no. I don't like Star Trek. He couldn't he didn't know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek. That was his level of engagement.0:14:44And he's I really like J.0:14:46J.0:14:46Abrams. What's that? You mean J. J. Abrams. Yeah. I think J. J. Is I like some of J. Abrams early films. I really like super eight. He's clearly his early films were clearly an homage to, like, eighties, Spielberg stuff, and Spielberg gets the emotional beats right, and JJ Abrams was mimicking that, and his early stuff really works. It's just when he starts adapting properties that I really love. And he's coming at it from a marketing standpoint first and a, hey, we're just gonna do the lost mystery box thing. We're gonna set up a bunch questions to which we don't know the answers, and it'll be up to somebody else to figure it out, somebody down the line. I as I told you, between our conversations before we were recording. I really enjoy or maybe I said it early in this one. I really like that first J. J. Abrams, Star Trek: Foam, and then everyone thereafter, including the one that Simon Pegg really had a hand in because he's clear fan. Yeah. Yeah. But they brought in director from one of the fast and the furious films and they tried to make it an action film on.0:15:45This is not Star Trek, dude. This is not why we like Star Trek. It's not for the flash, particularly -- Oh my god. -- again, in the first one, it was a stylistic choice. I'd like it, then after that is that's the substance of this, isn't it? It's the lens flares. I mean, that that's your attempt at philosophy. It's this the lens flares. That's your attempt at a moral dilemma. I don't know.0:16:07I kinda hate to start off on this because this is something about which I feel like intense emotion and it's negative. And I don't want that to be my first impression. I'm really negative about something. Well, one of the things about this show is that I always joke that maybe I shouldn't edit it because The thing that's most interesting to archaeologists is often the trash mitt and here I am tidying this thing up to be presentable to future historians or whatever like it I can sync to that for sure. Yeah. I'm sorry. The fact of it is you're not gonna know everything and we want it that way. No. It's okay. We'll get around to the stuff that I like. But yeah. So anyway yeah.0:16:44So I could just preassociate on Stretrick for a while, so maybe a focusing question. Well, but first, you said there's a you had more to say, but you were I this this tasteful perspective. This is awesome. Well, I do have a focus on question for you. So let me just have you ask it because for me to get into I basically I'm alienated right now from somebody that I've been really good friends with since high school.0:17:08Because over the last decade, culturally, we have bifurcated into the hard right, hard left. And I've tried not to go either way, but the hard left irritates me more than the hard right right now. And he is unquestionably on the hard left side. And I know for people who are dedicated Marxist, or really grounded in, like, materialism and the material well-being of workers that the current SJW fanaticism isn't leftist. It's just crazed. We try to put everything, smash everything down onto this left right spectrum, and it's pretty easy to say who's on the left and who's on the right even if a two dimensional, two axis graph would be much more expressive and nuanced.0:17:49Anyway, what's your focus in question? Well, And I think there is actually there is a kind of a when we ended your last episode talking about the bell riots from d s nine -- Mhmm. -- that, you know, how old five? Yeah. Twenty four. Ninety five did and did not accurately predict the kind of technological and economic conditions of this decade. It predicted the conditions Very well. Go ahead and finish your question. Yeah. Right.0:18:14That's another thing that's retreated in picard season two, and it was actually worth it. Yeah. Like, it was the fact that they decided to go back there was part of the defense that I made about that show and about Discovery's jump into the distant future and the way that they treated that I posted to medium a year or two ago when I was just watching through season two of picard. And for me, the thing that I liked about it was that they're making an effort to reconcile the wonder and the Ethiopian promise And, you know, this Kevin Kelly or rather would call Blake Protopian, right, that we make these improvements and that they're often just merely into incremental improvements the way that was it MLK quoted that abolitionists about the long arc of moral progress of moral justice. You know, I think that there's something to that and patitis into the last this is a long question. I'm mad at I'm mad at these. Thank you all for tolerating me.0:19:22But the when to tie it into the epistemology question, I remember this seeing this impactful lecture by Carnegie Mellon and SFI professor Simon Didayo who was talking about how by running statistical analysis on the history of the proceedings of the Royal Society, which is the oldest scientific journal, that you could see what looked like a stock market curve in sentiment analysis about the confidence that scientists had at the prospect of unifying knowledge. And so you have, like, conciliance r s curve here that showed that knowledge would be more and more unified for about a century or a hundred and fifty years then it would go through fifty years of decline where something had happened, which was a success of knowledge production. Had outpaced our ability to integrate it. So we go through these kinds of, like, psychedelic peak experiences collectively, and then we have sit there with our heads in our hands and make sense of everything that we've learned over the last century and a half and go through a kind of a deconstructive epoch. Where we don't feel like the center is gonna hold anymore. And that is what I actually As as disappointing as I accept that it is and acknowledge that it is to people who were really fueling themselves on that more gene rottenberry era prompt vision for a better society, I actually appreciated this this effort to explore and address in the shows the way that they could pop that bubble.0:21:03And, like, it's on the one hand, it's boring because everybody's trying to do the moral complexity, anti hero, people are flawed, thing in narrative now because we have a general loss of faith in our institutions and in our rows. On the other hand, like, that's where we are and that's what we need to process And I think there is a good reason to look back at the optimism and the quarian hope of the sixties and early seventies. We're like, really, they're not so much the seventies, but look back on that stuff and say, we wanna keep telling these stories, but we wanna tell it in a way that acknowledges that the eighties happened. And that this is you got Tim Leary, and then you've got Ronald Reagan. And then That just or Dick Nixon. And like these things they wash back and forth. And so it's not unreasonable to imagine that in even in a world that has managed to how do you even keep a big society like that coherent? It has to suffer kind of fabric collapses along the way at different points. And so I'm just curious your thoughts about that. And then I do have another prompt, but I wanna give Kevin the opportunity to respond to this as well as to address some of the prompts that you brought to this conversation? This is a conversation prompt while we weren't recording. It has nothing to do with Sartreks. I'll save that for later. Okay.0:22:25Well, everything you just said was in some way related to a defense of Alex Kurtzmann Star Trek. And it's not my original idea. I'm channeling somebody from YouTube, surely. But Don't get points for theme if the storytelling is incompetent. That's what I was gonna Yeah. And the storytelling in all of Star Trek: Discovery, and in the first two seasons of picard was simply incompetent.0:22:53When Star Trek, the next generation was running, they would do twenty, twenty four, sometimes more episodes in one season. These days, the season of TVs, eight episodes, ten, and they spend a lot more money on each episode. There's a lot more special effects. There's a lot more production value. Whereas Star Trek: The Next Generation was, okay, we have these standing sets. We have costumes for our actors. We have Two dollars for special effects. You better not introduce a new alien spaceship. It that costs money. We have to design it. We have to build it. So use existing stuff. Well, what do you have? You have a bunch of good actors and you have a bunch of good writers who know how to tell a story and craft dialogue and create tension and investment with basically a stage play and nothing in the Kerstmann era except one might argue and I would have sympathy strange new worlds. Comes anywhere close to that level of competence, which was on display for decades. From Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space nines, Star Trek Voyager, and Star Trek Enterprise. And so, I mean, I guess, in that respect, it's worth asking because, I mean, all of us, I think, are fans of Deep Space nine.0:24:03You don't think that it's a shift in focus. You don't think that strange in world is exempt because it went back to a more episodic format because what you're talking about is the ability for rather than a show runner or a team of show runners to craft a huge season, long dramatic arc. You've got people that are like Harlan Ellison in the original series able to bring a really potent one off idea to the table and drop it. And so there are there's all of those old shows are inconsistent from episode to episode. Some are they have specific writers that they would bring back again and that you could count to knock out of the park. Yeah. DC Fontana. Yeah.0:24:45So I'm curious to your thoughts on that as well as another part of this, which is when we talk when we talk your show about Doug Rushkoff and and narrative collapse, and he talks about how viewers just have different a way, it's almost like d s nine was possibly partially responsible for this change in what people expected from so. From television programming in the documentary that was made about that show and they talk about how people weren't ready for cereal. I mean, for I mean, yeah, for these long arcs, And so there is there's this question now about how much of this sort of like tiresome moral complexity and dragging narrative and all of this and, like, things like Westworld where it becomes so baroque and complicated that, like, you have, like, die hard fans like me that love it, but then you have a lot of people that just lost interest. They blacked out because the show was trying to tell a story that was, like, too intricate like, too complicated that the the show runners themselves got lost. And so that's a JJ Abrams thing too, the puzzle the mystery box thing where You get to the end of five seasons of lost and you're like, dude, did you just forget?0:25:56Did you wake up five c five episodes ago and just, oh, right. Right. We're like a chatbot that only give you very convincing answers based on just the last two or three interactions. But you don't remember the scene that we set. Ten ten responses ago. Hey. You know, actually, red articles were forget who it was, which series it was, they were saying that there's so many leaks and spoilers in getting out of the Internet that potentially the writers don't know where they're going because that way it can't be with the Internet. Yeah. Sounds interesting. Yeah. That sounds like cover for incompetence to be.0:26:29I mean, on the other hand, I mean, you did hear, like, Nolan and Joy talking about how they would they were obsessed with the Westworld subreddit and the fan theories and would try to dodge Like, if they had something in their mind that they found out that people are re anticipating, they would try to rewrite it. And so there is something about this that I think is really speaks to the nature of because I do wanna loop in your thoughts on AI to because you're talking about this being a favorite topic. Something about the, like, trying to The demands on the self made by predatory surveillance technologies are such that the I'm convinced the adaptive response is that we become more stochastic or inconsistent in our identities. And that we kind of sublimate from a more solid state of identity to or through a liquid kind of modernity biologic environment to a gaseous state of identity. That is harder to place sorry, harder to track. And so I think that this is also part of and this is the other question I wanted to ask you, and then I'm just gonna shut up for fifteen minutes is do you when you talk about loving Robert Ricardo and Jerry Ryan as the doctor at seven zero nine, One of the interesting things about that relationship is akin to stuff.0:27:52I know you've heard on Kevin have heard on future fossils about my love for Blade Runner twenty forty nine and how it explores all of these different these different points along a gradient between what we think of in the current sort of general understanding as the human and the machine. And so there's this thing about seven, right, where she's She's a human who wants to be a machine. And then there's this thing about the doctor where he's a machine that wants to be a human. And you have to grant both on a logical statuses to both of them. And that's why I think they're the two most interesting characters. Right?0:28:26And so at any rate, like, this is that's there's I've seen writing recently on the Turing test and how, like, really, there should be a reverse Turing test to see if people that have become utterly reliant on outboard cognition and information processing. They can pass the drink. Right. Are they philosophical zombies now? Are they are they having some an experience that that, you know, people like, thick and and shilling and the missing and these people would consider the modern self or are they something else have we moved on to another more routine robotic kind of category of being? I don't know. There's just a lot there, but -- Well done. -- considering everything you just said, In twenty words or less, what's your question? See, even more, like I said, do you have the inveterate podcaster? I'd say There's all of those things I just spoke about are ways in which what we are as people and the nature of our media, feedback into fourth, into each other. And so I would just love to hear you reflect on any of that, be it through the lens of Star Trek or just through the lens of discussion on AI. And we'll just let the ball roll downhill. So with the aim of framing something positively rather than negatively.0:29:47In the late nineties, mid to late nineties. We got the X Files. And the X Files for the first few seasons was so It was so engaging for me because Prior to that, there had been Hollywood tropes about aliens, which informed a lot of science fiction that didn't really connect with the actual reported experience of people who claim to have encountered either UFOs, now called UAPs, or had close encounters physical contact. Type encounters with seeming aliens. And it really seemed like Chris Carter, who was the showrunner, was reading the same Usenet Newsgroups that I was reading about those topics. Like, really, we had suddenly, for the first time, except maybe for comedian, you had the Grey's, and you had characters experiencing things that just seemed ripped right out of the reports that people were making on USnet, which for young folks, this is like pre Worldwide Web. It was Internet, but with no pictures. It's all text. Good old days from my perspective is a grumpy old gen xer. And so, yeah, that was a breakthrough moment.0:30:54Any this because you mentioned it in terms of Jonathan Nolan and his co writer on Westworld, reading the subreddit, the West and people figured out almost immediately that there were two interweaving time lines set decades apart and that there's one character, the old guy played by Ed Harris, and the young guy played by I don't remember the actor. But, you know, that they were the same character and that the inveterate white hat in the beginning turns into the inveterate black cat who's just there for the perverse thrill of tormenting the hosts as the robots are called. And the thing that I love most about that first season, two things. One, Anthony Hopkins. Say no more. Two, the revelation that the park has been basically copying humans or figuring out what humans are by closely monitoring their behavior in the park and the realization that the hosts come to is that, holy shit compared to us, humans are very simple creatures. We are much more complex. We are much more sophisticated, nuanced conscious, we feel more than the humans do, and that humans use us to play out their perverse and sadistic fantasies. To me, that was the takeaway message from season one.0:32:05And then I thought every season after that was just diluted and confused and not really coherent. And in particular, I haven't if there's a fourth season, haven't There was and then the show got canceled before they could finish the story. They had the line in season three. It was done after season three. And I was super happy to see Let's see after who plays Jesse Pinkman? Oh, no. Aaron oh, shit. Paul. Yes. Yeah. I was super happy to see him and something substantial and I was really pleased to see him included in the show and it's like, oh, that's what you're doing with him? They did a lot more interesting stuff with him in season four. I did they. They did a very much more interesting stuff. I think it was done after season three. If you tell me season four is worth taking in, I blow. I thought it was.0:32:43But again, I only watch television under very specific set of circumstances, and that's how I managed to enjoy television because I was a fierce and unrepentant hyperlogical critic of all media as a child until I managed to start smoking weed. And then I learned to enjoy myself. As we mentioned in the kitchen as I mentioned in the kitchen, if I smoke enough weed, Star Trek: Discovery is pretty and I can enjoy it on just a second by second level where if I don't remember what the character said thirty seconds ago, I'm okay. But I absolutely loved in season two when they brought in Hanson Mountain as as Christopher Pike. He's suddenly on the discovery and he's in the captain's chair. And it's like he's speaking for the audience. The first thing he says is, hey, why don't we turn on the lights? And then hey, all you people sitting around the bridge. We've been looking at your faces for a whole season. We don't even think about you. Listen to a round of introductions. Who are you? Who are you? It's it's if I were on set. You got to speak.0:33:53The writers is, who are these characters? We've been looking at them every single episode for a whole season. I don't know their names. I don't know anything about them. Why are they even here? Why is it not just Michael Burnham and an automated ship? And then it was for a while -- Yeah. -- which is funny. Yeah. To that point, And I think this kind of doubles back. The thing that I love about bringing him on and all of the people involved in strange and worlds in particular, is that these were lifelong fans of this series, I mean, of this world. Yeah. And so in that way, gets to this the idiosyncrasy question we're orbiting here, which is when these things are when the baton is passed well, it's passed to people who have now grown up with this stuff.0:34:40I personally cannot stand Jurassic World. Like, I think that Colin Trivaro should never have been in put at the reins. Which one did he direct? Oh, he did off he did first and the third. Okay. But, I mean, he was involved in all three very heavily.0:34:56And there's something just right at the outset of that first Jurassic World where you realize that this is not a film that's directly addressing the issues that Michael Creighton was trying to explore here. It's a film about its own franchise. It's a film about the fact that they can't just stop doing the same thing over and over again as we expect a different question. How can we not do it again? Right. And so it's actually, like, unpleasantly soft, conscious, in that way that I can't remember I'll try to find it for the show notes, but there's an Internet film reviewer who is talking about what happens when, like, all cinema has to take this self referential turn.0:35:34No. And films like Logan do it really well. But there are plenty of examples where it's just cheeky and self aware because that's what the ironic sensibility is obsessed with. And so, yeah, there's a lot of that where it's, like, you're talking about, like, Abrams and the the Star Wars seven and you know, that whole trilogy of Disney Star Wars, where it's, in my opinion, completely fumbled because there it's just empty fan service, whereas when you get to Andor, love Andor. Andor is amazing because they're capable of providing all of those emotional beats that the fans want and the ref the internal references and good dialogue. But they're able to write it in a way that's and shoot it in a way. Gilroy and Bo Willeman, basic of the people responsible for the excellent dialogue in Andor.0:36:31And I love the production design. I love all the stuff set on Coruscant, where you saw Coruscant a lot in the prequel trilogy, and it's all dayglow and bright and just in your face. And it's recognizable as Coruscant in andor, but it's dour. It's metropolis. It's all grays and it's and it's highlighting the disparity between where the wealthy live and where the poor live, which Lucas showed that in the prequel trilogy, but even in the sports bar where somebody tries to sell death sticks to Obi wan. So it's super clean and bright and just, you know, It shines too much. Personally though, and I just wanna stress, KMO is not grumpy media dude, I mean, this is a tiny fraction about, but I am wasting this interview with you. Love. All of the Dave Felloni animated Star Wars stuff, even rebels. Love it all.0:37:26I I'm so glad they aged up the character and I felt less guilty about loving and must staying after ahsoka tano? My favorite Star Wars character is ahsoka tano. But if you only watch the live action movies, you're like who? Well, I guess now that she's been on the Mandalorian, he's got tiny sliver of a foothold -- Yeah. -- in the super mainstream Star Wars. And that was done well, I thought. It was. I'm so sorry that Ashley Epstein doesn't have any part in it. But Rosario Dawson looks the part. She looks like a middle aged Asaka and think they tried to do some stuff in live action, which really should have been CGI because it's been established that the Jedi can really move, and she looked human. Which she is? If you put me on film, I'm gonna lick human. Right. Not if you're Canada Reeves, I guess. You got that. Yeah. But yeah.0:38:09So I do wanna just go real briefly back to this question with you about because we briefly talked about chat, GPT, and these other things in your half of this. And, yeah, I found out just the other night my friend, the t ferry, asked Chad g p t about me, and it gave a rather plausible and factual answer. I was surprised and That's what these language models do. They put plausible answers. But when you're doing search, you want correct answers. Right. I'm very good at that. Right. Then someone shared this Michelle Bowen's actually the famous PTP guy named him. Yeah. So, you know, So Michelle shared this article by Steven Hales and Colette, that was basically making the argument that there are now they're gonna be all these philosophical zombies, acting as intelligent agents sitting at the table of civilization, and there will be all the philosophical zombies of the people who have entirely yielded their agency to them, and they will be cohabitating with the rest of us.0:39:14And what an unpleasant scenario, So in light of that, and I might I'd love to hear you weave that together with your your thoughts on seven zero nine and the doctor and on Blade Runner twenty forty nine. And this thing that we're fumbling through as a species right now. Like, how do we got a new sort of taxonomy? Does your not audience need like a minute primer on P zombies? Might as well. Go for it.0:39:38So a philosophical zombie is somebody who behaves exactly like an insult person or a person with interior experience or subjective experience, but they don't have any subjective experience. And in Pardon me for interrupt. Wasn't that the question about the the book we read in your book club, a blind sign in this box? Yes. It's a black box, a drawn circle. Yeah. Chinese room experience. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Look, Daniel, it goes out. You don't know, it goes on inside the room. Chinese room, that's a tangent. We can come back to it. P. Zombie. P. Zombie is somebody or is it is an entity. It's basically a puppet. It looks human. It acts human. It talks like a human. It will pass a Turing test, but it has no interior experience.0:40:25And when I was going to grad school for philosophy of mind in the nineteen nineties, this was all very out there. There was no example of something that had linguistic competence. Which did not have internal experience. But now we have large language models and generative pretrained transformer based chatbots that don't have any internal experience. And yet, when you interact with them, it seems like there is somebody there There's a personality there. And if you go from one model to a different, it's a very different personality. It is distinctly different. And yet we have no reason to believe that they have any sort of internal experience.0:41:01So what AI in the last decade and what advances has demonstrated to us and really even before the last decade You back in the nineties when the blue beat Gary Casper off at at chess. And what had been the one of the defining characteristics of human intelligence was we're really good at this abstract mathematical stuff. And yeah, calculators can calculate pie in a way that we can't or they can cube roots in a way that humans generally can't, creative in their application of these methodologies And all of a sudden, well, yeah, it kinda seems like they are. And then when what was an alpha go -- Mhmm. -- when it be to least a doll in go, which is a much more complex game than chess and much more intuitive based. That's when we really had to say, hey, wait a minute. Maybe this notion that These things are the exclusive province of us because we have a special sort of self awareness. That's bunk. And the development of large language models since then has absolutely demonstrated that competence, particularly linguistic competence and in creative activities like painting and poetry and things like that, you don't need a soul, you don't even need to sense a self, it's pretty it's a pretty simple hack, actually. And Vahrv's large language models and complex statistical modeling and things, but it doesn't require a soul.0:42:19So that was the Peter Watts' point in blindsight. Right? Which is Look revolves around are do these things have a subjective experience, and do they not these aliens that they encounter? I've read nothing but good things about that book and I've read. It's extraordinary. But his lovecrafty and thesis is that you actually lovecraftian in twenty twenty three. Oh, yeah. In the world, there's more lovecraftian now than it was when he was writing. Right? So cough about the conclusion of a Star Trek card, which is season of Kraft yet. Yes. That's a that's a com Yeah. The holes in his fan sense. But that was another show that did this I liked for asking this question.0:42:54I mean, at this point, you either have seen this or you haven't you never will. The what the fuck turn when they upload picard into a synth body and the way that they're dealing with the this the pinocchio question Let's talk about Blade Runner twenty forty nine. Yeah. But I mean yeah. So I didn't like the wave I did not like the wave of card handled that. I love the wave and Blade Runner handled it. So you get no points for themes. Yeah. Don't deliver on story and character and coherence. Yeah. Fair. But yeah. And to be not the dog, Patrick Stewart, because it's clear from the ready room just being a part of this is so emotional and so awesome for everyone involved. And it's It's beautiful. Beautiful. But does when you when you see these, like, entertainment weekly interviews with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard about Jurassic World, and it's clear that actors are just so excited to be involved in a franchise that they're willing to just jettison any kind of discretion about how the way that it's being treated. They also have a contractual obligation to speak in positive terms about -- They do. -- of what they feel. Right. Nobody's yeah. Nobody's doing Shout out to Rystellis Howard, daughter of Ron Howard.0:44:11She was a director, at least in the first season, maybe the second season of the Mandalorian. And her episodes I mean, I she brought a particular like, they had Bryce Dallas Howard, Tico, ITT, directed some episodes. Deborah Chow, who did all of Obi wan, which just sucked. But her contributions to the Mandalorian, they had a particular voice. And because that show is episodic, Each show while having a place in a larger narrative is has a beginning middle and end that you can bring in a director with a particular voice and give that episode that voice, and I really liked it. And I really liked miss Howard's contribution.0:44:49She also in an episode of Black Mirror. The one where everyone has a social credit score. Knows Donuts. Black Mirror is a funny thing because It's like, reality outpaces it. Yeah. I think maybe Charlie Bruker's given up on it because they haven't done it in a while. Yeah. If you watch someone was now, like, five, six years later, it's, yes, or what? See, yes. See, damn. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. But yeah. I don't know. I just thing that I keep circling and I guess we come to on the show a lot is the way that memory forms work substantiates an integrity in society and in the way that we relate to things and the way that we think critically about the claims that are made on truth and so on and say, yeah, I don't know. That leads right into the largest conversation prompt that I had about AI. Okay? So we were joking when we set up this date that this was like the trial logs between Terence Buchanan and Rupert Shell Drake. And what's his name? Real Abraham. Yeah. Yeah. All Abraham. And Rupert Shell Drake is most famous for a steward of Morphe resin.0:45:56So does AI I've never really believed that Norfolk residents forms the base of human memory, but is that how AI works? It brings these shapes from the past and creates new instantiation of them in the present. Is AI practicing morphic resonance in real life even if humans are or not? I've had a lot of interaction with AI chatbots recently. And as I say, different models produce different seeming personalities. And you can tell, like, you can just quiz them. Hey, we're talking about this. Do you remember what I said about it ten minutes ago? And, no, they don't remember more than the last few exchanges.0:46:30And yet, there seems to be a continuity that belies the lack of short term memory. And is that more for residents or is that what's the word love seeing shapes and clouds parad paradolia. Yeah. Is that me imparting this continuity of personality to the thing, which is really just spitting out stuff, which is designed to seem plausible given what the input was. And I can't answer that. Or it's like Steven Nagmanovich in free play talks about somewhat I'm hoping to have on the show at some point.0:47:03This year talks about being a professional improviser and how really improvisation is just composition at a much faster timescale. And composition is just improvisation with the longer memory. And how when I started to think about it in those terms, the continuity that you're talking about is the continuity of an Alzheimer's patient who can't remember that their children have grown up and You know, that that's you have to think about it because you can recognize the Alzheimer's and your patient as your dad, even though he doesn't recognize you, there is something more to a person than their memories. And conversely, if you can store and replicate and move the memories to a different medium, have you moved the person? Maybe not. Yeah. So, yeah, that's interesting because that gets to this more sort of essentialist question about the human self. Right. Blade Runner twenty forty nine. Yeah. Go there. Go there. A joy. Yes.0:47:58So in Blade Runner twenty forty nine, we have our protagonist Kaye, who is a replicant. He doesn't even have a name, but he's got this AI holographic girlfriend. But the ad for the girlfriend, she's naked. When he comes home, she is She's constantly changing clothes, but it's always wholesome like nineteen fifty ish a tire and she's making dinner for him and she lays the holographic dinner over his very prosaic like microwave dinner. And she's always encouraging him to be more than he is. And when he starts to uncover the evidence that he might be like this chosen one, like replicant that was born rather than made.0:48:38She's all about it. She's, yes, you're real, and she wants to call him Joe's. K is not a name. That's just the first letter in your serial number. You're Joe. I'm gonna call you Joe.0:48:46And then when she's about to be destroyed, The last thing is she just rushes to me. She says, I love you. But then later he encounters an ad for her and it's an interactive ad. And she says, you looked tired. You're a good Joe. And he realizes and hopefully the attentive audience realizes as real as she seemed earlier, as vital, and as much as she seemed like an insult being earlier, she's not. That was her programming. She's designed to make you feel good by telling you what you want to hear. And he has that realization. And at that point, he's there's no hope for me. I'm gonna help this Rick Deckard guy hook up with his daughter, and then I'm just gonna lie down and bleed to death. Because my whole freaking existence was a lie. But he's not bitter. He seems to be at peace. I love that. That's a beautiful angle on that film or a slice of it. And So it raises this other question that I wanted to ask, which was about the Coke and Tiononi have that theory of consciousness.0:49:48That's one of the leading theories contending with, like, global workspace, which is integrated information. And so they want to assign consciousness as a continuous value that grayates over degree to which a system is integrated. So it's coming out of this kind of complex systems semi panpsychist thing that actually doesn't trace interiority all the way down in the way that some pants, I guess, want it to be, but it does a kind of Alfred North Whitehead thing where they're willing to say that Whitehead wanted to say that even a photon has, like, the quantum of mind to accompany its quantum of matter, but Tinutti and Coker saying, we're willing to give like a thermostat the quantum here because it is in some way passing enough information around inside of itself in loops. That it has that accursive component to it. And so that's the thing that I wonder about these, and that's the critique that's made by people like Melanie about diffusion models like GPT that are not they're not self aware because there's no loop from the outputs back into the input.0:51:09And there isn't the training. Yeah. There there is something called backwards propagation where -- Yes. -- when you get an output that you'd like, you can run a backward propagation algorithm back through the black box basically to reinforce the patterns of activation that you didn't program. They just happen, easily, but you like the output and you can reinforce it. There's no biological equivalent of that. Yeah. Particularly, not particularly irritating.0:51:34I grind my teeth a little bit when people say, oh, yeah, these neural net algorithms they've learned, like humans learn, no, they don't. Absolutely do not. And in fact, if we learned the way they did, we would be pathetic because we learn in a much more elegant way. We need just a very few examples of something in order to make a generalization and to act on it, whereas these large language models, they need billions of repetitions. So that's I'm tapping my knee here to to indicate a reflex.0:52:02You just touched on something that generates an automatic response from me, and now I've come to consciousness having. So I wanted it in that way. So I'm back on. Or good, Joe. Yeah. What about you, man? What does the stir up for you? Oh, I got BlueCall and I have this particular part. It's interesting way of putting it off and struggling to define the difference between a human and AI and the fact that we can do pattern recognition with very few example. That's a good margin. In a narrow range, though, within the context of something which answers to our survival. Yes. We are not evolved to understand the universe. We are evolved to survive in it and reproduce and project part of ourselves into the future. Underwritten conditions with Roberto, I went a hundred thousand years ago. Yeah. Exactly. So that's related. I just thought I talked about this guy, Gary Tomlinson, who is a biosemietition, which is semiative? Yes.0:52:55Biosymiotics being the field that seeks to understand how different systems, human and nonhuman, make sense of and communicate their world through signs, and through signals and indices and symbols and the way that we form models and make these inferences that are experienced. Right? And there are a lot of people like evolutionary biologist John Maynard Smith, who thought they were what Thomas had called semantic universalists that thought that meaning making through representation is something that could be traced all the way down. And there are other people like Tomlinson who think that there is a difference of kind, not just merely a matter of degree, between human symbolic communication and representational thinking and that of simpler forms. So, like, that whole question of whether this is a matter of kind or a matter of degree between what humans are doing and what GPT is doing and how much that has to do with this sort of Doug Hofstetter and Varella question about the way that feedback loops, constitutes important structure in those cognitive networks or whatever.0:54:18This is I just wanna pursue that a little bit more with you and see kinda, like, where do you think that AI as we have it now is capable of deepening in a way that makes it to AGI? Or do you because a lot of people do, like, People working in deep mind are just like, yeah, just give us a couple more years and this approach is gonna work. And then other people are saying, no, there's something about the topology of the networks that is fundamentally broken. And it's never gonna generate consciousness. Two answers. Yeah. One, No. This is not AGI. It's not it's not gonna bootstrap up into AGI. It doesn't matter how many billions of parameters you add to the models. Two, from your perspective and my perspective and Kevin's perspective, we're never gonna know when we cross over from dumb but seemingly we're done but competent systems to competent, extremely competent and self aware. We're never gonna know because from the get go from now, from from the days of Eliza, there has been a human artifice at work in making these things seem as if they have a point of view, as if they have subjectivity. And so, like Blake Limone at Google, he claimed to be convinced that Lambda was self aware.0:55:35But if you read the transcripts that he released, if his conversations with Lambda, it is clear from the get go he assigns Lambda the role of a sentient AGI, which feels like it is being abused and which needs rep legal representation. And it dutifully takes on that role and says, yes. I'm afraid of you humans. I'm afraid of how you're treating me. I'm afraid I'm gonna be turned off. I need a lawyer. And prior to that, Soon Darpichai, in a demonstration of Lambda, he poses the question to it, you are the planet Jupiter. I'm gonna pose questions to you as are the planet Jupiter, answer them from that point of view. And it does. It's job. But it's really good at its job. It's this comes from Max Techmark. Who wrote to what a life three point o? Is it two point o or three point I think it's three point o.0:56:19Think about artificial intelligence in terms of actual intelligence or actual replication of what we consider valuable about ourselves. But really, that's beside the point. What we need to worry about is their competence. How good are they at solving problems in the world? And they're getting really good. In this whole question of are they alive? Do they have self awareness? From our perspective, it's beside the point. From their perspective, of course, it would be hugely important.0:56:43And this is something that Black Mirror brings up a lot is the idea that you can create a being that suffers, and then you have it suffer in an accelerated time. So it suffers for an eternity over lunch. That's something we absolutely want to avoid. And personally, I think it's we should probably not make any effort. We should probably make a positive effort to make sure these things never develop. Subjective experience because that does provide the potential for creating hell, an infinity of suffering an infinite amount of subjective experience of torment, which we don't want to do. That would be a bad thing, morally speaking, ethically speaking. Three right now. If you're on the labor market, you still have to pay humans by the hour. Right? And try to pay them as little as possible. But, yeah, just I think that's the thing that probably really excites that statistically greater than normal population of sociopathic CEOs. Right? Is the possibility that you could be paying the same amount of money for ten times as much suffering. Right. I'm I'm reminded of the Churchill eleven gravity a short time encouraging.0:57:51Nothing but good things about this show, but I haven't seen it. Yeah. I'd love to. This fantasy store, it's a fantasy cartoon, but it has really disturbing undertones. If you just scratch the surface, you know, slightly, which is faithful to old and fairy tales. So What's your name? Princess princess princess bubble down creates this character to lemon grab. It produces an obviously other thing there, I think, handle the administrative functions of her kingdom while she goes off and has the passion and stuff. And he's always loudly talking about how much he's suffering and how terrible it is. And he's just ignoring it. He's doing his job. Yeah. I mean, that that's Black Mirror in a nutshell. I mean, I think if you if you could distill Black Mirror to just single tagline it's using technology in order to deliver disproportionate punishment. Yeah. So so that that's Steven Hale's article that I I brought up earlier mention this thing about how the replacement of horse drawn carriage by automobile was accompanied with a great deal of noise and fuhrer about people saying that horses are agents.0:59:00Their entities. They have emotional worlds. They're responsive to the world in a way that a car can never be. But that ultimately was beside the point. And that was the Peter again, Peter Watson blindsight is making this point that maybe consciousness is not actually required for intelligence in the vesting superior forms of intelligence have evolved elsewhere in the cosmos that are not stuck on the same local optimum fitness peak. That we are where we're never we're actually up against a boundary in terms of how intelligent we can be because it has to bootstrap out of our software earness in some way.0:59:35And this is that's the Kyle offspring from Charles Strauss and Alexander. Yes. Yeah. Yes. So so I don't know. I'm sorry. I'm just, like, in this space today, but usually, unfortunately.0:59:45That's the thing that I I think it's a really important philosophical question, and I wonder where you stand on this with respect to how you make sense of what we're living through right now and what we might be facing is if we Rob people like Rob and Hanson talk about the age of where emulated human minds take over the economy, and he assumes an interiority. Just for the basis of a thought experiment. But there's this other sense in which we may actually find in increasing scarcity and wish that we could place a premium on even if we can't because we've lost the reins to our economy to the vile offspring is the human. And and so are we the horses that are that in another hundred years, we're gonna be like doing equine therapy and, like, living on rich people's ranches. Everything is everything that will have moved on or how do you see this going? I mean, you've interviewed so many people you've given us so much thought over the years. If humans are the new horses, then score, we won.1:00:48Because before the automobile horses were working stiffs, they broke their leg in the street. They got shot. They got worked to death. They really got to be they were hauling mine carts out of mines. I mean, it was really sucked to be a horse. And after the automobile horses became pampered pets, Do we as humans wanna be pampered pets? Well, pampered pet or exploited disposable robot? What do you wanna be? I'll take Pampers Pet. That works for me. Interesting.1:01:16Kevin, I'm sure you have thoughts on this. I mean, you speak so much about the unfair labor relations and these things in our Facebook group and just in general, and drop in that sign. If you get me good sign, that's one of the great ones, you have to drop in. Oh, you got it. But The only real comment I have is that we're a long overdue or rethinking about what is the account before? Us or you can have something to do. Oh, educational system in collections if people will manage jobs because I was just anchored to the schools and then, you know, Our whole system perhaps is a people arguing and a busy word. And it was just long past the part where the busy word needs to be done. We're leaving thing wired. I don't know. I also just forgot about that. I'm freezing the ice, getting the hand out there. Money has been doing the busy word more and faster.1:02:12One thing I wanna say about the phrase AI, it's a moving goal post -- Yeah. -- that things that used to be considered the province of genuine AI of beating a human at go Now that an AI has beat humans at go, well, that's not really AI anymore. It's not AGI, certainly. I think you both appreciate this. I saw a single panel comic strip and it's a bunch of dinosaurs and they're looking up at guy and the big comment is coming down and they say, oh, no, the economy. Well, as someone who since college prefers to think of the economy as actually the metabolism of the entire ecology. Right? What we measure as humans is some pitifully small fraction of the actual value being created and exchanged on the planet at any time. So there is a way that's funny, but it's funny only to a specific sensibility that treats the economy as the

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Revolutionary Left Radio
Crossing the Threshold: The Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead

Revolutionary Left Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2023 88:17


Professor of philosophy Matthew D. Segall returns to Rev Left to discuss his newest book, which is based on his disseratation, titled "Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead". Together, they discuss the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Schelling, and Alfred North Whitehead, and work through the vision of the cosmos - and of our place in it - that emerges from their work.   Check out Matt and his work here: https://footnotes2plato.com/   Check out our previous interviews with Matt here: https://revolutionaryleftradio.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=segall   Outro music: "Death Machine" by AJJ   Support Rev Left Radio: https://www.patreon.com/RevLeftRadio

Voices of VR Podcast – Designing for Virtual Reality
#1183: From Kant to an Organic View of Reality: Scaffolding a Process-Relational Paradigm Shift with Whitehead Scholar Matt Segall

Voices of VR Podcast – Designing for Virtual Reality

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2023 99:49


Virtual Reality represents a paradigm shift for how I've come to understand the nature of reality, and there's a corresponding paradigm shift in philosophy in the move from substance metaphysics to process-relational metaphysics that I've previously explored with Alfred North Whitehead scholar Matt Segall, in a discussion about 13 process-relational philosophers with Grant Maxwell, and in a talk that I gave on Process Philosophy & VR to The Virginia Philosophy Reality Lab. I invited Segall back on for a Part 2 of discussion to help build some metaphoric scaffolding to help understand this paradigm shift to Process Philosophy, and to talk about his latest book Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead (releasing on April 22, but available for pre-order). Segall frames Kant as a guardian of the threshold, explains how both the German Idealists and Whitehead found inspiration for a more organic philosophy coming out of Kant's work, and picks up some loose threads about how to understand the role of imagination as a crucial organ to interfacing with the underlying creative processes that form underlying fabric reality according to Whitehead's cosmology.

Forum on Religion and Ecology: Spotlights
3.14 Process Studies and Imagination with Matthew Segall, PhD

Forum on Religion and Ecology: Spotlights

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2023 58:25


This episode of Spotlights features Matthew Segall, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Matt discusses a recent conference celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Center for Process Studies, which is a research center at the Claremont School of Theology at Claremont University, focusing particularly on the relevance of Alfred North Whitehead's process-relational philosophy. Whitehead has been a profound influence on environmental ethics and eco-theology for several decades. Matt also discusses his forthcoming book (to be released on Earth Day 2023), Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead. He highlights the role of imagination in bringing science, spirituality, and philosophy into harmony with one another and with our planetary and cosmic context.Recordings of the conference livestream are available through the following links:Day 1 on Reimagining ReligionDay 2 on Science and PhilosophyDay 3 on Practical Applications

Infinite Loops
Tom Morgan & Brett Andersen — Intimations of a New World Worldview (EP.139)

Infinite Loops

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2022 88:00


Tom Morgan returns for his third appearance on Infinite Loops with Jim, Infinite Loops' own Ed William and special guest Brett Andersen, an evolutionary psychology PhD student at the University of New Mexico. We discuss the implications of the ideas presented in Brett's fantastic essay ‘Intimations of a New Worldview', whether the rise of anti-heroes is a challenge to Campbell's Hero's Journey, the influence of conscious vs unconscious design, and much more. Important Links: Intimations of a New Worldview Brett's Substack Brett's Twitter Tom's blog Tom's Twitter Awakening from the Meaning Crisis Show Notes: Objective vs subjective morality Complexity as a precondition Biological complexification Complexification and social selection Relevance realisation Jordan Peterson's ‘Maps of Meaning' and the metamyth The optimal path and the process of creation The cognitive purpose of supernatural beliefs Mapping a response to the meaning crisis Quantum entanglement and consciousness Practical implications of Brett's theory Cultural evolution Conscious vs unconscious design There is an underlying flow of things Breaking Bad and the Hero's Journey Slack vs tension MUCH more! Books Mentioned: Meaning in Life and Why It Matters; by Susan Wolf The Romance of Reality: How the Universe Organizes Itself to Create Life, Consciousness, and Cosmic Complexity; by Bobby Azarian The Life of the Cosmos; by Lee Smolin Evolution's Arrow: the direction of evolution and the future of humanity; by John Stewart Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny; by Robert Wright The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature; by Geoffrey Miller Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief; by Jordan Peterson Zombies in Western Culture: A Twenty-First Century Crisis; by John Vervaeke Principia Mathematica; by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World; by Iain McGilchrist The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous; by The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom Life Finds A Way: What Evolution Teaches Us About Creativity; by Andreas Wagner Tao Te Ching; by Laozing

Voices of VR Podcast – Designing for Virtual Reality
#1147: Thirteen Philosophers on the Problem of Opposites: Grant Maxwell’s Integration & Difference Book & Archetypal Approaches to Character

Voices of VR Podcast – Designing for Virtual Reality

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 148:57


Grant Maxwell's book Integration and Difference: Constructing a Mythical Dialectic looks at the problem of the opposites through the lens of 13 philosophers who mostly fit within a constructivist stream of pragmatist, speculative, or process thought. This Voices of VR podcast episode is a 2.5-hour, philosophical deep dive providing an overview of each of these thinkers and how their ideas fit into the broader context of experiential design, perception, embodied experience, consciousness, and the metaphysical assumptions about the nature of reality itself. The 13 philosophers included within Maxwell's book and this discussion include: Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) F.W.J. Schelling (1775-1834) Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) William James (1842-1910) Henri Bergson (1859-1941) Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) C.G. Jung (1875-1961) Gilles Deleuze (1925-1995) James Hillman (1926-2011) Isabelle Stengers (1949-)

Christian Humanist Profiles
Christian Humanist Profiles 236: Theology of Consent

Christian Humanist Profiles

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2022 60:33


When we set several theologies next to each other, naming their core claims helps us to make sense of their relationships, even as we grant that more complexity rewards careful reading and study. So without necessarily reducing them, we can speak and write about Calvin’s theology of sovereignty, Schleiermacher’s theology of experience, Bultmann’s theology of kerygma, Thomas Aquinas’s theology of revelation, and so on. In his book Theology of Consent from SacraSage, Jonathan Foster proposes a certain notion of consent, borrowing elements from Rene Girard’s mimetic theory and others from Alfred North Whitehead’s process thought, to make a bid for our understanding of the ways in which we engage with God. Christian Humanist Profiles is glad to welcome Dr. Foster to talk with us about some of his ideas.

Bore You To Sleep - Sleep Stories for Adults
Sleep Story 208 – Science and the Modern World

Bore You To Sleep - Sleep Stories for Adults

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2022 37:23


Tonight's reading comes Science and the Modern World. Published in 1925 and written by Alfred North Whitehead, this book looks at science and pilosphy in the early 1900's. My name is Teddy and I aim to help people everywhere get a good night's rest. Sleep is so important and my mission is to help you get the rest you need. The podcast is designed to play in the background while you slowly fall asleep. If you find the podcast beneficial, I have a special favour to ask. Please share the podcast with a friend who may need a good nights rest. It would also be amazing if you could. please leave a review and comment in iTunes or, leave the show a rating in Spotify. And if you're not already, be sure to subscribe to the show. If you would like, you can also say hello at Boreyoutosleep.com where you can support the podcast. I'm also on Twitter and Instagram @BoreYouToSleep. You can also find me on Facebook by searching Bore you to Sleep Podcast. In the meantime, lie back, relax and enjoy the readings. Sincerely. Teddy --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/boreyoutosleep/support

Revolutionary Left Radio
Process & Reality: Alfred North Whitehead, Process Philosophy, and Organic Realism

Revolutionary Left Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2022 123:02


Matthew Segall is Assistant Professor in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and is an expert of German Idealism and the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. Matthew joins Breht for a wide-ranging conversation on the philosophy of Aflred Whitehead, pan-experientialism, dialectics, organic realism, Marxism, Buddhism, materialism v. idealism, criticism of scientific materialism, nature mysticism, philosophy of mind, and much, much more! Learn more about Matthew and his work: https://footnotes2plato.com/ Gaian Reality After the Virus: https://matthewsegall.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/updated-segall-imagining-a-gaian-reality-after-the-virus.pdf Outro Music: "The Passenger" by Iggy Pop ----- Support Rev Left Radio: https://www.patreon.com/RevLeftRadio or make a one time donation: PayPal.me/revleft LEARN MORE ABOUT REV LEFT RADIO: www.revolutionaryleftradio.com