684. Chris Niebauer

Chris Niebauer earned his Ph.D. in cognitive neuropsychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in the differences between the left and right sides of the human brain. He is the author of No Self, No Problem: How Neuropsychology Is Catching Up to Buddhism and The No Self, No Problem Workbook: Exercises & Practices from Neuropsychology and Buddhism to Help You Lose Your Mind. He was a professor at a state university in Pennsylvania for 22 years, where he taught courses on consciousness, mindfulness, left- and right-brain differences, and artificial intelligence.

Website: chrisniebauerphd.com

YouTube Channel

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded June 3, 2023

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:06:21 - Disappointment with Daniel Dennett's book on consciousness

00:11:55 - The Value of Intelligence and Happiness

00:17:39 - The Dominance of Language in Reality

00:23:31 - Breaking the Cycle of Mental Excitation

00:29:04 - Non-Thinking Forms of Consciousness

00:34:24 - The Power of Numbers and Abstractions

00:40:01 - Observing the Interpreter and Letting Go of Intrusive Thoughts

00:45:55 - The Need for a Tiny Shift

00:51:17 - The Inventive Storytelling of the Left Brain

00:57:17 - Holistic Development of the Brain

01:02:52 - The Playfulness of Debates and the Power of Music

01:08:41 - The Nature of Skepticism and Strange Beliefs

01:14:25 - The Shift to Right Brain Awareness

01:19:53 - The Left Brain on Trial

01:25:32 - Individual Paths and Categorization

01:31:05 - Liberation and the Illusion of Self

01:36:54 - The Paradox of the Soul and Individuality

01:43:02 - Embracing Paradoxes

01:48:22 - The Connection between Light and Consciousness

01:53:31 - The Role of Faith in Materialism and Consciousness Studies

01:58:37 - The Inadequacy of Neuroscience

02:03:46 - The Limitations of Understanding and Balance in Life