Dr. John Vervaeke

Vivian Dittmar is an author, speaker, and wisdom teacher dedicated to enhancing holistic development for over two decades. Through her books and the Be the Change Foundation, she focuses on emotional intelligence, ecological sustainability, social justice, and spiritual fulfillment to address modern society's crises.

What does it mean to truly transcend the ego and embrace a transpersonal state of being?

In this episode of "Voices with Vervaeke," John Vervaeke and Vivian Dittmar thoughtfully explore enlightenment, viewing it not as a final destination but as an ongoing journey of maturation and integration. They challenge conventional perspectives on enlightenment, proposing a more dynamic interplay between personal growth and spiritual awakening. By examining the delicate balance required to maintain higher states of consciousness while cultivating a healthy personal self, they illuminate the complexities of spiritual bypassing and the necessity of embracing imperfection. Their conversation also delves into the importance of vulnerability, aligning inner and outer worlds, the role of synchronicity, and the transformative power of confronting our own mortality. Join them as they unravel these intricate themes with intellectual rigor, poetic insight, and a commitment to deepening our understanding of what it means to lead a truly awakened life.

Embark on a journey with us to tackle the Meaning Crisis by joining our exclusive Patreon Community.

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00:00 Introduction: Exploring Transpersonal and Transegoic States

02:10 Navigating the Spectrum of Egoic and Transrational Consciousness

07:20 Beyond the Social Conscience: Discovering the Voice of the Soul

12:35 Exploring the Implicate Order and Transrational Ways of Knowing

19:00 Redefining Spiritual Awakening and the Mythology Surrounding It

23:25 Bridging the Gap between Inner and Outer Worlds through Wisdom and Virtue

32:20 Cultivating a Healthy Personal Self after Enlightenment

43:45 Beyond Spiritual Bypassing and the Pursuit of Perfection in the Journey Towards Wholeness

57:00 Facing Mortality: A Journey Towards Wholeness and Maturity

01:18:00 Conclusion: Reflections on Convergence, Gratitude, and the Quest for True Prosperity

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The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. Become a part of our mission.

Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.

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Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

The Death of Ivan Ilyich, by Leo Tolstoy

David Bohm

Plato

Carl Jung

Leo Tolstoy

Spinoza

Fallible Man, by Paul Ricoeur

Relevant Episodes

Exploring the Transrational: A Journey into the Realms of Consciousness with Vivian Dittmar

Exploring Emotions and Transrational Wisdom with Vivian Dittmar

Wisdom Through the Imaginal: IFS Insights with Seth Allison Part 3

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Follow John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon

Follow Vivian Dittmar: Website | YouTube

Workshops/Courses:

Introduction to the Practice of Conscious Release

How Big Is Your Emotional Backpack?The Emotional Backpack

Books:

The Emotional Backpack

Your Inner GPS

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Thank you for Listening!

Gregg Henriques is a professor at James Madison University, author of "A New Unified Theory of Psychology," and a leader in the Unified Psychotherapy Movement, with over 20 years of experience in psychology and psychotherapy, specializing in adult psychopathology.

Pascal Layman is a philosopher based in Northern Ontario, known for his groundbreaking work on the metaphysics of adjacency, the coaxial stages model, and metaprogressive politics.

Bruce Alderman is an accomplished musician, visual artist, and deep meditation practitioner. He is the producer of The Integral Stage podcast and the organizer of the Blue Sky Leadership Program at the California Institute for Integral Studies.

Does the universe hold inherent mystery, or is our scientific understanding merely inadequate?

In this episode of The Cognitive Science Show, John Vervaeke and Gregg Henriques are joined by Layman Pascal and Bruce Alderman to reflect on the Transcendent Naturalism series and explore its potential for fostering collective transcendence. The discussion covers a range of topics, including the importance of ethical and relational dimensions in our understanding of the world, the role of art and meaning-making in a meta-modern context, and the layered ontology of nature. Join us to explore this fascinating approach to understanding how transcendent naturalism can shed light on our world and guide us toward a deeper sense of purpose.

Gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by supporting John's innovative work on Patreon.

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"IPS (Integral Post-Metaphysical Spirituality) wants to leave room for the interplay of transcendence and immanence, but without needing to posit an unthinkable outside to reality. It's in strong accord with transcendent naturalism in this regard." - Bruce Alderman [08:37]

"John's proposed simple move to arrive at an extended naturalism, getting science to more explicitly accept what it already presupposes, is genius. There's much more that could be said about that, but my simple response is bravo." - Bruce Alderman [08:49]

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0:00 - Introduction: Series Finale and Overview of Transcendent Naturalism Series

4:00 - Integral Post-Metaphysical Spirituality and its Flexible Nature

14:10 - Influential Theories and Thinkers: Integrating Cognitive Science, Philosophy, and Transcendence

24:20 - Flexible Metaphysics and the Layered Ontology of Transcendent Naturalism

32:50 - Theology, Art, and Literature: Navigating the AGI and Meaning Crisis

39:20 - Participatory Spiritual Practices and Metaphysical Rituals

45:20 - Strong Transcendence with Preeminent Imminence

53:40 - The Role of Art and Narrative in Transcendent Naturalism

57:00 - Cultivating a Transformative Curriculum: Reimagining Institutional Roles in Spiritual Growth

1:10:20 - Conclusion: Culminating Thoughts and Future Pathways

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Help advance the pursuit of scientifically rigorous wisdom and make a meaningful impact by joining the Vervaeke Foundation. Learn more at The Vervaeke Foundation

Deepen your virtues and foster authentic connections in life by joining Awaken to Meaning. Start your journey today at Awaken to Meaning

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If you're interested in learning more about transcendent naturalism, be sure to check out the Cognitive Science Show.

Towards a Metapsychology that is true to Transformation w/ Gregg Henriques and Zachary Stein

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Follow John Vervaeke:

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Website | X/Twitter | UTOK

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Substack | X/Twitter | YouTube

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LinkedIn | Facebook

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Thank you for Listening!

Brendan Graham Dempsey is an author and speaker specializing in metamodern spirituality, exploring the intersections of traditional faith and contemporary thought.

How can ancient faith traditions adapt to the complexities of the modern world?

In this episode of Voices with Vervaeke, John Vervaeke and Brendan Graham Dempsey explore the potential for metamodern spirituality to breathe new life into the Christian faith. Dempsey shares his transformative journey from traditional beliefs to a metamodern perspective that integrates ancient doctrines with contemporary thought. Their discussion addresses challenging issues such as historical and postmodern critiques of the Bible, the complex relationship between faith and science, and the psychological underpinnings of religious practices. This conversation aims to rejuvenate our understanding of Christianity and enrich our engagement with reality, setting the stage for future dialogues on the essence of God and the sacred.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community!

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"I'm interested in the ways that spirituality begins to dovetail with the sciences, where that antagonism many of us are familiar with is transcended and healed in a profound way." - Brendan Graham Dempsey [00:04:00]

"We need the language of explaining because the language of explaining is the language of science. If we don't have a properly cultivated language of explaining, the gulf between spirituality and science will remain. That is one of the significant drivers of the meaning crisis." - John Vervaeke [00:15:33]

"What's the point of the religious relationship to Jesus? Is it to accurately capture the past or wisely prepare you for the future? I think the latter is exactly what it's most properly for." John Vervaeke [00:39:28]

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0:00 Introduction: Brendan's Christian Roots and Academic Journey

06:20 Modern and Postmodern Biblical Critiques

10:15 Metamodern Christianity and Its Challenges

13:40 Training vs. Explaining in Religious Contexts

20:45 Bridging Historical Jesus and Imaginal Christ

43:05 Faith, Maturation, and the Interplay of Training and Explanation

51:50 Imaginal Recovery and Theological Continuity

01:02:45 Navigating Order and Chaos: Spiritual Growth Dynamics

01:27:30 Conclusion: Exploring the Numinous - God, Sacredness, and Ultimate Reality

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Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.

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The Meaning of Meaning | Transcendent Naturalism #7

The Future of Faith | Transcendent Naturalism #8

Unlocking the Mysteries of Meaning: An Intellectual Odyssey

The Artful Scaling of the Religion that is not a religion w/ Layman Pascal & Brendan Graham Dempsey

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Ideas, Authors, and Works Mentioned in This Episode:

Metamodernism

Transcendent Naturalism

Jesus of Nazareth

Biblical Studies

Postmodern Critiques

Nietzsche

Foucault

Derrida

Spinoza

Plato

Xenophon

Aristophanes

Solon

Aristotle

Henry IV, V, and IV (Shakespeare)

Shakespeare's early works

Plato's Socrates

H.G. Gadamer

T.S. Eliot

J.R.R. Tolkien

C.S. Lewis

G.W.F. Hegel

J.L. Schellenberg

J.Campbell

C.Jung

Jordan Peterson

Jared Morningstar

Dr. Johannes A. Niederhauser (Halkyon Academy)

J.A.S. Kelso

Paul (Apostle)

Brian McLaren

D.C. Schindler

Paul Vander Klay

The Language of Coaching by Nick Winkelman

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Follow Brendan Graham Dempsey: Website | X/Twitter | Facebook

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Thank you for listening!

Gregg Henriques is a clinical psychologist and professor at James Madison University. He is known for his Unified Theory of Knowledge (UTOK), which integrates various domains of psychology into a coherent framework.

Bonnita Roy is the founder of Alderlore Insight Center, a non-profit educational organization and the curator of The POP-UP School, an online learning community exploring new ways of thinking and acting.

Alexander Bard is a philosopher and futurist specializing in the relationship between humanity and technology, with a profound interest in psychoanalysis and anthropology to understand the impact of technological change on interpersonal relationships.

What drives our social connections and sense of belonging? Recorded live at UTOK Consilience Conference 2024, this episode features Gregg Henriques, Alexander Bard, Bonnitta Roy, and John Vervaeke examining the convergences and fault lines between transcendent naturalism and emergentism and the profound implications these theories have on our understanding of reality. By critiquing materialism, idealism, and dualism, the panel advocates for a new 21st-century philosophical framework that integrates Eastern and Western insights, emphasizing relationalism and dialectical thinking. Enriched with references to thinkers like Hegel, Whitehead, Nietzsche, and Deleuze, this dialogue explores the roles of cognitive science, spirituality, and community practices. Join this journey to uncover the essence of ultimate reality and the transformative potential of sacredness while underscoring the importance of humility, love, and pragmatic approaches to contemporary challenges.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community!

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00:00 Introduction: Setting the Stage for Transcendent Naturalism and Emergentism

03:30 John Vervaeke: Outline of Transcendent Naturalism

19:45 Bonnitta Roy's Perspective on Naturalism and Stratified Reality

32:00 Alexander Bard on the Necessity of Metaphysics and Transcendent Emergentism

48:00 Group Dialogue on UTOC Framework and Integrating Perspectives

01:11:00 Exploring Zoofism and the Philosophical Silk Road

01:18:45 Q&A: Integrating Transcendental Emergentism with Science and Philosophy

01:31:10 Alexander Bard on Integrating Hegel with Modern Thinkers

01:33:50 Ontology of Pure Relationality and the Future of Digital Networks and Decentralization

01:40:05 Stability, Relational Thinking, and Dynamic Systems

01:43:30 Final Thoughts and Reflections: Convergences and Future Directions

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Join The Vervaeke Foundation in our mission to advance the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and make a meaningful impact in the world.

Discover practices that deepen your virtues and help you connect more deeply with reality and relationships by joining Awaken to Meaning today.

—

Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

Evan Thompson

Adam Frank

Marcelo Gleiser

James Blachowicz

Alicia Juarrero Wolfgang Smith

Aspects of Truth: A New Religious Metaphysics by Catherine Pickstock

Willard Van Orman Quine

Hilary Putnam Quine-Duhem Immanuel Kant Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

James J. Gibson

​​Martin Heidegger

James Filler

Kyoto School

John L. Schellenberg

Roy Bhaskar

Sabine Hossenfelder

Eric Weinstein

Alfred North Whitehead

Friedrich Nietzsche

Henri Bergson

Dan Chiappe

Matt Segall

Bruno Latour

Diana Fosha

Gilles Deleuze

Process and Event by Alexander Bard and Jan Söderqvist

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Follow John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon

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Follow Bonita : YouTube | Substack

Follow Alexander Bard Henriques: Blog | Twitter

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Thank you for Listening!

Tataya Bailey is the founder and lead trainer of Prisma Leadership, combining her law degree, multiple yoga certifications, and over two decades of facilitation experience to create a unique leadership approach rooted in integrity and connection.

Rachel Hayden is a magpie of the Liminal Web, and occasional collaborator with people like John, Gregg Henriques, and Alexander Bard. Her background includes somatics, meditative and contemplative practice, and peer-based mental health

How can we heal and transform ourselves through embodied practices and the relational field? In this episode of Voices with Vervaeke, Tataya Bailey and Rachel Hayden join John Vervaeke to explore the transformative power of relational practices on personal growth and healing. They delve into the balance between structure and spontaneity, discuss handling trauma, and emphasize the significance of attention and attunement in fostering authentic connections. This episode highlights the beauty of human connection and the endless possibilities for transformation.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community!

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"I discovered capacities in me that I didn't even know I had." - Tataya Bailey [00:06:30]

"The experiences ranged from incredibly profound and bequeathing of a new dharma for me, all the way to working through shadow stuff, having alternate childhood experiences, and working through archetypal symbolism and tribal imagery between people. It was all like welcome there, and it was all material for that relationality, which I found so beautiful and so accessible to me." - Rachel Hayden [00:12:00]

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00:00 Introduction: Exploring Relational Practices

08:35 Rachel's Prisma Experience: Embracing Vulnerability and Transformation

13:45 The Structure and Values of Prisma: Balancing Spontaneity and Containment

21:10 How Prisma Unlocks Relational Potential: Recovering Lost Parts and Deepening Connection

40:05 Attention and Attunement: Harmonizing Individuation and Participation

43:50 The Musicality of Relational Practices: The Dance of Metaphors and Sacred Rituals

50:50 Navigating Trauma and Safety in Relational Work

01:00:00 Embracing Discomfort: The Journey from Propositional to Participatory Connection

01:04:50 Re-exaptation and the Imaginal: The Role of Aporia in Transformative Practices

01:12:10 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations

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Become a part of The Vervaeke Foundation's mission to promote the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and create a lasting impact on the world.

Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.

—

Ideas, Authors, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

Alanja Forsberg - Avalon Community

Alexander Bard

Seth Allison - IFS

James Carse - Infinite Game

Andrew Huberman

Kerry Ressler

Robert Kegan

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Follow John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon

Follow Tataya Bailey: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

—

Thank you for watching!

Gregg Henriques is a clinical psychologist and professor at James Madison University. He is known for his Unified Theory of Knowledge (UTOK), which integrates various domains of psychology into a coherent framework.

What drives our social connections and sense of belonging? In this episode, originally recorded at the UTOC 2024 conference, John Vervaeke and Gregg Henriques explore the profound concept of recursive relevance realization, focusing on its integration into a fourth R: interpersonal relationality. Their conversation intricately weaves together cognitive science, philosophy, and psychotherapy, presenting a compelling case for understanding how relevance realization shapes social value and collective intelligence. By providing insights into predictive processing and the influence matrix, they uncover the complex dynamics of human cognition and social interaction. This episode not only offers a theoretical framework but also practical strategies for fostering meaningful connections in various aspects of life.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community!

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"Meaning in life is exactly what Gregg described: what keeps you going even when your subjective well-being is going down." - John Vervaeke [00:39:15]

"We need to be connected to what we deem to be really real." - John Vervaeke [00:42:12]

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00:00 Introduction: Exploring the Fourth R

03:50 The Importance of Interpersonal Relationality

07:30 Exploring the Connection between Recursive Relevance Realization and the Influence Matrix

12:20 Anticipatory Relevance Realization: Integrating with the Influence Matrix and Predictive Processing

21:10 The Fourth R: Collective Intelligence and Reciprocal Recognition

23:30 Personal Memories and Relational Dynamics: Practical Examples

30:25 Integrating Theories: Bridging Science, Therapy, and Collective Intelligence

34:55 Social Influence vs. Relational Value: Implications for Society

38:35 Meaning in Life and Belonging: Integrative Insights

46:05 Reflections on Self and Social Justice: Future Directions

48:30 Final Thoughts: Collaboration and Convergence

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Join The Vervaeke Foundation in our mission to advance the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and make a meaningful impact in the world.

Discover practices that deepen your virtues and help you connect more deeply with reality and relationships by joining Awaken to Meaning today.

—

Ideas, Authors, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

Timothy Leary - Circumplex Model

John Bowlby's Attachment Theory

Michael Levin - Cognitive Light Cone

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit by Terry Pinkard

Jim Rutt - GameB Concept

Kelly-Ann Allen

Joshua Hicks

Grice's Maxims of Conversation

Untangling the World Knot - John Vervaeke and Gregg Henriques

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Follow Gregg Henriques: Website | Twitter | UTOK

—

Thank you for watching!

Mahon McCann is a writer, award-winning playwright, philosophy doctoral researcher, martial arts coach, and podcast host who explores personal development and ethical issues of technology.

Are we on the brink of a new era of enlightenment or facing the rise of an existential threat? In this episode, John Vervaeke and Mahon McCann delve into the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence and the human search for meaning. They explore the potential of AI to act as a tool for personal and collective transformation, but also examine the challenges of creating AI that truly understands and respects our values. From predictive processing and relevance realization to Plato's cave allegory, this episode offers a fascinating exploration of the intersection between AI and human consciousness.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community!

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"Attention is like a spotlight you shine on things. When you shine your attention on them, they stand out and keep your attention." - John Vervaeke [00:02:12]

"So much of this first generation of AI is an environment, the large scale curation algorithms of social media are what's organizing our experience online. It's not a human being, but it's playing this role of orchestrating a lot of our experience and people's development. And so creating an optimal AI or an optimal environment would be trying to foster optimal agency, optimal meaning, which is really optimal wellbeing as well." - Mahon McCann [00:38:23]

"I think part of steeling the culture is to get the people within the AI industry [to] drop the sorcerer myth. Drop it. Disidentify with it. Take up the sage mythology. Take that up. That is the way we can do what you want, but in a way that isn't going to set us on a path to destruction. - John Vervaeke [00:59:16]

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0:00 Introduction to AI Alignment and the Meaning Crisis

1:00 Predictive Processing and Relevance Realization

2:00 Beyond the Spotlight Metaphor: New Models of Attention

6:30 Integrating Predictive Processing with Relevance Realization

23:00 Agency, Meaning, and the Self-Organizing Mind

29:20 Autopoiesis, Agency, and Plato's Insights

31:25 Predictive Processing, Motivation, Vertical Alignment, and Horizontal Anticipation

35:05 Optimal Agency, Collective Intelligence, and Persuasive Technologies

37:40 AI as Agents vs. AI as Environment

39:45 The Challenge of Aligning AI with Human Flourishing

53:15 Creating a New Sacredness in the Digital Age

59:44 Concluding Thoughts on Navigating AI Development: Embracing Choice Points, Wisdom, and Foresight for a Collectively Beneficial Future

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Join The Vervaeke Foundation in our mission to advance the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and make a meaningful impact in the world.

Discover practices that deepen your virtues and help you connect more deeply with reality and relationships by joining Awaken to Meaning today.

—

Ideas, Authors, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

Predictive processing and relevance realization: exploring convergent solutions to the frame problem - Brett Andersen, Mark Miller, John Vervaeke

Ken Lowry

D.C. Schindler

Jonathan Pageau

Mark Miller

Rick Repetti

Attention Is Cognitive Unison: An Essay in Philosophical Psychology - Christopher Mole

Feature-integration theory of attention - Anne Treisman

Metaphors We Live By - George Lakoff and Mark Johnson

Attention Metaphors: How Metaphors Guide the Cognitive Psychology of Attention - Diego Fernandez-Duque, Mark Johnson

William James

Andy Clark

Phenomenology of Perception - Maurice Merleau-Ponty

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Lev Vygotsky

The Republic - Plato

Theory of motivation

Mentoring the Machines - John Vervaeke and Shawn Coyne

Free-Energy Minimising Agents and Beneficial A.I.: Ambient Smart Environments, Allostasis, and Metacognitive Control - Ben White and Mark Miller

Tristan Harris

Heidegger

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The Crossroads of Predictive Processing and Relevance Realization | Leiden Symposium

AI: The Coming Thresholds and The Path We Must Take | Internationally Acclaimed Cognitive Scientist

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Follow Mahon McCann: Website | Instagram | YouTube

—

Thank you for watching!

In the vast expanse of human thought, how do philosophy and spirituality intertwine to shape our understanding of the sacred? In this conversation, first released on Andrew Sweeny's channel, The Parallax, John Vervaeke, Andrew Sweeny, and Christopher Mastropietro examine the delicate balance between philosophical rigor and spiritual experiences. They probe the challenges and rewards of navigating this complex terrain, emphasizing the transformative power of love, wisdom, and existential inquiry. By blurring the traditional boundaries between philosophical inquiry and religious practice, this conversation invites listeners to deepen their exploration of truth and meaning, ultimately fostering personal and communal growth.

Andrew Sweeny is an educator, writer, musician, and podcaster who currently teaches at Sciences Po University in Paris and serves as an editor at Parallax magazine.

Christopher Mastropietro is a philosophical writer who is fascinated by dialogue, symbols, and the concept of self. He actively contributes to the Vervaeke Foundation.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke

Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

Mere Christianity - C. S. Lewis

Nothingness Beyond God: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Nishida Kitaro, by Robert Edgar Carter

Zombies in Western Culture: A Twenty-First Century Crisis, co-authored by Christopher Mastropietro

Heidegger, Neoplatonism, and the History of Being, by James Filler

Iain McGilchrist

Daniel Schmachtenberger

Bishop Maximus

Paul Vander Klay

T.S. Eliot

Jordan Peterson

Sallie McFague

Richard Dawkins

Carl Jung

Søren Kierkegaard

Jacob Howland

Douglas Hedley

Jordan Hall

"The more people I'm talking to—high caliber, high quality people in this whole arena—the advent of the sacred as a response to the meaning crisis is a growing theme. I have found myself more and more called into service to doing whatever I can to afford the advent of that." - John Vervaeke [00:02:00]

"Nobody lives on the Silk Road; people move along it." - John Vervaeke [00:03:37]

"The idea of the Silk Road, to me, is that the wandering, and the traveling, and the encountering different influences, and the metabolizing of a lingua philosophica helps to create a space within oneself into which that inward process can pour itself, discover itself, and metabolize itself." - Christopher Mastropietro [00:10:57]

"The more I engage with this work, the more I realize that so much of the dawning consciousness of our encounter with the sacred is ultimately a process that happens to us. It occurs to us. We can bring consciousness to bear on it, and augment it, and make space for it, and inquire within it in such a way as to invite it." - Christopher Mastropietro [00:11:23]

0:00 Embracing the Philosophical Silk Road: From Top-Down Religion to an Organic Spiritual Path

17:00 On the Philosophical Silk Road: An Interfaith Journey, Personal Transformation, and Confronting Idolatry

28:30 Beyond the Culture War: Embracing Authentic Dialogue and the Embodiment of Beliefs

35:40 The Unresolvable Dialogue: Embracing the Infinite Game Between Socrates and Jesus

44:10 Rediscovering the Essence of Faith: Beyond Doctrine to Personal Transformation

56:00 The Wildness of the Sacred: Recognizing and Integrating Spontaneous Spiritual Experiences

1:02:50 Philosophical and Sacred Synergies: Bridging the Divide through Love and Wisdom

Join the Vervaeke Foundation in our mission to advance the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and make a meaningful impact in the world. https://vervaekefoundation.org/

Discover practices that deepen your virtues and help you connect more deeply with reality and relationships by joining Awaken to Meaning today. https://awakentomeaning.com/

Follow John Vervaeke:

https://johnvervaeke.com/

https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john

https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke

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Follow Andrew Sweeny

https://twitter.com/andrewpgsweeny

https://andrewpgsweeny.medium.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@parallax_media

Connect with Christopher Mastropietro

https://vervaekefoundation.org/

Thank you for listening!

Evan Thompson is a philosopher and author, specializing in the integration of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, and Asian philosophical traditions. Based at the University of British Columbia, his work, including his recent book 'The Blind Spot', examines the intersections of consciousness, experience, and reality through a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach.

Can cognitive science, philosophy, and mysticism hold the keys to resolving our modern meaning crisis?

Join John Vervaeke and Evan Thompson in a captivating exploration of how these disciplines converge to address this pressing issue. The conversation showcases Thompson's interdisciplinary approach, drawing from his work on 'The Blind Spot' and his extensive background in Asian philosophy and phenomenology. Gain fresh perspectives on the essence of lived experience, the power of relevance realization, and the nature of reality as the discussion unfolds. Prepare for an intellectual journey that promises to deepen our understanding of truth, goodness, and beauty and bridge the gaps between diverse intellectual traditions.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke

Immerse yourself in the groundbreaking insights of Evan Thompson's thought-provoking book, "The Blind Spot: Why Science Cannot Ignore Human Experience." https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Spot-Science-Cannot-Experience/dp/0262048809

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""The blind spot is the inability to see, or to recognize, or to acknowledge that lived experience is the source of science. And so if you undercut the source of science by occluding lived experience, you're actually damaging science." - Evan Thompson [00:19:34]

"The process of formalization of translating things into a formal system is always an ill-defined problem that requires relevance realization." - John Vervaeke [00:30:52]

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00:00 Introduction to Evan Thompson and 'The Blind Spot'

01:05 Evan Thompson's Background and Philosophical Journey

02:10 Diving Into 'The Blind Spot': A Book on the Meaning Crisis

09:30 Exploring Core Ideas and Arguments of 'The Blind Spot'

18:15 Addressing the Meaning Crisis: Science, Experience, and Reality

18:55 Navigating Between Science Triumphalism and Denial

21:30 The Role of Experience in Understanding Reality

31:25 Challenging the Bifurcation of Nature and the 'View from Nowhere'

38:45 Sacredness, Reality, and the Meaning Crisis

40:30 Exploring the Sacred Beyond Science

41:55 Exploring the Depths of the Sacred and Ultimate Concern: Secular vs. Transcendental Perspectives

47:45 The Axial Revolution and Its Impact on Modern Consciousness

56:45 Challenges and Opportunities in Bridging Science and Mysticism

59:54 Philosophical Reflections on Truth, Beauty, and the Good

01:11:10 Concluding Thoughts and Future Dialogues

—

Join the Vervaeke Foundation in our mission to advance the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and make a meaningful impact in the world. https://vervaekefoundation.org/

Discover practices that deepen your virtues and help you connect more deeply with reality and relationships by joining Awaken to Meaning today. https://awakentomeaning.com/

—

Idea, Authors, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

The Blind Spot: Why Science Cannot Ignore Human Experience - book co-authored by Evan Thompson, Adam Frank, and Marcelo Gleiser

Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy - book by Evan Thompson

Why I Am Not a Buddhist - book by Evan Thompson

Contact with Reality - book by Esther Lightcap Meek

The Nothingness Beyond God - book by Robert Edgar Carter

Maurice Merleau-Ponty

Edmund Husserl

Martin Heidegger

William James

Galileo Galilei

Nishida Kitaro

Alfred North Whitehead

Nancy Cartwright

René Descartes

Robert Kreese

Paul Tillich

Michael Polanyi

Michael Schellenberger

Susan Wolf

Ursula Goodenough

Immanuel Kant

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Follow John Vervaeke:

https://johnvervaeke.com/

https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john

https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke

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Follow Evan Thompson:

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Thank you for watching!

Elizabeth Oldfield is a writer, speaker, and advocate for intentional community living based in South London. Her work, including her book 'Fully Alive', explores the intersections of faith, culture, and ethics through a deeply personal lens.

In a world that often trivializes love and deep connections, how can we cultivate a life of wisdom, virtue, and transcendence amidst our finite existence and growing polarization?

Join John Vervaeke and Elizabeth Oldfield in a profound dialogue that explores these critical themes of human existence, drawing from Platonic to Christian thought and emphasizing the transformative power of dialogical reasoning, cognitive flexibility, and awe. Elizabeth Oldfield shares insights from her book 'Fully Alive,' an Augustinian blend of autobiographical confession and psycho-spiritual reflection that highlights relational living and the transformative power of love. The conversation addresses the trivialization of love in modern culture and advocates for a deeper understanding while navigating the complexities of polarization in politics, the comparison between psychedelic and spiritual experiences, and the intrinsic value of community and wisdom traditions in achieving a virtuous life. Discover the necessity of grounding transformative experiences in communal practices for genuine personal and societal transformation in this thought-provoking discussion.

Support John's groundbreaking work and gain exclusive access to live Q&A sessions, early video releases, and more by joining our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke

Discover a profound exploration of love, wisdom, and the human soul in Elizabeth Oldfield's upcoming book, "Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times." https://www.amazon.com/Fully-Alive-Tending-Turbulent-Times/dp/1587436507

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"I can close my eyes now and know myself's seen, and the deep knowing of the presence of love in my life and the way that every other moment of love, and encounter, and intimacy reflects that is the ground of my being." - Elizabeth Oldfield [00:32:48]

"Wisdom is about this loving enhancement of our connectedness. The wise person can go into a complex, messy, ill-defined situation and home in on what's relevant, summoning their agency in the right way so that they are properly responsible." - John Vervaeke [00:31:04]

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0:00 Introduction to Voices with Vervaeke: Elizabeth Oldfield'

1:30 Elizabeth Oldfield: Life, Faith, and the Quest for Existential Satisfaction

2:50 Exploring 'Fully Alive': Deep Dialogues on Belonging, Soul, and Existential Satisfaction

6:05 Plato's Insights on the Psyche, Inner Conflict, and the Pursuit of Inner Fullness

10:20 The Quest for Inner Peace, Wisdom, and Understanding Sin

14:20 The Interplay of Love, Wisdom, and the Divine in the Pursuit of Fully Aliveness

27:15 Unpacking the Realization of the Really Real: Connectedness, Love, and Presence

45:50 Identity, Cultural Scripts, and the Tension between Faith and Intellect

47:45 Expanding Our Understanding of Intelligence, Reality, and the Role of Attention

1:00:40 The Challenge of Authentic Love, Reverence, and Awe in a Trivialized World

1:13:10 Reverence, Awe, and the Cultivation of Virtue on the Path to Wisdom

1:22:50 Concluding Reflections on Love, Wisdom, and the Pursuit of Fully Aliveness

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Join the Vervaeke Foundation in our mission to advance the scientifically rigorous pursuit of wisdom and make a meaningful impact in the world. https://vervaekefoundation.org/

Discover practices that deepen your virtues and help you connect more deeply with reality and relationships by joining Awaken to Meaning today. https://awakentomeaning.com/

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Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

Plato

Freud

Pascal

Dialogos

Kenosis

Thumos

Homo Inconvartis in Se

Plato's Dialogues

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Follow John Vervaeke:

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Follow Elizabeth Oldfield:

https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/

https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield

https://twitter.com/esoldfield

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Thank you for watching!