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Minna Salami is a Nigerian-Finnish and Swedish feminist author, social critic and currently Program Chair at THE NEW INSTITUTE. She is the author of Can Feminism Be African? (forthcoming Harper Collins) and Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone (Bloomsbury 2020) which has been translated into multiple languages. Minna is a leading voice of contemporary feminism, she has drawn over a million readers to her multiple award-winning blog MsAfropolitan.com.
In this episode, Andrea Hiott has a profound conversation with author and philosopher Mina Salami about her influential book, 'Sensuous Knowledge.' Discussing themes from her book, such as multi-perspectival thinking, paradox, and different ways of understanding power, Mina shares how she integrates various disciplines and explores knowledge beyond a binary viewpoint. The conversation navigates into the relationship between love, meditation, and sensuous knowledge, and revisits Minna's personal journey across different cultures and identities. This enriching dialogue is a must-watch for anyone interested in expanding their understanding of epistemology and embracing more holistic, embodied ways of knowing that open beyond polarities.

https://msafropolitan.com/
https://communityphilosophy.substack.com/

00:00 Introduction to Mina Salami and Her Work
01:21 Understanding Paradox in Modern Society
03:37 Exploring Sensuous Knowledge
04:44 The Distinction Between Sensuous and Sensual
31:24 The Concept of Double Consciousness
44:33 Meditation and Sensuous Knowledge
50:25 The Divine Nature of Poetry
51:41 Childhood Experiences with Automatic Writing
53:27 Struggles and Spiritual Interpretations
55:05 Discovering Automatic Writing and Meditation
01:00:02 The Concept of Power and Its Misinterpretations
01:01:44 The Mountain Metaphor and Diverse Perspectives
01:06:27 Language, Double Consciousness, and Feminism
01:11:15 Reimagining Power and Sensuous Knowledge
01:32:50 The Role of Love in Knowledge and Existence

Join the Substack here: https://lovephilosophy.substack.com/
Philosophical writings here: https://communityphilosophy.substack.com/
Du Bois and Double Consciousness: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/double-consciousness/
#perspectival  #sensuous #knowledgeispower #loveandphilosophy #holdtheparadox #andreahiott #minnasalami

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Frank O'Hara, John Ashbery, Ludwig Wittgenstein, dualism, physics, and more.
"John Koethe was born on December 25, 1945. He began writing poetry in 1964 during his undergraduate years at Princeton University and went on to receive a PhD in philosophy from Harvard University.

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Koethe’s Ninety-fifth Street (Harper Perennial, 2009) won the 2010 Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets. He has published numerous other books of poetry, including Cemeteries and Galaxies (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025); Walking Backwards: Poems 1966–2016 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018); The Swimmer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016); North Point North: New and Selected Poems (Harper Perennial, 2003), which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; The Constructor (Harper Perennial, 1999); Falling Water (Harper Perennial, 1997), which won the Kingsley Tufts Award; Domes (Columbia University Press, 1974), which won the Frank O’Hara Award for Poetry; and Blue Vents (Audit/Poetry, 1968)."

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-koethe
https://poets.org/poet/john-koethe

Exploring the Intersection of Poetry and Philosophy with John Koethe
In this episode of 'Love and Philosophy,' host Andrea interviews renowned poet and philosopher John Koethe. They discuss the concept of the oscillating self as a bridge between dichotomies, particularly within the realms of poetry and philosophy. John shares his journey from being a young poet influenced by figures like John Ashbury and Frank O'Hara, to earning a PhD in philosophy and balancing both disciplines throughout his career. They explore the themes of self-conversation in poetry, the intersection of scientific and artistic pursuits, and the enduring sense of awe in consciousness. The conversation also touches on the emotional landscapes of Koethe's poetry, including themes of nostalgia and the sublime. The episode concludes with a reading from Koethe's book 'Falling Water.'

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00:00 Introduction to John Koethe
00:31 John Koethe's Background and Achievements
01:06 Balancing Poetry and Philosophy
03:45 Early Influences and Religious Upbringing
06:31 Transition to Literature and Philosophy
08:43 Discovering Modern Poetry
12:52 Meeting Influential Poets
21:23 Romanticism and Modernism in Poetry
23:46 Philosophical Dualism and the Mind-Body Problem
30:18 Modernism in Art, Literature, and Physics
33:27 Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
34:19 Exploring Perspectives in Poetry
35:43 Philosophical Influences and Oscillations
41:02 Conversations with Influential Thinkers
42:11 The Role of Conversation in Poetry
46:26 Philosophy vs. Poetry: Different Constraints
53:06 The Sublime and Self-Consciousness
58:41 Architecture and the Passage of Time
01:01:12 Concluding Thoughts and Future Works
01:02:56 Poetry Reading: The Realm of Ends

Happy Thanksgiving❤️

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Exploring Perspectival Realism: Are there many paths to the right place?
In this episode, Andrea talks with Michela Massimi, a philosopher renowned for her book 'Perspectival Realism.' They look at what these terms mean, discussing the relevance of perspectivism in the philosophy of science and its implications for understanding scientific models, realism, and pluralism. The conversation explores how different perspectives can coexist in scientific inquiry without leading to relativism, and the role of local and experiential knowledge in contributing to scientific understanding. Massimi also shares her personal journey into philosophy and science, the influence of community and historical context on her work, and inspirations of both physics and literature.

Perspectival Realism, the book we discuss:
Invisible Cities by Italio Calvino
Garden of Forking Paths

00:00 Introduction to Perspectival Realism
01:02 Exploring Perspectival Realism in Philosophy of Science
02:27 Quotes from Borges and Calvino
06:43 Michela Massimi's Journey into Philosophy
11:04 Combining Physics and Philosophy
17:39 Pluralism and Realism in Science
20:01 Situated Knowledge and Modeling Reality
33:33 The Role of Models in Scientific Inference
34:42 Stable Events and Realism in Science
37:29 Natural Kinds and Anti-Essentialism
41:57 Metaphysics of Reality: Stable Events, Robust Phenomena, and Natural Kinds
50:32 The Importance of Historical and Multicultural Perspectives in Science
57:14 Philosophy's Role in Addressing Structural and Systemic Issues
01:06:59 Personal Reflections and the Interconnectedness of Life and Philosophy

https://www.michelamassimi.com
https://academic.oup.com/book/43074?login=false
Natural Kinds: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/natural-kinds/
Scientific Perspectivism https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/8471045/Massimi_2012_Scientific_perspectivism.pdf

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Love and Philosophy? Beyond Dichotomy? What is this all about?
A few unscripted thoughts today in the diary on thinking paradoxically. These diaries are not usually published on the podcast (just on the Substack and YouTube) but this one seemed relevant to post here too as a trailer or sorts. Hugs and love to you all,
Andrea Hiott

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RESEARCH CONVERSATION about the many ways the term consciousness is used in science, philosophy and everyday life. We also discuss cognitive processes, empathy, the meaning of life, the inevitability of death & of course, metaphysical idealism.
SA Article, Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell

03:02 Intro
08:08 Metaconsciousness
19:11 Personal Experiences & Consciousness
25:07 Metacognition, Evolution of Physicalism
50:51 Mistake of Ultimate Belief
51:43 Misconceptions
52:28 Neuroscience & Hallucinations
53:15 Consistency of False Beliefs
53:33 UnReality, Controlled Hallucinations
56:00 Materialism vs. Idealism
01:07:28 Role of Dissociation
01:17:16 Physicalism & Idealism
01:31:12 Consciousness & Reality
01:40:45 Unified Field of Subjectivity
01:42:44 Living Philosophy
01:42:57 Empathy, Challenges
01:44:27 Fear of Death & Psychedelic Insights
01:46:06 Meaning & Acceptance 01:47:02 Judgment & Neutrality
02:02:51 Impersonal in Me
02:18:58 Bouncer of the Heart
https://www.bernardokastrup.com/, https://www.essentiafoundation.org/

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Alva Noë is Professor of Philosophy, and Chair of the Department of Philosophy, at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is also a member of the Center for New Media, and the Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences. Professor Noë is a 2012 recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a 2018 recipient of the Judd Hume Prize in Advanced Visual Studies. Until the end of 2024, he is an Einstein Visiting Fellow at the Free University in Berlin. He is the author of Action in Perception (2004), Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness (2009), Varieties of Presence (2012), Strange Tools: Art and Human Nature (2015), Infinite Baseball: Notes from a Philosopher at the Ballpark (2019), and Learning To Look: Dispatches from the Art World (2022). His latest book is The Entanglement: How Art and Philosophy Make Us What We Are (2023). https://www.alvanoe.com/

In this conversation, Andrea and Alva engage in an enlightening journey together through the realms of philosophy, neuroscience, and the arts, opening the work Noë has done and exploring its themes of self-awareness, identity, action and perception. 

With insights from influential thinkers and doers like Vico, Dreyfus, Cezanne, Merleau-Ponty, and Noë himself, this conversation delves into the profound connections between love, work, and personal development and becomes a poetic meditation on meaning and connection. Per usual in Love and Philosophy, we find the motif of the loop that never quite returns to where it started, the dynamic entanglement of life, and how this gets conveyed through writing and language. Alva and Andrea explore the complexities of presence, the role of habits and societal structures, and the evolving understanding of vision and perception. The conversation also shows how interdisciplinary approaches and transformative literature shape our identities and consciousness from childhood on, and ultimately offers a balanced, holistic view of the human experience as difficult but worth it. Tune in for a thought-provoking discourse on the power of performance and the representation of self, including what tricky words like 'representation' and 'agency' might really be pointing at within the intricate dance of art and philosophy.

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www.loveandphilosophy.com

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Consciousness is feeling. Thoughts are ways we maintain our homeostasis. A quick conversation with Mark Solms and Andrea Hiott on the topics of Mark's book The Hidden Spring.

Mark Solms is a South African psychoanalyst and neuropsychologist known for his discovery of the brain mechanisms of dreaming and his use of psychoanalytic methods in contemporary neuroscience. He is the Chair of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital (Departments of Psychology and Neurology), President of the South African Psychoanalytical Association, and Research Chair of the International Psychoanalytical Association. He founded the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society in 2000 and is a Founding Editor of the journal Neuropsychoanalysis.

The Mysteries of the Mind: From Childhood Trauma to Neuroscience Insights
In this thought-provoking episode, we uncover a deeply personal journey sparked by a childhood trauma that led to a fascination with the brain and consciousness. Join us as a dedicated neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst shares how their brother's severe brain injury at a young age ignited a lifelong quest to understand the mind-body connection. We explore reflections on mortality, the challenges within academia, and pivotal discoveries about the brainstem's role in consciousness. Delve into Freud's neuroscience roots, the subjective nature of the mind, and how feelings underpin our conscious experiences. This episode bridges historical perspectives with contemporary research, offering profound insights into the architecture of consciousness and the essence of human awareness.
#consciousness #rawfeeling #neuropsychiatry #freud #loveandphilosophy #hiddenspring #marksolms

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage
00:24 A Childhood Trauma: The Accident
01:46 The Aftermath: Brother's Transformation
02:43 Early Realizations: Mind-Body Connection
08:20 Existential Questions and Depression
15:59 Academic Pursuits: Neuroscience and Consciousness
23:18 Discovering Freud and Psychoanalysis
26:07 The Struggle with Subjective Experience in Academia
26:53 Personal Reflections on Pain and Guilt
28:37 The Embarrassment of Subjective Mind in Science
29:24 Behaviorism and the Exclusion of the Mind
32:31 The Cortex and Consciousness
34:58 The Brainstem's Role in Consciousness
47:01 Freud's Insights on Subjectivity 

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A conversation about Life, Longevity, and Human Connection between Sheng-Hung Lee, a designer, engineer, and educator from MIT’s Age Lab with experience at IDEO, and Andrea Hiott, a philosopher working in Heidelberg and the Netherlands. Together they discusses Lee's unique approach to design. He emphasizes design as a human skill rather than a hard or soft skill, focusing on the role of creativity and human connection in problem-solving. Reflecting on his career, including the redesign of the Shanghai Library and projects on longevity, Lee highlights the importance of holistic, life-centered design, community, and fulfillment over achievement. He shares stories about applying design thinking to everyday challenges, such as navigating the complexities of life and orienting towards personal goals in a world driven by efficiency. Lee also touches on designing for longevity, emphasizing holistic approaches and community engagement, while integrating personal anecdotes about cultural challenges and resilience. Join the conversation to explore the profound impact of thoughtful design on life itself, fostering deeper connections and a true sense of love and philosophy in all aspects of living: https://lovephilosophy.substack.com/
#designlife #humancentereddesign #ideo #fulfillment #loveandphilosophy #longevity 

The inspirational cards discussed here are at: https://www.shenghunglee.com/reflection

00:00 Introduction to Human-Centered Design
01:12 Meet Sheng-Hung Lee: Designer, Engineer, Educator
01:54 The Philosophy of Design
02:50 Designing for Fulfillment and Systematic Impact
06:29 The Role of Patterns in Design
13:11 Human-Centered vs. Life-Centered Design
15:25 The Business of Design and Co-Creation
23:50 Personal Journey and Education
31:32 Balancing Achievement and Fulfillment
37:14 Physical Coding with Post-it Notes
37:28 Boundary Objects and Tangible Artifacts
38:18 Embracing Ambiguity in Design
39:22 Navigating Life's Challenges
41:44 Design Mindset in Everyday Problems
43:54 The Importance of Human Connection
52:20 Collaborative Design in the Shanghai Library Project
57:12 Design for Longevity and Holistic Well-being
01:04:07 The Role of Love and Community in Design
01:10:40 Final Thoughts and Reflections

https://www.shenghunglee.com

https://www.shenghunglee.com/designforlongevity

Join the Substack here: https://lovephilosophy.substack.com/

Giving page: https://loveandphilosophy.com/giving-page

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Join Michael Wheeler and Mirko Prokop as they dive into Heidegger’s phenomenology and its relevance for cognitive science as well as Michael’s recent work in the nascent field of the cognitive arts and humanities. Touching on philosophical and existential questions about the nature of mind and our relationship to the world and others, they explore the structure of human experience, its bodily, biological and social dimensions and discuss how artistic improvisation and creativity can lead us to see authenticity as the basic dynamic of thinking.

00:00: Introduction and guest welcome
02:26: Michael Wheeler’s journey into philosophy
04:23: What is phenomenology?
07:17: Introspection
10:57: The transcendental in the light of history
14:35: Heidegger’s Kantian side
17:17 : Heidegger vs. Descartes
21:22: Dasein: Heidegger’s conception of the subject
24:36: Being thrown into a meaningful world
26:00: "Equipment" in Heidegger
29:00: Being-in-the-world: totalities of involvement
36:55: Disturbances and skillful coping
41:00: The primacy of "online intelligence“
45:46: How often do we experience flow?
50:52: The extended mind
01:00:15: McDowell on the personal and subpersonal
01:05:00: "Orthodox" cognitive science
01:10:00: Heideggerian Robots
01:12:36: Embodiment
01:18:57: Michael’s current work on authenticity
01:21:24: Anxiety: being thrown into a social world
01:22:03: Authenticity as the basic dynamic of thinking
01:26:29: The Cognitive Arts and Humanities
01:32:30: Biology, culture, and non-human animals
01:29:21 Integrating Cognitive Science with the Humanities
01:44:46: Concluding thoughts and personal reflections

Mirko Prokop:    • Anscombe and Patterns of Action with ... 

Michael Wheeler’s book Reconstructing the Cognitive World (2007, MIT Press): 

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Join us in an intriguing exploration of the connections between the brain, body, and environment with esteemed neuroscientist and philosopher, Dr. Georg Northoff. Discover Dr. Northoff's ground-breaking research on spatiotemporal patterns in brain activity, which illuminates our understanding of consciousness and mental states such as depression and mania. Learn about the dynamic brain processes crucial for psychological well-being and the significance of personalized spatiotemporal patterns in mental health therapy. This episode weaves through Dr. Northoff's philosophical journey, influenced by nature, and thinkers like Kant and Whitehead, advocating a non-reductive neurophilosophy of human interconnectedness, inspired by Chinese philosophy. Expect a thought-provoking discussion that redefines traditional views on the mind and offers a fresh perspective on mental health and ecological ontology.

00:00 Introduction to the Brain-Environment Connection
00:42 Welcome to the Research Podcast
01:38 Introducing Dr. Georg Northoff
02:36 Exploring Spatiotemporal Patterns
14:43 The Brain's Dynamic Principles
19:17 Understanding Spatiotemporal Neuroscience
25:16 The Impact of Environmental Context
42:37 Personalized Therapy and Mental Disorders
46:36 Understanding Breathing Rates and Mental Health
47:22 Personalized Breathing Interventions
48:35 Synchrony and Psychological Well-being
51:23 Schizophrenia and Temporal Fragmentation
53:28 The River Metaphor for Schizophrenia
56:41 The Role of Spatiotemporal Patterns in Mental Health
01:00:55 Curiosity and the Pursuit of Knowledge
01:04:07 Philosophical Influences and Neuroecology
01:27:36 The Importance of Non-Reductive Neurophilosophy
01:30:39 Concluding Thoughts on Science and Philosophy

Royal Mind Brain Imaging and Neuroethics: https://www.theroyal.ca/research/biography/dr-georg-northoff

University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-medicine/dr-georg-northoff

Lab: https://www.georgnorthoff.com/researchers

Northoff was Andrea's supervisor for her Master thesis and she often attends his lab meetings: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361114681_Ecological_Memory_towards_assessing_intelligence_as_navigability

Andrea Hiott is a philosopher and cognitive scientist developing the navigational approach to mind — the view that mind is “the body’s navigational action in all spaces of life, from the geographical to the emotional to the social to the virtual.” She hosts the Love & Philosophy (Beyond Dichotomy) podcast and Substack, and her work draws on hippocampal research, 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, extended, enactive), and the ecological tradition. Her book Holding Paradox: A Navigational Approach to Mind and Consciousness is forthcoming. Her recurring interests — holding apparent contradictions open, “way-making,” the importance of care and 'mattering', constellation/kaleidoscopic thinking, and moving beyond either/or — frame her questions throughout.

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