My Soapbox

In this episode I explore the fascinating neurological reasons why human beings see and experience a mind-body split, or dualism in which mind and body are perceived as separate things, and how this relates to our vulnerability to accepting belief in gods and the supernatural. I reference the excellent work of J. Anderson Thompson Jr. , MD and Clare Aukofer in their book, “Why We Believe in gods” in my exploration of this fascinating phenomenon. I also discuss some of my reactions to Dave’s thoughts on his struggle with the illusory self, and some implications on meaning with this awareness.

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episode, I relate some of my thoughts on a recent conversation between Sam Harris, Willoughby Britton, and Jared Lindahl on the "Waking Up" app.  Both Willoughby and Jared specialize in helping meditators who are experiencing meditation-related difficulties such as distress, anxiety, etc.  I also discuss the contradiction between accepting the much accepted definition of consciousness from Thomas Nagel being "what it's like to be something," which is a definition of ego, or self, while at the same time accepting the idea that consciousness is timeless, spaceless, centerless, etc.  These two positions cannot be simultaneously held without contradicting oneself. Either consciousness is the experience of ego, or "what it's like to be something," with all its limits and particulars of experience, or it is without center, without definition, without limitation, etc. However, it cannot be both. I also discuss some reasons why I suspect we tend to hold on to concepts which preserve the idea of "unchanging things" like the soul, the self, God, Heaven, and Hell, and how hard it is for so many of us to accept the ultimate reality of the impermanance of all things. 

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episode I begin by reflecting a bit on the “placebo effect,” and why it cannot be entirely responsible for why individuals get better when taking genuine medications. Active ingredients actually do matter otherwise we could save ourselves millions of dollars in health insurance and medication costs by taking only placebos. I then explore the topic of the difference between selfhood and personhood, the illusion of the self and ultimately the illusion of all notions of separation.

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episide I speak again with my friend Dave, this time on the "placebo effect."  We discuss how the "placebo effect" can manifest itself in things such as self confidence, religious belief, and how easy it can be to conflate a belief in something due to a possible positive benefit from that belief with an actual matter of fact.  Topics also discussed are consciousness, free will, the "nocebo effect," the illusion of self, "knockouts" as I discussed in the last episode, or facts which "knock out," or make certain beliefs in light of these facts impossible.  

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episode, I explore a number of different things, including the ideas of free will, agency, ego, and why these must be illusions based on other "knockouts" we know to be facts which invalidate these things such as determinism, stasis and change, the probabilistic and mathmatical nature of the universe, etc.  I also discuss why you don't even need to get into theology or other more complex arguments to disprove the existence of God once the basic presuppositions of theistic faith - namely ego and free will are seen for the illusions they are.  

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episode I reflect on my last visit to my dad and step-mom’s house soon to be sold this coming week, as well some thoughts on my last conversation with Dave concerning “experience” and its relationship to consciousness.

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episode, I speak again with my friend Dave, this time discussing the question of what is experience and how it does or does not relate to the definition of consciousness. We look at the definition of consciousness as related to experience from Annaka Harris in her book, "Conscious," and discuss why we disagree with her and Thomas Nagel's definition of consciousness being "something that it is like to be that organism," which Dave and I would argue is nothing more than brain behavior and the awareness of "self" or ego, different from consciousness.  We also discuss the other fundamental of the Universe - change, and why change must be a second fundamental principle along with consciousness, synonymous with stasis, in order to create distinction, the appearance of separation, discreet forms, or "existence" if you will. Consciousness or stasis, and change are two sides of the same one coin - the one whole of All.  Also discussed is mathematics as a language of consciousness.  

---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-cross/support

In this episode I reflect a bit on Sam Harris’ latest episode on the Making Sense podcast entitled “The Reality Illusion” with his wife Annaka Harris and Donald Hoffman and their discussion on consciousness, particularly Hoffman’s theory of consciousness as fundamental. I explore the contradiction of this groups’ apparent insistence on saying realty is non-dual, that consciousness is the one thing that can’t be an illusion, while at the same time believing consciousness is still distinct from matter - thus making them dualists despite their claims to the contrary.

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support

In this episode, I speak again with my good friend Dave on the topic of consciousness, including the limitations of science to explain consciousness and why I believe science will never be able to explain consciousness, why consciousness like all is non-dual and singular, a “theory of everything,” the problems with assuming "objective reality," and why the idea of there being a dualistic separation between matter and consciousness is incorrect. 

---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-cross/support

In this episode, I share my thoughts and some comments shared by Dave concerning consciousness, the true nature or reality, quantum mechanics, the observer effect, and more. I also describe my perceived difference between "woo" metaphysical religious claims and simply stating the simplest explanation of consciousness being a fundamental principle of all that is. 

---

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/message

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-cross/support