The Importance of Existence

Bernardo Kastrup has a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering and has worked as a scientist in some of the world's foremost research laboratories, including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the "Casimir Effect" of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). He has authored many scientific papers and four philosophy books: Rationalist Spirituality, Dreamed up Reality, Meaning in Absurdity, and Why Materialism Is Baloney. This latter book is a grand synthesis of his metaphysical views. Bernardo has also been an entrepreneur and founder of two high-tech businesses. Today, he holds a managerial position in the high-tech industry. In parallel, he maintains a philosophy blog, an audio/video podcast, and continues to develop his ideas about the nature of reality. Bernardo has lived and worked in four different countries across continents. Books: Why Materialism Is Baloney: How True Skeptics Know There Is No Death and Fathom Answers to life, the Universe, and Everything Meaning in Absurdity: What bizarre phenomena can tell us about the nature of reality Dreamed Up Reality: Diving into the Mind to Uncover the Astonishing Hidden Tale of Nature Rationalist Spirituality: An exploration of the meaning of life and existence informed by logic and science More Than Allegory: On Religious Myth, Truth And Belief Website: bernardokastrup.com Youtube Channel Blog post written by Bernardo after our interview (and relevant to it). Important article: The Physicalist Worldview as Neurotic Ego-Defense Mechanism Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/12/2014 Second Batgap interview with Bernardo. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction & Background 00:05:18 - The Path of Intellectual Discernment 00:10:39 - Defining Materialism and Consciousness 00:15:35 - Brain Function and Subjective Experience 00:20:22 - The Mistake of Materialists and the Localization of Mind 00:25:21 - Consciousness as the Ultimate Reality 00:30:37 - The Consciousness of a Glass of Water 00:35:26 - The Difference Between Water Flowing and Forming a Whirlpool 00:39:30 - The Glass of Water and Consciousness 00:43:46 - Materiality and Consciousness 00:47:56 - The Danger of Objectifying Consciousness 00:52:03 - The process of splitting off 00:56:06 - The Nature of Consciousness and Self-Recognition 01:00:07 - The Excitation of Mind and Self-Reflection 01:04:14 - The Dreamer and the Dream 01:08:13 - The Localization of Consciousness 01:12:10 - The Whirlpool and the Ripples 01:15:58 - The individuation of consciousness 01:20:18 - The Meaning of Reality and Consciousness 01:24:17 - A Hierarchy of Localization, a Hierarchy of Self-Reflection 01:28:23 - Mind as a Vibrating Membrane 01:32:40 - Existential Experience of Pure Unmanifest Existence 01:36:44 - The Illusion of Reality and the Nature of Mind 01:40:56 - The Truth in Illusions 01:45:04 - The Natural Unfolding Process 01:49:08 - The Battle between Intellect and Intuition 01:53:14 - The Crack in the Armor of the Ego 01:57:19 - Seeking Enlightenment through Different Paths 02:01:29 - Embracing the Unknown Journey 02:05:25 - Spiritual Awakening and Ordinary Perspective 02:09:27 - Harri Alto Returns by Popular Demand