Mythology & Modern Minds | Transcendent Naturalism #10
Dr. John Vervaeke
Consciousness and the Hero-Adversary Dichotomy
This chapter explores the concept of consciousness as the process that mediates between ordering chaos, represented mythologically as both the hero and the adversary. It discusses the consequences of ignoring anomalies and falling into excess of order or chaos.
In episode 10 of the Transcendent Naturalism series, Dr. John Vervaeke, Gregg Henriques, and guest Brett Andersen delve into the intricate relationship between science, spirituality, and modern mythology. The episode is a tour de force of intellectual exploration, covering topics from self-organizing criticality to the philosophy of order and chaos. Andersen offers a compelling presentation on the role of modern myths like the Matrix trilogy in understanding our complex world. Dr. Vervaeke and Henriques provide counterpoints and extensions to Andersen's arguments, enriching the discussion with their own expertise in philosophy and psychology. The episode also explores the role of consciousness in collective intelligence and the tension between individual experience and societal norms.
Brett Andersen, a Ph.D. student in Evolutionary Psychology at the University of New Mexico, is a compelling voice at the intersection of cognitive science, complexity science, and the philosophical underpinnings of morality and religion. With a penchant for delving into controversial topics, Brett crafts thought-provoking essays on Substack and produces insightful YouTube videos. He's also in the process of writing a book, slated for a free PDF release, that encapsulates seven years of rigorous research across scientific and philosophical literature.
Resources:
Brett Andersen: Substack | YouTube | X
Gregg Henriques: Website | Facebook | X
Books:
Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief - Dr. Jordan Peterson
Is There Anything Good About Men?: How Cultures Flourish by Exploiting Men - Roy Baumeister
Warriors and Worriers: The Survival of the Sexes - Joyce Benenson
Dynamics in Action: Intentional Behavior as a Complex System - Alicia Juarrero
Finitude and Transcendence in the Platonic Dialogues - Drew A. Hyland
The Self-Overcoming of Nihilism - Keiji Nishitani
History of Religious Ideas (3 book series) - Mircea Eliade
Publications:
Predictive processing and relevance realization: exploring convergent solutions to the frame problem - Brett P. Andersen, Mark Miller & John Vervaeke
Nihilism: a philosophical essay - Stanley Rosen
Voices with Vervaeke:
Relevance realization, personality, attachment and therapy w/ Garri Hovhannisyan
UTOK | Unified Theory of Knowledge:
Untangling the World Knot of Consciousness Series
Brett Andersen:
Intimations of a New Worldview, 5.3: The God of the Left Hemisphere
Intimations of a New Worldview, 5.4: The God of the Left Hemisphere
Movies:
People:
Timecodes:
00:00:20 — Dr. John Vervaeke introduces his ongoing partner Gregg Henriques and guest Brett Anderson. He praises Brett’s work, which incorporates some of his own, and the work of Jordan Peterson and others.
00:01:17 — Gregg Henriques provides an overview of the episode’s topic. He introduces the concept of a worldview that bridges science and spirituality, setting the stage for the deep dive that follows.
00:02:37 — Brett Andersen begins his presentation on self-organizing criticality. He connects it to ontology, phenomenology, epistemology, and cosmology, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding the world.
00:07:00 — The distinction between modern and postmodern academic philosophy.
00:12:41 — Discussion of the Matrix trilogy as a modern mythology.
00:16:35 — Reasons why order is represented as masculine. Andersen cites the work of evolutionary psychologists, bringing a scientific perspective to the philosophical discussion.
00:22:00 — The dual nature of entropy and the importance of having the right relationship with chaos or novelty.
00:34:10 — Brett Andersen explores the hero myth.
00:44:20 — Gregg Henriques brings up trait theory, and how it relates to the discussion of fascism and decadence. He discusses the dimensions of extroversion, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.
00:47:00 — Dr. John Vervaeke talks about the universal processes of relevance realization and predictive processing.
00:55:54 — The story of Osiris and Seth is discussed.
01:03:00 — Andersen discusses the denial of the contradictory experience. He delves deeper into the psychological aspects of dealing with anomalies.
01:15:35 — Dr. John Vervaeke discusses the function of consciousness in dealing with problems. He talks about the limitations of individual consciousness.
01:23:00 — Gregg Henriques asks Brett about the transformational processes that consciousness needs to undergo to awaken collective intelligence.
01:26:00 — The conversation wraps up with the trio expressing their belief in the importance of their corner of the internet.
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