What if space and time aren’t real, and consciousness is the true fabric of the universe?

In this mind-expanding conversation of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Donald Hoffman, pioneering cognitive scientist and author of The Case Against Reality, breaks down the revolution currently shaking science to its core. Could everything we experience — even space and time — be just part of a virtual interface our minds use to survive?

Dr. Hoffman explains why consciousness (not matter) might be fundamental, what could exist beyond space-time, and why merging science and spirituality may be the only way to solve the Hard Problem of Consciousness.

He also breaks down why:

- Reality may just be what we perceive through a VR headset

- Thinking you are your body could be one of humanity’s greatest dangers

- AI will never truly be conscious

- Consciousness doesn’t arise from physical processes, but might create them

- Darwin’s Theory of Evolution may suggest our world isn’t real at all

- Technology could be clouding our ability to perceive God

- Recognizing a higher consciousness naturally leads to compassion and love for others

- Building a scientific framework for spirituality could allow science to finally confirm what mystics have always known

- His mathematical model of consciousness may reveal a collective mind & even prove the existence of God

- His theory of the observer could unlock real magic: time travel, instant knowledge downloads, limb regeneration, and more

We may have discovered the first layer of the Simulation’s software; once we understand it, can we manipulate it to create magic? But with this potential power comes danger — if we unlock reality’s source code, what happens next? Dr. Hoffman believes that if science proves consciousness is fundamental, confirming spirituality itself, the impact on humanity will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

If consciousness really is the code behind reality, this might be the most important conversation of our lifetime. Don’t miss it!

Dr. Donald Hoffman’s book, The Case Against Reality: How Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes: ⁠https://a.co/d/5HoGhug⁠

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Episode 3024 CWSA 11-20-25

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