In this book, Donald Hoffman challenges the notion that our senses report back objective reality. He argues that evolution has sculpted our minds for fitness, not to accurately represent reality, leading to a mismatch between our perceptions and the true nature of the world. Hoffman introduces the concept of 'Fitness Beats Truth' and uses analogies like the computer desktop to explain how our consciousness interacts with the world in a way that is useful but not necessarily reflective of underlying reality. He also proposes 'Conscious Realism,' suggesting that conscious agents create the perception of an objective reality, rather than the other way around.
Thomas Nagel's essay "What Is It Like to Be a Bat?" is a seminal work in philosophy of mind. It explores the subjective nature of consciousness and the challenges of understanding other minds. Nagel argues that even with complete physical knowledge of a bat's brain, we cannot fully grasp its subjective experience. This essay highlights the limitations of reductionist approaches to consciousness. It continues to be a central text in discussions about qualia, subjective experience, and the mind-body problem.
In this book, Carlo Rovelli delves into the mysteries of time, combining physics, philosophy, and art to explain how modern physics has transformed our understanding of time. The book is divided into sections that cover the theory of relativity, space-time, loop quantum gravity, and thermodynamics. Rovelli argues that at the most fundamental level, time disappears, and our perception of its flow is subjective and influenced by our brain and emotions. He uses metaphors and simple language to make complex concepts accessible to a broad audience[2][4][5].
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a poignant and inspiring memoir written by Jean-Dominique Bauby, who was the editor-in-chief of French Elle magazine. After a massive stroke in December 1995, Bauby was diagnosed with locked-in syndrome, leaving him completely paralyzed except for his ability to blink his left eye. Using this limited means of communication, he dictated the entire book over several months. The memoir chronicles his life before and after the stroke, his experiences in the hospital, and his vivid imagination and memories that allowed him to 'fly' in his mind despite his physical confinement. The book is a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome even the most dire circumstances and is filled with Bauby's wit, sarcasm, and deep insights into life and human connection.
R.J. Palacio's "Wonder" is a heartwarming and inspiring novel about August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters a mainstream school for the first time. The story is told from multiple perspectives, offering insights into August's experiences and the impact he has on those around him. The novel explores themes of kindness, acceptance, and the importance of looking beyond appearances. "Wonder" celebrates the power of empathy and understanding, reminding readers of the importance of treating everyone with respect and compassion.
What is consciousness? How does it arise? And why does it exist?
We take ‘experience' for granted. But the very existence of consciousness raises profound questions: Why would any collection of matter in the universe be conscious? How are we able to think about this? And why should we?
Our guide for today's philosophic and scientific exploration of these mysteries is Annaka Harris.
An editor and consultant for science writers specializing in neuroscience and physics, Annaka is the author of the children's book I Wonder, a collaborator on the Mindful Games Activity Cards, by Susan Kaiser Greenland, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the Inner Kids organization.
Annaka's work has appeared in The New York Times and all of her guided meditations and lessons for children are available on the Waking Up app, the digital meditation platform created by her husband Sam Harris — the renown author, public intellectual, blogger, and podcast host.
Annaka’s latest book — which recently hit the New York Times bestseller list and provides the focus for today’s conversation — is entitled, Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind. A must-read for any and all curious about one of the Universe's great mysteries, it's a brief yet mind-bending read that challenges our assumptions about the nature, origin and purpose of consciousness.
Equal parts nerdy and fun, this is a deeply profound conversation that tackles the very nature of consciousness itself — and what it means to be a living being having ‘an experience'.
We discuss how Annaka became interested in this field and the path undertaken to writing this book.
Parsing instinct from scientific fact, we deconstruct our assumptions about consciousness and grapple with its essential nature — what is consciousness exactly? And where does it physically reside?
We discuss meditation and artificial intelligence. We dive into plant consciousness. We explore panpsychism (a theory I quite fancy). And we muse about the role of spirituality in scientific inquiry.
All told, this tackles the current limits of science and human understanding and leaves us wondering, is it possible to truly understand everything?
The visually inclined can watch our entire conversation on YouTube here: bit.ly/annakaharris460 (please subscribe!)
An intellectual delight from start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Annaka and I sincerely hope you enjoy the listen.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
The Rich Roll Podcast 
