Living Mirrors with Dr. James Cooke cover image

Living Mirrors with Dr. James Cooke

Graham Priest on the Philosophy of Nothingness, Everything, and Paradox | Living Mirrors #134

Oct 29, 2024
Graham Priest, a distinguished philosophy professor at CUNY, dives deep into the intriguing realms of nothingness, paradox, and existence. He explores how our understanding of objects is defined by their contrast to nothingness. The conversation weaves through the evolution of logic, discussing its complexities and implications. Priest examines the nature of time, the distinction between perception and reality, and the duality of 'everything.' He also delves into the paradox of nothingness, drawing insights from various philosophical traditions and meditative practices.
01:04:39

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The relationship between objects and nothingness is foundational, as objects rely on nothingness to be identified and recognized.
  • Paraconsistent logic allows for the coexistence of contradictions without collapsing into chaos, revealing a nuanced understanding of truth.

Deep dives

Understanding Objects in Relation to Nothingness

An object is defined as something that stands in contrast to nothingness, much like a hill stands out from a surrounding field. The concept posits that reality is made up of objects, which rely on a background of nothingness to exist. This idea draws on metaphysical views, arguing that without the distinction from nothingness, an object cannot be identified or recognized. Thus, the relationship between objects and nothingness is foundational; reality itself is contingent upon the existence of nothingness as its ground.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode