Can Science Move Beyond Materialism? - Alicia Juarrero

Alicia Juarrero is a philosopher focused on reductionism in science and complex systems. Science today has become focused on reducing phenomena to their most basic components, like atoms. But it's an open question whether this approach can truly explain everything. What if non-reductionistic concepts such as context, timing and purpose were just as important? In this podcast, expect to learn about the origins of materialism, whether materialism is truly sufficient for understanding the world, the role of complexity and holistic approaches in explaining phenomena, how science is evolving to incorporate higher-level, non-materialist perspectives, and more... 00:00 What are Are The Origins of Materialism? 02:13 The Loss of Purpose and Goal Directedness in Science 05:55 Emergence and the Complexity of Living Systems 11:18 The Dynamic Nature of Equilibrium in Biological Systems 18:05 Identity and the Challenges of Reductionism 24:23 Understanding Relations and Processes 33:06 Understanding Network Dynamics 37:41 Challenging Universal Essences 47:23 The Future of Science and Reductionism 53:23 AI and Context-Dependance