Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

A Radical New Vision: The Conscious Cosmos

Dec 24, 2024

In this captivating discussion, Matthew Segall, a professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, merges ancient wisdom with modern science through the lens of process philosophy. He critiques conventional views of reality, urging listeners to embrace the inevitability of mortality as a pathway to deeper meaning. Topics include the evolution of thought from Plato to Whitehead and how past experiences shape our current consciousness. Segall challenges the static views of existence, advocating for a more relational understanding that interconnects awareness, nature, and the human experience.

03:18:24

Episode guests

Matthew David Segall

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Quick takeaways

The podcast emphasizes the evolution of philosophical thought from ancient figures like Plato to modern interpretations like Whitehead's process philosophy.

A critique of contemporary materialism suggests that an inward exploration of consciousness is essential for finding deeper meaning in existence.

Confronting mortality is portrayed as a pathway to enrich one's understanding of life and prioritize what truly matters.

The discussion highlights the importance of balancing individual experiences with collective consciousness to foster a comprehensive human understanding.

Process philosophy is framed as a dynamic approach to reality, viewing existence as continuous events rather than fixed substances.

Deep dives

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Intro

2min

Philosophical Evolution: From Plato to Process Thought

15min

Contrasting Philosophies of Substance: Aristotle vs. Descartes

6min

Philosophical Foundations of Knowledge

22min

From Kant to German Idealism: A Philosophical Journey

28min

Philosophical Freedom and the Nature of Reality

14min

Exploring Unity and Consciousness in Science

16min

Exploring Precedent Occasions and Their Effects on Present Experience

2min

Exploring Shared Experience and Process Philosophy

26min

10.

Exploring the Nature of Prehension in Experience

2min

11.

Infinite Possibilities and Human Freedom

29min

12.

Socrates and the Philosophy of Mortality

6min

13.

Exploring the Evolution of Process Philosophy

3min

14.

Redefining Reality Through Process Philosophy

12min

15.

Exploring New Insights Through Substack and Community Engagement

3min

As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe

In today's episode of Theories of Everything, Curt Jaimungal speaks with Matthew Segall, a professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, on the evolution of philosophical thought, linking ancient teachings on consciousness to modern scientific perspectives. We delve into the limitations of contemporary views of reality, paralleling them with the Ptolemaic model, and explore how an awareness of mortality can enrich our understanding of existence. Matthew argues for a shift toward introspection and self-inquiry in a society grappling with existential challenges, emphasizing that confronting mortality can foster a deeper sense of meaning in our lives.

New Substack! Follow my personal writings and EARLY ACCESS episodes here: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com

LINKED MENTIONED:

•⁠ ⁠Matthew’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Footnotes2Plato

•⁠ ⁠Matthew’s Diagram of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z1zY39EKbs

•⁠ ⁠Matthew’s talk with John Vervaeke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15akhXGHwzo

•⁠ ⁠Critique of Pure Reason (book): https://www.amazon.com/Critique-Pure-Reason-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140447474

•⁠ ⁠Critique of Judgement (book): https://www.amazon.com/Critique-Judgement-Immanuel-Kant/dp/1545245673/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

•⁠ ⁠The Phenomenology of Spirit (book): https://www.amazon.com/Georg-Wilhelm-Friedrich-Hegel-Phenomenology/dp/1108730086

•⁠ ⁠1919 Eclipse (paper): https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10.1098/rsnr.2020.0040

•⁠ ⁠Einstein/Bergson debate (article): https://www.faena.com/aleph/einstein-vs-bergson-the-struggle-for-time

•⁠ ⁠The Principle of Relativity (book): https://www.amazon.com/Principle-Relativity-Alfred-North-Whitehead/dp/1602062188

•⁠ ⁠John Vervaeke’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke

•⁠ ⁠John Vervaeke on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVj1KYGyesI

•⁠ ⁠Philip Goff on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmaIBxkqcT4

•⁠ ⁠Sabine Hossenfelder on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3y-Z0pgupg

•⁠ ⁠Donald Hoffman on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmieNQH7Q4w

•⁠ ⁠Karl Friston on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk4NZorRjCo

•⁠ ⁠Iain McGilchrist on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9sBKCd2HD0

•⁠ ⁠Thomas Campbell on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kko-hVA-8IU

•⁠ ⁠Noam Chomsky on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

•⁠ ⁠v=3lcDT_-3v2k&list=PLZ7ikzmc6zlORiRfcaQe8ZdxKxF-e2BCY&index=3

•⁠ ⁠Michael Levin on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8iFtaltX-s&list=PLZ7ikzmc6zlN6E8KrxcYCWQIHg2tfkqvR&index=39

•⁠ ⁠Roger Penrose on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGm505TFMbU&list=PLZ7ikzmc6zlN6E8KrxcYCWQIHg2tfkqvR&index=16

•⁠ ⁠Neil Turok’s lecture on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwhqmPqRl4&list=PLZ7ikzmc6zlN6E8KrxcYCWQIHg2tfkqvR&index=35

•⁠ ⁠TOE’s Consciousness Iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR4cpn8m9i0&ab_channel=TheoriesofEverythingwithCurtJaimungal

•⁠ ⁠TOE’s String Theory Iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4PdPnQuwjY

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

1:35 The Roots of Process Philosophy

4:47 The Rise of Nominalism

8:26 The Evolution of Substance

11:02 Descartes and the Dualist Divide

21:34 Kant's Copernican Revolution

33:08 The Nature of Knowledge

37:42 Hegel's Dialectic Unfolds

46:18 Schelling's Panpsychism

56:50 Whitehead's Organic Realism

1:22:17 The Bifurcation of Nature

1:31:38 The Emergence of Consciousness

1:38:37 The Nature of Self-Organization

1:53:40 Perspectives on Actuality and Potentiality

2:11:35 The Role of God in Process Philosophy

2:23:55 The Human Experience and Self-Inquiry

2:40:34 Reflections on Mortality and Meaning

2:47:44 The Shift from Substance to Process

2:58:02 Embracing Interconnectedness and Consciousness

3:00:49 The Call for Inner Exploration

#science #philosophy

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Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

A Radical New Vision: The Conscious Cosmos

Episode guests