The book is divided into three essays: 'The Sin of Height' explores 19th-century ballooning and photography; 'On the Level' fictionalizes a relationship between balloonist Fred Burnaby and actress Sarah Bernhardt; and 'The Loss of Depth' addresses the author's grief following the death of his wife, Pat Kavanagh. Barnes reflects on the nature of grief, memory, and the complexities of mourning without sentimentalizing his experiences.
Awakening From the Meaning Crisis: Part One: Origins delves into the historical and philosophical roots of the current meaning crisis. The authors, John Vervaeke and Christopher Mastropietro, provide a comprehensive analysis of how the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment led to a dis-embedding of humans from nature, resulting in a widespread sense of nihilism and disconnection. The book interweaves scientific, spiritual, and philosophical perspectives to understand the evolution of human meaning and its current crisis, offering a nuanced and well-sourced narrative[4].
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters is a grandly ambitious and inventive work of fiction by Julian Barnes. The book consists of 13 short stories that span across various periods of human history, from the voyage of Noah's Ark to a sneak preview of heaven. It includes tales of a cruise ship hijacked by terrorists, woodworms tried for blasphemy in medieval France, and an astronaut searching for the remains of Noah's Ark. The stories explore the relationship between fact and fabulation, history and love, and are linked by recurring themes and characters, such as the woodworms who serve as a metaphor for decay and the erosion of historical understanding.
The Gospel of John is the fourth of the New Testament's canonical gospels. It presents a highly schematic account of Jesus' ministry, focusing on seven 'signs' or miracles that demonstrate Jesus' divinity, and seven 'I am' discourses that highlight his divine identity. The gospel is divided into sections: a prologue introducing Jesus as the Word of God, the 'Book of Signs' detailing Jesus' ministry, the 'Book of Glory' covering his final night, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection, and a conclusion stating the gospel's purpose. The author's intent is clear: 'that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name' (John 20:31)[2][4][5].
In this book, Mary Eberstadt delivers a powerful new theory about the decline of religion in the Western world. She argues that the conventional wisdom, which suggests that religious decline preceded family decline, is incorrect. Instead, Eberstadt shows that the undermining of the family has further undermined Christianity itself. Drawing on sociology, history, demography, theology, and other sources, she demonstrates that family decline and religious decline are intertwined, describing them as 'the double helix of society.' The book also explores the significant social, economic, and civic costs of these declines and speculates on the potential for a religious revival in the face of economic and demographic crises.
This book delves into the narratives that underpin our society, contrasting the 'Story of Separation'—which views everything as separate—and the emerging 'Story of Interbeing'—which sees everything as interconnected. Eisenstein argues that our current planetary crises are rooted in the old story and invites readers to adopt a new worldview of interbeing. He relates real-life stories to illustrate how individual acts of courage, kindness, and self-trust can transform our culture and contribute to a more beautiful world. The book emphasizes the need to surrender the old worldview of separation to create a more connected and harmonious world[3][4][5].
In this book, Stephen Batchelor offers a uniquely contemporary approach to Buddhism, focusing on its existential aspects and its relevance in actual human relationships. The work bridges the gap between Western and Eastern philosophy, providing a humanist perspective on Buddhist teachings.
The Toronto Wisdom Task Force, convened by Igor Grossmann, aimed to establish a common language and framework for researchers studying wisdom. The task force identified two key pillars of wisdom: moral aspirations (including prosocial orientation, avoidance of excessive self-interest, and pursuit of truth) and perspectival meta-cognitive abilities (such as recognition of limits of knowledge, awareness of context and change, and perspective-taking). These publications provide a comprehensive overview of the empirical and theoretical consensus on the psychological characteristics of wisdom and best practices for its measurement and cultivation[4][5][2].
In 'Educating Intuition,' Robin M. Hogarth offers a detailed exploration of intuition, examining its roots in tacit learning and its role in daily decision-making. The book combines cognitive science, psychological research, and Hogarth's own observations to provide a practical guide on enhancing intuitive skills. It addresses questions about the reliability of intuition and offers concrete suggestions and exercises for developing intuitive abilities.
In 'On Bullshit', Harry G. Frankfurt argues that bullshitters misrepresent themselves to their audience not by deliberately making false claims, but by conveying a certain impression without concern for whether anything is true. He distinguishes bullshitting from lying, noting that liars at least acknowledge the importance of truth, whereas bullshitters disregard it entirely. Frankfurt contends that excessive indulgence in bullshit can undermine the capacity to tell the truth in a way that lying does not, making bullshit a greater enemy of truth than lies. The book explores the prevalence of bullshit in modern society and its implications for communication and truth[1][3][5].
In *The Apology*, Plato recounts the speech Socrates delivered at his trial, where he was charged with impiety and corrupting the youth. Socrates defends his actions and philosophy, emphasizing his duty to seek truth and wisdom as directed by the oracle at Delphi. He argues that his mission is to awaken the Athenian state from its ignorance and that he is willing to face death rather than abandon his philosophical pursuits. The dialogue is a cornerstone of Western philosophy, highlighting Socrates' method of questioning and his commitment to ethical living[1][2][4].
Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.
John Vervaeke delves into the concept of the meaning crisis facing our planet and explores how we can cultivate lives filled with purpose and wisdom. He shares his personal journey through a meaning crisis and reflects on how Socratic wisdom has shaped his understanding.
As he examines the broader implications of our current societal struggles, John highlights the main contributors to this, drawing parallels between modern times and historic civilizations and examining four essential aspects that define meaning in our lives.
He addresses the impacts of scarcity mentality, technology, and loneliness, while offering insights into the contemplation of death and the fear of the unknown. The conversation also touches on the four types of knowing, the existential significance of love, and the process of relevance realization, which frames our perception of reality.
Ultimately, he presents a vision for humanity's future in the aftermath of the meaning crisis, contemplating the inevitability of suffering and drawing wisdom from great philosophers throughout history.
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0:00 Intro
1:57 John's Personal Meaning Crisis
14:55 How Socrates' Wisdom Opened His Eyes
21:53 What Our Culture Gets Wrong About Love
27:29 4 Aspects that Define Meaning In Our Lives
36:15 Our Planet’s Meaning Crisis
45:50 BonCharge: Save on Redlight Therapy
47:04 The Main Contributors to this Crisis
57:22 Relating Modern Times to Historic Civilizations
1:04:13 Scarcity Mentality, Technology, and Loneliness
1:08:35 Contemplation on Death and Meaning
1:17:28 Our Fear of the Unknown & How It Fuels Our Beliefs
1:21:13 Seed: Save 25% off Your First Month
1:22:55 The 4 Types of Knowing: Go From Intellect to Embodied Wisdom
1:36:53 Love as an Existential Stance
1:41:10 Relevance Realization & Framing How We See Reality
1:53:02 Intuition & How Psychics Use Implicit Learning
2:03:56 Increasing Cognitive Agency
2:11:00 What Makes Something Profound?
2:16:17 IQ as a Predictor for Success in Life
2:19:53 Defining Enlightenment & Flowstate
2:38:25 Vision for Humanity's Future, Post Meaning Crisis
2:47:30 Is Suffering Inevitable on Our Planet?
2:54:45 Wisdom from the Great Philosophers
2:57:57 Rapid Fire Questions
3:01:18 Conclusion
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John Vervaeke, Ph.D. is an award-winning professor at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology.
He has published articles on relevance realization, general intelligence, mindfulness, flow, metaphor, and wisdom. He is the first author of the book Zombies in Western Culture: A 21st Century crisis which integrates Psychology and Cognitive Science to address the meaning crisis in Western society. He is the author and presenter of the YouTube series, Awakening from the Meaning Crisis.
Book: https://amzn.to/3Udpgox
Website: https://johnvervaeke.com
The Philosophical Silk Road: https://johnvervaeke.com/series/the-philosophical-silk-road/
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Know Thyself
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Website: https://www.knowthyself.one
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André Duqum
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Know Thyself 
