Philosopher Zak Stein discusses reconstructing value in a post-postmodern context, avoiding premodern pitfalls, challenges of language tracking value, and shifting paradigms. Topics include panpsychism, emergentist framings, dissipative structures, anti-value, and moving towards the infinite intimate. The conversation explores the essence of life, intersection of intimacy and complexity, and the relationship between God and the future through sacred architecture.
Reconstructing value requires navigating post-postmodern complexities in ontology, combating nihilism and addressing modern/postmodern critiques.
The term 'intimacy' bridges scientific accuracy with normative depth, describing cosmic interconnectedness beyond emotional connotations.
Integrating descriptive terms like 'intimacy' enriches scientific narratives without sacrificing rigor, offering a holistic depiction of cosmic phenomena.
Embracing various linguistic perspectives is crucial in articulating diverse aspects of value and meaning in the universe, transcending scientific biases.
Deep dives
The Concept of Cosmorotic Humanism and its Evolutionary Perennialism Roots
This collaboration aims to compile the core ideas of Cosmorotic Humanism into a condensed volume, drawing from a history of philosophical worldview development. It seeks to revive the perennial tradition by addressing postmodern criticisms and reconfiguring it into evolving first principles and values. The focus is on integrating value into the cosmic ontology, aligning with the belief that value is intrinsic to the universe like matter and consciousness.
Navigating the Post-Postmodern Reconstruction of Value
The podcast delves into the need to reconstruct value systems in the post-postmodern era to combat nihilism and the meaning crisis. By engaging with insights from both modern and postmodern critiques, the aim is to reframe values against a backdrop of evolutionary sciences and humanities studies. The discourse emphasizes moving towards a planetary dialogue that transcends traditional boundaries of world philosophy and religion.
Embracing Intricacies through the Language of Intimacy
The use of the term 'intimacy' in describing complex evolutionary processes is highlighted as a deliberate choice to evoke a deep interconnectedness beyond emotional connotations. The language aims to convey the intricate entanglements and closeness inherent in cosmic interactions, providing a descriptive lens that bridges scientific accuracy and psychological evocation. It seeks to emphasize unity and connectedness across all levels of existence, including atomic and human interactions.
Negotiating the Aesthetic of Intimacy within Scientific Discourse
The discussion unfolds around reconciling poetic language like 'intimacy' with scientific discourse, addressing potential anthropomorphic interpretations at microscopic levels. While 'intimacy' may evoke emotional connections, it functions descriptively to underline profound entanglements and interdependencies in evolutionary processes. The value of using normative terms like 'intimacy' lies in its dual denotative and normative nature, enriching the dialogue without compromising scientific rigor.
Balancing Aesthetic Expressions with Scientific Accuracy
The push for descriptive precision through terms like 'intimacy' aims to enrich scientific narratives with normative depth. By referencing chemical processes as instances of 'intimacy' and 'allovance,' the language bridges objective scientific observation with evocative terminology. This approach liberates the descriptive capacity to explain complex interactions without sacrificing scientific integrity or resorting to anthropomorphism.
Harmonizing Scientific and Poetic Language for Comprehensive Understanding
The integration of scientific and aesthetic vocabularies aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of intricate processes. By aligning descriptive terms like 'intimacy' with scientific observations, the podcast navigates the intrinsic challenges of conveying complex concepts through accessible language. This harmonization enables a holistic depiction of cosmic phenomena, bridging scientific objectivity with interpretive depth.
The Nature of the Universe and Scientific Bias
The discussion delves into the human tendency to attribute consciousness and value to the universe rather than interpreting it as devoid of intention or teleology. The conversation explores how scientific biases and epistemological frameworks have influenced our perception of reality, emphasizing the importance of embracing various linguistic perspectives to articulate different aspects of value and meaning in the universe.
Value, Ethics, and the Concept of God
The dialogue transitions to a profound reflection on the concept of value, ethics, and the role of God in understanding intrinsic value and teleology. The interaction contemplates the idea of panpsychism and the presence of primordial interiority in all entities. It also addresses the notion of anti-value, evil, and the responsibility to identify and act against destructive forces. The discourse encapsulates the quest for unique value, relationality, and the potential for creating new forms of God through participation in evolving values and aspirations.
Philosopher Zak Stein joins me to discuss the "the great post-postmodern project, the reconstruction of value itself," and get into the nuances of what his framework looks like as presented in his new co-authored book First Principles & First Values. What does it mean to say that value is both fundamental and relational? How does a metaphysics of value avoid premodern pitfalls (e.g., the myth of the given, a God's-eye view/view from nowhere, etc.)? What are the challenges posed by language when trying to track value across discontinuities in the complexity stack? Here we compare notes on our respective projects and try to clarify key points.
0:00 Introduction
1:58 Summary Overview of First Principles & First Values
7:35 The Project: A Post-Postmodern Reconstruction of Value
12:44 Is Positing Value as Fundamental a Premodern Move?
32:24 "Value": Avoiding Reification
39:11 Languaging the Reconstruction: Difficulties and Diversity
48:29 The Challenge and Importance of Modern Critique of Value
52:39 "Intimacy" or "Complexity"? Seeking Normative Terminology without Anthropomorphizing
1:03:07 Shifting the Paradigm: Translation or Equivocation?
1:06:25 Panpsychist vs. Emergentist Framings
1:10:26 Shifting Telos across Scales: E.g., Dissipative Structures
1:17:56 Value and Anti-Value
1:22:04 New God: Moving towards the Infinite Intimate
1:27:21 Building the Cathedral/Temple: Living with Sacred Purpose
