UnHerd with Freddie Sayers Iain McGilchrist & Philip Goff: Is the universe conscious?
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Jun 12, 2025 
In this thought-provoking discussion, Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist and philosopher, is joined by Philip Goff, a panpsychist thinker and author. They explore whether the universe itself is conscious and challenge the limitations of traditional views on consciousness. The conversation delves into panpsychism, the interconnectedness of individual and universal consciousness, and the nuances of belief and spirituality. They even tackle how childhood intuitions about existence often fade with age, urging listeners to maintain an open mind about cosmic questions.
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Consciousness is Fundamental
- Panpsychism holds that consciousness exists at the fundamental level of physical reality.
- Complex consciousness arises from simpler experiences found even in fundamental particles.
Consciousness Breathes Physics
- Physics describes mathematical structures but doesn't explain what underlies reality.
- Panpsychists propose fundamental conscious entities produce physical structures we observe as physics.
Universe As Conscious Whole
- Consciousness cannot be fully explained by complexity alone, as shown by brain structures like the cerebellum.
- Iain McGilchrist suggests the whole universe is conscious, making consciousness ontologically primitive.
