New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

Yochai Ataria, "Not in Our Brain: Consciousness, Body, World" (Magnes Press, 2019)

Dec 4, 2024

Yochai Ataria, a professor at Tel-Hai College specializing in trauma and consciousness, explores profound themes from his book, including the complexity of embodied experiences. He delves into how consciousness is shaped by our physical existence, especially in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Personal narratives reveal the psychological toll on both soldiers and children affected by war, emphasizing the necessity for empathy and understanding. Ataria calls for dialogue amidst conflict, highlighting shared traumas and the need for personal responsibility.

53:12

Episode guests

Yochai Ataria

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The podcast emphasizes a phenomenological perspective on consciousness, highlighting the importance of embodied experiences in shaping our understanding of reality.

It explores the impact of collective trauma in the Israel-Hamas conflict, advocating for dialogue to foster empathy and healing amidst shared suffering.

Deep dives

The Nature of Consciousness

The discussion highlights the philosophical evolution regarding the understanding of consciousness, particularly contrasting traditional Western philosophy, rooted in Plato and Descartes, with more recent phenomenological perspectives. It suggests that Western thought has often portrayed consciousness as something isolated within the brain, disconnected from the body and the world. In contrast, a phenomenological approach emphasizes that individuals are embodied beings existing within a shared world, which shapes their consciousness through direct experiences. This shift challenges the notion of perceiving the world merely as a representation within the mind, urging reconsideration of how consciousness and reality are interlinked.

Intro

5min

Exploring Consciousness and Reality

10min

Exploring the Intersection of Boundaries, Agency, and Mental Health

3min

Navigating Dialogue in Conflict: Personal Narratives and Shared Responsibility

4min

Children of Conflict: Trauma and Identity

14min

Prisoners’ Perspectives: Isolation and Identity in Conflict

2min

The Echoes of Neglect and Violence

12min

Yochai's book, Not in Our Brain: Consciousness, Body, World (Magnes Press, 2019), examines the meaning of psychology and life based on the premise (following Merleau-Ponty's theory) that we are present in the world through our bodies. We are not merely rational beings or machines, but our existence in the world is through the body. While the book examines Merleau-Ponty's theory through stories of prisoners and people dedicated to meditation, our conversation took a different and fascinating direction. We examined the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza through the lens of Merleau-Ponty and the question of trauma.

Yochai Ataria is a professor at Tel-Hai College, Israel. He completed his PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and conducted post-doctoral research in the Neurobiology Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science. His notable works include The Structural Trauma of Western Culture (2017), Body Disownership in Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (2018), The Mathematics of Trauma [in Hebrew] (2014), Not in Our Brain [in Hebrew] (2019), Levi versus Ka-Tsetnik (2022), Consciousness in Flesh (2022), and Genes, Technology, and Apocalypse (2024).

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