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The Ralston College Podcast

Ep. 6 - Iain McGilchrist and Stephen Blackwood: The Unfolding of Life and Thought

Apr 19, 2020
Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist and philosopher renowned for his insights on the divided brain, joins Stephen Blackwood for a captivating dialogue. They explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our understanding of community and individuality. The conversation dives into the relationship between the humanities, identity, and reality, emphasizing the interconnectedness of existence. They advocate for reviving the humanities in education, highlighting its vital role in fostering genuine inquiry and depth in the human experience.
01:18:09

Episode guests

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Quick takeaways

  • The metaphor of unfolding illustrates how potential transforms into actuality through relationships, emphasizing the importance of communal connections in personal growth.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a balanced approach between localism and globalism, fostering community interdependence while mitigating environmental impacts.

Deep dives

The Nature of Potential and Unfolding

The conversation delves into the concept of potential and how it unfolds into actuality, highlighting the importance of understanding relationships in this process. The metaphor of unfolding suggests that everything in the cosmos carries inherent potentials and qualities that emerge as they develop, similar to an acorn transforming into an oak tree. This unfolding is not predetermined; it allows for both freedom and constraint, where potential is actualized through interactions and relationships with others. The dialogue emphasizes that understanding our own potential requires an appreciation of the relationships and environments that influence our growth.

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