Dr. John Vervaeke Ep. 20 - Awakening from the Meaning Crisis - Death of the Universe
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Apr 3, 2023 
John Vervaeke, a cognitive science professor, dives deep into the historical interplay of philosophy and spirituality. He discusses Augustine's integration of different orders of thought, exploring tensions between reason and faith during the Axial Revolution. Vervaeke highlights how love transforms spirituality amidst chaos, linking philosophical shifts to social changes post-Black Death. He also addresses the impact of corporate capitalism and the Protestant Reformation on the meaning crisis, revealing how evolving perspectives challenge traditional beliefs about existence.
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Augustine's Integration
- Augustine integrated Aristotelian science, Platonic spirituality, and Christian narrative.
- This created a nomological, normative, and narrative order connecting self, others, and the world.
Shift in Reading Practices
- A shift occurred from participatory, transformative reading (Lectio Divina) to silent, consumptive reading.
- This emphasized inner coherence of propositions over transformative conformity to the world.
Aquinas's Two Worlds
- Aquinas reconciled Aristotelian science and Christian faith by creating two worlds: natural (reason) and supernatural (faith).
- This separation, while initially helpful, risked divorcing love from reason and spirituality from science.