Mahon McCann

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#106 - Brendan Graham Dempsey - Healing From the Meaning Crisis

Nov 28, 2025

Guest

Brendan Graham Dempsey

Brendan Graham Dempsey, a writer and researcher on the evolution of meaning, dives deep into the current meaning crisis. He discusses how metamodernism brings back a sense of transcendence, contrasting it with 20th-century nihilism. They explore the relationship between complexity theory and moral development, emphasizing how cultural evolution shapes meaning systems. Dempsey also highlights the impact of social media on collective meaning-making and shares insights on overcoming trauma and anomie through renewed understanding and educational approaches.

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insights

INSIGHT

Meaning As Goal-Directed Information

Meaning isn't a mystical bonus but semantic information tied to an organism's goals and survival.
Clarifying what 'meaning' is reframes nihilism into pervasive, actionable significance.

insights

INSIGHT

Nihilism As A Response To Lost Frames

20th-century nihilism responded to the collapse of older metaphysical frameworks rather than proving intrinsic meaninglessness.
Reconceiving meaning on its own terms reveals abundant meaningfulness in ordinary life.

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ADVICE

Share Syllabi To Build Shared Curricula

Send your course syllabus and recommended literature to Brendan if you're teaching the meaning crisis.
Use cross-disciplinary material to connect philosophical and scientific perspectives on meaning.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Why study the evolution of meaning

00:18 • 37sec

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Meaning reframed from first principles

00:55 • 2min

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Meaning's role against 20th-century nihilism

02:54 • 2min

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Attention, relevance and the living frame

05:17 • 1min

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Metamodern return of transcendence

06:43 • 3min

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Psychology literature and meaning in life

09:24 • 3min

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Personal journey through meaning crisis

12:09 • 4min

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Connecting cosmic complexity to meaning

15:50 • 5min

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Information, thermodynamics and value

21:09 • 26sec

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Active inference and surprise minimization

21:36 • 5min

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From universal learning to human meaning

26:27 • 7min

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Why focus on moral and developmental stages

33:42 • 5min

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Early development: differentiation and egocentrism

39:10 • 6min

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Social enculturation and shared worlds

45:18 • 5min

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Anomie, shattered assumptions and trauma

50:00 • 5min

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Frame-breaking, the meta-frame and transcendence

54:43 • 5min

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Myth, iconography, and inexhaustible depth

59:50 • 5min

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Epistemic development toward the beatific vision

01:04:27 • 8min

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Practical pedagogy for meaning and healing

Brendan Graham Dempsey

#13432

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

A Universal Learning Process

The Evolution of Meaning

Brendan Graham Dempsey

A Universal Learning Process is the first installment of The Evolution of Meaning series by Brendan Graham Dempsey. It frames the evolution of the universe as a learning process, moving from energy and information to symbolic learning in human culture. The book sets the stage for a broader exploration of how meaning develops across cosmic and cultural evolution.

#10895

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

Context Changes Everything

Alicia Juarrero

In 'Context Changes Everything', Alicia Juarrero challenges traditional views of causation by arguing that constraints, rather than forceful impacts, are key to creating coherence. She uses complexity science to offer a new perspective on identity, hierarchy, and top-down causation, with implications for sociology, economics, and more. The book presents a framework for understanding how dynamic interdependencies maintain coherent structures and how humans can foster robust and resilient identities.

#367

• Mentioned in 63 episodes

The Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri

The Divine Comedy is an Italian narrative poem begun around 1308 and completed around 1321. It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The poem discusses the state of the soul after death and presents an image of divine justice, describing Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. It is an allegory representing the soul's journey towards God, drawing on medieval Catholic theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy. The work is considered one of the greatest in Italian literature and Western literature, and it helped establish the Tuscan language as the standardized Italian language.

#571

• Mentioned in 46 episodes

What Is Life?

Erwin Schrödinger

Written for the lay reader, 'What Is Life? ' is based on a series of public lectures delivered by Erwin Schrödinger in 1943 at Trinity College, Dublin. The book addresses the fundamental question of how living organisms can be understood in terms of their molecular and atomic structure. Schrödinger discusses the stability of genes, the concept of 'negative entropy,' and how life maintains order despite the second law of thermodynamics. He also speculates on the role of mutations, the nature of consciousness, and the philosophical implications of his findings. The book had a significant impact on the development of modern biology, influencing scientists such as James D. Watson and Francis Crick in their discovery of the DNA structure.

#115

• Mentioned in 133 episodes

Maps of Meaning

The Architecture of Belief

Jordan B Peterson

In 'Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief', Jordan Peterson synthesizes insights from neuropsychology, cognitive science, and Jungian approaches to mythology and narrative. The book examines why people from different cultures and eras have formulated myths and stories with similar structures, and how these myths reflect fundamental aspects of human cognition and morality. Peterson argues that the human mind categorizes the world into known and unknown territories, and that myths and religious stories represent the eternal struggle between order and chaos. He also discusses the role of heroic figures in bridging these two realms and the importance of confronting the unknown to achieve personal and societal growth. The book is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary work that aims to make the wisdom of myth accessible to the modern mind.

#17197

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Metamodernism and the Return of Transcendence

A. Severan

Brendan Graham Dempsey

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

The Romance of Reality

Bobby Azarian

#12259

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Shattered assumptions

Ronnie Janoff-Bulman

In 'Shattered Assumptions: Towards a New Psychology of Trauma', Ronnie Janoff-Bulman explores how traumatic events disrupt fundamental beliefs about the world's benevolence, meaningfulness, and personal worth. The book delves into the psychological processes involved in coping with trauma and rebuilding one's worldview. It provides insights into the profound impact of trauma on individuals' perceptions of safety, trust, and predictability.

Hey There,

New podcast on deck 🚨

This was an unbelievable conversation with Brendan Graham Dempsey on his new ‘evolution of meaning’ series!!

Evolution of Meaning part 1: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-Learning-Process-Evolution-Meaning/dp/B0D88CV4GP

Evolution of Meaning part 2:https://www.amazon.com/Psyche-Symbolic-Learning-Evolution-Meaning/dp/B0FPV8M3Z8/In this conversation, we explored the themes of meaning, the meaning crisis, and the evolution of meaning through various philosophical and cultural lenses. We discuss the impact of nihilism, the role of metamodernism, and the significance of complexity theory in providing a foundation for meaning. With a new foundation in place, we explore a modern path to transcendence, the hero’s journey and the sacred! Check it out 👇

Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Evolution of Meaning02:18 Understanding the Meaning Crisis05:15 Philosophical Perspectives on Meaning08:34 The Role of Transcendence in Meaning11:31 Exploring Meaning in Life Literature14:26 The Journey Towards Meaning17:25 Complexity Theory and Meaning20:42 Active Inference and Meaning27:25 Understanding Surprise and World Models29:32 The Complexity of Human Models32:27 Cultural Evolution and Meaning Systems34:09 Moral Development and Complexity39:02 Human Learning as a Complexification Process44:48 The Role of Egocentrism in Meaning Making50:48 The Meaning Crisis and Anomie53:30 Breaking Frames: The Role of Technology and Social Media56:32 The Meta Frame: Embracing Chaos and Complexity59:40 Transcendence and Awe: The Sacred in Frame Breaking01:02:36 The Infinite Journey: Icons, Myths, and the Divine01:06:28 Faith and the Hero’s Journey: Navigating Uncertainty01:09:34 Learning and Meaning: The Evolution of Understanding

My new book Waiting For The Offo will be out next Monday 1/12/25!!!!

Get full access to Raising the Cross at www.mahonmccann.com/subscribe

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