Mind, Imagination, AI, Magic & Psychedelics | Juensung Kim ( EP 61)

Juensung Kim is a cognitive scientist. Cultures have used magical practices for millennia. Are they real? Do they work? What even is magic? This podcast explores the cognitive underpinnings of magic, providing a scientific perspective on such ancient wisdom. In this podcast, expect to learn about the cognitive machinery that allows for magic to work, how divination and fortune-telling could be explained scientifically, the study of the mind and imagination, the dangers of psychedelics and insight, and more. Timestamps: 00:00 What Really is Magic? 09:04 Imagination vs Perception vs Reality 17:29 Intelligence of the Ancients (What counts as knowledge?) 21:27 Pattern Recognition and Fortune Telling 24:47 AI vs Human Intelligence 30:40 Mental Time Travel and Origins of Science and Magic 34:11 Understanding the World and Developing a Relationship 42:00 The Problem of Psychedelics 48:50 Awe and Vastness Experiences