The Jim Rutt Show EP 268 Brendan Graham Dempsey on the Evolution of Meaning
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Oct 25, 2024 
Brendan Graham Dempsey, a writer and director of the Sky Meadow Institute, dives deep into the evolution of meaning in this intriguing discussion. He shares insights from his book on universal learning processes and explores the shift from religious to academic approaches. Dempsey highlights the crisis of meaning affecting mental health and the complex interplay of values across cultures. He also examines the emergence of consciousness and the evolving concept of the sacred, raising questions about our understanding amid modern complexities.
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Meaning as Adaptive Information
- Meaning is information that causally impacts an organism's viability.
- It relates an entity to its field, like a deer interpreting sunrise as a cue to eat.
Meaning, Dissipative Systems, and Information
- Dissipative systems create order to efficiently dissipate energy, like whirlpools.
- Meaning emerges from this energy-information exchange, informing entities about their viability.
Shannon vs. Semantic Information
- Shannon information measures accuracy, while semantic information relates to an entity's existence.
- Meaningful information is intrinsically about an entity in context and its continued existence.
