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The Science of New States of Consciousness | Andrés Gómez Emilsson

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Feb 26, 2025

Guest

Andrés Gómez Emilsson

Andrés Gómez Emilsson, director of the Qualia Research Institute and pioneer in the study of consciousness, shares his insights on the nature of awareness. He discusses the transformative potential of psychedelics and how they intersect with meditation practices. The concept of the self as a series of experiences is explored, alongside the significance of happiness versus meaning. Emilsson emphasizes the role of sensory resonance in shaping perception and the ethical implications of engineering happiness, presenting a thought-provoking dialogue on consciousness.

02:56:01

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insights

INSIGHT

Four Core Problems

A theory of consciousness must explain its existence, the palette problem, causal properties, and the binding problem.
Theories often focus on only a few, hindering comprehensive understanding.

insights

INSIGHT

Binding, Boundary, and Hard Problems

The binding and boundary problems are two sides of the same coin, dependent on the chosen ontology.
The hard problem arises from ontologies where consciousness is surprising, like materialism.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Origin Story

Andrés Gómez Emilsson's interest in consciousness arose from a mystical experience at 16, challenging his sense of self.
This led him to prioritize consciousness over physics and found the Qualia Research Institute.

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Exploring Consciousness: Theoretical Frontiers

02:19 • 15min

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Exploring the Intersection of Happiness and Meaning

17:05 • 3min

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The Complexity of Happiness and Meaning

19:46 • 6min

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Exploring Consciousness and Egoism

25:59 • 24min

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Harmonizing Inner Vibrations

49:54 • 9min

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Exploring Consciousness: The Dichotomy of Positivity and Negativity

59:21 • 3min

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Navigating Suffering and Oneness

01:02:36 • 26min

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Exploring the Self and Consciousness

01:28:24 • 24min

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Impedance Matching: Sound, Energy, and Well-Being

01:52:25 • 6min

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Psychedelics and Spiritual Awakening

01:58:10 • 21min

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Psychedelics and Buddhist Perspectives

02:18:55 • 21min

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Vortices of Consciousness

02:39:48 • 12min

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The Interplay of Intuition and Rationality in Consciousness Exploration

02:51:27 • 3min

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Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha

An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book

Daniel Ingram

This book is designed for readers interested in deeply practicing and realizing the teachings of the Buddha. It clarifies the Three Trainings—Morality, Concentration, and Wisdom—in straightforward terms and assumes that mastery of traditional states and stages is attainable. The book debunks myths and disempowering dogmas in contemporary Buddhism, providing extensive maps of meditative terrain and guidance on avoiding common traps. It emphasizes real accomplishments and draws from historical and modern meditative practices[1][4][5].

Doors of Perception

Aldous Huxley

In this book, Huxley recounts his first psychedelic experience with mescaline in May 1953. He describes how the drug altered his perception of the world, making ordinary objects and experiences take on profound aesthetic and philosophical significance. Huxley draws on various philosophical and spiritual traditions, including those of William Blake, Meister Eckhart, Plato, and Buddhism, to contextualize his insights. The book challenges conventional views on perception and reality, suggesting that certain substances can reveal deeper aspects of existence that are normally filtered out by the human brain's 'reducing valve'[1][2][4]

The Science of Enlightenment

Shinzen Young

The Hedonistic Imperative

David Pearce

Seeing That Frees

Rob Burbea

In this seminal work, Rob Burbea presents a unique approach to understanding emptiness, guiding practitioners through a structured path into deeper levels of insight. The book offers precise instructions and exercises to explore the subtleties of Buddhist teachings, serving as a lifelong companion for committed meditators seeking liberation. It balances philosophical underpinnings with practical means to realize awakening.

Why Does Anything Exist?

None

David Pierce

Andrés Gómez Emilsson, director of the Qualia Research Institute and a pioneering researcher in the mathematical study of consciousness, explores the nature of awareness from both philosophical and scientific angles. He recounts his journey that led to founding the Qualia Research Institute—aimed at reducing suffering and enhancing experience. He discusses the transformative potential of psychedelics, the view of the self as a series of experiences, and how sensory resonance ("impedance matching") shapes our awareness.

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Timestamps:

00:00 The Most Important Problem

01:49 The Hard Problem and Ontologies

05:15 Journey into Consciousness

09:06 The Qualia Research Institute

10:49 Shattering Realities

17:12 Happiness vs. Meaning

19:15 Defining Happiness

25:28 Psychological Egoism

33:45 Understanding Consciousness

38:01 The Qualia Research Institute's Goals

49:21 Exploring Impedance Matching

58:25 The Dance of Dissonance

1:03:22 The Nature of Suffering

1:10:32 The Concept of Oneness

1:17:02 Zero Ontology Explained

1:27:20 The Nature of Reality

1:28:57 The Self and Sense of Self

1:30:53 Stages of Consciousness

1:37:35 Transformations in Consciousness

1:46:20 The Role of Psychedelics

2:02:01 Exploring 5-MeO-DMT

2:21:03 Psychedelics and Buddhist Philosophy

2:45:32 Insights on Jhana States

2:51:31 Conclusion and Reflections

Links Mentioned:

- Qualia Research Institute (website): https://qri.org/

- Andres’s Qualia profile: https://qri.org/people/andr%C3%A9s-g%C3%B3mez-emilsson

- David Chalmers’s 2024 presentation at Mindfest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r9V1ryksnw

- Bernardo Kastrup on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAB21FAXCDE

- The Hedonistic Imperative (book): https://amzn.to/3Di7Xx5

- Why Does Anything Exist? (book): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Does-Anything-Exist-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0DKBHMC3C

- Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha (book): https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Core-Teachings-Buddha-Unusually/dp/1911597108

- Andres on The DemystifySci Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjWDURKNe2Q

- ‘Replications’ group on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/replications/

- Stuart Hameroff’s Mindfest presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_bQwdJir1o

- The Doors of Perception (book): https://amzn.to/4ijduTb

- From Neural Activity to Field Topology (article): https://qualiacomputing.com/2025/02/09/from-neural-activity-to-field-topology-how-coupling-kernels-shape-consciousness/

- Seeing That Frees (book): https://amzn.to/43fm15m

- Practicing the Jhanas (meditation series): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO6hhaAzLmiqUzBYuLLJQ8FexOTRxz8xF

- The Dalai Lama, Psychedelics & Cher (article): https://tricycle.org/article/dalai-lama-psychedelics-cher/

- Advice to Sigālaka (article): https://suttacentral.net/dn31/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

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