Mahon McCann Podcast
#89 - Ben White - Can the MEANING CRISIS be solved by TECHNOLOGY?
Oct 17, 2024
Ben White, a Leverhulme-funded PhD candidate at the University of Sussex, dives into the 'meaning crisis' and its interplay with technology and neuroscience. He discusses how active inference can help us understand our relationship with the environment and the implications for education. The conversation highlights the dual role of technology—scaffolding meaning yet potentially diminishing human agency. Ben also explores the challenges of addiction and social media, advocating for a more authentic technological landscape that fosters genuine well-being.
01:13:16
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Quick takeaways
- The meaning crisis highlights the disconnection between individuals and their environments, exacerbated by the rapid evolution of technology and misinformation.
- Active inference serves as a crucial framework for understanding how individuals navigate their environments, emphasizing the importance of agency and adaptability.
Deep dives
Understanding the Meaning Crisis
The meaning crisis is framed as a breakdown of traditional worldviews, particularly the Christian Aristotelian framework that shaped people's lives through the medieval period. This framework eroded during the scientific revolution, leading to fragmentation and a loss of coherence between individuals (agents) and their environments (arenas). Consequently, this disconnection results in increased prediction error, harboring negative emotions and uncertainty. A broader definition of meaning is proposed, acknowledging various aspects of meaning that extend beyond the parameters laid out by notable thinkers like John Bervakey.
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