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#326 – Annaka Harris: Free Will, Consciousness, and the Nature of Reality

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Oct 5, 2022

Guest

Annaka Harris

Annaka Harris, author of "Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind," explores the mysteries of consciousness and the nature of reality. She delves into whether free will is an illusion and discusses the intriguing behavior of pea tendrils, which may challenge our views on consciousness in non-human organisms. Harris also reflects on the complex relationship between memory, self-identity, and mental health, emphasizing the transformative effects of meditation and the interconnectedness of all consciousness.

02:46:15

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INSIGHT

Free Will vs. Conscious Will

Free will is the brain's natural decision-making process.
Conscious will is the illusion that our consciousness drives our actions.

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ANECDOTE

Marble Revelation

Annaka Harris recalls her father smashing marbles to demonstrate their solid nature.
This early experience sparked her curiosity about reality differing from perception.

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ANECDOTE

Pea Tendril Analogy

Mark Jaffe's research on pea tendrils reveals they coil when encountering support.
This behavior, though seemingly simple, raises questions about the nature of will in even basic organisms.

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

Exploring Financial Savings and Mental Well-being

02:04 • 3min

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Enhancing Focus and Building Excellence in Team Dynamics

04:38 • 3min

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Challenging Intuition: Free Will and Consciousness

07:20 • 14min

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The Consciousness of Pea Tendrils

21:08 • 15min

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Exploring Consciousness and Identity

36:08 • 18min

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Exploring Consciousness and Free Will

54:03 • 26min

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The Illusion of Self and Conscious Experience

01:20:24 • 17min

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The Balance of Acceptance and Perspective in Life

01:37:28 • 4min

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Navigating Mental Health and Psychedelics

01:41:52 • 11min

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The Art of Meditation

01:52:26 • 8min

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Consciousness and the Nature of Reality

02:00:13 • 20min

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Consciousness, AI, and the Nature of Suffering

02:20:07 • 13min

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The Transformative Power of Love and Connection

02:32:43 • 2min

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The Interconnectedness of Consciousness and Reality

02:34:57 • 2min

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The Lobster in the Pot: Suffering and Existence

02:37:10 • 4min

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Exploring the Depths of Life, Purpose, and Passion

02:41:02 • 5min

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Livewired

The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain

David Eagleman

In 'Livewired', David Eagleman delves into the dynamic and adaptive nature of the human brain, highlighting its ability to reconfigure itself in response to environmental stimuli. The book covers a wide range of topics, including synesthesia, dreaming, and wearable neurotech devices that revolutionize how we think about the senses. Eagleman also introduces his concept of 'liveware' and discusses how the brain's adaptability can lead to remarkable feats, such as a blind person learning to 'see' with their tongue or a deaf person learning to 'hear' with their skin. The book is praised for its accessible and engaging writing style, making complex neuroscience accessible to a broad audience.

The Case Against Reality

Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes

Donald Hoffman

In this book, Donald Hoffman challenges the notion that our senses report back objective reality. He argues that evolution has sculpted our minds for fitness, not to accurately represent reality, leading to a mismatch between our perceptions and the true nature of the world. Hoffman introduces the concept of 'Fitness Beats Truth' and uses analogies like the computer desktop to explain how our consciousness interacts with the world in a way that is useful but not necessarily reflective of underlying reality. He also proposes 'Conscious Realism,' suggesting that conscious agents create the perception of an objective reality, rather than the other way around.

Conscious

A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind

Annaka Harris

Red Famine

Stalin's War on Ukraine

Anne Applebaum

The Gulag Archipelago

An Experiment in Literary Investigation

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

The Gulag Archipelago is a three-volume series written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, exploring the Soviet labour camp system through a mix of historical narrative, personal accounts, and literary investigation. The book traces the history of the Gulag from Vladimir Lenin's decrees to the era of Nikita Khrushchev, detailing the arrest, conviction, transport, and imprisonment of prisoners. It includes Solzhenitsyn's own experiences as a Gulag prisoner and accounts from other inmates, highlighting the brutal conditions, forced labor, and the psychological and physical suffering of the prisoners. The work is a testament to the human spirit's struggle against evil and serves as a comprehensive critique of the Soviet regime's use of terror against its population[2][5][3].

In this book, Carlo Rovelli delves into the mysteries of time, combining physics, philosophy, and art to explain how modern physics has transformed our understanding of time. The book is divided into sections that cover the theory of relativity, space-time, loop quantum gravity, and thermodynamics. Rovelli argues that at the most fundamental level, time disappears, and our perception of its flow is subjective and influenced by our brain and emotions. He uses metaphors and simple language to make complex concepts accessible to a broad audience[2][4][5].

Being You

A New Science of Consciousness

Anil Seth

In 'Being You: A New Science of Consciousness,' Anil Seth presents a radical new theory of consciousness, arguing that we are 'prediction machines' constantly inventing and correcting our perception of the world. The book delves into the biological mechanisms of the brain, exploring how billions of neurons create our conscious experience. Seth discusses the 'controlled hallucination' viewpoint, active inference, and the 'beast machine' theory, which views consciousness as a process of regulating the body's essential variables through interoceptive signals. The book is a synthesis of philosophy, science, literature, and personal experience, making complex science accessible and engaging[1][3][5].

Bloodlands

Europe Between Hitler and Stalin

Timothy Snyder

Spooky Action at a Distance

The Phenomenon That Reimagines Space and Time—and What It Means for Black Holes, the Big Bang, and Theories of Everything

George Musser

In 'Spooky Action at a Distance', George Musser delves into the phenomenon of nonlocality, which challenges our classical understanding of space and time. He explores how this concept affects our comprehension of black holes, the Big Bang, and theories of everything, highlighting the contentious debates among scientists and the potential for a new unified theory of physics.

Annaka Harris is the author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Annaka’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/annakaharris
Annaka’s Website: http://annakaharris.com
Annaka’s Facebook: http://facebook.com/annakaharrisprojects
Annaka’s Books:
1. Conscious: https://amzn.to/3SFLLPE
2. I Wonder: https://amzn.to/3UPQTTm
Annaka’s Articles:
1. What Is Time?: http://nautil.us/what-is-time-238478
2. A Solution to the Combination Problem: http://annakaharris.com/the-future-of-panpsychism
3. Consciousness Isn’t Self-Centered: http://nautil.us/consciousness-isnt-self_centered-237720
Books:
1. The Case Against Reality: https://amzn.to/3MhW4Wt
2. Being You: https://amzn.to/3RsxdBQ
3. Livewired: https://amzn.to/3Cn9BKS
4. Spooky Action at a Distance: https://amzn.to/3y27N7a
5. The Order of Time: https://amzn.to/3Stqn0u

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(07:20) – Free will
(1:00:37) – Consciousness
(1:31:09) – Depression
(1:44:26) – Psychedelics
(1:52:25) – Meditation
(1:56:49) – Ideas
(2:20:35) – AI sentience
(2:37:56) – Suffering
(2:40:53) – Meaning of life

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