Terrence Deacon: Did Mind Emerge From Matter? Origin of Life, Causal Emergence, & Descartes' Shadow

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Sep 3, 2024

In this discussion, Terrence Deacon, a prominent anthropologist from UC Berkeley, shares insights on the evolution of human cognition. He dives into the mind-body conundrum, exploring the significance of presence and absence in life. Deacon critiques traditional computational views of thought and examines the role of constraints in the emergence of life. He also discusses the intricate link between language, consciousness, and evolution, ultimately offering a fresh perspective on the dynamic interplay of complexity and simplicity in cognitive processes.

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Intro

00:00 • 5min

Exploring Constraints: The Interdependence of Presence and Absence in Life

05:02 • 2min

Exploring Consciousness and Language

07:32 • 28min

The Causal Power of Absence in Mind and Design

35:08 • 5min

Constraints and the Emergence of Life

39:50 • 13min

The Transfer of Genetic Information: Constraints and Causality

52:29 • 4min

Unraveling the Mysteries of Brain Evolution: Comparing Human and Monkey Connectivity

56:23 • 2min

The Complexity of Intelligence and Evolution

58:28 • 4min

Life, Entropy, and Self-Organization

01:02:13 • 26min

The Origins and Evolution of Life

01:28:28 • 35min

The Dual Dynamics of Evolution: Complexity and Simplicity

02:03:29 • 3min

The Intricacies of Mind and Consciousness

02:06:10 • 9min

Mind, Matter, and Emergence

02:14:44 • 21min

Cognition and Computation: Bridging the Gap

02:35:17 • 9min

Journey Through Creativity and Philosophy

02:44:15 • 20min

Bridging Science and Philosophy

03:03:52 • 4min

WATCH: https://youtu.be/_Kj2OgkxGa0 Terrence Deacon is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology and member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. His research combines developmental evolutionary biology and comparative neuroanatomy to investigate the evolution of human cognition, and is particularly focused on the explanation of emergent processes in biology and cognition. Terrence is a Harvard Lehman Fellow, a Harvard Medical School Psychiatric Neuroscience Fellow, a Western Washington University Centenary Alumni Fellow, and the 69^th James Arthur Lecturer for the American Museum of Natural History. He has published over 100 research papers in collected volumes and scholarly journals, and his acclaimed book, "The Symbolic Species: The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain" (1997) was awarded the I. J. Staley Prize for the most influential book in Anthropology in 2005 by the School of American Research. His other books include "Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter" (2011) and "Homo Sapiens: Evolutionary Biology and the Human Sciences" (2012). TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) - Introduction (1:29) - The Mind-Body Problem (10:50) - Universal Grammar (18:10) - Linguistic Prosthesis & Shared Cognition (27:49) - Teleology vs Teleonomy (35:29) - Absential Causal Powers (39:58) - Thermodynamics, Morphodynamics & Teleodynamics (44:20) - The Role of Constraints & Causal Emergence (1:00:55) - Self-Organization, Self-Assembly & Self-Repair (1:24:17) - The Origin of Life on Earth & Proto-Life in the Cosmos (1:33:50) - Pre-LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) Evolution Problem (1:46:45) - "Falling Up: How Inverse Darwinism Catalyzes Evolution" (Terrence's Next Book) (2:06:50) - Incomplete Nature & Mind's Emergence (2:20:06) - Mind-Body Solution & Landscape of Consciousness (2:28:06) - Implications of Terrence's Work (2:37:10) - Artificial Intelligence (2:44:30) - Terrence's Major Influences (Peirce etc.) (3:01:30) - Importance of Development in Evolution ("EvoDevo") (3:06:40) - Conclusion EPISODE LINKS: - Terrence's Website: https://tinyurl.com/2zchenan - Terrence's Publications: https://tinyurl.com/4tctx9ve - Terrence's Books: https://tinyurl.com/yrxt72dh - Keith Frankish: https://youtu.be/jTO-A1lw4JM - Michael Levin: https://youtu.be/1R-tdscgxu4 - Mark Solms: https://youtu.be/rkbeaxjAZm4 CONNECT: - Website: https://tevinnaidu.com - Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/drtevinnaidu - Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtevinnaidu - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu ============================= Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.