This wide ranging conversation includes: insights on the meaning of the present Covid_19 crisis; a discussion of John and Christopher’s recent essay (Gnosis in the Second Person: Responding to the Meaning Crisis in the Socratic Quest of Authentic Dialogue.); a discussion on the meaning of socratic dialogue and ecstatic epiphanies - which we tried to exemplify in this conversation; and much more.

John Vervaeke is a professor at the University of Toronto and the creator of the popular online YouTube Series ‘Awakening from The Meaning Crisis’, which is a rich feast of cognitive science, philosophy, religion, and the history of ideas. What makes Vervaeke special in my opinion is the breadth of his work, but his courage descend the ivory tower and talk to people ‘on the street’—and to exemplify his ideas. His hero is Socrates, and he embodies the living dialogue and courage that Socrates represents.

I was first introduced to Christopher Mastropietro by Peter Limberg for his series on Letter.com, 'impossible conversations'. Our first 'impossible conversation can be found here’: https://letter.wiki/conversation/232. Christopher is John Vervaeke’s writing and research partner and co-author of ‘Zombies in Western Culture: A Twentieth Century Crisis’. A great book which I have used for undergraduate classes in Paris. (https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/602) Chris is among other things an amazing wordsmith who writes and speaks like an 19th Century Henry James/Herman Melville!

Links: Enacting Platonic Dialogos -1 Chris Mastropietro & Guy Sengstock : Includes a reading of John and Christopher’s recent essay ‘Gnosis in the Second Person ...

John Vervaek’s Awakening from the Meaning Crisis:

DONATE ON PAYPAL
Patreon
Medium
Rebel Wisdom Articles
Twitter
Facebook

Intro music: Beautiful Machines, by Andrew Sweeny

Sponsorships: off for this episode

John Vervaeke and Christopher Mastropietro: Dialogos and Extasis