

Process & Reality: Alfred North Whitehead, Process Philosophy, and Organic Realism
23 snips Mar 10, 2022
In a fascinating conversation, Matthew Segall, an Assistant Professor and expert on Alfred North Whitehead, dives deep into process philosophy and its interplay with Marxism, Buddhism, and ecological perspectives. He critiques scientific materialism, advocating for organic realism, and discusses the evolution of beliefs from skepticism to spiritual awareness. Segall also analyzes consciousness through pan-experientialism, emphasizing interconnectedness and exploring the relationship between philosophy and spirituality. His insights challenge us to rethink our approach to modern existential crises.
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McKenna's Influence
- Matthew Segall's interest in Whitehead began with Terrence McKenna's lectures.
- McKenna's discussion of concrescence and creative advance sparked Segall's curiosity.
Principia Mathematica
- Whitehead, a mathematician, collaborated with Bertrand Russell on Principia Mathematica.
- This project aimed to establish logical foundations for arithmetic but ultimately encountered limitations highlighted by Gödel's incompleteness theorems.
Process vs. Substance
- Whitehead's process philosophy emphasizes change as fundamental to reality.
- This contrasts with substance-based ontologies that focus on static being, influenced by quantum theory's rejection of inert particles.