Tanya Luhrmann

Joining the discussion are Anil Seth, a neuroscientist passionate about consciousness, anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann, and biologist Rupert Sheldrake, known for his unorthodox ideas. They explore whether consciousness stems solely from the brain or transcends it. The conversation delves into personal experiences versus cultural influences on perception and delves into fascinating topics like tulpamancy, the concept of the extended mind, and the historical evolution of consciousness. Together, they challenge conventional views and inspire new ways of understanding our minds.

What makes the voice of god real? This is the question that has driven Tanya Luhrmann's research for the last twenty years. She has lived with witches, with christians, with zoroastrians, with psychologists, and finds the same pattern woven through the lives of believers: They have trained themselves to have a sensory experience of god. On the podcast we talk about where this ability comes from in the mind and how it changes the initiates. If you like this conversation, you might also like our talks with Brian McVeigh (https://youtu.be/z1-ivI6QgXQ) and Dan Smith (https://youtu.be/EqL3nkYNqGE) about Julian Jaynes' work on the bicameral mind. See you next week!!   Support the podcast by becoming a Patron @DemystifySci ªº¬˚∆≤≥≤≥ https://www.patreon.com/demystifysci ≤≥≤≥∆˚¬ºª   Support the podcast by building your library with Dr. Luhrman's book: How Gods Become Real   ªº¬˚∆≤≥≤≥ https://amzn.to/3rJV8Tm ≤≥≤≥∆˚¬ºª   #Witches #HearingGod #HearingVoices Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci:  https://youtu.be/1OCL5Lq8m6s ªº¬˚∆≤≥≤≥ Join the mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S​ ≤≥≤≥∆˚¬ºª  PODCAST INFO:   Anastasia completed her PhD studying microbial communication at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting and exploring the woods. Michael Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities.    Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog   Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3uhn7J1 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39IDJBDRSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaDSwag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL:   - Discord: https://discord.gg/HXQNjTvZCb - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci

Tanya Luhrmann, an anthropologist from Stanford University, dives into the fascinating world of voices and visions across cultures. She reveals how experiences like hearing voices can vary dramatically—from violent commands in the U.S. to comforting familial interactions in Chennai. Tanya also discusses the clinical and non-clinical interpretations of these phenomena, suggesting they can be both psychological burdens and pathways to deeper beliefs. Through her participant observation, she uncovers how culture shapes our understanding of such perceptual experiences.