Chasing Consciousness

Dr. Stephen Porges is a leading expert in the neuroscience of safety and the founder of Polyvagal Theory. He dives deep into how our perception of safety influences communication and learning, linking emotional states to physiological responses. The discussion touches on the importance of emotional safety in education, the connection between tribalism and social engagement, and innovative treatments for trauma. Porges also emphasizes the transformative potential of understanding internal feedback loops, advocating for a shift in healthcare to address the mind-body connection.

What does entanglement actually mean? So in this episode we’re going to be trying to get our heads around one of the most extraordinary phenomena ever recorded in subatomic physics: Quantum Entanglement. Famously dismissed by Einstein as ‘Spooky action at a distance’, it has been proved to exist in the lab over and over again since then. This non-local phenomenon is when sub-atomic particles remain connected so that the physical properties of one will affect the other, no matter what the distance is between them. It’s been in the news a lot recently not only because it has been photographed by a team at the University of Glasgow, but also because of a host of successful so called ‘Teleportation’ experiments, in which entanglement has been used to send information instantaneously between two computer chips that have no causal connection between them whatsoever. I believe the implications of this non-local phenomenon are among the most important scientific discoveries of our time, most importantly to update our purely classical ‘cause-and-effect’ understanding of the world. But it also begs the question, through what medium is that information passing between those two entangled particles, if not through Space and over time? To help us get our heads around this mind-bending reality is theoretical Physicist Dr Chris Fields, an independent scientist interested in both the physics and the cognitive neuroscience underlying that human perception of matter in space and time. Chris began his career as an experimental physicist, obtained his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science at the University of Colorado and was an early developer of automated DNA sequence analysis tools at the Human Genome Project. He has published over 130 peer reviewed papers in nuclear physics, artificial intelligence, molecular biology and cognitive psychology. What we discuss in this episode: 00:00 The Human Genome Project 07:00 What is Entanglement? 15:30 “Spooky action at a distance” 16:24 Einstein’s mission to remove non-locality from physics 20:00 Quantum theory challenges all classical intuitions 22:30 Re-think what we mean by locality 22:42 Is the intuition of separability false? 26:24 What Is spin? 29:12 The difficulty of using classical analogies for quantum concepts 31:06 The difference between quantities and qualities of information 35:00 John Wheeler and the way you ask questions changing the answers you get. 37:00 The interaction of information exchanging systems as a model for panpsychism 41:00 Hiding the distinction between Semantics and Syntax in information theory 43:36 Predictability VS Meaning 44:30 Observation is interaction 47:50 Is objectivity achievable? Intersubjective agreement. 50:00 The disaster of ‘Shut up and calculate’ 52:00 John Wheeler’s ‘Participatory Universe’ bridging the gap 53:00 Physical systems are question askers and answer receivers 54:00 Was Wheeler a panpsychist? Part 2: 58:00 The implications of Entanglement 1:02:00 What does it mean to give and receive information to and from the world? 1:10:00 Are the observer and the system they are interacting with not in fact one and the same thing? 1:17:00 La Place: Non-local forces like gravity imply that all the information about the system must be uniformly available to the whole system. 1:23:00 What effect will quantum understanding have on the general world view of society in the future? 1:28  Does Meditation lead to a non-separate world view? 1:34 Moving attention and interest away from the self References:  ‘Meditation if you’re doing it you’re doing it right’ Alison Tinsley and Chris Fields 

Mike Gazzaniga, expert in Left Brain Interpreter phenomenon, discusses how our brains invent explanations based on past experience without us realizing. He explains the authority and validity of our conscious faculties and the challenges of overcoming bias. The podcast also explores communication between brain hemispheres, the complexity of neuroscience, and the importance of understanding our brain's limitations.

Renowned physicist Jon Butterworth discusses the wave-particle duality, debunking myths and exploring the connection between quantum mechanics, reality, and consciousness. They also delve into the discovery of the Higgs Boson and its significance, the challenges of incorporating gravity into the quantum mechanical standard model, and the probabilistic nature of particles at a quantum level. The speakers touch on observation and wave-particle duality, the many worlds interpretation, and the practical applications of quantum teleportation.

Dr. Susan Blackmore, expert in the problem of consciousness, discusses the definition of consciousness, the limitations of dualism, and the explanation of the 'Hard Problem'. She also shares her personal out of body experience and explores the theories of extended consciousness. The podcast delves into the concept of self and identity, the implications of quantum physics and philosophy on society, and the potential consequences of identifying with a single consciousness.

See www.chasingconsciousness.net/episodes for the full program. Here host Freddy Drabble introduces what he'll be covering with his guests in the first 15 part series. Please subscribe and leave a rating and review if you like what you hear.