Love & Philosophy

Send a love message "If a thing loves, it is infinite" William Blake: In this episode of Love and Philosophy, Andrea engages with Clive Grinyer, a renowned industrial and service designer and the director of Project Love. The discussion centers around how design can be a catalyst for fostering love, empathy, and compassion in society, and how this is a form of collective cognition. They explore various innovative projects, including a conversational bench, a heat map app, and a secular gravestone for natural beauty spots. The conversation delves into the philosophy behind design and how it influences our daily interactions and emotions. Grinyer shares insights from his extensive experience and highlights the transformative impact of design thinking in both personal and societal contexts.Watch the video with powerpoint here.00:00 Introduction: The Power of Design01:17 Welcome to Love and Philosophy01:43 Introducing Clive Grinyer and Project Love06:19 Exploring Love Through Design07:17 Defining Love and Design21:39 Innovative Projects and Concepts28:59 Community and Societal Impact35:47 The Social Impact of Design35:51 Designing for Sustainability and Economic Viability36:01 The Complexity and Perception of Design36:19 The Role of AI in Design36:59 Technology and Human Experience37:19 Design in Everyday Life38:16 The Evolution of Technology Design39:22 Emotional Design and User Experience40:25 Project Love: Designing for Compassion01:02:00 Empathy in Design01:04:39 Future Directions and Community BuildingProject Lovehttps://www.theprojectlove.com/Sign up here for the newsletter and writingsSupport the show here.About Clive:"Clive Grinyer is an internationally renowned designer who has led global design teams at Samsung, Cisco, Orange and Barclays, worked at design consultancy IDEO, and was co-founder of the design company Tangerine. Starting as a product designer he has moved across digital, customer experience and service design and was Director of Design for the UK Design Council. As Head of Service Design at the Royal College of Art, he pioneered design as a tool for social impact, shaping how we respond to the environmental crisis and develop life services including financial and healthcare. He is an advisor and delivers executive training to companies including Bosch, the Dorchester Collection of hotels, and the Bank of England. Clive was a trustee of the Royal Society of Arts, Chair of the Design Business Association Effectiveness awards and visiting professor at the Glasgow School of Art. He is currently based in London."Support the showPlease rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.

In a gripping discussion, Mike Brock, an ex-tech executive and writer, examines the intersection of technology, democracy, and philosophy. He introduces the concept of 'needful freedom,' urging a balance between individual liberty and community obligations. With deep insights, Brock critiques the pitfalls of technology and the need for emotional honesty in navigating the chaos of modern life. He emphasizes love and shared understanding as pivotal in fostering genuine connections, while advocating for a cognitive revolution to confront today’s pervasive challenges.

Send a love message#paradox of #love and #agency Yogi aka. Johannes Jaeger like to fashion himself as a natural philosopher. After having his own lab and being the director of an institute in Vienna he left academia for pursuing intellectual production independently. He is part of an science-art collective in Vienna called The Zone. His focus has been primarily focused on his book, Beyond the Age of #Machines, which he had been publishing incrementally in digital form. Fotis Tsiroukis is a cross-disciplinary researcher interested in the intersection between humanities, science and new media. Also a cyborg...Please join the Substack or Support us directly.Johannes JaegerThe ZoneLinkedIn FotisResearch FotisGiving PageIn this episode of the Love & Philosophy Podcast, host Fotis engages in a deep andthought-provoking conversation with Johannes "Yogi" Jaeger, a freelance scholar and biologist-turned-philosopher. Yogi critiques the dominant "machine worldview" that has shaped modernity, arguing that it has led human civilization to a dangerous "cliff edge". He advocates for a shift towards a process-oriented, relational metaphysics that emphasizes the interconnectedness of living systems and the limitations of computational models. Yogi also discusses the pitfalls of AI, the dangers of technological hubris, and the need for a new kind of science that reconnects us with reality. The conversation touches on themes of agency, the limitations of a computationalist worldview and the importance of tough love in guiding humanity towards a more sustainable and meaningful future.#computationalism1. [00:00:00] Snippets2. [00:02:10] Introduction (by Fotis)3. [00:10:00] Yogi as a Natural Philosopher4. [00:13:00] Critique of Modern Science5. [00:14:30] Yogi’s Journey of Dissilusionment: from Molecular Biologist to FreelanceTheorist6. [00:20:00] The Problem with the Academic System7. [00:25:00] The Need for a New Metaphysics8. [00:28:00] Getting Back in Touch with Reality9. [00:32:00] Postmodernism & Metamodernism10. [00:36:00] The Danger of Technological Hubris11. [00:40:00] Complexity Science and the Pitfalls of the Computationalist Wordlview12. [00:45:00] The Illusion of Total Control13. [00:49:00] The Misuse of AI14. [00:54:00] Preping for the Collapse of this Civilization15. [00:57:00] AI "Agents" aren't Real Agents16. [01:05:00] The Illusion of AI Sentience17. [01:10:00] The Free Energy Principle and Reductionism18. [01:20:00] The Importance of Relevance Realization19. [01:25:00] The Role of Relationality and Connection20. [01:30:00] Tough Love for Humanity21. [01:35:00] Closing ThoughtsYogi's Theory Paper on DynamicalMetamodernism PrimerBluesky: @lovephilosophy.substack.comSupport the showPlease rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.

Send a love message Elena Clare Cuffari is a Professor at Franklin and Marshall College. Shay Welch is a professor at Spelman College in Atlanta. In this episode, they discuss embodied cognition and participatory sensemaking in relation to marginalized body epistemologies. They share insights from a recent conference that brought together diverse perspectives on how embodied cognition intersects with issues of race, gender, and activism. Welch emphasizes that she never separates her scholarship from her personal life, seeing philosophy as inherently connected to her lived experience. Cuffari highlights the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of her work with colleagues, which seeks to challenge traditional philosophical boundaries. They address the challenges of integrating marginalized voices into academic fields and the importance of recognizing the body's knowledge. The conversation also touches on the discomfort that arises in both academic and social contexts when established norms are challenged, and how this requires responsibility beyond blame.  00:00 Building a Community for Philosophical Dialogue 02:02 Introduction to Embodied Cognition and Participatory Sensemaking 02:22 Exploring Personal Philosophical Interests 04:11 Defining Embodied Cognition and Participatory Sensemaking 08:08 The Roots and Relevance of Embodied Cognition 15:14 Challenges in Academia and Marginalized Philosophies 28:51 The Concept of Normalcy in Philosophy and Society 37:17 Addressing Misunderstandings in Philosophy 39:34 Inclusivity and Change in Philosophy 43:18 Discomfort and Openness in Philosophical Inquiry 49:44 Marginalized Body Epistemologies 01:01:43 The Intersection of Philosophy and Personal Experience 01:05:57 Reflections on the Conference and Future DirectionsClick to Substack page here for references and more.Shay Welch: https://spelman.academia.edu/shaywelchRead Rebecca Todd's post about Shay Elena Cuffari: https://www.elenaclarecuffari.com/Women in embodied Cognition: https://women-4e.com/Oxford Handbook of 4E CognitionWhat is Feminist Phenomenology?The Phenomenology of a Performative Knowledge System: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-04936-2#bibliographic-informationLinguistic Bodies: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262547864/linguistic-bodies/Shay interviewElena motivationThe quote Shay reads is chapter 8 of this book:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oppression-and-the-body-christine-caldwell/1126641713Support the showPlease rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.

Send a love messageSupport the showIn this episode, which was recorded in the autumn of 2024, Andrea Hiott talks with environmental philosopher and public intellectual Rupert Read. They delve into Read's realization that 'this civilization is finished,' his engagement with Wittgenstein's philosophy (especially the book he edited with Alice Crary), his subsequent involvement with Extinction Rebellion, how he has come to understand crisis as inflections of love, and the 'moving forward' work of the Climate Majority Project. The conversation explores themes of crisis, consciousness, intergenerational solidarity, and the liberating power of love and truth in the face of existential challenges. Read shares insights from his academic and activist career, emphasizing the importance of inner work, eco-spirituality, and the collective struggle for a better future.00:00 A Shocking Revelation00:20 Philosophy and Freedom01:02 Wittgenstein's Wonderful Life01:20 Embracing Difficult Emotions02:29 Introduction to the Interview02:33 Rupert Reed's Background04:21 Philosophy as Therapy05:06 Love as Action07:51 Rupert Reed's Crisis09:50 Philosophy and Personal Crisis11:33 Wittgenstein's Liberatory Philosophy23:28 Spiritual Practices and Eco-Spirituality37:05 Climate Courage Campaign39:16 The Importance of Truth44:07 The Path to Truthfulness44:55 The Revelation: Civilization is Finished46:49 Engaging with Students and Public Reaction47:54 Joining Extinction Rebellion48:50 The Challenge of Facing Hard Realities51:18 The Importance of Paradox and Love55:21 The Role of Anxiety and Dreams57:48 Extinction Rebellion's Evolution01:01:49 The Climate Majority Project01:10:51 Intergenerational Solidarity and Responsibility01:17:24 Embracing Difficult Emotions01:22:50 Final Thoughts and Invitation to ActionLinks to what we discuss:New Wittgenstein book with Alice CraryCora DiamondCivil DisobedienceLove in the time of CoronaNew Statesmen ArticleJoanna MacyFoucault Rupert on Politics Livehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5oAr9q277g https://dark-mountain.net/the-deluge/https://www.parentsforafuture.org/ Thrutopia https://youtu.be/b1trbea-BkU?si=YlhO13yioc6jTekOSupport the showPlease rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.

Dari Trendafilov, a PhD in Computing Science from the University of Glasgow, specializes in AI, robotics, and human-computer interaction. He delves into the fascinating concept of empowerment, discussing its role in robotics and its parallels with human psychology. Dari explores Claude Shannon's information theory and shares insights on swarm robotics and collective intelligence. The conversation highlights how intrinsic motivations shape decision-making processes in both robots and humans, revealing a thought-provoking interplay between technology and natural systems.

Join Thomas Fuchs, the acclaimed philosopher and psychiatrist from Heidelberg University, as he navigates profound questions about humanity's essence amidst technological upheaval. He discusses the concept of 'conviviality,' emphasizing the interconnectedness of human experiences. Fuchs contrasts our distinctiveness from machines and explores the critical impact of embodiment on self-perception. Delve into the oscillation between self-contempt and self-aggrandizement, highlighting the necessity of restoring balance in our lives and relationships in a digitized world.

Mark Solms, a neuropsychologist at the University of Cape Town, dives deep into the connection between love and consciousness. He breaks down love into its emotional components, highlighting distinctions between romantic love and attachment. The conversation explores how feelings shape our conscious experience, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and vulnerability. Solms also discusses Freud's theories on narcissism, revealing complex layers of emotional drives, and argues for a science that integrates subjective experience into its understanding of human nature.

Karen Ng, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University, dives into Hegel's fascinating theories about life and self-consciousness. She sheds light on how love interplays with Hegelian thought, illustrating the contradictions of existence. Karen critiques traditional views by emphasizing the organic essence of life over mechanistic frameworks. Her insights reveal how understanding these concepts can help navigate modern philosophical challenges, while also influencing our relationship with nature and the meaning of existence.

Philosopher Evan Thompson, renowned for his insights on embodied cognition, discusses his co-authored work 'The Blind Spot'. He explores how idealized scientific models distort our understanding of reality and the interconnectedness of all living things. The conversation highlights the urgent need for integrating arts and humanities within STEM to navigate ecological crises. Topics include the mind-body connection, the limitations of technology in grasping human experience, and the role of love and personal narratives in the pursuit of knowledge.