The Meaning Code

Christian Baxter of the new Youtube Channel, Yours Truly, joins Karen for an extended discussion of the telos of worship. For a peak at how AI described this conversation, scroll down past the links. The very first episode on Christian's channel: https://youtu.be/aUbULLbltzo?si=ZF249oYpIyJK0NHO Christian's first conversation with Karen: https://youtu.be/tSIFpKcE_Fk?si=u62VXLD9EgDwO0s- "Living Water" by Christian Baxter, with Karen's "Living Water" series of paintings: https://youtu.be/BhTWO-C2pRg?si=t5RBwHTpZK_ZM61R For the curious sort, here is how AI described this conversation: "Christian Baxter and Karen Wong had a deep discussion about the evolution of online conversations and the shift towards long-form discussions. They also discussed finding better language for the telos of worship to bridge theological distinctions, the concept of sacredness and worship, and the essence of worship as a continuous practice beyond Sunday gatherings. They expressed a desire for more corporate prayer, scripture reading, and a sense of restoration and remembrance in evangelical church services, highlighting the absence of these elements in their current experiences. They also explored the idea that active engagement in liturgical rituals can lead to a more profound and transformative experience compared to passive consumption. The speakers also discussed the evolution of worship music in churches, focusing on the transition from traditional to contemporary styles. They explored the consequences of this shift, such as the fragmentation of church services and the lack of communal participation in worship. They also delved into a thought-provoking discussion about the symbolic meaning of communion elements, emphasizing the profound significance of bread and wine production processes. They expressed concerns about the potential loss of meaning in modern worship practices, particularly in music and preaching, and stressed the need for language to address the crisis within the worship space. Christian Baxter led a discussion on the implications of the Dunbar number in church growth, emphasizing the need to recognize the limitations of scaling a church beyond a certain size. He argued that rather than viewing the capacity as a barrier to overcome, it should be seen as a practical marker for determining what the church can effectively manage."

This September I will be one of the speakers at Encountering Face to Face, Estuary Northwest 2024, a conference sponsored by Grail Country in Olympia, Washington. It will take place September 12-14 and will also feature Paul VanderKlay, Chris Green, Michael Martin, Rafe Kelley, and Graham Pardun. You can find out more about it here. https://estuarynorthwest2024.comI'm publishing this video now because it tells more about what these conferences are like and the kind of community you can experience there. Sevilla King of the YouTube channel, A Quality Existence, speaks with Karen about their shared experiences at the recent conference, Quest for a Spiritual Home, which featured Jonathan Pageau, John Vervaeke, Paul VanderKlay and John VanDonk.

William joins Karen to propose some ideas around the necessity of specificity in language, what it means to be "obvious", and how definition differs from description. As Peterson says, tell the truth, at least don't lie. Karen will be one of the speakers at the Pacific Northwest Estuary conference in Olympia, WA (September 12-15) sponsored by Grail Country's Nate Hile. Info here: https://www.estuarynorthwest2024.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:15 Estuary Conference information 03:00 Laying out the topic 10:07 Importance of Specificity in Language 15:10 Importance of Specificity in Communication 28:02 Intercultural Communication and Misunderstandings 31:39 Definitions vs. Descriptions 45:32 Hemispheres of the Brain and Marriage Analogy 54:00 More on Definitions and Descriptions 59:57 The Nature of Obviousness 1:07:14 Necessity of definition for reality 1:15:39 Personal Reflections on Family Routine 1:18:26 Discussion on Language and Humility

Andrea Hiott, host of Love and Philosophy (sample episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSO9QThuQ6I) joins Karen to talk Failure and Risk Taking Karen will be speaking at the PNW Estuary Conference In Olympia, Washington, mentioned at the beginning: https://www.estuarynorthwest2024.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and announcement re: PNW Estuary Conference 01:22 Exploring the concept of failure 06:50 Risk-taking and Development 13:05 Failure and Social Media 20:46 How can we align with the unknown and confront it voluntarily to build resilience and strength? 29:42 The concept of order and chaos 35:32 Understanding failure and how it relates to shame 43:15 Trust in the goodness of God and its role in overcoming failure and shame 43:48 Speak the Truth, at least, don't lie 48:35 Navigating the dance of conversation, authenticity, hiddenness 53:21The effect verbalizing an idea Has on ts original beauty and truth? 1:06:31 Pushing the boundaries of science and creativity 1:08:06 Loyalty to personal interest as it relates to the archetypal hero's journey? 1:16:09 Risk-taking and failure as they contribute to the path forward?

Tomer Solomon joins Karen to talk about his recent paper on an integrative theory that looks at Markov blankets and the free energy principle, the parallels to the creative process and the nature of reality itself. In addition, he discusses the Biblical narrative through the lens of predictive processing and complexity theory, bridging ancient texts with modern scientific and mathematical frameworks. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:23 Tomer’s background and career journey 10:55 Unified Process Theory of Meaning Markov blankets 25:53 Sacrifice and Unity 30:00 Beauty and its relationship to order and symmetry, the role of art and music in aligning with the patterns of nature. 1:00:00 The interconnectedness of Mind and Cosmos, the Biblical Narrative and Symbolism 1:08:45 Complexity theory and predictive processing 1:14:59 Evolution of Wholeness and complexity 1:42:56 Discussing books and potential collaborations Personal Website: https://www.tomersolomon.com/ Twitter: http://www.x.com/tomer_solomon Substack: https://tomersolomon.substack.com/p/uptm-1-a-paradigm-for-the-21st-century

Stephen Iacoboni, MD, is an award-winning cancer researcher and cancer center director at four locations in the Pacific Northwest over his 40 year career. He is also the author of the highly acclaimed cancer care spiritual journal, The Undying Soul. Halfway through his 4 decades as a cancer specialist stuck in the atheist paradigm, he realized something was missing, and that led him to write this remarkable book about the need to recognize Telos. Order a signed copy or ask him any questions at his website: https://stepheniacoboni.com https://stepheniacoboni.com/contact/ The book is also available at Amazon and most booksellers. Karen will be speaking at the PNW Estuary Conference in Olympia, WA in September. Info here: https://www.estuarynorthwest2024.com/ We tackle the big questions here: Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:30 Dr. Iacoboni's Journey and Research 06:10 How does the paradigm in biochemistry need to shift? 14:41 Purpose in Nature 32:49 Discussion on the Origin of Life and Purpose in Biology 41:55 What is the role of emergence in understanding the purpose-driven nature of life? 51:06 The Emergence of Telos and Intentionality in Living Organisms 1:01:55 The complexity of DNA Transcription and Regulation. How do molecules exhibit intentionality and self-organization in biological processes? 1:03:36 Discussion on Organizing Principles and Belief Systems 1:11:20 How does the idea of meaning preceding matter impact our understanding of the natural world? The role of function in Defining Structure. 1:23:16 What are the challenges in cancer care and research?

Stephan Solomon, known for his heartfelt storytelling on his YouTube channel, Charlie's Little Corner, shares his journey of identity shaped by a unique heritage and personal dilemmas. He humorously recounts biking in Frankfurt while navigating family dynamics and his father's coming out. The conversation dives into the tumultuous discovery of love during adolescence and the impact of Narnia's stories on his faith. Solomon explores the connections between art, spirituality, and personal growth, highlighting the transformative power of relationships in overcoming life's challenges.

Gabe introduces aspects of his theory to Glen who has a background in physics, mathematics, computer science and design engineering.

Ryan and Gabe discuss the overlaps of cognitive theory, psychology and body work. Timestamps are approximate. Timestamps 00:00 Introductions and Setting the Agenda 04:00 Discussion on Patterns of Cognition and Consciousness 16:00 Exploring Cognitive Mapping and Historical Perspectives 20:00 Discussion on Barbara McClintock's Research and its Implications 23:00 Philosophical Reflections on Balance and Measurement 32:00 Overcoming Obstacles and Staying on Track 36:00 Exploring Hope and Faith 43:00 Exploring the Relationship Between Senses and Decision-Making 47:30 Understanding the Cycle of Information Processing 50:00 Exploring the Markov Blanket 56:00 The Concept of Tension and Balance

You can follow Delbert Larson on Twitter @Larsondelbert or at his website, https://larsonism.com. The topics you will find discussed there include a replacement for relativity, a new way to produce clean and cheap energy through fusion, a new quantum mechanical formulation and a new theory for elementary particles.Today's conversation focuses foremost on the theory of the Aether which would be a replacement for relativity. Dr. Larson has a Ph.D. in physics and decades of experience as an author and reviewer of peer-reviewed scientific works. Among his many efforts are three sole-author publications in the highly prestigious journal Physical Review Letters[1,2,3]. He's held positions at well-known institutions such as the Superconducting Super Collider, where he had a leading role on longitudinal physics design, and UCLA, where he was an adjunct assistant professor of physics. He has designed and led the construction of two working accelerators[4,5], one of which[4], a 2.5 MeV electron accelerator, employed “relativistic” particle velocities. Timestamps are approximate. Approximate Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:00 Five classic tests of general relativity 18:40 Layout of 19th century theory of luminiferous aether 31:15 Insights into gravity and aether fields 36:44 The measurement stick and the Clock 45:54 Dirac's idea of an infinite sea o electrons Pauli's exclusion rule 51:00 Affordances and theory of visual perception 55:00 Cubic square model of tension/compression and quantum expansion