
The Meaning Code
Mapping the universe through discussions about physics, art, economics, philosophy, and more. The search for meaning through connections from one domain of knowledge to another. Finding the code that connects the substructures of the universe. For video recordings of these podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgp_r6WlBwDSJrP43Mz07GQ Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/klwong43 View my art here: https://karenwongartcom
Latest episodes

Aug 25, 2023 • 1h 38min
Wolfgang Smith's Enduring Legacy: Part 1 with Lucas Van Os
Lucas Van Os discusses Wolfgang Smith's personal history and his ideas, including a new paradigm of understanding the world, the role of perception, the influence of Vedic and Christian traditions, and the challenges of navigating different Christian denominations. They also explore the concept of balance between accuracy and expression, and the exclusivity of Christianity in the modern world.

Aug 22, 2023 • 1h 31min
Pulling Away and Coming Home: the Opposing Forces Embedded in the Concept of Tension (Gathering)
Former professional soccer player Scott Wallner discusses the concept of tension in relationships and physics. They explore the interplay between independence and familial bonds, the significance of waiting, and tension's connection to strength and personal growth. They also delve into the role of tension in memory, pattern formation, and the development process. Additionally, they discuss the relational nature of tension, its application in various contexts, and the importance of hierarchy and decision-making within partnerships and communities. Lastly, they touch on the concept of sacrifice, serving a greater cause, and the mysteries of force and gravity.

Aug 15, 2023 • 1h 33min
Dirt Poor Robins and Drewsicology on Music, Memory, Meaning and Metaphysics
Neil DeGraide (Dirt Poor Robins) and Drew Garret (Drewsicology) join The Meaning Code to discuss various aspects of music, sound and meaning. Link to the video about sound and sand: https://youtu.be/wvJAgrUBF4w Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:30 Dirt Poor Robins' new album, and a music clip! 04:59 Is music the least idolatrous art form? 15:20 Philosophy of Music 19:47 Reflection and Symbolism in Music 30:07 The Development of Music in Different Cultures 37:34 The Nature of Music and its Relationship to Technology 43:52 The Importance of Music and its Connection to the Human Experience 52:05 The Metaphysics and Symbolism of Music 1:05:37 The Role of Sound and Music in Understanding God and the Universe 1:21:49 Discussion on Idolatry in Modern Worship Music 1:24:23 The Relationship Between Music, Memory, and Time 1:30:54 Music and Worship in the Church

Aug 15, 2023 • 1h 29min
Which Do You Want? Spiritual Corruption or the Baptism of the Imagination? C S Lewis's Space Trilogy
A thoughtful discussion about the main themes of C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy, including the idea that he was attempting to baptize the modern imagination and retrain the way we think. The consequences of the initial lie in the garden. The trilogy as a presentation of un-fallenness. An exploration of the portrayal of masculinity and femininity in the trilogy. The significance of attentive listening in relation to obedience, citing examples from the Bible. A caution against the dangers of selective hearing in religious language and structure. The complex interplay between worldview, perception, attention, and obedience in C.S. Lewis's works, drawing on examples from his books and other stories. Lewis's portrayal of corruption and spiritual realities in "That Hideous Strength," analyzing the characters and their actions as examples of the connection between political and spiritual corruption. The inspiration for the angels in the novel and how Lewis drew from Dionysius the Areopagite's "Celestial Hierarchy" and Greek mythology. Finally, Ted discussed the importance of daily obedience and faithfulness, emphasizing the need for gratitude and daily acts of obedience in saving the world. Mentions: J R R Tolkien George MacDonald's Phantastes Lewis's other books, The Great Divorce and The Chronicles of Narnia Michael Ward's book, Planet Narnia Maximus the Confessor

Aug 12, 2023 • 1h 29min
The Bottom-Up Approach not Sufficient to Solve the Many Body Problem: Condensed Matter Physicist
Jackson Pitts is a Condensed Matter Physicist and an Artist. He and Karen discuss the bottom up approach, the object, background, foreground, the move towards freedom and entropy, including its destructive and creative side. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and discussion of his involvement with the space station 05:00 Explaining Condensed Matter Physics and Crystal Structures 15:45 A description of the many body problem 18:45 Reductionism and Constructivism in Physics 22:25 Approaches to Painting 27:50 Discussion on the Anomalies of Painting 32:00 Developing a Style 37:00 Exploring the Relationship Between Figure and Background 43:15 What is worth calling an object? 52:20 A discussion of Jack’s doctoral dissertation 55:00 Exploring Emergent Phenomena and Entropy in Physics Discussion on Quantum Mechanics and Interpretations 56:00 Q-bism 1:05:00 The Implications of Determinism 1:17:00 Discussion on Wolfram's theory of fundamental physics and the uniqueness of Emes The video on qbism from which we watched a clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSqDMtHoaT0&t=1s The video on Q-bism and Christopher Fuchs: https://youtu.be/nSqDMtHoaT0 Wolfram's Working Session, starting around 1:20:00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzM3jM7Dtds&t=4976s Sharon Glotzer's research on particles forming crystalline structures with entropy alone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et5KcmdCXRk&t=1346s For a quick summary of Wolfram's theory by Mark Jeffery, complete with easy to digest animations: https://lasttheory.com/channel/ Scroll down for a list of the videos from first to last If you’re interested in my art, and my process, here is a video with some explanation. Jack’s art: http://jacksonpitts.net/watercolors You can navigate from this page to his work in other media. https://youtu.be/f3mSQLDycgw My website: https://karenwongart.com

Aug 8, 2023 • 1h 13min
Coding, Art and Life: The Fractal Nature of Suffering and Beauty
Karen met Olena at the Chino Conference on the Quest for a Spiritual Home and here they talk about Olena's background and her participation in TLC.Timestamps00:00 Intro13:27 Karen and Olena discuss Jordan Peterson's teachings on the Bible and their impact on faith. 25:45 Discussion on structured vs unstructured thinking and the tension between masculine and feminine perspectives. 32:26 Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energies 43:56 "The Tract Illustration" 45:51 Discussion on Matthew Pageau’s book, The Language of Creation 48:20 Software Engineering and Language as fundamental 58:45 The Limits of Knowledge and Determinism 1:01:52 Cultivating Humility and Empathy 1:10:28 The Healing Power of Beauty and Art

Aug 4, 2023 • 1h 27min
The Evil in Your Own Heart is the Evil that Will Destroy You
Karen met Allyn Engle at the Chino "Quest for a Spiritual Home" conference. He is a comedian and writer working in advertising in New York City. Timestamps: 00:00. Introduction and Setting the Stage 09:29 Allyn Engle's Childhood and College Experience 15:25 The "dream" and the decision to change his life 28:35 The Importance of Traditions and Community 39:25 The "dawning" of evil and the Supernatural Experience 44:00 Finding the Meta Goal 50:50 Humbling oneself to pursue higher principles Faith RX and Experiences with Church Communities 59:25 Importance of Community and Participation 1:09:00 This Little Corner isn't enough for full communion Humble yourself 1:15:30 Understanding true identity The Power of Writing and Creativity

Aug 1, 2023 • 1h 36min
Daniel Toma's Three Levels of Perfection with Ted Stiritz: Life as Liturgy
Ted Stiritz returns to discuss Reality, Knowledge, Hierarchy, Narrative in Daniel Toma, part 2. This is also a YouTube video and timestamps are at the link:https://youtu.be/31IV0iNjUK8

Jul 22, 2023 • 1h 24min
Sevilla, Quest for a Spiritual Home and A Quality Existence
I had the great opportunity to meet Sevilla of A Quality Existence during the Quest for a Spiritual Home conference in Chino Hills, California. Here, we get together and talk about what were for us, the highlights of the weekend.

Jul 18, 2023 • 1h 8min
Animating Principles, Narrative Arc and Elevating Stories with Kendelle Hoyer
Kendelle is an artist in the story department of an animation studio. We discuss her career, her work as a storyboard artist and the overlap of the principles of art and narrative in the making of compelling stories. Links discussed follow the time stamps. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 01:00 Kendelle's experience at the Chino Estuary conference 08:20 The Intersection of Storytelling and Internet Culture 16:00 This little corner of the internet 20:00 Paul VanderKlay causes the whole world to settle down 20:45 The Artistic Process and Limitations 24:15 The perspective of the grand story Discovering Justin Wells and his series on narrative and plot 29:30 Collaborative Filmmaking Process 35:00 The Process of Creating Animated Films 55:00 Everything has relationship The Importance of Story Structure and Relationship in Film and Art 1:01:00 How art shows up in science and science shows up in art. Discussion on Art and Synthesis of Disciplines If you're interested in more information about the Bastions of Beauty, make a comment and I'll get you the appropriate contact information.