Shamil Chandaria, a computational neuroscientist with esteemed fellowships at Oxford and Cambridge, joins Dr. Cooke to dive into the exploration of consciousness in his new book, The Dawn of Mind. They tackle the synergy between science and spirituality, challenging conventional views of self and knowledge. The discussion highlights transformative journeys, the intricacies of perception, and how our beliefs shape reality and well-being. They also reflect on their writing process and the impact of integrating philosophical insights with modern science.

Order from: https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Mind-Matter-Became-Conscious/dp/1633889920 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dawn-of-mind-james-cooke-phd/1144870806 https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Dawn-Mind/James-Cooke/9781633889927?id=9222386801726 https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-dawn-of-mind-how-matter-became-conscious-and-alive-james-cooke/21114038?ean=9781633889927

The Dawn of Mind: How Matter Became Conscious and Alive Pre-order from: This week on the podcast previous guest Richard Doyle is returning for a second time, this time to discuss my upcoming book, the Dawn of Mind, which will be released in the US and Canada on December 3rd. Rich is an author and Professor of English and of Information Sciences and Technology at Pennsylvania State University.  He's known for coining the term "ecodelic" and for his many books that explore the science of life and non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Kaira Jewel Lingo is a Dharma teacher whose work focuses on the interaction of meditation and social justice. She spent fifteen years living as a nun in a Buddhist monastery in the Plum Village tradition, under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.  In 2007 she became a Zen teacher after receiving Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh, and is also a teacher in the Vipassana Insight lineage through Spirit Rock Meditation Center in the US. She is the author of We Were Made for These Times: Skilfully Moving through Change, Loss and Disruption, the co-author of Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation, which was co-written with  Valerie Brown and Marisela  Gomez and she is also the editor of Thich Nhat Hanh’s book Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children. Today we discussed her many years of monastic life but unfortunately ran out of time before getting on to her work in engaged Buddhism and social justice, so hopefully we’ll be able to explore that together on a future occasion.

Find the original conversation here: https://youtu.be/e1f6EH37TKA?si=AcxA9_HWQs3HQekr

My appearance on the Illumine Life's Idea Cast with Justin McSweeney. Link to the original version: https://youtu.be/RIRFmhH29X4?si=rfcBZ5SgFoe7MGlk

Graham Priest, a distinguished philosophy professor at CUNY, dives deep into the intriguing realms of nothingness, paradox, and existence. He explores how our understanding of objects is defined by their contrast to nothingness. The conversation weaves through the evolution of logic, discussing its complexities and implications. Priest examines the nature of time, the distinction between perception and reality, and the duality of 'everything.' He also delves into the paradox of nothingness, drawing insights from various philosophical traditions and meditative practices.

Find the video version at Pre-order from:

Shamil Chandaria, an expert in artificial intelligence and computational neuroscience, returns to discuss his recent paper on consciousness. They dive into the computational architecture of self-awareness, exploring how advanced meditators can gain insights through reflexivity. The conversation touches on active inference, the relationship between consciousness and reality, and the nature of truth. Additionally, they examine how meditation and psychedelics can enhance awareness, bridging neuroscience with spiritual concepts.

My appearance on the Mastering Thought podcast with Mark Waller and Kristina Black