Michael Levin is a developmental and synthetic biologist and a professor at Tufts University. He is known for co-discovering Xenobots which are living robots made from frog skin cells but his research is wide ranging, contributing to fields such as regenerative medicine and the treatment of cancer, as well as to our fundamental understanding of biological systems. As you’ll hear from our conversation, Michaels’ innovative science is based in a very thorough and rigorous philosophy of the intersection between biology and cognitive processes such as intelligence and memory.

The Genocide in Gaza & the Psychology of Denial

Alicia Juarrero is President and co-founder of VectorAnalytica, Inc., a data collection and analysis platform. She is also a research associate at the University of Miami and is the author for influential complexity theory text Dynamics in Action. Her new book is called Context Changes Everything and it explores how we can think about causality in emergent systems, such as living things, in terms of constraint.

Jim Newman holds meetings about nonduality, in a style that has come to be known as uncompromising or radical nonduality. This style began with the book The Open Secret by Tony Parsons, and along with Tony, Jim is the arguably most prominent person speaking of nonduality in this way. Whereas some approaches to nonduality advocate the following of a path in order to eventually realise that we are not separate from the rest of existence, the uncompromising perspective sees this as mistaken, the fundamental idea being that because reality is already non-dual, whole, and undivided, there is nothing anyone could ever do to move closer to or further away from the wholeness of what is. Today, we explore the intricacies that somehow seem to arise out of this very simple message.

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Indy Johar, an architect and co-founder of Dark Matter Labs, discusses building innovative societal infrastructures aiming for interdependence and equality. He critiques outdated frameworks that fail to address interconnected challenges like climate change. Johar emphasizes the need for civic infrastructures that foster empathy and restore human connections. He explores the idea of agency beyond ownership, advocating for relationships of care. The conversation highlights innovative projects transforming urban life through community stewardship and emotional openness.

I'm excited to announce that I just signed a book deal with Prometheus Books. The title is The Dawn of Mind: How Matter Became Conscious and Alive. In it I lay out a synthesis of physicalism, panpsychism, and idealism, culminating in a scientific account of the biophysics of consciousness, rather than the neuroscience of consciousness. It's less dry than I've made it sound here though, I promise. Slated for release in late 2024. Please pre-order when the time comes, as that helps with the book's visibility.

The podcast delves into non-dual awareness and mindfulness, benefits of paying attention to the breath, liberation in meditation and challenges of aligning the self with non-dual insight. It also explores holding emotional content in the body, coping mechanisms in emotional work, and the importance of letting go. The hosts discuss the effectiveness of IFS therapy, cannabis and mindfulness.

Andy Mitchell is a neuropsychologist and therapist. He has specialized in treating patients with rare brain conditions, head injuries and epilepsy, and in the application of mindfulness for neurological patients. As a therapist he has worked with people with a range of mental health disorders. Before entering medicine, his first degree was in English Literature at Oxford University.  https://www.andymitchell.org/

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