Jack Roycroft-Sherry

What if the Big Bang was actually the other side of a black hole in a previous parent universe? Irish writer-turned-cosmologist Julian Gough and I discuss.In this podcast, learn about: where the term "black hole" came from, how black holes and the Big Bang seem suspiciously like one another, why our universe looks like it comes from an evolved history of parent universes, how universes can evolve their parameters of physics through offspring universes (from their black holes), how cosmological evolution through black holes explains the complexity of the early universe, the nature of dark matter, why the universe could be purposeful, and much more...Timestamps:00:00 The Birth of Universes from Black Holes03:54 Could universes actually emerge out of black holes?05:38 How this idea explains the complexity of our cosmos09:05 What happens at the singularity of a black hole?11:40 Three-Stage Cosmological Natural Selection15:03 The Mechanism of Black Hole Production17:59 Moral Implications of Creating Universes20:54 The Future of Black Hole Research31:55 The Evolution of Black Holes and Stars35:11 Exaptation: Evolution's Ingenious Adaptation39:05 The Chemistry of Life and Stellar Evolution40:55 The Role of Supermassive Black Holes in Galaxy Formation51:13 Spiral Galaxies: A New Perspective01:04:14 The Universe as an Evolving Organism01:05:45 Galaxy Formation and Supermassive Black Holes01:08:36 Critique of Mainstream Cosmology01:10:13 The Sociological Implications of Cosmology01:11:41 Evolutionary History of Electrons01:14:37 Structure in the Universe: Past vs Present01:17:03 Purpose in the Universe01:19:21 Dark Matter and Self-Organizing Systems01:20:55 Interacting with Parent Universes01:24:11 The Future of Cosmological Theories01:28:15 Creating a New Field of StudyFind Julian:• Substack: https://theeggandtherock.com/• Blowtorch Theory: A New Model for Structure Formation in the Universe: https://theeggandtherock.com/p/the-blowtorch-theory-a-new-model• Website: https://www.juliangough.com/Find Jack: • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Licensed psychologist Alexey Tolchinsky (Psy.D.) joins me to discuss the mind's more unusual aspects, such as claims of demonic possession, hearing voices, hallucinations, and dissociated identities, to get a better naturalistic understanding of the complexities of human psychology.Learn about the different kinds of voices and hallucinations people can have, the line between normal and pathological psychological conditions, information people have received through voices in their heads, spirits in psychology, dissociation induced by drugs like ketamine, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and more...Timestamps: 00:00 Understanding Voices: Hallucinations vs. Delusions02:49 The Nature of Psychosis: Episodes vs. Disorders05:54 Defining Normal: Health vs. Pathology08:55 Voices as Insight: The Utility of Hallucinations11:40 Dreams and Hallucinations: The Mind's Inner Workings14:32 Dialogues with Voices: Exploring Schizophrenia17:26 Therapeutic Approaches: The Role of the Therapist20:28 Self-Diagnosis: The Patient's Perspective23:37 Spirituality and Psychopathology: Beyond the Naturalistic View30:13 Exploring Demonic Possession and Cultural Beliefs35:51 Understanding Trauma and Its Impact on Mental Health39:07 Dissociative Identity Disorder: An Overview44:03 The Spectrum of Dissociation54:16 Therapeutic Approaches to Dissociative DisordersFind Alexey: -Website: https://montgomerycountypsychologist.com/ -Dissociation paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1585315/full-Frank Putnam, Michael Levin and Alexey talk: https://youtu.be/o-0lj02cBPY?si=ttpm7T5R5Dy7TJvR-Michael Levin, Thomas Pollak and Alexey talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IhHJgGNBUcFind Jack • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageMore show notes:-Book we kept mentioning: "Finding Solid Ground: Overcoming Obstacles in Trauma Treatment" by Bethany L. Brand et al.-Mike Levin paper that motivated some questions in the discussion: "Robustness of the Mind-Body Interface: case studies of unconventional information flow in the multiscale living architecture" https://osf.io/preprints/osf/fqm7r_v1

Johanna is a psychedelic researcher and a specialist in Jungian-informed psychedelic integration and depth psychology.In this episode, learn about Jung’s visionary experiences documented in The Red Book (only released after his death), Jung's interest in the collective unconscious that contributed to his break with Freud, Jung’s thoughts on psychedelics, Terence McKenna’s relationship to Jung, DMT and powerful psychedelic experiences, the alchemical process of transmutation, whether Jung was a Christian, the spiritual crises in the West, and much more…Timestamps 00:00 Jung's Visionary Experiences in the Red Book03:49 Active Imagination, Collective Unconscious & The Black Books05:20 Did Jung Want the Red Book Published?07:26 Occultism & Magic in Jung & Freud11:48 Did Jung Ever Use Psychedelics?17:30 Aboriginal Dreamtime & The Loss of Dreaming19:14Terence McKenna’s Connection to Jung21:39 Machine Elves, Spirits & Guides24:18 Are Psychedelic Entities Beneficial?29:10 McKenna, Jung & Alchemy 34:55 Mental Illness & Spiritual Crisis38:37 Jung’s Legacy & The Value of "Madness"40:55 Was Jung a Christian? 45:27 Did Jung Want to Start a Religion?47:03 Where to Find JohannaFind Johanna• Website for one-to-one work, talks, and more:https://individuationportal.com/• University of Exeter profile:https://sites.exeter.ac.uk/psychedelics/johanna-sopanen/• Book chapter:“Journeying in the Realm of the Unconscious: Jung’s Liber Novus and Psychedelic Experience,”in Philosophy and Psychedelics, edited by Christine Hauskeller & Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes Find Jack• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

What if things didn’t exist—only processes, flows & constant change? In this podcast, philosopher of biology Daniel Nicholson explains how "Process Metaphysics" is radically reshaping the way we think about biology, life, physics, free will, cancer, and the universe at large.Timestamps:00:00 What is process metaphysics? Are there really no “things”?01:43 Computers vs organisms: why living beings are different04:11 Metabolic turnover and what it means for identity over time07:14 Organisms as four-dimensional processes 08:44 Symbiosis, holobionts, and where the organism begins and ends10:53 What is a human? Species boundaries and the unit of evolution14:22 Against essences: “cat-ness”, Platonic forms, and Darwinian variation16:27 Species as historical individuals20:34 Physics vs biology: why sameness works better in physics22:22 Atoms vs cells and why biological variation is fundamental25:34 The “tyranny of the mean” and problems with averages in biology28:11 Can we do science if everything is unique? Sample size of one31:06 Are there laws of biology, or just evolutionary contingencies?32:30 Agency, free will, and living systems34:20 Why organisms aren’t machines38:22 Process metaphysics, metaphysical assumptions, and scientific explanation41:19 Rethinking disease and cancer as failures of ongoing processes43:34 Population thinking and uniqueness at every biological level47:03 Economics, coordination, and collective intelligence in biology50:32 Where to start with process biology – Daniel’s book *Everything Flows*FIND DANIEL• Everything Flows: Towards a Processual Philosophy of Biology https://academic.oup.com/book/27525• “Population Thinking and the Uniqueness of Biological Entities” – Daniel J. Nicholson, Acta Biotheoretica (2025)FIND JACK• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageMENTIONED IN THE PODCAST• “Cognitive Glues Are Shared Models of Relative Scarcities: The Economics of Collective Intelligence” – Benjamin F. Lyons & Michael Levin (OSF preprint)

Adam J. Goldstein is a cognitive scientist and entrepreneur working in the field of diverse intelligence.Is cognition just a brain thing? Recent evidence suggests that everything from cells to worms to slime moulds can be cognitive. In this episode, we go a step further and look at apparent problem-solving & cognition in simple computer algorithms. Might there be more to even basic algorithms than we think? And what could this reveal about the nature of intelligence, matter, and the universe?Timestamps: 00:00 Unexpected Behaviour in Sorting Algorithms06:05 What do Algorithms "Know"?08:29 Philosophical Perspectives on Algorithms11:33 Free Energy Principle and Its Implications14:39 Understanding Cancer Through Algorithms17:31 The Role of Algorithms in Human Behavior20:31 The Interplay of Algorithms and DNA23:21 Metacognition and Human Uniqueness26:28 AI and Cooperative Dynamics29:29 Michael Levin's Artificial Organisms 31:59 Algorithms vs. DNA in BiologySORTING ALGORITHMS PAPER DISCUSSED:• Sorting Algorithms paper: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10597123241269740FIND ADAM• X: @adamjgoldstein• Read more: softmax.com/inspiration• Watch more: Friston, Levin, Goldstein talk on algorithms & Free Energy Principle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApVWEn-3vG4FIND JACK• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Insane DMT experiences have changed Adam Butler's life and the lives of many others. But what do DMT experiences and DMT entities mean for science, metaphysics, and the ultimate nature of reality?In this podcast, learn about: what a DMT trip is like, how DMT saved Adam's life, DMT vs shrooms, psychedelics bringing you to your higher self, whether one should take psychedelics, different entity encounters on DMT, the nature of evil, life's ultimate purpose, and more...Timestamps: 00:00 - What is a DMT Trip Like?03:44 - DMT vs Mushrooms05:15 - Psychedelics as "Plaque Removal" to See Your Authentic Self08:13 - What Does it Mean to "Shine a Light" on Your Mind?10:45 - 50 Hits in One Day14:04 - Interacting with "Entities," Archetypes, and a "Future Self"16:24 - Differentiating Parts of the Self vs. "Something Other"23:24 - Do These Experiences Make One Religious or Believe in God?25:12 - Do Difficult Life Events Happen for a Reason?26:20 - Learning to Listen to Your Body's "Stressor Signals"31:17 - Are Psychedelics Necessary? 33:10 - Produce DMT Endogenously 34:25 - Other Modalities: Darkness Retreats, Binaural Beats, Fasting38:09 - Why is Such a Simple, Innate Molecule So Powerful?39:20 - DMT vs. Shrooms: Rick Strassman's "More Real Than Real"42:15 - Is Heightened Sensitivity Always a Good Thing?44:10 - The Pros and Cons of Empathy Overload51:27 - Good vs. Evil: Encountering Demons and "Dancing with the Devil"58:54 - The Power of Intention: Psychedelics Amplify What's There01:05:50 - The Ultimate Goal: Getting Your Soul Comfortable in Your Skin01:10:49 - Final Advice: Integrating Your Masculine & Feminine (Anima/Animus)01:15:02 - Closing Thoughts & Adam's Offer (Free Book)Find Adam: Book: Butler's DMT Field Guide: A Brief History, Step-by-Step Recipes, and Personal Experiences From a DMT Saturated ConsciousnessFind Jack:• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Michael Levin's reality-bending biological discoveries are forcing him to look to a non-physical realm of patterns—discussed by philosophers like Plato—for explanations.In this podcast, we explore why philosophers posit a non-physical realm, how biology taps into it, the mathematics governing life, the creation of artificial organisms, the desires of non-physical minds, the shape and properties of realms beyond the physical, the agency in non-physical patterns, and much more…Timestamps:00:00 The Platonic Realm of Patterns03:02 Biology’s Access to Non-Physical Patterns09:31 Non-Physical Ingressing Minds14:00 The Space of Possible Minds18:35 Unexpected Competencies in Dumb Algorithms24:00 Anthrobots & Strange Biology28:38 Why is Platonic Space the way it is?32:06 Are Unorthodox Morphologies Subjectively Desirable?35:23 The Agency of Non-Physical Patterns37:50 The Intersection of Science and Cosmology41:56 Dynamic Nature of Non-Physical Patterns43:19 Psychological Perspectives on Identity and Agency48:33 Strange Discoveries in Biology50:36 Shifting Beliefs and Understanding of IntelligenceJACK• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageMICHAEL• Blog: https://thoughtforms.life/• Platonic space symposium: https://thoughtforms.life/symposium-on-the-platonic-space/• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC3pVafx6EZqXVI2V_Efu2uwREFERENCED PODCASTS• The structure of genotype space w/Andreas Wagner: https://youtu.be/BhUaeh6DyO0• God & Patterns in the Universe w/Matt Segall: https://youtu.be/RIl4paND5QI• Intelligence beyond brains w/Damiam Kelty-Stephen: https://youtu.be/X9FmMuU2HCw

Anderson Todd, a cognitive scientist and Jungian depth psychologist, dives deep into the realms of magic, psychedelics, and synchronicity. He discusses his magical practices and the transformative effects of psychedelics like iboga and DMT. Todd uncovers how learned associations shape consciousness and emphasizes the psychological utility of synchronicity in personal growth. He also critiques modern media's magical manipulation and highlights the significance of personalized symbols in magic and psychotherapy. This thought-provoking conversation is a blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary psychological insights.

5-MeO-DMT is a powerful psychedelic produced by the Sonoran desert toad. It fascinates philosopher and metaphysician at Exeter University, Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, because of what the dissolution of all experience that the drug induces says about the nature of reality.Learn about why 5-MeO-DMT is interesting (and frightening), how different psychedelics change our views of reality, how 5-MeO-DMT makes Spinoza's pantheism (that God is nature) likely, Bergson's views on matter and memory, atheism vs. pantheism, exotic forms of experience, the true nature of ultimate reality, and more...Timestamps: 00:00 The Intrigue of 5-MeO-DMT02:38 Exploring Consciousness and Existence06:17 Psychedelics and Metaphysics12:11 The Ethical Implications of Metaphysical Experiences18:02 The Nature of God and Reality22:30 Bergson and Spinoza: Philosophical Connections28:43 Spinoza's Philosophy: Physical and Psychological Causation30:08 The Nature of Good and Ethics in Spinoza's Thought31:32 Understanding God and Nature: A Unitive Experience33:09 Spinoza's Controversial Relationship with Religion35:15 Pantheism vs Atheism: Clarifying Misconceptions37:16 Exploring Other Aspects of Reality39:31 Qualia and Perception: Different Ways of Experiencing Reality42:33 The Nature of Existence: Perspectives on Agency43:35 Immanence vs Transcendence: Understanding Spinoza's God46:50 Sin, Determinism, and the Nature of God49:29 Evaluating Metaphysics: Truth and Knowledge54:36 Current Projects and Future DirectionsFind Peter:-Mind-at-Large project: https://ctr4process.org/mind-at-large/-Recent books: Modes of Sentience (2021); Philosophy and Psychedelics: Frameworks for Exceptional Experience (2023)-Upcoming book: The Psychedelic Experience Manual

Are demonic possessions real? Psychiatrist Richard Gallagher has been investigating them for over 25 years, becoming convinced after starting as a deep skeptic.We discuss the scientific understanding of these cases, how to differentiate demonic possessions from ordinary biological illness, how people become possessed, the dangers of psychedelics like ayahuasca today, the nature of evil in the world, demons in different religions, and more...Timestamps:00:00 Origins Investigating Demonic Possession05:05 The Journey from Skepticism to Belief09:17 Understanding Possession and Oppression13:58 Remarkable Cases and Experiences18:27 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality23:04 The Nature of Good and Evil27:56 Conditions Leading to Possession32:14 The Role of Psychedelics and Modern Culture36:57 Awareness and Caution Regarding Demons41:31 Conclusion and Reflections on the SubjectFind Richard: -Book: Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal. Amazon link: https://a.co/d/5sDHWt9