The DemystifySci Podcast

We sit down for a discussion about the futility of rationalism, by way of William James' Varieties of Religious Experience. We start with the question of utopias, and try to diagnose why, if they're doomed to fail, it's still worth trying to create them, and then move on to the question of the scientific project - which seems to be an attempt to create a rationalist utopia. James' take on mystical experiences - that they're nearly universally accessible, though rarely long dwelt in - seems to suggest that there is something about the tremulous experience of being alive that will leave us with the feeling of being part of something larger than ourselves no matter how rational we get. So, then, if we can never escape the mystical experience, is it worth trying? And if it is, and we take the project of science to be worthwhile, where does the mystic live? Sign up for our Patreon and get episodes early + join our weekly Patron Chat https://bit.ly/3lcAasB AND rock some Demystify Gear to spread the word: https://demystifysci.myspreadshop.com/ OR do your Amazon shopping through this link: https://amzn.to/4g2cPVV (00:00:00) Go! (00:08:52) Capitalism vs. Utopia (00:20:06) The Nature of Utopian Projects (00:23:16) The challenges of maintaining utopian communities (00:26:21) The importance of starting small for larger projects (00:30:30) Navigating local laws and governance in new communities (00:34:13) The inherent risks of utopian projects (00:39:05) Embracing flexibility for successful organizations (00:44:04) Exploring the interface of science and mysticism (00:46:48) Exploration of Mystical Experiences and Science (00:51:25) Science and the Unseen (00:59:04) The Challenge of Defining Consciousness (01:06:00) Technology and Labor Dynamics (01:10:52) Dealing with Technology's Impact on Human Experience (01:13:11) William James and the Nature of Poverty (01:16:27) The Relationship Between Mystics and Society (01:20:21) Personal Accounts of Mystical Experiences (01:25:15) Balancing Mystical Insights and Practicality (01:30:21) Critique on Integrating Mysticism into Science (01:34:08) The interplay of belief and the unseen in religious and scientific contexts (01:37:00) The mystical dimensions of quantum physics and human experience (01:39:38) Art and mysticism: the limitations of science in capturing experiences (01:45:09) The inadequacies of science in addressing consciousness and existence (01:50:45) The pursuit of knowledge and the limits of scientific authority #sciencepodcast, #longformpodcast, #UtopianVision, #ScienceVsMysticism, #WilliamJames, #Philosophy, #Mysticism, #Rationalism, #DavidGraeber, #Utopia, #Psychology, #PhilosophicalDebate, #DemystifyingScience, #PodcastDiscussion, #CulturalCritique, #HumanExperience, #ConsciousnessExploration Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics, @MaterialAtomics https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomics Join our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. - Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog - RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss - Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD - Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671

Dr. Dean Radin is an investigator of parapsychological phenomena whose career has spanned Bell Labs, Stanford Research Institute as part of the Stargate Project, Princeton, and who is now the Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Radin approaches his search for evidence of psychokinesis and extrasensory perception as an engineer, and has spent his career building devices that can be reproducibly (though subtly) affected by the minds of experimental subjects that have ranged from his colleagues at Bell Labs to thousands of participants from across the web. We talk about how the buttoned up engineer started studying such esoteric phenomena, working for the CIA, how there's no proof that can convince a skeptic, his recent research that suggests that mental action can affect the outcome of quantum experiments, and his radically transparent approach to research. Sign up for our Patreon and get episodes early + join our weekly Patron Chat https://bit.ly/3lcAasB AND rock some Demystify Gear to spread the word: https://demystifysci.myspreadshop.com/ OR do your Amazon shopping through this link for Dr. Radin's book: https://amzn.to/3XalmNG (00:00:00) Go!(00:00:00)  Introduction to Dean Radin and the Concept of Magic(00:07:13) The Interplay of Magic, Science, and Consciousness(00:10:55) The Role of Information in Understanding Reality(00:21:05) Personal Journey into Parapsychology(00:27:38) The Role of Consciousness and Motivation in ESP(00:38:57) Practical Applications in Human Factors(00:46:23) Classified Knowledge and Public Awareness(00:49:50) Active Disinformation and the Skeptic Movement(00:53:39) Evaluating ESP Research and Military Interest(01:01:13) Successes and Controversies of Remote Viewing(01:08:52) Discussion on CIA Remote Viewing and Public Perception(01:16:30) Research into Psychic Abilities and Genetics(01:26:00) Collective Consciousness in Music and Improvisation(01:33:04) Hemisync and Altered States of Consciousness(01:40:43) Skill Development and Psychic Abilities(01:52:20) Quality of Life of Remote Viewers(01:56:32) Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics(02:01:35) Bridging Phenomena and Mainstream Physics(02:13:52) Ideological Resistance in Discussions(02:25:09) Experimental Innovations in Research(02:29:47) Mentoring the Next Generation of Researchers(02:35:11) Discussion on Theoretical and Empirical Approaches(02:38:40) Upcoming Book Insights and Paradigm Shifts #sciencepodcast,  #longformpodcast, #Parapsychology,#ConsciousnessStudies,#QuantumMind,#ESPResearch,#NoeticScience,#MindMatterInteraction,#FrontierScience,#ConsciousnessExploration,#PsychicPhenomena,#QuantumConsciousness,#ScienceOfTheMind,#ParanormalResearch,#MindScience,#ConsciousnessAndReality,#BeyondMaterialism Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci:  https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics,  @MaterialAtomics   https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomics Join our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S   PODCAST INFO:  Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. - Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog  - RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss- Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD- Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y  SOCIAL:  - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671

Kevin Fedarko is a writer, journalist and river guide explores the interface between wilderness and industrialization, most recently through the lens of the Grand Canyon. Fedarko recently published "A Walk In the Park," the story of his somewhat ill-conceived but ultimately successful quest to walk the trail-less expanse of desert wilderness that hides beneath the canyon's rims. We talk about the struggle to tell a story about the Colorado and the canyon that contains it that avoids the conventional morality tale of environment good, technology bad; the astonishing feat of engineering, unseen since the Great Pyramids that holds back Lake Powell; the punishment of untrailed nature; and the mythology of science, man as an island, and the wilderness as something we both crave and fear. Sign up for our Patreon and get episodes early + join our weekly Patron Chat https://bit.ly/3lcAasB AND rock some Demystify Gear to spread the word: https://demystifysci.myspreadshop.com/ OR do your Amazon shopping through this link for Kevin Fedarko's book: https://amzn.to/4g2cPVV (00:00) Go! (00:06:42) The Process of Writing and Sharing (00:14:15) Parallels in Creative Industries (00:18:51) Interplay of Wilderness and Modernity (00:23:03) Natural vs. Industrial Forces (00:30:21) The 1983 Spillway Crisis (00:35:22) Contradictions of Nature and Technology (00:40:44) Stories Tell Themselves (00:47:00) How Humans Understand the World (00:50:12) Science and Storytelling Paradox (01:01:03) Challenges of Long-held Beliefs (01:09:57) River Dynamics and Geology (01:13:58) The Great Unconformity (01:19:11) Hiking the Grand Canyon (01:24:22) Trail Challenges (01:33:42) Navigating the Desert (01:40:05) No Trail is Walked Alone (01:42:07) Nature and Solitude (01:48:37) Deep Immersion #sciencepodcast, #longformpodcast, Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics, @MaterialAtomics https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomics Join our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. - Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog - RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss - Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD - Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671

In a captivating discussion, Christof Koch, a leading neuroscientist famed for his work on integrated information theory, shares his journey from materialism to embracing an idealist perspective on consciousness. He explores the causal powers of systems, implications for consciousness in unresponsive patients, and how psychedelics impact our understanding of mystical experiences. Koch also delves into the cosmic connection between consciousness and the universe, and how these insights challenge our traditional views on identity and existence.

Simon Michaux, an expert affiliated with the Venus Project, shares insights on sustainable living and community building. He discusses the evolution from the Venus Project to his ambitious Prometheus Project. The conversation highlights the challenges of creating alternative social systems and the impact of Jacques Fresco's innovative designs. Michaux envisions a resource-based economy that prioritizes sustainability, exploring ways to establish self-sufficient communities while addressing urban planning and social governance.

Dr. Luca Turin, a biophysicist and perfume connoisseur, explores the intriguing idea that we smell vibrations rather than mere molecules. He challenges conventional olfactory theories, sharing insights from his research that spotlight the connection between smell and consciousness. Turin recounts his unique journey into perfumery, dives into the fascinating links between olfaction and anesthesia, and reveals how molecular vibrations resonate like music. Prepare for a fragrant mix of science and sensory discovery!

In this engaging discussion, Dr. M.S. DeLay and Dr. A.V. Bendebury delve into the influence of bureaucracy and financialization on society. They explore how bureaucratic systems create alienation despite material comfort. The conversation critiques the intertwining of finance and politics, touching on the global justice movement's fight against systemic violence. They also discuss the impact of credentialism in today's job market and advocate for worker ownership as a way to renew society and foster true fulfillment beyond mere financial success.

In this insightful discussion, Dr. John Cramer, a renowned physicist known for his groundbreaking work on the transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics, dives deep into how atoms communicate through light. Topics include the handshake process, wave function collapse, and the philosophical implications of quantum mechanics. The conversation critiques string theory and explores the intersection of quantum physics with cosmology and anti-aging research. Cramer also shares captivating insights into life’s uniqueness and the potential of mitochondrial treatments.

Dr. Emily Casanova, a professor at Loyola University, delves into the intriguing connections between autism and our Neanderthal heritage. She reveals that autism spectrum disorders have roots tracing back 40,000 years through human-neanderthal hybridization. The conversation tackles the complexities of finding genetic links to autism and challenges conventional definitions of species. Dr. Casanova also discusses the interplay between genetics, environmental factors, and culture in shaping our understanding of autism, emphasizing the diverse experiences within the autistic community.

Dr. Yeva Nersisyan, a professor of economics at Franklin and Marshall College, specializes in Modern Monetary Theory and financial instability. The discussion centers on the limits of traditional economic theories and the Federal Reserve's struggle with inflation. Nersisyan emphasizes the importance of job creation for economic stability and critiques the current funding model that prioritizes national security over social services. The conversation also investigates how understanding modern economic principles can reshape governmental fiscal policies for a healthier economy.