Deep Talks | John Vervaeke Returns! Consciousness, God, Religious Experience & Distributed Cognition @DeepTalksTheology | Uploaded July 2021 | Updated October 2024, 3 hours ago.
I’m honored to once again be joined by Dr. John Vervaeke. Vervaeke’s first appearance on this podcast was back in Episode 83, and it was one of my all-time favorites. If you want to know more about his backstory and work, then I’d encourage you to listen to that episode.
@johnvervaeke is a renowned scientist and award-winning professor at the University of Toronto. He’s produced groundbreaking research in the area of cognitive science & the experience of meaning. He has also become a cult internet sensation with his “Awakening From the Meaning Crisis” YouTube/podcast lecture series. That series is truly an absolute gift to the world- a gift I still can hardly believe that he just gave away!
While I certainly don’t want to oversell this and I generally despise hype, this felt like one of the most thought-provoking conversations I’ve ever recorded. I strongly encourage you to listen all the way through. We build towards some really important questions- questions that get at the very core of religion and human experience.
Some topics/questions covered in this episode include:
0:00 Intro
0:30 What are Psycho-Technologies?
9:53 Are We Already Transhumanists?
15:35 Does Culture Program Consciousness? Can We Program Culture?
20:34 Distributed Cognition & Culture
27:19 DO NASA Scientists Have Religious Experience with Mars Rover "Spirit"?
32:32 Can Naturalism Explain Consciousness? Why Does Vervaeke Dialogue with Religious Thinkers?
39:27 Is There Anything Beyond Material Universe?
44:16 David Bentley Hart & Consciousness. Is there an ULTIMATE Consciousness?
54:19 Can Non-Reductive Physicalists and Theists Share a Common Pursuit?
58:28 Christ Revealing Himself in Platonic/Neoplatonic Thought?
1:01:59 Religious Experience & "Higher" Levels of Consciousness? Union with the One?
1:10:44 Is All Spiritual/Religious Experience Good? Is there "Demonic" Deception? Jordan Peterson
1:18:59 Can Science Tell Us What Is Good or Does that Value Judgement Require a Christ?
1:24:52 Can We Keep "Leveling Up" Beyond Cultural Programming towards Ultimate Reality?
1:28:11 Vervaeke's "The Sacred". Is the Logos Necessary to Access Truth, Goodness, & Beauty?
1:34:39 If Jesus Isn't Lord, Then Isn't Something Else? What's Your North Star?
1:41:06 Why We Need Dialogue With Others That We Disagree With
Dr. John Vervaeke’s “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis” is available on his YouTube channel here:
youtube.com/user/johnvervaeke
If you find this podcast to be helpful and you want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon?
Members of the Deep Talks Patreon Community receive bonus Q & A Episodes, articles, charts, forum discussions and more. STARTING THIS MONTH, WE'LL HAVE AN PATREON COMMUNITY GROUP ZOOM HANG-OUT to build relationships with others across the world and to do theology and meaning-making together.
Help us reach our first goal of 300 patrons in order to sustain weekly, ad-free theological and philosophical education to anyone with an internet connection!
patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast
To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159
I’m honored to once again be joined by Dr. John Vervaeke. Vervaeke’s first appearance on this podcast was back in Episode 83, and it was one of my all-time favorites. If you want to know more about his backstory and work, then I’d encourage you to listen to that episode.
@johnvervaeke is a renowned scientist and award-winning professor at the University of Toronto. He’s produced groundbreaking research in the area of cognitive science & the experience of meaning. He has also become a cult internet sensation with his “Awakening From the Meaning Crisis” YouTube/podcast lecture series. That series is truly an absolute gift to the world- a gift I still can hardly believe that he just gave away!
While I certainly don’t want to oversell this and I generally despise hype, this felt like one of the most thought-provoking conversations I’ve ever recorded. I strongly encourage you to listen all the way through. We build towards some really important questions- questions that get at the very core of religion and human experience.
Some topics/questions covered in this episode include:
0:00 Intro
0:30 What are Psycho-Technologies?
9:53 Are We Already Transhumanists?
15:35 Does Culture Program Consciousness? Can We Program Culture?
20:34 Distributed Cognition & Culture
27:19 DO NASA Scientists Have Religious Experience with Mars Rover "Spirit"?
32:32 Can Naturalism Explain Consciousness? Why Does Vervaeke Dialogue with Religious Thinkers?
39:27 Is There Anything Beyond Material Universe?
44:16 David Bentley Hart & Consciousness. Is there an ULTIMATE Consciousness?
54:19 Can Non-Reductive Physicalists and Theists Share a Common Pursuit?
58:28 Christ Revealing Himself in Platonic/Neoplatonic Thought?
1:01:59 Religious Experience & "Higher" Levels of Consciousness? Union with the One?
1:10:44 Is All Spiritual/Religious Experience Good? Is there "Demonic" Deception? Jordan Peterson
1:18:59 Can Science Tell Us What Is Good or Does that Value Judgement Require a Christ?
1:24:52 Can We Keep "Leveling Up" Beyond Cultural Programming towards Ultimate Reality?
1:28:11 Vervaeke's "The Sacred". Is the Logos Necessary to Access Truth, Goodness, & Beauty?
1:34:39 If Jesus Isn't Lord, Then Isn't Something Else? What's Your North Star?
1:41:06 Why We Need Dialogue With Others That We Disagree With
Dr. John Vervaeke’s “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis” is available on his YouTube channel here:
youtube.com/user/johnvervaeke
If you find this podcast to be helpful and you want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon?
Members of the Deep Talks Patreon Community receive bonus Q & A Episodes, articles, charts, forum discussions and more. STARTING THIS MONTH, WE'LL HAVE AN PATREON COMMUNITY GROUP ZOOM HANG-OUT to build relationships with others across the world and to do theology and meaning-making together.
Help us reach our first goal of 300 patrons in order to sustain weekly, ad-free theological and philosophical education to anyone with an internet connection!
patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast
To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159
