The Waking Cosmos Podcast Adrian David Nelson

Philosopher Philip Goff joins me to talk about panpsychism, cosmic fine-tuning, and his hypothesis that the universe is driven to the creation of conscious life and value.

Please support Waking Cosmos on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos

Philip's website: https://philipgoffphilosophy.com

I discuss the philosophy, history and movement of sentientism with Jamie Woodhouse.

Please support Waking Cosmos on Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos

Jamie's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Sentientism

As mentioned in this episode, here is my conversation with David Pearce: https://on.soundcloud.com/suSUP

Jamie's conversation with David Pearce: https://youtu.be/zpjZWJGM5ak?si=a8oWS8lgoEAbBOWu

Does moral truth exist? In this episode I talk to the philosopher Sharon Rawlette about her work on moral realism, and her pursuit of a universal ethical theory grounded in the intrinsic value of conscious states. We discuss her book, The Feeling of Value, utilitarianism, the deep nature of value, hedonism, darwinian suffering, and Sharon’s belief in the teleological (purpose-driven) nature of reality.

My Patreon ~ https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos

Sharon’s website ~ https://sharonrawlette.wordpress.com/

We live in a unique time in history, when humanity’s growing technological power risks destroying our vast potential in the universe. The philosopher Toby Ord calls our unique time, "the Precipice." Today Toby joins me on Waking Cosmos to discuss existential risk, artificial intelligence, consciousness, and the far future of life in the universe.

Please Support Waking Cosmos on Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos

Toby’s Sites:
Main Website~ https://tobyord.com
The Precipice~ https://theprecipice.com
Toby's Twitter~ https://twitter.com/tobyordoxford

Toby's book, The Precipice is now available in hardback and audiobook.
The paperback edition will be released in the UK on February 18, and March 23 in the US.

In today’s episode of Waking Cosmos I’m joined by the philosopher and consciousness researcher Andrés Gómez Emilsson. He is the director of research at the Qualia Research Institute, and the cofounder and president of the Stanford Transhumanist Association. We discuss Andrés’ views about consciousness, and how it could be a deep and fundamental part of the universe (panpsychism). We explore how shifting our perception of identity to consciousness may profoundly transform our civilization, and prepare us for an unimaginable future in the universe. We talk about the psychedelic renaissance and how it is opening us up to radical new perspectives about consciousness and identity, and we also discuss what truths if any, might be glimpsed through psychedelic and altered states. We also explore Andrés’ extraordinary view that subjective states of wellbeing, also known as positive valence, disclose the utility function of the universe itself.

Please consider supporting the continued existence of Waking Cosmos on Patreon here:
https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos
Thank you!

Episode Links~
The Qualia Research Institute:
https://www.qualiaresearchinstitute.org/

Qualia Computing:
https://qualiacomputing.com/

For all of science’s impressive advancements, one problem has stubbornly eluded us: Why do we have consciousness? How does inert unconscious matter give rise to the light of conscious experience? Neuroscientist Donald Hoffman has been pondering this question throughout his career. His thinking has gradually led him to a surprising possibility — that consciousness itself is fundamental to reality. Donald’s theory, however, differs from that of the growing number of other scientists and philosophers now arriving at this conclusion.
The fundamental nature of reality, Donald theorizes, is comprised of an infinite network of interacting conscious agents. Uniquely, Donald offers a precise mathematical definition of a conscious agent. He believes the theory may be used to reconstruct the universe and existing scientific discoveries purely through the interaction of these units of consciousness. As Donald has gradually become “a student of the math” his theory has led him to consider fantastic possibilities, including the existence of infinitely great minds which exist beyond our realm of perception. Among other possibilities, Donald believes “conscious realism” leaves the door open to life after death.
In my conversation with Donald we explore the surprising implications of his theory, and what it suggests about our own place in reality.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting Waking Cosmos on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos

Pick up Donald Hoffman’s book “The Case Against Reality” (also on Audible) here: https://amzn.to/2T31Kes