#657: Professor John Vervaeke — How to Build a Life of Wisdom, Flow, and Contemplation

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John Vervaeke (@vervaeke_john) is a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. He currently teaches courses on thinking and reasoning with an emphasis on cognitive development, intelligence, rationality, mindfulness, and the psychology of wisdom.

Vervaeke is the director of UToronto’s Consciousness and Wisdom Studies Laboratory and its Cognitive Science program, where he teaches Introduction to Cognitive Science and The Cognitive Science of Consciousness, emphasizing the 4E model, which contends that cognition and consciousness are embodied, embedded, enacted, and extended beyond the brain.

Vervaeke has taught courses on Buddhism and Cognitive Science in the Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health program for 15 years. He is the author and presenter of the YouTube series “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis” and his brand new series, ‘After Socrates.’

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[05:31] The four ways of knowing (4P).

[10:15] Affordances.

[13:04] Semantic memory.

[13:37] Flow.

[27:03] Did John find Tai Chi, or did Tai Chi find him?

[29:46] Leaving Christianity.

[34:42] Wisdom vs. knowledge.

[36:54] Self-deception.

[41:53] When is logic the illogical choice for solving a problem?

[46:05] The powers and perils of intuition.

[55:05] Spotting patterns that need breaking.

[59:18] Meditation vs. contemplation.

[1:05:30] Misunderstanding love.

[1:06:36] Circling.

[1:12:28] “God is related to the world the way the mind is related to the body.”

[1:14:34] A non-theist in the no-thingness.

[1:24:03] Responsive poiesis and Sufism.

[1:27:31] Neoplatonism.

[1:29:16] Seminal moments.

[1:31:36] Pierre Hadot.

[1:32:43] Two books.

[1:34:38] Potent poetry.

[1:37:40] The four Es.

[1:42:38] Two bonus Es.

[1:45:24] Heretical beliefs.

[1:54:12] Panpsychism.

[2:00:56] Most unusual modes of cognition.

[2:02:37] Jordan Peterson.

[2:10:27] Opponent processing.

[2:13:53] How to support friends endeavoring to lead meaningful lives.

[2:17:50] After Socrates.

[2:21:44] Western words.

[2:25:11] John’s changing perspective of experienced reality.

[2:28:01] Something old, something new.

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