63 episodes

Do Explain is a conversational podcast centered around questions of individual and collective human progress. Originally inspired by the visionary worldview of David Deutsch, the podcast has expanded into a lighthearted exploration of growth and progress in all its forms. Common discussion topics include the nature of mind, meaning, and knowledge; technologies of personal transformation; and the future of human flourishing. Hosted by the irrevocably curious d******d, Christofer Lövgren.

Do Explain with Christofer Lövgren Christofer Lövgren

    • Science
    • 5.0 • 23 Ratings

Do Explain is a conversational podcast centered around questions of individual and collective human progress. Originally inspired by the visionary worldview of David Deutsch, the podcast has expanded into a lighthearted exploration of growth and progress in all its forms. Common discussion topics include the nature of mind, meaning, and knowledge; technologies of personal transformation; and the future of human flourishing. Hosted by the irrevocably curious d******d, Christofer Lövgren.

    #56 - Relationship in Dzogchen, with Charlie Awbery

    #56 - Relationship in Dzogchen, with Charlie Awbery

    Christofer and meditation coach Charlie Awbery speak about their article 'Relating as beneficent space' in this episode of Do Explain. They discuss fixed patterns in interaction, psychological vs. Vajrayana perspective, Rigpa, accurate response, extraception, basic okayness, and other related topics.

    Charlie Awbery is a British born Vajrayana meditation coach, living in the US. They have a ton of experience in traditional Vajrayana - decades of practice, retreats, and application in ordinary life - that they bring to their coaching and teaching for contemporary practitioners uninterested in the cultural baggage associated with traditional contexts. They work with nerdy high-achievers, tech and finance industry professionals dedicated to understanding their minds, people who want to lead their best, most productive and beneficial lives.

    They co-founded Evolving Ground, a community for contemporary Vajrayana practitioners, where they lead group practices, discussions, gatherings, and retreats.

    'Relating as beneficent space'-article: https://vividness.live/relating-as-space
    Charlie's relationship-course page: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vajrayananow/1020122#
    Evolving ground website: https://evolvingground.org
    Vayrajana Now newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/t/8959B51E58109207

    Support the podcast at:
    https://www.patreon.com/doexplain (monthly)
    https://ko-fi.com/doexplain (one-time)

    Find Christofer on Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/ReachChristofer

    • 1 hr 37 min
    #55 - Pointing Out Instructions in Dzogchen, with Charlie Awbery

    #55 - Pointing Out Instructions in Dzogchen, with Charlie Awbery

    Christofer and meditation coach Charlie Awbery speak about Dzogchen in this episode of Do Explain. They discuss different types of non-duality, spontaneity, spacious presence, Rigpa, emptiness and form, pointing out instructions, Evolving Ground, and other related topics.
    Charlie Awbery is a British born Vajrayana meditation coach, living in the US. They have a ton of experience in traditional Vajrayana - decades of practice, retreats, and application in ordinary life - that they bring to their coaching and teaching for contemporary practitioners uninterested in the cultural baggage associated with traditional contexts. They work with nerdy high-achievers, tech and finance industry professionals dedicated to understanding their minds, people who want to lead their best, most productive and beneficial lives.

    They co-founded Evolving Ground, a community for contemporary Vajrayana practitioners, where they lead group practices, discussions, gatherings, and retreats.

    Charlie's course page: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vajrayananow
    August retreat page: https://www.evolvingground.org/drala
    Vayrajana Now newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/t/8959B51E58109207

    Support the podcast at:
    https://www.patreon.com/doexplain (monthly)
    https://ko-fi.com/doexplain (one-time)

    Find Christofer on Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/ReachChristofer

    • 1 hr 10 min
    #54 - Critical Rationalism 2.0, with Lucas Smalldon

    #54 - Critical Rationalism 2.0, with Lucas Smalldon

    Christofer and science writer Lucas Smalldon speak about epistemology in this episode of Do Explain. They discuss how Lucas found Critical Rationalism, his evolved version as different from David Deutsch's, knowledge as adapted information, universal epistemology vs. 'knowing different things are different', Seinfeld and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the importance of feeling ones feelings, and other related topics.

    Lucas Smalldon is a student of critical rationalism. His blog, barelymorethanatweet.com, contains short posts on various issues from a critical rationalist perspective.

    Support the podcast at:
    https://www.patreon.com/doexplain (monthly)
    https://ko-fi.com/doexplain (one-time)

    Find Christofer on Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/ReachChristofer

    • 1 hr 36 min
    #53 - [The Chapman Series, Pt.6] Hot Tub Time Machine

    #53 - [The Chapman Series, Pt.6] Hot Tub Time Machine

    This is part 6 of a series where Christofer investigates the ideas of David Chapman with his friend Jake Orthwein. The material covered is mainly from Chapman's two books: 'Meaningness' (meaningness.com) and 'In the Cells of the Eggplant' (metarationality.com).

    In the sixth episode Lulie Tanett joins the conversation again to dive deeper into meta-rationality. They talk about truth and correspondence, evolution, brains in vats, abstract propositions fairy land, the frame problem in AI, what making progress means, 'knowing that' as different from 'knowing how', and how Chris is always trying to secretly organize an MDMA sex party in the forest with everyone.

    Jake Orthwein is a writer and filmmaker based in Santa Monica, CA. He studied film and cognitive science at the University of Southern California and currently works as Director of Media for the Psychology of Technology Institute, an academic non-profit focused on improving research on the human-technology relationship. He is also a long term meditator.

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/JakeOrthwein
    Website: https://frameproblems.com/

    Lulie Tanett is a writer from Oxford, England, specialising in applied critical rationalism. She is currently in teacher training for the Alexander Technique – an embodied mindfulness technique about how to get out of your own way.
    You can find her on Twitter (https://www.twitter.com/reasonisfun and https://www.twitter.com/metaLulie), where she writes about philosophy, the psychology of how to get unstuck and flourish, non-coercion and fun.
    Website: https://www.lulie.co.uk/

    Support the podcast at:
    https://www.patreon.com/doexplain (monthly)
    https://ko-fi.com/doexplain (one-time)

    Find Christofer on Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/ReachChristofer

    • 1 hr 49 min
    #52 - [The Chapman Series, Pt.5] POPPER WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME

    #52 - [The Chapman Series, Pt.5] POPPER WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME

    This is part 5 of a series where Christofer investigates the ideas of David Chapman with his friend Jake Orthwein. The material covered is mainly from Chapman's two books: 'Meaningness' (meaningness.com) and 'In the Cells of the Eggplant' (metarationality.com).

    In the fifth episode Lulie Tanett joins the conversation to compare her current (critical) rationalist position with the meta-rational one. They talk about the historical lineage that CR grew out of, why Descarted f****d up philosophy for everyone, the correspondence theory of truth, pragmatism, objective vs. subjective meaning, representation as affordances vs. mirroring the world, how genes aren't theories, information, intentionality, and why a universal epistemology might not be a coherent idea.

    Jake Orthwein is a writer and filmmaker based in Santa Monica, CA. He studied film and cognitive science at the University of Southern California and currently works as Director of Media for the Psychology of Technology Institute, an academic non-profit focused on improving research on the human-technology relationship. He is also a long term meditator.

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/JakeOrthwein
    Website: https://frameproblems.com/

    Lulie Tanett is a writer from Oxford, England, specialising in applied critical rationalism. She is currently in teacher training for the Alexander Technique – an embodied mindfulness technique about how to get out of your own way.
    You can find her on Twitter (https://www.twitter.com/reasonisfun and https://www.twitter.com/metaLulie), where she writes about philosophy, the psychology of how to get unstuck and flourish, non-coercion and fun.
    Website: https://www.lulie.co.uk/

    Support the podcast at:
    https://www.patreon.com/doexplain (monthly)
    https://ko-fi.com/doexplain (one-time)

    Find Christofer on Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/ReachChristofer

    • 2 hr 26 min
    #51 - Everything Everywhere All at Once, with Jonny Miller

    #51 - Everything Everywhere All at Once, with Jonny Miller

    Christofer and nervous system specialist Jonny Miller speak about the path to authenticity in this episode of Do Explain. They discuss a recent Sacred Sons-retreat, the role of emotions in decision making, being vulnerable, circling, working with inner 'darkness', effective altruism, ethics, how emotional fluidity is a superpower, meaning, Christopher Bache's LSD-insights, reason, whether healing requires other people, and other related topics.

    Jonny Miller is an emotional resilience researcher, host of the Curious Humans podcast and founder of Nervous System Mastery — a cohort based course for cultivating calm and agency over your internal state.

    Nervous System Mastery: nsmastery.com
    Curious Humans Podcast: curioushumans.com
    Twitter: twitter.com/jonnym1ller

    Support the podcast at:
    https://www.patreon.com/doexplain (monthly)
    https://ko-fi.com/doexplain (one-time)

    Find Christofer on Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/ReachChristofer

    • 2 hr 2 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
23 Ratings

23 Ratings

tchrav ,

Delightful, Constructive and Optimistic

Refreshingly optimistic ... Chris and his colorful array of guests undertake stimulating explorations of complex and important topics with a sense of humor, sincerity, fallibility and optimism ... my favorite podcast !

@reason_wit_me ,

Fascinating and Funny: Five Stars

Do Explain is a great podcast that presents insightful and interesting conversations centered on themes of knowledge and progress. Despite the headiness of some of the philosophical topics that Christofer and his guests discuss, the podcast manages to stay light with lots of jokes and charming personalities.

cgbessellieu ,

Optimistic, Hilarious & Inspiring!

Awesome podcast on epistemology and rational optimism, with a good sense of humor to boot! 😆

Top Podcasts In Science

Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Something You Should Know
Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media | Cumulus Podcast Network
Crash Course Pods: The Universe
Crash Course Pods, Complexly
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
Sean Carroll | Wondery
Radiolab
WNYC Studios
Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward