Donald Hoffman discusses his work as a cognitive neuroscientist, exploring how consciousness is fundamental instead of matter, and how evolutionary theory itself indicates that we don't perceive reality objectively, but instead have constructed space and time as an interface into a deeper fundamental reality. He discusses his journey integrating science and spirituality, as well as pushback he's gotten from others within the science community because his work calls into question the fundamental tenets their theories have been built upon. Check the TED talk and Lex Fridman links below for shallow and deep dives into his work.
Links
TED Talk - [ Ссылка ]
Lex Fridman interview - [ Ссылка ]
New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:
[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]
Please rate, share, and get in touch at mormonsmysticsandmuons@gmail.com!
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Appreciation
02:52 Gabe's Background
06:07 Bernardo Kastrup's Work
08:16 Overlap between Quantum Physics and "Woo"
11:11 Local Realism and Whether Spacetime is Fundamental
13:21 Pushback to Quantum Physics and Spirituality
19:22 Donald Hoffman's Religious and Scientific Background
21:32 Hoffman Begins his Studies
25:32 Observer Mechanics and Consciousness
26:50 Evolutionary Theory and Perception
31:00 Perception as a VR Headset Analogy
35:51 0% Chance that we see Objective Reality
40:42 What are Scientific Theories?
45:34 Space-Time is not Fundamental
47:52 Pushback from Cognitive Science
56:18 Space and Time are not Fundamental, and Objects are Illusions
58:57 Knowing the Limits of a Theory Allow Us to Push Beyond
01:01:21 The Infinite Nature of Reality
01:02:53 The Limitations of Language and Scientific Theories
01:05:21 The Dangers of Mistaking Pointers for Truth
01:08:07 Words as Pointers and their Limitations
01:12:21 Deconstructing Language During Faith Transitions
01:15:25 Exploring Identity and Reality Beyond Constructs
01:16:48 Meditation
01:19:18 You Don't Exist Within Space-Time, Space-Time Exists Within You
01:20:40 Nuerons don't Create Consciousness, Consciousness Creates Neurons
01:22:49 Space-Time and Separateness as Data Management Strategies of Consciousness
01:26:44 The Illusion of Time
01:28:41 Conscious Agents
01:33:41 Entropy
01:43:25 The Failure of Reductionist Theories of Consciousness
01:46:26 Distinctions Between Living and Non-living, Conscious and Unconscious are False
01:51:30 Stephen Wolfram's Work
01:54:17 Nesting of Conscious Agents
01:57:06 Current Theories of Consciousness' Failures to Boot up Consciousness
01:59:36 Occam's Razor
02:00:35 Exploration and Unity as Meaning in Life
![](https://s2.save4k.ru/pic/k1myPJHr9vg/maxresdefault.jpg)