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Iain McGilchrist and John Vervaeke: God, Meaning, and Consciousness
Episode 110

Iain McGilchrist and John Vervaeke: God, Meaning, and Consciousness

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzT4tcC-aag This episode has been released early in an ad-free audio version for TOE members at http://theoriesofeverything.org. Sponsors: -Brilliant: https://brilliant.org/TOE for 20% off -Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/theories It’s risk- free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! -Get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code [EVERYTHING20] at Manscaped.com. That’s 20% off with free shipping at manscaped.com and use code [EVERYTHING20]. -Sign up through wren.co/theories to make a difference in the climate crisis, and Wren will plant 10 extra trees in your name! -Trade Coffee is offering our listeners a total of $30 off your first order plus free shipping at drinktrade.com/everything. -Sign up today at butcherbox.com/THEORIES to get two, 10 oz New York strip steaks and 8 oz of lobster claw and knuckle meat FREE in your first order. *New* TOE Website (early access to episodes): https://theoriesofeverything.org/ Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything LINKS MENTIONED: - Matthew's Adopt Responsibility podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwP_qFSXmDs-79VMFmcQQw - Garrett's This Could Be Interesting podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThisCouldBeInteresting - Physics Contest: https://youtu.be/V93GQaDtv8w - John Vervaeke: https://youtu.be/3p8o3-7mvQc - John and Bernardo: https://youtu.be/UWcTmeAs44I - John and Joscha Bach: https://youtu.be/rK7ux_JhHM4 - Iain McGilchrist on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SgOwc6Pe4 - Iain's book (Master and His Emissary): https://amzn.to/3r7L064 - Iain's book (The Matter With Things): https://amzn.to/3LELdak TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:44 Iain on the "meaning crisis" 00:09:29 John on the "meaning crisis" 00:15:10 Technology amplifies our lack of wisdom 00:18:26 Rationality and Belief (Iain vs. John) 00:28:35 Imaginary vs. Imaginal 00:37:03 Non-theism vs. Religion (against meditation as spiritual redress) 00:53:38 Not doing vs. Un-doing vs. Being passive vs. Un-Knowing 01:09:22 The way God sees us vs. The way we see God 01:22:06 Sam Harris, Closing yourself off to the Divine, and Terror 01:29:20 The importance of Sangha (community), and how can John's neoplatonism work? 01:40:43 Faith, Whitehead, and Reciprocal Opening 01:47:56 Against "being present" 01:54:58 Marrying a religion 02:04:24 Should we certainly give up on certainty? 02:06:06 On not speaking and the un-making of TOE 02:08:14 John and Iain summate

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal · Theories of Everything

September 26, 20222h 16m

Show Notes

Iain McGilchrist and John Vervaeke explore the meaning crisis, the limits of technology‑driven rationality, and the deep questions of God, consciousness and being, contrasting non‑theistic and religious perspectives while debating how community and practice shape our understanding.

- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:05:44 - Iain on the "meaning crisis"
- 00:09:29 - John on the "meaning crisis"
- 00:15:10 - Technology amplifies our lack of wisdom
- 00:18:26 - Rationality and Belief (Iain vs. John)
- 00:28:35 - Imaginary vs. Imaginal
- 00:37:03 - Non-theism vs. Religion (against meditation as spiritual redress)
- 00:53:38 - Not doing vs. Un-doing vs. Being passive vs. Un-Knowing
- 01:09:22 - The way God sees us vs. The way we see God
- 01:22:06 - Sam Harris, Closing yourself off to the Divine, and Terror
- 01:29:20 - The importance of Sangha (community), and how can John's neoplatonism work?
- 01:40:43 - Faith, Whitehead, and Reciprocal Opening
- 01:47:56 - Against "being present"
- 01:54:58 - Marrying a religion
- 02:04:24 - Should we certainly give up on certainty?
- 02:06:06 - On not speaking and the un‑making of TOE
- 02:08:14 - John and Iain summate

SPONSORS:

- Brilliant: 20% off at https://brilliant.org/TOE
- NordVPN: exclusive deal at https://nordvpn.com/theories (risk‑free 30‑day guarantee)
- Manscaped: 20% off and free shipping with code [EVERYTHING20] at manscaped.com (use code [EVERYTHING20])
- Wren: sign up at https://wren.co/theories to plant 10 extra trees
- Trade Coffee: $30 off first order plus free shipping at https://drinktrade.com/everything
- ButcherBox: two steaks and lobster claw free at https://butcherbox.com/THEORIES

RESOURCES:

- YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzT4tcC-aag
- http://theoriesofeverything.org
- New TOE Website (early access to episodes): https://theoriesofeverything.org/
- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE
- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs
- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything
- Matthew's Adopt Responsibility podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwP_qFSXmDs-79VMFmcQQw
- Garrett's This Could Be Interesting podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThisCouldBeInteresting
- Physics Contest: https://youtu.be/V93GQaDtv8w
- John Vervaeke: https://youtu.be/3p8o3-7mvQc
- John and Bernardo: https://youtu.be/UWcTmeAs44I
- John and Joscha Bach: https://youtu.be/rK7ux_JhHM4
- Iain McGilchrist on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SgOwc6Pe4
- Iain's book (Master and His Emissary): https://amzn.to/3r7L064
- Iain's book (The Matter With Things): https://amzn.to/3LELdak

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science.

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