Episode
#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
3:17:01
Published: Sun Sep 04 2022
Description
John Vervaeke is a psychologist and cognitive scientist at University of Toronto. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Mizzen+Main: https://mizzenandmain.com and use code LEX to get $35 off - InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/lex to get 20% off - Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex to get special savings - Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lex to get 1 month of fish oil - Onnit: https://lexfridman.com/onnit to get up to 10% off EPISODE LINKS: John's YouTube: https://youtube.com/johnvervaeke John's Twitter: https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john John's Facebook: https://facebook.com/VervaekeJohn John's Website: https://johnvervaeke.com Books mentioned: Flow: https://amzn.to/3cQDby9 On Bullshit: https://amzn.to/3PZDvYW The Denial of Death: https://amzn.to/3KsIctp PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (07:03) - Meaning (27:17) - Consciousness (36:17) - Relevance realization (47:40) - Wisdom (54:54) - Truth (59:38) - Reality (1:11:59) - Meaning crisis (1:35:27) - Religion (1:43:17) - Nontheism (1:58:26) - Distributed cognition (2:16:37) - Flow (2:36:35) - Psychedelics (2:45:03) - Marxism and Nazism (2:57:08) - Evil (3:01:19) - Powerful ideas (3:08:10) - Advice for young people
Chapters
The podcast host talks about his personal connection with the Onnit company and promotes their supplement Alpha Brain, as well as a new service that uses machine learning algorithms to provide health suggestions based on blood, DNA, and fitness data.
00:00 - 07:21 (07:21)
Summary
The podcast host talks about his personal connection with the Onnit company and promotes their supplement Alpha Brain, as well as a new service that uses machine learning algorithms to provide health suggestions based on blood, DNA, and fitness data. The host also promotes Athletic Greens' all-in-one daily drink for better health and mentions his own experience with long-distance running.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this episode, the speaker discusses the problems with attributing consciousness to distributed cognition and the difficulties of understanding the nature of consciousness.
07:21 - 39:52 (32:30)
Summary
In this episode, the speaker discusses the problems with attributing consciousness to distributed cognition and the difficulties of understanding the nature of consciousness. He also explores the meaning crisis and the historical and existential factors that contribute to it.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this episode, host John Vervaeke explores the concept of truth and how our brains process it through relevance realization and working memory, touching on the difference between lying and bullshitting ourselves.
39:52 - 58:56 (19:03)
Summary
In this episode, host John Vervaeke explores the concept of truth and how our brains process it through relevance realization and working memory, touching on the difference between lying and bullshitting ourselves.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The tension between illusion and reality is discussed, with arguments being made for the flawed concept of everything being an illusion, including using evolution as an example.
58:56 - 1:13:59 (15:03)
Summary
The tension between illusion and reality is discussed, with arguments being made for the flawed concept of everything being an illusion, including using evolution as an example. Ultimately, the possibility of partial knowledge is considered as real knowledge.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker argues that the relationship between humans and the universe is similar to the relationship between a person and a glass of water, and that the question of the meaning of life misrepresents the nature of meaning.
1:13:59 - 1:18:41 (04:41)
Summary
The speaker argues that the relationship between humans and the universe is similar to the relationship between a person and a glass of water, and that the question of the meaning of life misrepresents the nature of meaning.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This episode dives into the philosophical question of the meaning of life and the importance of connecting with reality.
1:18:41 - 1:24:09 (05:27)
Summary
This episode dives into the philosophical question of the meaning of life and the importance of connecting with reality. It also explores practices that can help enhance one's sense of meaning and connection.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The concept of adverbial qualia in consciousness is different from adjectival qualia and involves the sense of knowing or being in the game, often experienced in activities like playing Tetris.
1:24:09 - 1:30:45 (06:36)
Summary
The concept of adverbial qualia in consciousness is different from adjectival qualia and involves the sense of knowing or being in the game, often experienced in activities like playing Tetris. It is related to semantic memory and involves tests of coherence, correspondence, and conviction.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The brain creates identities for both the self and the external world to establish meaning-making and interconnectedness.
1:30:45 - 1:36:40 (05:55)
Summary
The brain creates identities for both the self and the external world to establish meaning-making and interconnectedness. Different hemispheres have varying agent arena relationships, impacting knowing and memory formation.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker proposes that a combination of cognitive science and adaptation from religion and philosophy, specifically Stoicism, can potentially fill the void left by the diminishing role of religion in society.
1:36:41 - 1:41:00 (04:19)
Summary
The speaker proposes that a combination of cognitive science and adaptation from religion and philosophy, specifically Stoicism, can potentially fill the void left by the diminishing role of religion in society.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The non theist position rejects the shared presuppositions of both theism and atheism, which suggest a sacredness to be understood in the context of a personal supreme being and the right belief.
1:41:00 - 1:48:23 (07:22)
Summary
The non theist position rejects the shared presuppositions of both theism and atheism, which suggest a sacredness to be understood in the context of a personal supreme being and the right belief. Interest in this position has been growing in the athletic, grappling, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu communities.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This transcript is a discussion about non-theism and classical theism, and how they differ from modern theism, with a focus on Neoplatonism, a non-theistic philosophical spirituality that is a big part of Eastern Orthodoxy.
1:48:23 - 1:56:16 (07:53)
Summary
This transcript is a discussion about non-theism and classical theism, and how they differ from modern theism, with a focus on Neoplatonism, a non-theistic philosophical spirituality that is a big part of Eastern Orthodoxy.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses how religion not only provides patterns of relevance realization but also contains myths about religio itself, which sometimes need some counterbalance.
1:56:16 - 2:00:41 (04:24)
Summary
The podcast discusses how religion not only provides patterns of relevance realization but also contains myths about religio itself, which sometimes need some counterbalance. The conversation focuses on the myths of hubris and their relation with the heroic myth in Greek culture.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses the importance of collective intelligence and the role it plays in the creation of mythology and rituals, which can help us tap into a deeper relationship with ourselves and the world.
2:00:41 - 2:07:07 (06:26)
Summary
The speaker discusses the importance of collective intelligence and the role it plays in the creation of mythology and rituals, which can help us tap into a deeper relationship with ourselves and the world.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In order to train your mind to focus and stay present, it's important to step back and observe your distractions, return to the breath, and practice both contemplative and moving mindfulness techniques with a positive attitude.
2:07:07 - 2:13:32 (06:25)
Summary
In order to train your mind to focus and stay present, it's important to step back and observe your distractions, return to the breath, and practice both contemplative and moving mindfulness techniques with a positive attitude. By practicing these techniques regularly, you can achieve a more sustained state of flow and focus.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this episode, the host discusses contemplative practices, flow, and cultivating wisdom with John Vervaeke.
2:13:32 - 2:17:49 (04:17)
Summary
In this episode, the host discusses contemplative practices, flow, and cultivating wisdom with John Vervaeke. They delve into the Western traditions of stoicism and neoplatonism in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The flow state is characterized by a sense of atonement with the environment, and it is distinct from pleasure.
2:17:49 - 2:22:34 (04:45)
Summary
The flow state is characterized by a sense of atonement with the environment, and it is distinct from pleasure. Two important sets of information flow conditions are necessary to be achieved for there to be a state of flow, which are often misrepresented as only one.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The WHO acknowledges that it's possible to get into the flow state in video games to the detriment of your ability to get into the flow state in the real world, costing them flow in the real world.
2:22:34 - 2:28:28 (05:54)
Summary
The WHO acknowledges that it's possible to get into the flow state in video games to the detriment of your ability to get into the flow state in the real world, costing them flow in the real world. Video games create a dynamic non-propositional connectedness that can hijack the flow state.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Video games can alter the way our brains operate and potentially improve our ability to achieve flow in the physical world.
2:28:28 - 2:35:15 (06:47)
Summary
Video games can alter the way our brains operate and potentially improve our ability to achieve flow in the physical world. However, the gap between the real world and virtual world can create difficulty in attaining flow and recognizing artificiality.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Higher states of consciousness can bridge the gap between a mystical experience and a genuine transformative experience by activating areas of the brain that do not usually communicate with each other, leading to a change in one's daily life.
2:35:15 - 2:44:31 (09:16)
Summary
Higher states of consciousness can bridge the gap between a mystical experience and a genuine transformative experience by activating areas of the brain that do not usually communicate with each other, leading to a change in one's daily life.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Marxist ideology offered a promise of a new kind of human being in a new world, bringing hope to people in oppressive systems, with the legitimacy of a scientific understanding of history and economics.
2:44:31 - 2:51:43 (07:11)
Summary
Marxist ideology offered a promise of a new kind of human being in a new world, bringing hope to people in oppressive systems, with the legitimacy of a scientific understanding of history and economics. It respected the value of the worker and regular man in society, claiming that they make a contribution to that society.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast explores the Promethean spirit which motivates us to create and innovate, and the intellectual history of modernity which brought about this spirit, resulting in Marxism's success.
2:51:43 - 3:01:29 (09:45)
Summary
The podcast explores the Promethean spirit which motivates us to create and innovate, and the intellectual history of modernity which brought about this spirit, resulting in Marxism's success. The discussion also delves into the importance of love and the meaning of sin, and how mythological ways of thinking are often used to find new sources of meaning-making during times of deeper meaning scarcity.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast discusses the problems with attempting to understand being in terms of a supreme being and the importance of integrating Jungian and cognitive science theories when discussing the psyche.
3:01:29 - 3:06:24 (04:55)
Summary
This podcast discusses the problems with attempting to understand being in terms of a supreme being and the importance of integrating Jungian and cognitive science theories when discussing the psyche.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast delves into exploring emergent communities, metacurriculum, and self-organizing systems.
3:06:24 - 3:11:51 (05:27)
Summary
This podcast delves into exploring emergent communities, metacurriculum, and self-organizing systems. It touches on how different centers of motivation satisfy different problems and discusses extending the reach of the conscious mind to form a proper dialogical relationship with the self-organizing system of the unconscious mind.
Episode#317 – John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The guest discusses the meaning crisis in human civilization and how it relates to individual struggles, including his own experience of feeling lost after leaving religion.
3:11:52 - 3:16:41 (04:49)
Summary
The guest discusses the meaning crisis in human civilization and how it relates to individual struggles, including his own experience of feeling lost after leaving religion. He notes that reason needs love in order to escape egocentrism.