Episode #61: The Ladder Goes Both Ways

Does consciousness arise from matter, or does matter arise from consciousness? Or, wait: what about both??? These Fools discuss the often-revisited philosophical idea of “The Great Chain of Being” along with the French philosopher Henri Bergson’s idea of “creative evolution,” and explore the implications of whether consciousness is an epi-phenomenon (a byproduct, as of brain activity,) or central to existence. This, of course, leads them down some rabbit holes.

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See the Fools and Sages show notes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GVCVW1h2_-4JOU22KREzTO0lVDiN3icg?usp=drive_link

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and the Great Chain of Being
02:37 Henri Bergson
07:45 Entropy and Higher Organization
12:58 Consciousness: Epi-phenomenon or Fundamental?
23:00 The Soul vs. Self
28:02 Spinoza's God
39:18 The Implicit and Explicit Orders
41:18 Ethnostates and Antisemitism
52:34 Dialogue
59:35 Philosophy in Conflict Resolution