#118 Professor Daniel McShea - Exploring the Nature of Consciousness & Field Theory

Professor Daniel McShea discusses his journey from paleobiology to philosophy, focusing on the nature of consciousness, goal-directedness, and the interplay between biology and philosophy. He introduces his theory of goal-directed systems, emphasizing the role of fields in guiding behavior across various organisms, including humans. The discussion explores the implications of this theory for understanding human desires, decision-making, and the influence of culture and language on cognition. McShea also addresses critiques of his ideas and shares insights on the importance of recognizing the continuity of life and the interconnectedness of all beings. He concludes with reflections on the nature of consciousness and the significance of acknowledging our passions in decision-making.   Professor Daniel McShea’s interest is hierarchy theory, especially the causal relationship between higher-level wholes and their components (Spencer, Simon, Campbell, Salthe, Wimsatt). In biology, for example, we might want to know how large-scale processes within a multicellular organism act to control the smaller-scale processes within its component cells. Or, in the area of his current research, how do the emotions in mammals (and perhaps other animals) act to initiate and control conscious thought and behavior? It seems clear from the philosophical work of Hume (A Treatise of Human Nature) that the preferencing or valuing that motivates or drives conscious thought and behavior, and in particular conscious decision-making, must arise from the emotions. This is true because the only alternative, reason (in the sense of pure rationality), is value-neutral, and utterly incapable of motivating anything. As Hume put it, "Reason is and ought to be the slave of the passions and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.”     Chapters   00:00 Introduction to Consciousness and Evolution 03:19 The Nature of Goal-Directedness 06:02 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Consciousness 08:59 Field Theory and Biological Systems 12:02 Human Intentionality and Decision Making 15:14 The Role of Culture and Language in Shaping Consciousness 18:06 Imagination and Collective Consciousness 32:01 Exploring the Mystical and Scientific Boundaries 34:00 Morphic Resonance: A Critical Examination 36:02 The Nature of Imagination and Creativity 38:02 Understanding Consciousness and Goal-Directedness 40:00 The Continuity of Life and Consciousness 43:54 Resistance and the Forces of Nature 46:07 The Role of Wants in Decision Making 48:59 Unplugging from External Influences 51:57 Advice for Critics and Learners 55:58 Final Thoughts on Change and Growth   Music for episode Renick Turley SedonaFilm | Musician . Cinematographer. Editor  https://www.instagram.com/sedona_film/ https://vimeo.com/renickdp       https://liberalstudies.duke.edu/profile/daniel-w-mcshea/ https://aeon.co/essays/a-new-field-theory-reveals-the-hidden-forces-that-guide-us https://sites.duke.edu/mcshearesearch/ https://philpeople.org/profiles/dan-mcshea     Connect with Ryan Anderson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awonderjunkie/ awonderjunkie.com Breathe4Flow.com Rumble https://rumble.com/user/awonderjunkie Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@awonderjunkie iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-wondejunkie/id1739838765 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1CcQXpxfV9P89IrKmtV2hS?si=6519a88aef444ba0 The content contained herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of Breathe4Flow LLC. This presentation is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be construed as a means to diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. Furthermore, it is not to be interpreted as medical or legal advice, opinion, or recommendation. The information is for entertainment purposes. Incandescent lighting https://strainlesslighting.com/ 10% off use the code “WONDER” at checkout.    consciousness, goal-directedness, hierarchy theory, interdisciplinary, evolution, philosophy, intentionality, field theory, human cognition, decision making, free will, evolutionary psychology, Plato, Morphic resonance, Morphic fields, Field Theory, Entropy,