#80 Pure Consciousness with analytic philosopher Thomas Metzinger

Send a love messageAI, Suffering, Remedy and Love as the voluntary suspension of habitual responses into awareness: This episode is with philosopher and cognitive scientist Thomas Metzinger, a Professor Emeritus at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and a member of the German National Academy Leopoldina. He has worked mainly in philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and applied ethics, particularly focusing on neurotechnology, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. The conversation explores a wide range of topics including the critical intersection of philosophy, neuroscience, meditation, and artificial intelligence. Metzinger shares his skepticism about separating deep philosophical inquiries from meditation and psychedelics, and the dialogue touches upon the impact of AI on human cognition, the concept of suffering in both humans and machines, and the responsibility of philosophers in an age of epistemic crisis. The discussion underscores the need for a balanced and multifaceted approach to understanding consciousness and suggests that new paradigms may emerge from current technological and philosophical shifts. This episode aims to foster an expansive and hopeful outlook as we move into the new year. The idea of pure consciousness as used in phenomenology via Husserl is to be discussed later.00:00 Introduction to Fundamental Issues and Meditation00:44 Epistemic Crisis and AI Concerns01:15 Buddhism and Suffering02:09 Philosophical Insights on Suffering and Awareness04:47 Welcome to Love and Philosophy05:43 Introducing Thomas Metzinger07:43 Thomas Metzinger's Contributions to Philosophy and AI09:53 Exploring Minimal Phenomenal Experience (MPE)13:49 Narrative and Pure Awareness22:09 Philosophical and Scientific Exploration of Consciousness29:30 Thomas Metzinger's Personal Journey in Philosophy56:11 Criticism and Meditation56:55 Epistemic Authority and Consciousness59:27 Embodiment in AI and Philosophy01:01:52 Challenges in Academia01:05:31 AI, Critical Thinking, and Future Concerns01:15:29 The Nature of Suffering01:22:50 Compassion and Love01:44:12 Closing Thoughts and Reflections01:44:30 A Poetic FarewellThomas Metzingerphenomenology of 'pure' consciousnessLink to Elephant and the Blind full bookNew book BewusstseinkulturMPE discussion mentioned in IntroMPE projectPhilosophy Babble conversationsBeyond NondualThomas Metzinger (*1958 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany) was Full Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz until 2019. He is past president of the German Cognitive Science Society (2005-2007) and of the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (2009-2011). As of 2011, he is an Adjunct Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, a co-founder of the German Effective Altruism Foundation, president of the  Full intro and notes here.Care is not the opposite of love. It is the very urge of life. 'Caring for what?' is the primary question. That we have a choice about what we care for and how is what makes us human, but it's quite the challenge and responsibility. Let's help one another handle it.Support the showBuy Holding Paradox: The Navigational Approach to Mind and Consciousness by Andrea HiottSign up for Making Ways newsletter and projects.Please rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.