#91 Meet the Philosopher Questioning Everything Neuroscience Assumes About Consciousness

Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes is a philosopher of mind and leading voice on psychedelics, panpsychism, and the metaphysics of consciousness. He’s a research fellow at the University of Exeter and author of Noumenautics and Modes of Sentience — books exploring whether mind is fundamental to the universe.In this episode, we dive into why your brain might not produce consciousness, how psychedelics could reveal deeper truths about reality, the philosophical roots of mystical experience, and why matter itself might be sentient. Expect to rethink everything you thought was solid...Timestamps:00:00 Understanding Panpsychism02:49 The Nature of Consciousness05:56 Defining Mind and Its Ambiguities09:01 Historical Perspectives on Mind11:49 The Evolution of Consciousness14:57 Philosophical Positions on Consciousness17:41 The Intersection of Consciousness and Biology20:33 The Influence of Historical Context on Consciousness23:53 Exploring the Continuum of Consciousness26:41 The Debate on Consciousness Cutoff Points32:22 Exploring the Nature of Electrons and Consciousness34:26 The Interconnection of Consciousness and Physics36:24 Diverse Perspectives on Panpsychism40:13 Historical Context of Panpsychism and Its Reception43:40 Psychedelics: Insights into Consciousness51:52 The Challenge of Describing Psychedelic Experiences01:00:23 The Debate of Universalism vs Contextualism01:01:43 Psychedelics and Consciousness: Fact vs Fiction01:03:46 Hallucinations: Delusions or Deeper Reality?01:05:13 Mental Causation: The Connection Between Mind and Body01:08:55 The Therapeutic Mechanism of Psychedelics01:12:49 Exploring Panpsychism: Consciousness Beyond the Brain01:16:22 The Future of Consciousness Studies01:25:03 Metaphysical Possibilities in ScienceSponsors:Mind Labs Pro Scientifically Rigorous Supplements: https://www.mindlabpro.com/?a_aid=67fd1cb8d9ad3&a_bid=6d45f5c3Get Professional High Quality Talk Therapy at BetterHelp. 10% off your first month of therapy with this link - https://betterhelp.com/giantsshoulder (Paid Partnership by BetterHelp)❤️ Subscribe to our main channel - https://www.youtube.com/@thegiantsshoulder?sub_confirmation=1💚 Follow on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5m3Gta5MtIYdk59pb2GJ7M?si=Ka2rAQv7TyqiC9wvGwERpA💜 Follow on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-giants-shoulder/id1752486249Download my FREE EBook 26 Neuroscience Books for 2026 HERE: https://thegiantsshoulder.com/