#85 Perplexities of consciousness - Eric Schwitzgebel

Professor of Philosophy (Ph.D., U.C. Berkeley, 1997) Areas of interest: philosophy of psychology, philosophy of mind, moral psychology, classical Chinese philosophy, epistemology, metaphilosophy, metaphysics, science fiction

Summary 

Eric Schwitzgebel explores the challenges of attention in the digital age, the cultural influences on morality, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI. The dialogue also delves into simulation theory and the complexity of existence, emphasizing the importance of embracing uncertainty and wonder in our understanding of life. Eric Schwitzgebel and Ryan discuss a range of topics including the Tao of Pooh, skepticism towards paranormal phenomena, the Copernican argument for alien consciousness, the role of death in human creativity, the nature of suffering, ethics in philosophy, and the disconnect between moral beliefs and actions. Eric emphasizes the importance of diverse forms of being and the complexity of human experience, while also recommending influential books and writers that inspire philosophical thought.

 

Chapters

 

00:00 Exploring Consciousness and Philosophy

02:56 The Intersection of AI and Consciousness

05:56 The Role of Attention and Awareness

08:58 Ethics, Morality, and AI

11:59 Cultural Perspectives on Morality

14:57 Transhumanism and Its Implications

18:02 The Nature of Reality and Simulation Theory

21:08 The Complexity of Existence

24:03 Philosophy of Opening vs. Closing

26:58 Embracing Uncertainty and Wonder

38:31 Exploring the Tao of Pooh and Telepathy

39:23 Skepticism Towards Paranormal Phenomena

41:39 The Copernican Argument for Alien Consciousness

44:39 The Role of Death in Human Creativity

46:59 The Nature of Suffering and Meaning

50:25 Ethics and Moral Behavior in Philosophy

54:01 The Disconnect Between Moral Beliefs and Actions

58:39 Aiming for Moral Mediocrity

01:01:34 Influential Philosophers and Writers

01:05:11 Recommended Reads for the Next Generation

01:08:59 The Nature of Meaning in Life

 

 

Music for every episode 

Intro and exit music used: Strange the dreamer by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic

 

Eric 

http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com/

https://faculty.ucr.edu/~eschwitz/

 

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

A bit about Ryan Anderson-  https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bsR23JM4z6p1RPpbv7czC?si=4ba51224cf464e70

 

Keywords

 

consciousness, philosophy, AI, ethics, morality, transhumanism, simulation theory, attention, awareness, cultural perspectives, Tao of Pooh, telepathy, skepticism, consciousness, death, suffering, ethics, moral behavior, philosophy, recommended books