#97 - JP Marceau - How Christianity Solves The Meaning Crisis

Jean-Philippe Marceau is a writer and podcaster with an academic background in mathematics, theoretical computer science and philosophy of mind. He is the author of "Post-reductionist Christianity: A Way Out of the Meaning Crisis" published with the Symbolic World Press. He is a regular contributor to the Symbolic World blog and acted as its editor-in-chief for many years since its conception.

Get the Book: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/products/post-reductionist-christianity-a-way-out-of-the-meaning-crisis

In this conversation, Mahon McCann and JP explore the themes of reductive materialism, its critiques, and the implications for understanding consciousness, rationality, and the human condition. They discuss the emergence of higher-level properties in science, the role of classical metaphysics, and how these ideas relate to the meaning crisis in contemporary society. The discussion culminates in the assertion that Christianity, particularly through the lens of the Eucharist, provides a solution to the meaning crisis, offering a path back to community and meaning in a world increasingly dominated by materialism.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Reductive Materialism

04:48 Flaws of Reductive Materialism

10:13 Arguments Against Reductionism

20:35 Emergence in AI and Science

23:11 Philosophical Challenges to Materialism

28:08 Classical Metaphysics vs. Reductive Materialism

39:54 Anthropology and the Human Condition

43:32 Patterns of Existence and Higher Realities

46:13 The Role of Higher Patterns in Overcoming Sin

49:28 Classical Metaphysics and Its Relation to Christianity

52:28 The Limits of Philosophical Arguments for Christianity

56:21 Zombies as a Metaphor for Materialism

01:02:04 The Eucharist: A Solution to the Meaning Crisis

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