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  • 6: Are Our Choices Predetermined? Insights from Robert Sapolsky

    6: Are Our Choices Predetermined? Insights from Robert Sapolsky
    2024/10/11
    In this episode of "WHAT IS THIS," we explore a captivating conversation with Robert Sapolsky, a renowned neuroscientist, primatologist, and author. Robert Morris Sapolsky is an American academic who serves as the John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor at Stanford University, where he teaches biology, neurology, and neurosurgery.

    Drawing from his insightful lecture, "Determined: Life Without Free Will," published by Stanford Alumni on YouTube, we delve into the intriguing idea that our choices might not be as free as we think. Sapolsky discusses how our genetics, upbringing, culture, and even tiny changes in our bodies influence who we are and the decisions we make every day.

    We explore what this means for concepts like personal responsibility, morality, and justice. Could understanding the science behind our behavior help us become more compassionate and create a kinder society?

    Whether you're curious about how the brain works or simply enjoy deep conversations about what it means to be human, this episode invites you to ponder the mysteries of consciousness and existence.

    Join us as we unpack these thought-provoking ideas inspired by Robert Sapolsky's engaging lecture.
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    17 分
  • 5: The Human Quest for Meaning: Reza Aslan's Insights on Consciousness

    5: The Human Quest for Meaning: Reza Aslan's Insights on Consciousness
    2024/10/11
    In this episode of "WHAT IS THIS," we delve into the profound questions of existence, consciousness, and the human conception of the divine through an enlightening interview with Reza Aslan, renowned religious scholar and author of God: A Human History, recorded at the Commonwealth Club.

    Reza shares his personal spiritual journey through various faith traditions and explores how humanity has shaped its understanding of God by attributing human qualities to the divine. We discuss the difference between religion and faith, the origins of religious belief, and how language and culture influence our perceptions of the sacred.

    Together, we examine the role of rituals, the significance of sacred spaces, and how religion intersects with identity and politics in the modern world. Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, or simply curious about the nature of consciousness and existence, this episode invites you to ponder the enigma of what it means to be alive.

    Join us as we unravel the tapestry of faith, spirituality, and the human quest for meaning in a universe full of mysteries.
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    13 分
  • 4: Unveiling the 'God Particle'

    4: Unveiling the 'God Particle'
    2024/10/11
    In this episode of "WHAT IS THIS," we delve into the fascinating story of the Higgs boson, famously known as the "God Particle." Based on an insightful article by science journalist Robert Lea, we explore how this tiny particle plays a massive role in our understanding of the universe.

    We honor the life of British physicist Peter Higgs, who recently passed away at the age of 94. Peter Higgs was the brilliant mind who first proposed the existence of the Higgs boson. His work has helped scientists understand why particles have mass—an essential feature that allows stars, planets, and even life itself to exist.

    This episode draws on the an article titled “Higgs boson: The 'God Particle' explained” authored by Robert Lea on Space.com and last updated April 10, 2024. Robert Lea, a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science.
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    14 分
  • 3: Why God Won't Go Away: The Neuroscience of Belief

    3: Why God Won't Go Away: The Neuroscience of Belief
    2024/10/10
    This episode examines the intricate connection between the brain and belief, exploring how our brains shape our understanding of spirituality and religion.

    The episode considers whether God exists solely within our brains and the possibility of a "God module." It also analyzes the role of the temporal lobes in religious experiences and the relationship between such experiences and brain disorders. Finally, the episode discusses whether humans are "hard-wired" for God and how the brain's functions of self-maintenance and self-transcendence may explain the enduring nature of belief.

    This episode draws on the work of Andrew Newberg, Professor and Director of Research Marcus Institute of Integrative Health | Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital
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    12 分
  • 2: Zombies, Red Roses, and the Mystery of Consciousness

    2: Zombies, Red Roses, and the Mystery of Consciousness
    2024/10/10
    This episode of WHAT IS THIS? explores the nature of consciousness and the "hard problem" – the challenge of understanding how our subjective experiences arise from physical processes in the brain.

    The episode examines the idea that the difficulty of understanding consciousness may stem not from its inherent nature but from psychological biases that shape our intuitions. Drawing upon the work of Iris Berent, as presented in the source "Consciousness isn’t “hard”—it’s human psychology that makes it so!", this episode specifically examines the concept of intuitive dualism – the implicit belief that the mind and body are separate entities.

    This episode draws on the article, "Consciousness isn’t “hard”—it’s human psychology that makes it so!" by Iris Berent and published in 2024 in Neuroscience of Consciousness. Iris Berent, is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Northeastern University.
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    10 分
  • 1: Is God an AI? The Biblical Case for a Simulated Universe

    1: Is God an AI? The Biblical Case for a Simulated Universe
    2024/10/09
    Buckle up for the premiere episode of "WHAT IS THIS," the podcast that tackles life's biggest questions with a blend of curiosity and humor. In this episode, we're diving into the mind-blowing theory that our universe is actually a sophisticated computer simulation, and we're exploring the surprising connection between this idea and the Bible.

    Our guide on this journey is physicist Melvin Vopson, who suggests we might find clues to our simulated existence within the very words of the Gospel of John.

    This episode draws on the work of physicist Melvin Vopson, as reported in an article by Jonathan Chadwick for Mailonline, published on September 30th, 2024.
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    11 分