E3. Bernado Kastrup – Consciousness and Reality

My guest today is Dr. Bernardo Kastrup, a philosopher of consciousness with a background in computer engineering.

Bernardo has written 7 books, numerous academic papers and many popular articles, including a slew of the most read articles on Scientific American. Bernardo makes a case for a universe in consciousness claiming that it both explains more and is more parsimonious (which means its simpler, a quality preferred by the scientific method, all else equal). In making these claims, Bernardo draws on neuroscience, quantum physics, psychology and philosophy – which made for a fascinating conversation that was both as deep as possible, yet directly relevant to us as mental health professionals and meaning making humans.

Episode References

To learn more about Bernardo’s work, please visit www.bernardokastrup.com

Bernardo’s books

For a short, easy-to-digest summary of the main points of Bernardo’s philosophy, see his articles on Scientific American

See 1:40-3:50 of this video for another take on the flying speaker metaphor and more on the failings of the emergentist explanation

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Synchronicty and parapsychological phenomena

Study examing the link between brain damage and mystical/spiritual experiences in Vietnam Veterans

Study examining the link between brain damage and feelings of self-trancendence

Near-death experiences

Land-mark study finding that phenomenologically rich psychedelic states are associated with reduced brain activity. Also an exchange between Bernardo and other researchers on the findings and their interpretation (in chronological order); Article, reply, rejoinder, discosure and commentary, further response

Study on Brazilian mediums and the complexity of writings under trance states

Bernardo’s upcoming book, The Idea of the World, is now available for pre-order