Curious about how philosopher and mathematician Alfred North Whitehead's revolutionary ideas have shaped our understanding of the universe? Whitehead was an incredible thinker whose work touched on almost every aspect of modern physics, philosophy and spirituality.

Our guest from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) offers a deep dive into process philosophy, where science, spirituality, and philosophy intersect. From redefining religious studies to influencing modern consciousness, physics, and cosmology, discover how Whitehead's journey from mathematics to metaphysics is more relevant today than ever before.

I've long been a bit of a "Whiteheadian" and his work strongly influenced the development of my own philosophical system that I've developed in a number of books and papers over the last decade.

In this episode, we explore, among other things, the fascinating implications of Whitehead's cosmological approach to God and how it resonates across different faiths and even with atheistic viewpoints. We unravel the philosophical complexities of thinkers like David Ray Griffin and John Cobb, Jr., delving into discussions on Kant, Schelling, and the anthropic principle. Through these insights, process philosophy emerges as more than just a bridge—it becomes a transformative perspective that challenges traditional views of identity, existence, and our place in the cosmos.

Join us for a journey that also touches on the history of scientific thought, revealing the dynamic nature of knowledge as a participatory endeavor. From the impact of Bergson and Einstein's debate on the nature of time to the profound question of panpsychism, we explore how Whitehead's ideas inspire new ecological and moral values. As we redefine civilization through the lens of the "creative advance," this episode promises to transform how you relate to the universe and engage with the challenges of today's world.

After surviving a severe e-bike accident and enduring over two dozen surgeries, my brother-in-law, Jason, shares his story about resilience in the face of overwhelming physical and emotional pain.

What if the very treatments meant to heal you instead threaten your life? Jason shares his harrowing experience with misdiagnosed infections, sepsis, and the battle against a flesh-eating bacteria that led to the removal of metal implants. We discuss the precarious balance between managing pain and the risk of addiction, and how his journey was profoundly shaped by the powerful impacts of antibiotics and oxycodone.

Honesty becomes a lifeline for those drowning in addiction, and Jason's path to recovery is no exception. Through our conversation, we emphasize the transformative power of facing hard truths about our selves. Jason opens up about his struggles with self-medication, and the pivotal moment when recognizing that his victim mentality led to self-awareness and growth.

We explore the role of family, professional help, and the courage it takes to move forward from denial to acceptance, illustrating that honesty is not just a personal commitment but a crucial step toward healing and connection.

His journey of sobriety didn't end with rehab; it was a continuous path that Jason navigates day by day.

As he rebuilds his life, the importance of community and connection with loved ones and a higher power becomes evident.

Can electromagnetic fields illuminate the mysteries of consciousness and free will? Join us on The Diamond Mind Podcast as we explore this cutting edge question with Stanford Prof. M. Bruce McIver, a leading expert in neurophysiology.

I sat down with Bruce at the Tucson Science of Consciousness conference this year, meeting for the first time in "real life" at that time. He and I have exchanged emails and Zoom calls for a few years now and he contributed a great paper to the Frontiers in Human neuroscience special issue on EM field theories of consciousness that I edited from 2020 to 2023.

We discuss the role EM fields play in brain function, potentially holding the key to our fastest cognitive processing and decision-making. Our guest also shares his career-long insights into the synaptic actions of anesthetics, particularly their effects on pyramidal cells in crucial brain regions like the hippocampus and neocortex.

Venture with us into the realm where the brain's electromagnetic field might be more than just a byproduct of neural activity, but a central player in cognitive processing. We dig into the historical and contemporary experiments that explore this intriguing possibility, considering how these fields might influence everything from athletic performance to the essence of free will.

Our conversation navigates through the brain's conductive environment, touching on cutting-edge technologies like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) that hold potential for future breakthroughs in understanding consciousness and in neurotherapy as well as peak performance.

We also consider the impact of various substances, such as ketamine and nitrous oxide, on brain activity, revealing new insights that challenge old perceptions. Discover how these substances alter neural attractors and what that means for current and future research.

With a mix of scientific rigor and engaging storytelling, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how electromagnetic fields, myelination, and the dynamic complexity of the brain contribute to the ongoing exploration of consciousness.

Bruce offers a blend of intellect and intrigue that promises to expand your mind.

Laura Deutsch and I met at the free-wheeling and thought-provoking Tucson Science of Consciousness conference this past April. It's held at the gorgeous Loews Ventana Resort, in the heart of saguaro country, with canyons, puffy clouds, prickly cactus, and road runners all around.

There are also really great talks and discussions and after Laura and I realized we had a shared love of noodling the nature of time (and reality more generally, of course), we decided to try a podcast interview. We really enjoyed it and we hope you like it too.

LD (Laura) Deutsch is a writer based in Los Angeles. Her work focuses on time, consciousness, technology, mythology, and the natures and narratives of reality. Her writing has been published by Sacred Bones Books, Anthology Books, Nautilus Magazine, Cixous72, Mundus Press and more.

She has presented lectures at Pioneer Works, The Philosophical Research Society, The Knockdown Center, TV Eye, Zebulon Café, Arts 2220, Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival and The Sonic Art Research Unit at Oxford Brookes University.

She received her MA in Religious Studies from UC Santa Barbara where she focused on the nature of time and non-ordinary experiences. Her forthcoming collection of essays Time, Myth and Matter will be published by Sacred Bones Books in Spring 2025.

Her website is: https://lddeutsch.com/

Christof Koch is one of the world's top neuroscientists and electrophysiologists. In recent years he's let his hair grow out a little (metaphorically) and begun an extended conversation about the nature of consciousness, meaning, the mind/body problem, psychedelic adventures, how to measure consciousness, how to cure comas, and many more very interesting topics.

Join us as we talk about his new book, Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It, and his personal arc toward being more willing to talk about previously-taboo topics like the "c word" of consciousness, his own psychedelic experiences, etc.

This is my fourth interview with Christof in the last dozen years and I've greatly enjoyed these conversations that in many ways parallel the state of the field in consciousness and cognitive science.

We spoke to entrepreneur and author, Christine Mason, at the Science of Consciousness conference in Tucson, Arizona, in April of 2024. We touched on her very interesting and unusual background, growing up as an American in Germany (multilingual), the murder of her mother, connecting to her personal dharma, her sustainability projects in Hawaii, her writing (many many books), her habit of starting successful companies -- and why she does all of it, on top of being a mother to four.

Christine Mason is a six-time business founder and CEO, with a deep interest in women's wellness and the liberation of all people. She's a futurist, a yogi, tantrika, mother of four, and a grandmother! She's the author of Reverence (2021), The Nine Gifts (2020), The Invitation (2018) and Body Love, as well as 5 other books, and the co-founder a meditation center and medicinal farm on Hawaii (Sundari Farms). She's appeared on radio, tv, print and podcasts (from NPR to Vogue to TEDx), speaking to entrepreneurship, freeing the mind and body, activism and sexual and intimate wellness. French, German. MBA, Phi Beta Kappa Northwestern University. She recently earned her PhD in Philosophy and Consciousness at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She splits her time between the farm in Hawaii (with plenty of feral humans, chickens, cats and goats!) and Mill Valley, California.