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Love, Logic, Self-consciousness, and the continuity of mind and life: This episode is with Karen Ng, author of Hegel's Concept of Life, and an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. Andrea and Karen discuss Hegel's concept of life, self-consciousness, and the problem of contradiction, emphasizing how life and love are fundamental to understanding his ideas. The episode moves through Kant's influence on Hegel, internal and external purposiveness, and how these philosophical concepts relate to our modern understanding of the mind, nature, and meaning. Karen shares her journey and insights on making Hegel’s complex ideas accessible and relevant to contemporary issues.

Philosopher Karen Ng
Hegel's Concept of Life

00:00 Hegel's Contradictory Philosophy

00:31 The Concept of Life and Self-Consciousness

02:48 Karen Ng's Insights on Hegel

09:48 Understanding Hegel's Rationalism

17:57 Kant's Influence and the Copernican Turn

25:11 Mechanism vs. Teleology in Philosophy

29:57 Internal vs. External Purposiveness

37:08 Life as Process and Meaning

40:34 Hegel's Radical Thought on Intelligibility and Life

41:44 The Connection Between Life and Meaning

42:25 Hegel's Perspective on Self-Consciousness and Life

44:14 The Role of Logic and Life in Hegel's Philosophy

49:46 Hegel's Critique of Cartesian Dualism

51:31 The Speculative Identity Thesis and Cognition

53:36 Modern Philosophical Challenges and Hegel's Relevance

54:26 Hegel's Influence and Contemporary Philosophers

01:01:28 The Journey of Writing a Book on Hegel

01:09:05 Hegel's Concept of Love and Life

01:14:46 Concluding Thoughts on Hegel's Philosophy

Karen Ng at Vanderbilt University

“True union, or love proper, exists only between living beings who are alike in power and thus in one another’s eyes living beings from every point of view; in no respect is either dead for the other.”

“… love is a sensing of something living …”

These Hegel quotes that Karen mentions are from the fragment on love, published in Early Theological Writings, trans. T.M. Knox, UPenn Press, 1975. The passages are on pages 304 and 305. And the German can be found in volume 1 of the Suhrkamp edition of Hegel’s Werke.

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Happy 2025 ❤️ everyone.
Philosopher Evan Thompson discusses 'The Blind Spot' which delves into the complexities of human perception, science, and the interconnectedness of nature. Together Andrea Hiott and Evan Thompson explore themes such as the impact of idealized scientific models on our understanding of reality, the importance of integrating arts and humanities with STEM disciplines, and the urgency of addressing ecological and meaning crises. The episode also touches on the historical context and influences behind Thompson's work, including his upbringing around pioneering thinkers like Lynn Margulis, Francisco Varela and Gregory Bateson. Evan wrote The Blind Spot with astrophysicist Adam Frank and theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser.

00:00 Understanding the Crisis: Human Impact on the Planet
02:25 Introduction to Love and Philosophy
02:46 Interview with Philosopher Evan Thompson
03:02 Exploring Evan Thompson's Background and Influences
04:36 Discussing 'The Blind Spot' and Its Themes
05:32 The Concept of Crisis and Its Philosophical Roots
06:18 The Parable of Temperature and Scientific Abstraction
21:40 The Bifurcation of Nature and Its Implications
35:19 Philosophical Practices and Cognitive Humility
41:06 Philosophers with a Scientific Background
41:35 The Crisis of Meaning in Science
42:26 Science Triumph and Denial
44:36 Educational Emphasis on STEM
45:36 Technology and Scientific Models
47:02 Atoms, Electrons, and Reality
50:07 Large Language Models and Understanding
56:53 The Evolution of Cognitive Science
01:00:24 The Influence of Heterodox Thinkers
01:14:31 The Importance of Love in Knowledge
01:17:17 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

The Blind Spot
Evan Thompson
Einstein and Bergson

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Karl Friston has ranked as 'the most influential brain scientist in the world' and been called a genius (as in the WIRED magazine piece), though many find his work mysterious. The melody of this unique conversation between Karl and Andrea, however, is the concept of 'flow' and how it relates to making the right choices within a constantly changing world. Andrea and Karl also explore Friston's significant contributions, including active inference and the free energy principle, discussing how these models might provide a first-principles account of sentient behavior. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, from the mathematics and neuroscience behind Friston's theories to practical implications in understanding human behavior and consciousness. It also touches on the theme of interconnectedness, emphasizing the importance of listening, empathy, and holding paradoxes to understand the patterns that connect various scales of life and cognition.

00:00 Introduction to Flow and Existence
02:42 Welcome to Love and Philosophy
02:53 Holiday Episode and One-Year Anniversary
03:59 Introducing Karl Friston and His Work
04:32 Understanding the Free Energy Principle
04:59 The Intersection of Math, Neuroscience, and Everyday Life
12:24 Karl Friston's Journey and Contributions
21:16 The Role of Psychiatry in Karl's Career
24:34 The Disconnection Hypothesis in Schizophrenia
29:53 The Evolution of Brain Imaging
36:17 The Importance of Brain Imaging Software
39:07 Statistical Parametric Mapping Explained
41:27 Functional Segregation and Integration
42:36 Dynamic Causal Modeling and Connectivity
43:00 Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM)
44:18 The Paradigm Shift in Cognitive Neuroscience
49:43 The Free Energy Principle and Active Inference
50:34 Unconscious Inference and Bayesian Belief
58:53 Thermostats vs. Human Cognition
01:06:44 Affordances and the Free Energy Principle
01:20:02 Scale Invariance and the Free Energy Principle
01:22:23 Entropy and Energy in Thermodynamics
01:23:39 Understanding Sensory Entropy
01:25:47 Maximizing Variational Entropy
01:29:25 Fractals and Multiscale Patterns
01:35:02 Hierarchies in the Brain
01:46:40 Generative Models and Perspective
01:52:46 Social Neuroscience and Group Dynamics
01:57:40 The Importance of Listening and Empathy
02:00:46 Reflections and New Year Resolutions

History of the Future
Karl Friston Google Scholar
Active Inference Institute

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A look into the ideas of ecological psychology with legendary Harry Heft. Known for his renowned contributions to environmental and ecological psychology, Heft discusses the concept of affordances, a term coined by JJ Gibson, and its application across various fields. Heft traces the intellectual lineage from William James to Gibson, emphasizing a relational rather than dualistic approach to understanding perception and action. The conversation spans affordances in cultural contexts, the significance of immediate experience, the importance of teaching and the dynamic relationship between humans and their environment.
Video here.
Show notes here.
00:00 Introduction to Relational Thinking
00:45 Affordances and Cultural Domain
01:20 Navigating Without Maps
01:42 Animacy and Historical Context
02:09 Welcome and Guest Introduction
02:54 Exploring Affordances with Harry Heft
07:25 Upcoming Conversations and Reflections
08:46 Harry Heft's Journey into Environmental Psychology
12:38 Understanding Ecological Psychology
21:08 Behaviorism and Perception
37:54 Affordances in Design and Interaction
40:59 The Power of Affordances in AI and Robotics
42:54 Affordances in Cultural Contexts
43:58 Wayfinding and Navigation: A Deeper Dive
47:04 Cognitive Maps and Perception
01:00:26 The Evolution of Gibson's Theories
01:12:30 Teaching and Environmental Awareness
01:17:30 Acts of Love in Teaching and Writing
Harry's book on James and Gibson
Affordances in the Body
"Prof. Heft has been on the Denison faculty since 1976. His graduate training was in an interdisciplinary program concerning the relationship between psychological processes and the environment. At Denison, he has been a recipient of the Charles A. Brickman Award for Teaching Excellence. He has also been elected as a Fellow in both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. Dr. Heft serves on the Editorial Boards of the journals “Environment & Behavior” and “William James Studies,” and he is the Book Review Editor for the “Journal of Environmental Psychology.” He teaches courses in environmental psychology, history and systems of psychology, and cultural psychology.'

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Neuroscience, AI, and Philosophy with Paul from Brain Inspired
Can we think about education (and age) differently? Was it worth it to give up academia, move into an RV and create a podcast?
Can we think differently about computation and representation?

Paul Middlebrooks is no gadfly but as you'll hear, the one thing he knows is that he does not know (as Plato quotes Socrates: "All I know is that I know nothing.") He quit academia and started a podcast and has since become an important voice to many of us through his questioning. #loveandphilosophy #neuroai #podcasting #neuroscience #brain #inspired Shownotes: www.loveandphilosophy.com

Brain inspired just had its 200th episode ! And this is a celebration of it.
Paul spent over 10 years as a neuroscientist studying visual decision-making in nonhuman primates. A few years as a technician, 4 years obtaining a PhD, and 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher. Then he left academia and he and his wife sold all their stuff, moved into an RV, and roamed around the country, ending up in Durango for a time. During that time, he also started Brain Inspired. Now Paul is a Special Faculty Research Associate in the Yttri Lab at Carnegie Mellon University, studying the wonders of neuroethology.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:06 Starting the Brain Inspired Podcast
00:43 AI and Neuroscience: A Changing Landscape
00:59 Philosophical Perspectives on AI
03:28 Challenges in Neuroscience Terminology
04:11 Struggles with Scientific Paradigms
12:30 Exploring Metacognition in Monkeys
20:27 Transitioning from Academia to Podcasting
23:45 Recording Single Neurons: A Phenomenological Insight
32:56 The Motivation Behind the Podcast
42:37 Selling Everything and Hitting the Road
42:56 Starting an Online Business
43:11 The Birth of Brain Inspired
44:10 Struggles and Financial Realities
45:03 Returning to Academia
45:43 The Role of Podcasts in Science Communication
49:01 Philosophy and Neuroscience
56:35 The Importance of Models in Science
01:12:20 The Human Side of Academia
01:14:31 Love and Legacy
01:20:38 Final Reflections
Patricia Churchland Neurophilosophy
Mark H. Bickhard: Mind as Process, Process Metaphysics
Join #AndreaHiott and #PaulMiddlebrooks from the 'Brain Inspired' podcast. They discuss the evolution of neuroscience and AI from 2018 to 2024, personal journeys in academia, the influence of philosophical perspectives, and the nuances of love and consciousness. Paul shares insights on the challenges of balancing career ambitions with personal values and family life, and how his podcast has become a bridge for deeper learning and connection in the scientific community. This episode is a blend of professional insights and

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Minna Salami is a Nigerian-Finnish and Swedish feminist author, social critic and currently Program Chair at THE NEW INSTITUTE. She is the author of Can Feminism Be African? (forthcoming Harper Collins) and Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone (Bloomsbury 2020) which has been translated into multiple languages. Minna is a leading voice of contemporary feminism, she has drawn over a million readers to her multiple award-winning blog MsAfropolitan.com.
In this episode, Andrea Hiott has a profound conversation with author and philosopher Mina Salami about her influential book, 'Sensuous Knowledge.' Discussing themes from her book, such as multi-perspectival thinking, paradox, and different ways of understanding power, Mina shares how she integrates various disciplines and explores knowledge beyond a binary viewpoint. The conversation navigates into the relationship between love, meditation, and sensuous knowledge, and revisits Minna's personal journey across different cultures and identities. This enriching dialogue is a must-watch for anyone interested in expanding their understanding of epistemology and embracing more holistic, embodied ways of knowing that open beyond polarities.

https://msafropolitan.com/
https://communityphilosophy.substack.com/

00:00 Introduction to Mina Salami and Her Work
01:21 Understanding Paradox in Modern Society
03:37 Exploring Sensuous Knowledge
04:44 The Distinction Between Sensuous and Sensual
31:24 The Concept of Double Consciousness
44:33 Meditation and Sensuous Knowledge
50:25 The Divine Nature of Poetry
51:41 Childhood Experiences with Automatic Writing
53:27 Struggles and Spiritual Interpretations
55:05 Discovering Automatic Writing and Meditation
01:00:02 The Concept of Power and Its Misinterpretations
01:01:44 The Mountain Metaphor and Diverse Perspectives
01:06:27 Language, Double Consciousness, and Feminism
01:11:15 Reimagining Power and Sensuous Knowledge
01:32:50 The Role of Love in Knowledge and Existence

Join the Substack here: https://lovephilosophy.substack.com/
Philosophical writings here: https://communityphilosophy.substack.com/
Du Bois and Double Consciousness: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/double-consciousness/
#perspectival #sensuous #knowledgeispower #loveandphilosophy #holdtheparadox #andreahiott #minnasalami

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Frank O'Hara, John Ashbery, Ludwig Wittgenstein, dualism, physics, and more.
"John Koethe was born on December 25, 1945. He began writing poetry in 1964 during his undergraduate years at Princeton University and went on to receive a PhD in philosophy from Harvard University.

Koethe’s Ninety-fifth Street (Harper Perennial, 2009) won the 2010 Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets. He has published numerous other books of poetry, including Cemeteries and Galaxies (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025); Walking Backwards: Poems 1966–2016 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018); The Swimmer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016); North Point North: New and Selected Poems (Harper Perennial, 2003), which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; The Constructor (Harper Perennial, 1999); Falling Water (Harper Perennial, 1997), which won the Kingsley Tufts Award; Domes (Columbia University Press, 1974), which won the Frank O’Hara Award for Poetry; and Blue Vents (Audit/Poetry, 1968)."

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-koethe
https://poets.org/poet/john-koethe

Exploring the Intersection of Poetry and Philosophy with John Koethe
In this episode of 'Love and Philosophy,' host Andrea interviews renowned poet and philosopher John Koethe. They discuss the concept of the oscillating self as a bridge between dichotomies, particularly within the realms of poetry and philosophy. John shares his journey from being a young poet influenced by figures like John Ashbury and Frank O'Hara, to earning a PhD in philosophy and balancing both disciplines throughout his career. They explore the themes of self-conversation in poetry, the intersection of scientific and artistic pursuits, and the enduring sense of awe in consciousness. The conversation also touches on the emotional landscapes of Koethe's poetry, including themes of nostalgia and the sublime. The episode concludes with a reading from Koethe's book 'Falling Water.'

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00:00 Introduction to John Koethe
00:31 John Koethe's Background and Achievements
01:06 Balancing Poetry and Philosophy
03:45 Early Influences and Religious Upbringing
06:31 Transition to Literature and Philosophy
08:43 Discovering Modern Poetry
12:52 Meeting Influential Poets
21:23 Romanticism and Modernism in Poetry
23:46 Philosophical Dualism and the Mind-Body Problem
30:18 Modernism in Art, Literature, and Physics
33:27 Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
34:19 Exploring Perspectives in Poetry
35:43 Philosophical Influences and Oscillations
41:02 Conversations with Influential Thinkers
42:11 The Role of Conversation in Poetry
46:26 Philosophy vs. Poetry: Different Constraints
53:06 The Sublime and Self-Consciousness
58:41 Architecture and the Passage of Time
01:01:12 Concluding Thoughts and Future Works
01:02:56 Poetry Reading: The Realm of Ends

Happy Thanksgiving❤️

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Exploring Perspectival Realism: Are there many paths to the right place?
In this episode, Andrea talks with Michela Massimi, a philosopher renowned for her book 'Perspectival Realism.' They look at what these terms mean, discussing the relevance of perspectivism in the philosophy of science and its implications for understanding scientific models, realism, and pluralism. The conversation explores how different perspectives can coexist in scientific inquiry without leading to relativism, and the role of local and experiential knowledge in contributing to scientific understanding. Massimi also shares her personal journey into philosophy and science, the influence of community and historical context on her work, and inspirations of both physics and literature.

Perspectival Realism, the book we discuss:
Invisible Cities by Italio Calvino
Garden of Forking Paths

00:00 Introduction to Perspectival Realism
01:02 Exploring Perspectival Realism in Philosophy of Science
02:27 Quotes from Borges and Calvino
06:43 Michela Massimi's Journey into Philosophy
11:04 Combining Physics and Philosophy
17:39 Pluralism and Realism in Science
20:01 Situated Knowledge and Modeling Reality
33:33 The Role of Models in Scientific Inference
34:42 Stable Events and Realism in Science
37:29 Natural Kinds and Anti-Essentialism
41:57 Metaphysics of Reality: Stable Events, Robust Phenomena, and Natural Kinds
50:32 The Importance of Historical and Multicultural Perspectives in Science
57:14 Philosophy's Role in Addressing Structural and Systemic Issues
01:06:59 Personal Reflections and the Interconnectedness of Life and Philosophy

https://www.michelamassimi.com
https://academic.oup.com/book/43074?login=false
Natural Kinds: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/natural-kinds/
Scientific Perspectivism https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/8471045/Massimi_2012_Scientific_perspectivism.pdf

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