After Socrates: Episode 12 - Generative Grammar | Dr. John Vervaeke

In Episode 12 of Dr. John Vervaeke's "After Socrates," titled "The Way of the Logos," we delve deep into the world of Plotinus and his concept of dialectic, exploring how the intelligible world can be understood through a study of the nature and interconnection of real being. This episode examines the evolution of cognition and its relation to the grammar of reality, providing insights into Aristotle's conformity theory, transcendental argument, and solipsism.

We also discuss the notion of epiphenomenalism, where we learn that some things can be real without being actual or causally interactive. This episode further explores the concept of Dia-Logos, which focuses on improving the generative grammar of cognition to better track the through line generated by the grammar of being.

Throughout the episode, various philosophers and their works are referenced, including Proclus, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, and St. Augustine of Hippo. The episode concludes by touching upon the topic of Theurgia, setting the stage for a more in-depth exploration in future episodes.

Join Dr. Vervaeke in this fascinating exploration of the intellectual journey we must pursue to understand the intelligible world and its relation to our cognitive evolution.

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You are invited to join John, Guy, and Christopher live, online, at the next Circling & Dialogos Workshop where we discuss & practice the tools involved in both Philosophical Fellowship & Dialectic into Dialogos.

You can find more information, and register, here:

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After Socrates is a series about how to create the theory, the practice, and the ecology of practices such that we can live and grow and develop through a Socratic way of life. The core argument is; the combination of the theoretical framework and the pedagogical program of practices can properly conduct us into the Socratic way of life. We believe that the Socratic way of life is what is most needed today because it is the one that can most help us cultivate wisdom in a way that is simultaneously respectful to spiritual tradition and to current scientific work.

[suneasmussen]

I love you John, quite deeply actually, but you're loosing me a little with the jargon. 'The one one-ing' doesn't really trigger insight within me. Is it a form of phenomenological glossolalia, are you having a stroke... what is happening?

[MDSaunders]

I can’t say it enough: your work is a blessing, John. It is truly a gift to be able to learn from (and with) you.

[screwthem]

This series is helping me make so much sense of my background in Christianity. So helpful

[mills]

Your work has built a bridge from where I stood to what I could see but not touch. You have helped bring me into contact with truths that may only have ever been a whisper on the edge of consciousness. Thank you, thank you.

[arono]

My favourite of all the After Socrates lectures thus far! You really couldn’t have gone any more fundamental than this, reaching the utter limits of what can be known or described but nonetheless a demanding but warm invitation to participate in it. Thank you John!

[shirleykragt]

I love this episode. It reminds me of acting class, where we had to do improv and it was scary because there was no script. The only rule is accepting what is: “yes, and…” A truly generative stance. Where you actually participate and feel a scene coming into existence because you are relating to space, objects and people in the here and now with the simple frame of: create something. Going through middle age and getting rather burnt out on the scripts handed to me on what it means to be a good/successful woman, this episode is exactly what I needed. It confirms that the (thinking) scripts are always less important than the “yes, and” of oneness. Don’t let other people’s petrified scripts get in the way of generative grammar. Thanks! This was inspirational.

[watcherofvideoswasteroftim]

I'm stunned, another fantastic episode! I don't think I've been this intensely focused for such a long stretch of time in my life before, had no idea I was even capable of that

[InterfaceGuhy]

Amazing episode, John. You are now explicitly proposing these ideas that I was already resonating with after Ep. 1 of AFTMC.

The Grand-Unification of Plotinus was the Pearl of the Axial Age. I sense a symmetry in the modern awakening and reconstruction with these ideas.

A tiny seed of promise to a Technocratic world that is in dire need of a Pearl.

[wiktor]

Thank you, John. There's so much good in what you're doing.

[yveslacroix]

John, I feel like you should have given a warning to people starting your lecture series. Through both After Socrates and Awakening from the Meaning crisis, you have completely altered the framework which I use to think about the nature of reality and the manner in which the psyche makes reality intelligible. I have no other term than spiritual with which I can describe the experience of the depth of the insights you have shared. I was raised catholic but denounced it in my teens, and now feel that you have intellectually mind fucked me back into a Christian again. From the core of my being, thank you!

[Danielfaust]

Thank you John for this episode and this series. You present a really clear argument, even though it's a very complex one, on how to acquire an ecology of practices and how they can all be interconnected and belong to an overall philosophical framework. It is astonishing to see such a complex ''system'' being integrated in such a comprehensive and yet clear way. Thank you for this. I hope you're still getting enough time to do your own practices as well! All the best!

[brandis]

I feel like my brain has been well plucked. Love it ❤️

[Beederda]

I turn the cc on so i can read along. with my adhd reading is incredibly hard but read along with a voice helps alot. kinda a paradox of my own haha appreciate your time JV ❤🍄

[danielfoliaco]

54:39 y ahora una teoría de la Fé 😮. Eres el mejor ❤️‍🩹

[marynewby]

Such a treat, John. I know how I'm going to spend my Friday night.

[Danielfaust]

I'd love to ask here a question to John: if having a meditative practice is essential to achieve a meaningful life, and thus happiness, and if the western tradition doesn't really have any such practices, do we conclude that no traditional westerner has ever found meaning in life or true happiness? Or is it that the west had some practices akin to meditation, which produced similar results thus affording meaning? If the latter is the case, which practices, frameworks, are those? I ask because I am trying hard to properly acquire an ecology of practices following this series and many podcasts featuring John, but I tried in the past to meditate daily for several months and I did not find what I was looking for. My latest realization is that I was trying too hard to fit into an easter tradition that I was not actually made for. Now, instead, I am trying to explore western wisdom in a deep way. I seem to fit in the ''western'' shoes much better. Thanks for all the wonderful work you do John! You are positively and greatly impacting many people's lives.

[janthonycologero]

I've spent years attending a Unitarian Universalist church. It allowed for many uncommon, sometimes eclectic, usually beautiful and sometimes transformative sermons from all walks of life and spiritual paths. I can say that this lecture would land wonderfully from behind a pulpit in any UU church around. There's a huge ally in wait. John, you should look into doing a Voices with Vervaeke with someone from the UU community. They serve as hubs for many spiritual paths already. Almost like the dojo you and Rick Repetti were talking about. There are all kinds of small groups that meet within the walls of UU churches. Small group meetings, everything from liberal Christians to various focus groups to all sorts of druid and pagan groups. All welcome under one roof. Anyway just a thought. I'll think more on it. I can't thank you enough. Please keep up the good fight 😉🙏🏼✌🏼

[forscherr]

I must say that I don't grasp a lot of what you try to convey in this episode, but I strongly resonated with the part where you talked about bottom-up emergence and top-down emanance happening simultaneously, and that epiphenomenalism is sort of self-defeating because if minds are just an epiphenomenon then science is just an epiphenomenon and then every argument about logic/rationality falls apart xD

Thank you for your effort, John.

[martinchikilian]

Fantastic episode, John! I feel like having a refresher of the Awakening From The Meaning Crisis now to recap where in history we got lost as it's a shame we're now thinking so counterintuitively and binarily about the different layers of reality.

I'm already looking forward to the next episode and can't wait to see how this story keeps unfolding.

[waynelewis]

Btw John, if I could give more than I do to support your work I most assuredly would….monumentally important….immense gratitude