Seeing Through the Simulation and Cosmic Consciousness | Dr. Donald Hoffman

Cognitive scientist, Dr. Donald Hoffman returns to the mind meld!
Donald Hoffman is a professor of cognitive science at UC Irvine who is proposing something radical yet fully backed by scientific rigor —
First, you perceive zero percent of reality. You live in an evolutionarily convenient illusion akin to a computer desktop interface.
Second, what’s truly real underneath that illusion (and all of our scientific models) is a realm of consciousness populated by what Don calls “conscious agents.” The physical world emerges from that realm.
So, despite how the world appears, no matter what happens at the large hadron colder or what we find peering through the James Webb telescope; what all of it really is, at bottom, is consciousness expressing itself.

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[MikeCadvBikes]

Humanity may never recognize it, but Hoffman and his team are doing the most important work ever done. His humility and unwavering commitment to the scientific method is astounding. He and his team rank among humanity’s greatest and their achievements to date are perhaps the most important science ever done. In my opinion, that is not hyperbole.

[emmabeyza]

Substances like psychedelics when administered temporarily and in the minimum and safe dose can save life (prevent suicide), yet..long term all of them are NOT the answer (solution to the problem). self honesty, emotional and spiritual healing (done correctly) produce safe and lasting results..health happiness, inner peace

[barbdrinnan]

Dr. Hoffman speaks reality however nobody should lose the fact that 3 dimensional reality is where we’re at. We still need to live each day with love and purpose. It’s important for us to know all this and live your best life!

[lucaissewell]

Finally a Hoffman interviewer who is well-spoken, not narcissistic, guides the conversation, and does not interrupt...

[turkishdewdrop]

This just sends me straight into the void.
I’ve all been a nihilist since the age of eleven, of course I didn’t know what is nihilism then, but no matter.
No matter how I try, I can’t seem to understand this, seemingly pointless act of dying forgetting and coming right back, dying forgetting and coming right back….
Forever and ever and ever.
We are all god.
We are all bored as hell, apparently, why else do we do this?
Trick ourselves with an endless array of avatars for infinity.
It’s like haven’t we experienced death and suffering and sorrow and disease and pain and watching as our corpses slowly rot away, and then rush to fetch another?
As profound as all of this may be, I AM just tired of doing this, I really am.
AND, there’s never any way out, as I am god and this IS what I want to do…
It’s exhausting….
I, as god NEED to find another way, to amuse myself….

[croneyr]

“My emotions disagree with my own theories”. Love it.

[newtonfinn]

The primary task is not to understand, much less escape from, the game (the headset), but rather to throw oneself into the game and play it passionately so as to grow in love and wisdom. Such is true religion, genuine spirituality. Everything else are what William James called overbeliefs.

[jacobvanveit]

“Do not try and bend the spoon, that’s impossible. Instead only try and realize the truth (what truth you ask?). There is no spoon! Then you will see it’s not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself”.
- Matrix

[SwamiSridattadevSatchitananda]

GOD is not some higher power than you,
GOD is truly the greater power in you.

Religious prayer is the outer me requesting the inner I for experiencing something

Spiritual meditation is the outer me dissolving into the inner I for experiencing nothing which is truly the source of everything

There is no GOD other than yourself aka consciousness is fundamental

Geometry
Of ⭕️ = I = ♾
Dimensions

Swami SriDattaDev SatChitAnanda

[StevenWilliams]

Excellent discussion. The second half really gets interesting after Dr Hoffman lays out the supporting math. That's the exciting thing about this guy. He's not shooting from his hip. He has the math to back it up.

We're very lucky to have Dr. Hoffman. His parents we're also extremely intelligent and their background, like their son, is based on incredible research, knowledge and depth.

[lilliansmith]

What I get from this is that Hoffman is trying to explain God mathematically.

[bobbydharma]

I'm a Zen buddihist and I love the knowledge he shared with us in this podcast. Very similar to ancient masters yet modern.

[davegcomedy]

We are the same consciousness experiencing itself through each of our realities. Since our minds dictate reality, we are the multiverse.

[keekatt]

If consciousness is a universal awareness playing peekaboo with itself, as soon as you understand you will fall into forgetfulness to start the game again.

[kathygg]

“We should take reality seriously, but not logically” We should discern, not live in fear.

This is one of the best interviews I have listened to with Dr Hoffman so far. ❤👍

[paulahoskins]

Wal Thornhill. R.I.P.
The Electric Universe.
Learn something new today.

[tjssailor]

We often hear of the hard problem of consciousness. Why is there qualia or experience of anything in the first place? I would submit there is an even harder and more important question – why do I seem to be a specific individual experiencing a specific subset of qualia? If material reductionism is to be relevant to the big questions, then it has to explain not how brains generate consciousness but how the specific brain in my head could create the specific consciousness I seem to be looking out of the eyeballs of this specific body. Why do I PERSONNALLY EXIST as an individual in the first place? Out of the infinite matter in the universe how is it that only the three pounds in my head could create me? What is different about that three pounds for this to occur?

Consider that billions of bodies showed up before this one.
Billions showed up after this one.
None of them seem to have created my existence.
This body could be running around without it being ME just like these billions of others
All bodies are made of the same elements.
All brains have the same basic anatomy.
If all brains are basically the same and are creating consciousness then there should only be ONE consciousness staring out of every set of eyeballs simultaneously.
A hopelessly superimposed existence from every possible viewpoint at once.
I’m sure that materialists would claim that no, no, brains are so complex they are all different.
Ok, so what would have to be recreated in another brain for me to exist staring out of another set of eyeballs?

If an exact copy of my body was created in antarctica would I find myself to exist there freezing my butt off while also sitting in the comfort my living room?
According to the physicalists that would have to be true or their argument collapses into incoherence.
Then in a random universe where things statistically reoccur why couldn’t I exist again or even in more then one place at a time?
Why do the physicalists so adamantly insist that an individualized consciousness could only exist once?

How could pure awareness even be individualized?
Physicalists demand measurements but with consciousness there is nothing to measure.
There is electricity in the brain they say. We’ll measure that.
Is electricity consciousness? If so then once I again I should exist everywhere at once since electricity cannot be individualized.
My blender uses electricity.
Is it a genius?
Unless materialists can answer these questions their premise collapses like the house of cards it is.

As far as other ways of thought are concerned only Dualism and Idealism can account for our sense of individuality. Dualism assumes we are all individual spirits/souls matched up to a body through some undefined process. Idealism, which states that consciousness is primary also answers the question of why I seem to exist as an individual.
One consciousness exists looking out of every set of eyeballs and in the process the illusion of individuality is created in each case. I am you, you are me, we are one.

[Whiteshaddow]

90% of the things people worry about never happen

[Tired_Patriot]

Like I’ve commented in a previous video of yours; I’ve been steadily binging your content. I have NOT been disappointed! This is my FAVORITE video of yours so far! If only all the “intellectuals” would TRY TO RELATE to the common man about what they are discovering or thinking; imagine THAT world!
I love the Hoff; I’ve seen him in numerous videos and one thing (of many!) that I greatly appreciate about him is: he doesn’t GIVE A CRAP if a channel has a million subscribers or just a tiny handful; he will accept their interview invites and generously give those creators as much time as as they want.
I’ve even seen him in interviews of completely incompetent (or maybe just novice interviewers) and he STAYS patient and tries his best to help the creator out during the interview.
This guy is a GREAT person and I admire him deeply.
Side note: I even emailed him with my completely pedantic questions ( I LOVE this stuff but I’m DEFINITELY NOT an expert!) and he actually took time to reply to me. Humble man..
Great interview!!

[JanSandahl]

One of the best recent discussions w Donald. Have followed him since his Ted talk. Then, very politely suggesting, implying, a "virtual reality" type view of reality. Now, surpassing most others in how outspoken and direct he is about it. Thank you, both! Looking forward to the work being done in the years ahead.