Terrence Deacon Reveals the Hidden Connection: Consciousness & Entropy

Terrence Deacon is a Prof. of neuroanthropologist at Berkeley studying evolution-like processes at multiple levels.
Sponsors:

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:50 Overview of insights and autobiography
00:07:28 How are mental representations achieved?
00:16:37 Living in a world of symbols
00:23:11 Indexical Relationships
00:26:49 The language problem
00:29:47 Molecular binding and Covariant Relationships
00:39:45 Structural Information and Recursion
00:44:26 1,2,3, Repeat, Chomsky and Universal Grammar
00:51:19 Chomsky's Universals and Turing Machines
01:02:15 Gödel and minimizing ambiguity
01:10:13 Establishing reference and meaning
01:14:59 Noise and signals
01:20:08 The Symbol Grounding Problem ("The Hard Problem of Meaning")
01:30:06 Where does value come from?
01:37:28 Life is a process far from equilibrium
02:14:46 Homeodynamics and Teleodynamics
02:17:02 Sentience vs. Consciousness
02:39:55 Epistemology is tied to Ontology
02:45:31 Universal Grammar (with a capital "U") goes all the way down to chemistry
02:51:48 Absence and "Nothingness" (our existence is based in "absence")

[TheoriesofEverything]

Sponsors and Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:50 Overview of insights and autobiography
00:07:28 How are mental representations achieved?
00:16:37 Living in a world of symbols
00:23:11 Indexical Relationships
00:26:49 The language problem
00:29:47 Molecular binding and Covariant Relationships
00:39:45 Structural Information and Recursion
00:44:26 1, 2, 3, Repeat, Chomsky and Universal Grammar
00:51:19 Chomsky's Universals and Turing Machines
01:02:15 Gödel and minimizing ambiguity
01:10:13 Establishing reference and meaning
01:14:59 Noise and signals
01:20:08 The Symbol Grounding Problem
01:30:06 Where does value come from?
01:37:28 Life is a process far from equilibrium
02:14:46 Homeodynamics and Teleodynamics
02:17:02 Sentience vs. Consciousness
02:39:55 Epistemology is tied to Ontology
02:45:31 Universal Grammar (with a capital "U") goes all the way down to chemistry
02:51:48 Absence and "Nothingness" (our existence is based in "absence")

[wonseoklee]

10/10 conversation! Just focused without break. Three hours passed like 3 minutes. Professor Deacon explains so clear and easy I could understand all the essence, yet very very deep. AWESOME.

[zjensen]

You always find the most interesting guests which is one of the reasons TOE is by far my favorite podcast.

[marcantoinat]

Wow this is one of the most beautiful, coherent, intelligent understanding of the world. This guy needs to be heard by everyone

[prismaticsignal]

One of the best interviews on the channel. Very, very interesting!!

[KalebPeters]

This was totally brilliant, Curt.

Thank you so much for turning me on to Deacon, I'll be devouring all his content now haha

So much convergence with many other thinkers I admire. Friston, Vervaeke, Levin, Henriques, Kastrup...

It would be a treat to see Terrence talking to any one of them 🙏

Best wishes for 2023, Curt! 🎉

[minnjony]

Wow! I'm so impressed! This is the first time anyone has come near explaining the consciousness problem. The1 2 3 repeat mechanism of conveying information is an extraordinary insight, much to ponder here, thank you!

[areconstructionstory]

Need a conversation with this guy and Michael Levin!

[blingpup]

Greatest TOE of all time on this channel.

[Beederda]

I feel this guy and john vervaeke would have a tremendous conversation 👀 curt you have the tools to build such a bridge just throwing this idea out there. even if you don’t host the conversation, these two should have a chat though, humanity could benefit from it big time ❤

[et]

This is phenomenal. I know I will be watching this a few more times. This is like discovering Joscha Bach and Michael Levin.

[anthonylawrence]

I would give my right arm to hear a discussion between Prof Deacon and Bernardo Kastrup

[bmdecker]

Great to see Terrence Deacon. Tremendous scientist.

[waen]

WOW, understanding this process could revolutionise humanities understanding of so many life processes, its also the best explanation of the true process of Artistic creativity I've ever heard and I had four years at Art school lol.

[vauchomarx]

What a fascinating thinker, I almost feel my brain growing while listening to this! Also, coming more from a philosophy background, and having friends who are heavily into semiotics made it at least easier for me to follow.

[simesaid]

*WOW!!!* Not wanting to be _too_ obvious, but this was a *freakin' awesome conversation!* From "basic thermodynamics", to life, to selves, to the creation of "impossible" new life... That final 15 minutes is nothing short of electric. *WOW!*

[Self-Duality]

Bless everyone who reads this. We are one! 💖🪐☀️

[EMon-ghcm]

One of the most intelligent and insightful discussions I have ever heard. I’m blown away by it’s almost fractal beauty and its purity of thought.

[ideaguy]

Best interview and podcast I’ve ever heard .

[FortYeah]

The most interesting talk I've heard in years!! And so is your podcast, thank you Curt!