Understanding The Matter with Things Dialogues Episode 28: Ch 28 The sense of the sacred

This series of dialogues between Iain McGilchrist and Alex Gomez-Marin explores Iain's latest book The Matter with Things. In Episode 28 Iain and Alex discuss Chapter 28, The sense of the sacred, the final chapter of the book.

To purchase The Matter with Things

Dr Àlex Gómez-Marín is a Spanish physicist turned neuroscientist. He holds a PhD in theoretical physics and a Masters in biophysics from the University of Barcelona. He was a research fellow at the EMBL-CRG Centre for Genomic Regulation and at the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown in Lisbon. His research spans from the origins of the arrow of time to the neurobiology of action-perception in flies, worms, mice, humans and robots. Since 2016 he is the head of the Behavior of Organisms Laboratory at the Instituto de Neurociencias in Alicante, where he is an Associate Professor of the Spanish Research Council. Combining high-resolution experiments, computational and theoretical biology, and continental philosophy, his latest research concentrates on real-life cognition and consciousness.

[zebo]

My goodness ~~ these interviews, and Iain's generosity, are astounding---what a gift. New to him, and thrilled to have found him--such a mind, and such a kind soul

[annzacc]

Words don’t describe the gratitude to you, Iain, for your kindness and perseverance to bring this gift to life. And to you, Alex, for being such a wonderful interlocutor.
The humanity and intelligence that you both embody is truly inspiring.

[thegoldenvoid]

Thanks for uploading the right episode :-D been waiting a long time for this one as it's the denouement/punchline/so what/what now/Rx to all the issues raised in the book. Congratulations on the marathon of YouTubes to you both and thank you for the immense generosity in sharing your narrative with those without the bandwidth to read it all themselves. Live long and prosper!

[marksheridan]

Wow - I've listened to all 28 episodes, and what an intellectual trip! The best-ever left-hemisphere attempt to explicate the right hemisphere! I've bought the book and have been inspired to read it. I hope Dr. McGilchrist now spends more time in his right hemisphere: I'd love to see the artistic output. Many thanks, Drs. McGilchrist and Gomez-Marin - very generous of you!

[jordanedgeley]

In music i was always fascinated by how variations in the tone, note or pitch etc could invoke emotion and tell a story in a way i simply couldnt explain, it was a richer deeper kind of experience because it wasnt explicit.

[scottjrowan]

Iain's laughter is one of the most joyous things on the internet! This was utterly brilliant. Thank you Iain and Alex🙏

[druidjuicer]

How does happen? A question is asked in discussion and the answer that is about to be given enters my mind. The only explanation I have is that what Iain is saying is so coherent with all the important ideas I have studied for over 40 years. From this I take both solace and a sense of connection. It is so valuable to me. Thank you both ❤

[evanfirebrand]

What a gift to humanity. Especially episodes 25 - 29.
Thank you.

[skipper.mindplayers]

What a journey. Thank you Iain to invest all this time and energy to write this book. But in addition thank you to be so open, honest and allowing intellectual and emotional vulnerability. May it give you the fullfillment, you hoped for.

[bobdillaber]

Every time I hear another of his discussions, I gain more insights.

[IlonaRaadsen]

Thank you for offering us the opportunity to enjoy this enlightening discussion. Being able to sense your emotions and your sense of humour has been an extraordinary added value. I hope your thinking can be spread further outside academia for I strongly experience it as the ultimate alternative for the gap between our left hemisphere world and the 'new-agey' world I don't feel at home in.

[NosurfOfficial]

This lecture series is insane, brings me to tears at times how beautiful and true it is. Would love if there was an audiobook for the actual book "The Matter with Things"!

Or perhaps the volumes split into separate audiobooks. Myself (and many others) don't have much time to sit down and read, but listen to books and series (like this one) all the time.

[peggygates]

Wonderful dialogue. The sense of the sacred arises unbidden as does grace - in moments of great joy or suffering/grief or awe. Words are inadequate. This, it seems, is the language of the right hemisphere...

[janeread]

I so deeply admire Ian and his deep intellectual expression allows me gateways to walk through and a language to make sense to the waters I’ve been trying to swim in metaphorically during my own philosophical and spiritual exploration . Thank you .

[yoanlopez]

These episodes have been magical and so engaging, I just want to say thank you!! I hope they continue forever, Muchas gracias!

[SamuelJFord]

Thank you both for these wonderful videos.

[stephenkerensky]

Thank you so much for bringing clarity to the clouds of fundamentalism.

[tetonjuggler]

lol my heart at 1:56:50 with Alex. What an experience this is with you two! Can’t even begin to express how I feel about all this! After a year of stewing on this chapter! Wow. Thank you so much for doing this guys

[aidantreays]

God Bless you both! Such a rich, nourishing and soulful conversation!

[AdelSalti]

Thank you for sharing your Witness, Dr. McGilchrist.
‘Sameness while it lasts (and it does not last inertially, in the manner of static identity or of onmoving continuity), is perpetual self-renewal through process, borne on the shift of Otherness.' Hans Jonas