Subnostr

It all goes back to Aristotle.

I just listened to this fascinating discussion between Dr. Jordan Peterson and Dr. Donald Hoffman. Hoffman is proposing a mathematical theory of reality that holds consciousness as fundamental and views the physical reality our senses perceive ultimately as a construct contained within our minds.

While listening, I was struck by how similar that sounds to Aristotelian metaphysics. At one point, Hoffman states that he believes the most fundamental reality is consciousness, and that consciousness is engaged in thinking about itself. This is remarkably similar to Aristotle's description of the self-existent being, a description which the Christian tradition later applied to God.

Give the interview a listen. Peterson does a great job of setting up other ideas and lines of reasoning in dialogue with Hoffman's theories. I'm definitely putting Hoffman on my "books to read" list.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ky449RyFqQGmiadoL6n0X?si=c66af9842eda498a

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Discussion

MichaelJ 2y ago

The discussion also worked at the idea that the things we see are categories imposed by the mind because they are useful. Again, that sounds a lot like the Aristotelian idea of the Forms existing in our minds and being imposed on Prime Matter to give us the substances and accidents we perceive.

Fabiano 2y ago

Particularly if you read Saint Thomas Aquinas' "On Being and Essence" and "Summa Theologiæ".

MichaelJ 2y ago

Yup, I was thinking of that too. I read "On Being and Essence" in college. Thomas picks up Aristotle's ideas and runs with them.

It's fascinating how insightful those ancient philosophers and theologians were. In some respects, it feels like physical science is just now catching up with precise mathematical descriptions of some of those philosophical concepts.

Fabiano 2y ago

We might have some meetings discussing passages of both of those works; as much as other works for theological topics.

HoloKat 2y ago

How are mosquitoes useful in our minds?

Sikto 2y ago

Foundational necessity

MichaelJ 2y ago

Hoffman isn't saying it's all a figment of our imagination. He is saying that what our minds perceive as the mosquito is not necessarily what the mosquito "really is." Our perception is a best-guess approximation of some underlying reality inaccessible to the senses. He sounded a lot like Kant in that way.

🇮🇹 Ṭø§Č̣āṄɛĻĻø 🇮🇹 2y ago

Jordan Peterson is a grifter who can't even keep his personal life on track.

Whoever doesn't know this by now? He's in the same arena as Shapiro now. Clowns with less make-up, but still grifting clowns.

MichaelJ 2y ago

Not sure what your assessment of Jordan Peterson's character has to do with the interview. He had a guest with interesting ideas on his podcast, and I thought the discussion was worth hearing.