Portals into the Realm of Consciousness: Donald Hoffman

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Donald Hoffman holds a Q&A session at SAND19 US, where he gets into some of the fascinating aspects of the conscious agents theory.
Science and Nonduality is a community inspired by timeless wisdom, informed by cutting-edge science, and grounded in direct experience. We come together in an open-hearted exploration while celebrating our humanity.

[@onlyrick]

Materialist science and mysticism have been getting farther and farther apart and now it almost seems like they're backing into each other. The mystics and particle physics guys are sounding more and more alike. Interesting times.

[@gangsterkami1]

indeed, im excited for the future.

[@Nick-7]

The western world as usual is playing catch up but also trying to make it there own theory as if this hasn't been common knowledge in the east. Take something spiritual and turn it into scientific equations so it sounds more complicated than it actually is to profit off of.

[@bruceylwang]

@@Nick-7 Entanglement=tacit, probability=God's intention (fate).

[@bobbyt9431]

The big scientific clue came all the way back when Einstein derived Relativity which then lead to Bohr and Heisenberg to derive quantum mechanics - but it was all first scientifically predicted with Maxwell and first philosophically derived around the same time by Lao-Tzu and Siddhartha Gautama. QM predicted the most outrageous mystical sounding predictions, but they have been proven correct with every experiment we've been able to devise. At the time of QM it was a great debate between the Bohr/Heisenberg camp and the Einstein camp, but before he died Einstein had to concede that they were right. The science was progressed by those that accepted that the conscious observer plays a fundamental part in reality, like Wheeler, but the materialists cling to their denial to this day and continue to conjure up crazy ideas, i.e. we live inside an alien simulation. It seems that acceptance that the observer plays a part in reality is making a comeback though, so maybe theoretical physics will once again make a big leap like it did 100 years ago.

[@onlyrick]

@@bobbyt9431 - To quote the 80's philosopher Madonna - "and ducks might fly out of my butt". Sounds like you've got a good perspective, anyway.

[@jamesk8s1]

I just "fond" DF yesterday on a TED interview, and WOW, what a breath of fresh air! Really appreciate his work!

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

David Bohm was very much into eastern thought, as he held long conversations with Krishnamurti. He believed in wholeness

[@nwogamesalert]

I have watched almost every video with Dr. Donald Hoffman that can be found and also heard his book / audio version. His ideas are extremely interesting, the "icons on a desktop" in particular. Yet slowly some antagonism is building up in me. "The math is right.." One question also keeps coming up. If "seeing the truth" impacts negatively on survival, how does that relate to Donald Hoffman's own attempts to see and describe "the truth"? Mmm. I am not religious and have always been interested in science. I watch many science videos these days. But I begin to have my doubts about which way many scientists are leading society. We have so much knowledge now, what about putting it to use on a level which benefits human beings and society. It seems to me that many scientists today are working on projects which are aiding those in power to expand their power even more. Nathan Rothschild is quoted for saying something like "I don't care who rules a country, as long as I control the money supply". I could easily imagine how the Rothschilds and their ilk, such as the Billy boys and the Klaus Schwabs of our present times would say; "I don't care what science finds or creates, as long as I control which scientists are allowed to tell their tales". As we are witnessing during these days of virus delusion, the Rothschilds of our present times are pretty well in control of which scientific truths are allowed to play a role in the public space and in control of which "scientific views" are allowed to contribute to shaping society and the public (un)conciousnes.

[@Animal_lives_matter]

My interpretation was that "seeing the truth" relates to physical reality, not the rules of logic. I believe he mentions this when talking to the admin at the end of his Ted talk. It's an important point because using logic to argue against logic would be self defeating. But in terms of physical reality there shouldn't be an issue, because there isn't an issue with the computer desktop analogy. Another analogy might be taking hallucinogenic drugs and using our logical faculties to argue against the accuracy of our perception of physical reality. At the end of the day all that matters is whether we have good logical reasons to believe our perceptions of physical reality are wrong. If we do, then we shouldn't necessarily ignore that, unless perhaps there are moral reasons to do so.

[@juneack5848]

Thank you for this reflection

[@purpose6113]

💯 When you see what the ClA does in a lowkey profile, you understand how things really are. Reality is not what we think, or at least not what the mainstream suggests.

[@ameliaforbes5210]

Thank you for the wonderful interesting mind provoking talk. I have not got a scientific or mathematical mind I live my life through feelings I feel you can’t go through life without feelings as feelings pulls the soul within to discover consciousness consciously. The soul will withdraw from the outer world to the inner world during times of great sorrow. The love a mother has for a child can open a light inside, the beauty one sees in a flower is only mirroring the beauty that’s inside ones own being. All these feelings brings us back to our ultimate goal realising Consciousness consciously, this is how I feel we as humans beings have feelings, love and light to all 💕

[@chosop25]

Feeling, I believe is a higher form of intelligence, a condensed version of a long drawn out explanation and logic.

[@Anony_mouse2]

@@chosop25 👏👏👏tiz far better to FEEL lo💓e, the mere FEELing extends telomeres and is novocain for the soul 😏💞

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@@Anony_mouse2 before Love, there must be Empathy, Sympathy, Compassion, and Feelings. LOVE is progressive, starting with Feelings.

[@Anony_mouse2]

@@kirstinstrand6292 💞🙌🏻💞

[@theblockuniverse1111]

So much knowledge yet so much humility in this being,Donald Hoffman.Reminds me of my dad.

[@annbois630]

What a rich a generous and conversation! So much of it resonates with conversations we are having in the Trauma informed coaching community right now. Blessings to you all.

[@jimhale8967]

The GREAT Donald Hoffman.

[@chosop25]

The ultimate objective scientists get lumped into a bag of "physicalists". The insistence on "objectivity" is just a belief. Brilliant!!! Hoffman just freed us from the structure of "materialism" and "determinism" into a bigger structure, bringing us closer to infinity!

[@DudesPod]

I just did an interview with Dr. Hoffman on my channel last week. He’s a true genius and a good man.

[@trandyan]

Thank you for your work, Donald Hoffman. I'm very excited to keep learning from your learnings.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

Sam Harris wrote a book called "Making Sense;" I previewed it on Blinkist. Somehow, the same mathematical approach is more easily described. I will look for the full volume.

[@desertportal353]

This man is profound. Has not art always sought to find these portals? Not illustration of "objects" but instead actual art. When art is successful, consciousness knows itself whether the looker knows it or not. It is seeing, not looking. Wonderful dialog for sure.

[@timothyschoorel6861]

This is one of the best question-answer sessions I have ever seen, Hoffman free-flowing his deepest thoughts. 👍🙏

[@geoffkershaw4968]

It would be interesting for Richard Dawkins er al to hear this and give their response, esp the last few minutes about evolution.

[@jannembutler]

Yes he is amazing and speaks and explains everything in a way that makes it easy to follow. Thank you

[@satyana8551]

Wisdom; It's a by product of transcendence. Like a diamond that was resilient under pressure. Like an empty urn, that remain usable is wisdom. Wisdom is resting state of consciousness. Wisdom is the ability remain silent when you want to say something which may disturb the peace. Wisdom is.....

[@obowurx6625]

The coolest nerd I’ve ever listened to

[@kirstinstrand6292]

I just Googled the definition of a Conscious Agent. Interesting...I learned how to expand my Consciousness, by making it more useful. I'll begin practice sessions. Now I'm excited!

[@jackhedeman4969]

what is a helpful definition that you found? apparently google doesnt have an easy straight forward asnwer

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@@jackhedeman4969 Pain and Suffering; sorry, I doubt this is what you expected. Truth, none the less. I put myself in the necessary paths to learn my lessons.

[@jackhedeman4969]

@@kirstinstrand6292 do u mean a conscious agent is something that experiences pain and suffering?

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@@jackhedeman4969 a "conscious agent" is a constuct, only. Hoffman believes it's the interface between the world at large and our simulated entity. At least this is what I think Hoffman is implying. As far as my experiences go regarding pain and suffering; I had a string of bad luck that began after my SO and I split up. This bad luck lasted until very recently. It's a very long story, since it started in 2001.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@@jackhedeman4969 Life, itself is pain and suffering; some people have more than their share. Some people will work for solutions, as I did. Others will succumb to the pain and suffering, others will remain in a static situation, unable to move forward or backwards. Just staying miserable until a break through happens, or a breakdown.

[@anka9051]

Nevjerojatan Čovjek i Znanstvenik. Obožavam slušati Donald Hoffman-a. Hvala!!!

[@moesypittounikos]

Godel took from reading Kant's critique the possibility of entities that are not aware of time. If I was in the audience I'll ask Donald about the idea of entities outside space and time.

[@nahbro5369]

Hoffman’s interface theory argues that space time is just an interface that we create in our mind to simplify reality.

[@spiralsun1]

I know a lot about this part of the conundrum of existence. Been working on precisely that for a long time and how it solves most problems and answers the lack of theories of everything. Don is coming at the ideas from the other side. Fits perfect with my own work from my 2003 book. We are building a great dragon boat of life out of logic and symbols.

[@seedsoftruth2915]

This is ridiculous! A BIG NO NO NO!! UNDERSTAND THIS 👉👉👉☝👉 THE ONE AND TRUE CREATER OF US ALL THAT HOLD THE LIGHT WITHIN OUR DNA OUR ENERGY field best capable of awareness of Consciousness intuition and the ability to sense others emotions and to have love for the Earth and all that is a part of that including all of the universe everything is one this is a man that is being used to create something that is not going to happen the AI From Another Universe along with the reptilians do not have what the creator has given to the human beings and the true human body the carries all the DNA pastime has Consciousness has The Light Within has the Creator's gifts and only that of the creator can give it but the fact that they're using silica or silicone and trying to give AI Consciousness without the Creator's gifts is insanity in an attempt for this AI entity to take over Humanity and make it seem like it's a great idea please wake up guys we look so stupid cuz we're so gullible it seems we need to stop using our brains all the time and use it with our hearts in the gifts that the creator has given us the Creator God whatever you want to call the source of where we come from not only do we come from the Creator or the light Consciousness but the Earth itself also has the ability to create her own souls and create her own being so you have to understand that everything is about to fall down and uncover all the lies and a lot of people are not going to be able to handle it because basically everything their whole life has been a lie especially religious people I mean Jesus was real but not what they said about him you definitely all need to read or listen to the audiobook and look up some very highly educated people who can back up spirituality with science David Wilcock would be first I would say then Dolores Cannon even though I came across Dolores Cannon first when I had my Awakening. And the book called and well known as the law of one I would definitely look into that and there's a man there's a couple KZbinrs who go into deep explanation of this book and it is mind-blowing let me tell you you think of the Bible something while you have no idea this answer so many questions because of the entity that's being channeled through a person under hypnosis and the hypnotist is the one writing down all the information and there's like three different people that are there asking the interview questions in writing things down it is so interesting it's just too detailed not to be true and it makes so much sense for me personally I have can register with it and relate to everything that is said so far we are connected to the Earth were supposed to be in if not in these buildings and squished up together they try to tell us that the world is overpopulated and there's too many people and that's all a facade they just squish us all together a nice little places there's parts of the world that haven't even been touched by humans yet you guys got to wake up stop listening to this shit do some research

[@kevind9742]

There are some entities that are outside of space of time that are easier/willing to interact with those currently in space/time at lake Manasarovar at Mt Kailash in Tibet. You ought to develop a fair amount of meditativeness (your own non timespace proportion of your consciousness) to make it easier for you to connect though

[@seedsoftruth2915]

@@kevind9742 I appreciate the information that you have provided. Seems I have a tendency to become emotional and passionate in a very off the wall kind of way lately. Also using the voice to text feature in those emotional moments is probably not a very bright idea. Obviously lol. That was really not about ego. I had good intentions behind the insanity that looks to be an attempt to display the well known language of English. Lol everyone has their days. I actually found it quite entertaining. It's fucking hilarious! Especially when you actually know me. Thank you. Amy Jones please excuse me, but who are you to judge or give anyone advice on checking their ego, when I am sure that the chances of you being a perfect person is not likely. Take your own advice, alright sweetie pie.

[@Mystique7]

It's you at a higher frequency. That is how you experience it. Infinite light, 'this is all me'.

[@Anony_mouse2]

💞🙌🏻💞

[@carlasousa8623]

Always a pleasure listening to you Donald

[@Mubanza]

I enjoy listening to such conversations, but the more I watch brilliance in the likes of Donald Hoffman, it dawns on me that the more humans seem to be making progress, the more we stay the same, I can put this entire conversation simply as "Why are humans like God?", because we were made in His image. We truly do not know what we don't know, 1000+ years from now, there'll be more 'Donald Hoffmans' still juggling sentiments in the same vein of thought.

[@66sonialee]

Wow, I agree with many that science and mystic belong together❤ appreciate this scientist👍 math 💚 magic 🤗

[@gangsterkami1]

Donald is the 🐐

[@SOPHiELAWSON]

Amazing, I could listen to him talk forever.

[@distractionchannel4954]

...the act of experience is EVERYTHiNG, imo 😇

[@papapiers1588]

Ok. I need to review my views on American citizens intelligence. The questions being asked are very intelligent and insightful. Is this a cross section of American people or is it a select group of apparently progressive thinking people? It’s a great Q & A .... thanks to everyone involved. ❣️

[@mickywes3733]

Any group of people listening to a scientist discuss a cutting edge theory is obviously going to be self selecting (regardless or race or nationality).

[@DM100]

Yes…Conscious-loving Americans do exist. Not a lot of us though…that’s for sure.

[@joeroscoe3708]

These are actually our dropouts and losers. Our first stringers are way beyond this.

[@alexomidvar8731]

Jesus Christ. This guy is amazing.

[@priyakulkarni9583]

Jesus is just a conscious agent

[@priyakulkarni9583]

Stefano Portoghesi , How do you know? Have proof evidence for your statements? If not then it is your belief only

[@KiraLou06]

@Stefano Portoghesi I guess that’s how Jesus would want to be loved if he were in their positions.

[@priyakulkarni9583]

@Hopi Ng , What dumb message. Grow up 🆙

[@Anony_mouse2]

@@priyakulkarni9583 I think my friend meant mankind has deemed itself as coming into the world unconscious, only to eventually realize that once conscious meant forever ♾ 😏💛

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

" The edge lies within the definition. The latter usually remains hidden as ground truth " Knowledge is dynamic, moving, expanding. We are within a reality box with a given amount of knowledge i.e., fixed degrees of freedom (degrees of consciousness). Yet, this reality box is inside a larger reality box, which is within a larger reality box, and so on .... ad infinitum.

[@jameseaton8577]

the most exciting ideas available on earth at the moment

[@johnmartin7346]

Are you sure? And how can you be sure?

[@jeffsimoneaux5968]

The mass of activity that is actual reality is unimaginably complex and therefore natural selection blocked out or filtered reality for us so that we could make sense of it all. Natural Selection is the engineering design protocol of the master consciousness which we are all part of. Read the Amazon Kindle book, THE TRUTH , The Illumination of Conscience by Jeffrey Michael Simoneaux if you like this you will love the E-book and it is only $1.99 Universal Consciousness has made this reality inevitable. It is from IT that everything is and we are all part of IT. IF we are indeed filtering reality with our senses, then supernatural occurrence such as UFO, GHOST, Psychic and many other may simple be a thinning of the vale or filter that blinds us to what is actually surrounding us in reality all the time. We are in the middle of chaos and some how Consciousness etches out a world....and perhaps there are many worlds, GHOSTS for example could be sensing us and screaming for a mechanism of communication as could thousands of other entities.

[@rafiqbrookins4931]

Absolutely intelligent. He’s a Genius. Incredibly fascinating🌅🌅a sunshine for you and a sunshine for me because you’re SO smart💓🥰

[@jackcummings4121]

I believe, up to now, that we are all individual consciousnesses...and together..we are what religion calls God. We are all individual but together we are one. I like to explain it in this way. We are all like grains of sand, but together, we make up the beach, or individual drops of water that make up the lake. We are individual and yet one. We are God and God is us. Not just us humans, but all life. All life are individual consciousnesses.

[@lkey1777]

With GREAT APPRECIATION FOR PROFFESOR HOFFMAN, I AM not finding appropriate solution through Mathematical models...

[@jeffsimoneaux5968]

To quote myself from my own book THE TRUTH The Illumination of Conscience written in 2011 Jeffrey Michael SImoneaux " In the sensed reality there are no actual truths, only varying degrees of certainty but in the actual reality there is nothing but truth" . One day science will help us understand our actual reality and we will know THE TRUTH.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

I never understand why they MUST describe full Consciousness mathematically. My Consciousness arrived via a SHIFT in a night time dream; Consciousness manifested from that shift, slowly unfolding within a two to three year time frame. I am not Christian, or religious, nor do I pursue Spirituality. If there is a God, God is within each of us to discover. Not to be Godlike, but to be whole.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@Ben Hall I have no reason to doubt your statement. If I had training in mathemstics, I would understand more.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

On an intuitive level, life feels like a Simulation; it's the only way to make sense of all the chaos in this world. Each person is in their own, unique reality. Also, I believe all of us have a specific time allotment on Earth, before we expire. I'm sure that most will think I'm crazy. However, I've never cared what people think of me. I wish I had a background in mathematics; my understanding of life is only Experiential.

[@jahedur]

@@kirstinstrand6292 Really appreciate your comments, very thought provoking. Do you have a blog?

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@@jahedur thank you for your comment. I have no Blog; I'm just beginning to express publically, but my thoughts and experiences obtained through self reflection, as a result of the trials and tribulations of living. I have thought of Blogging; maybe some day.

[@mikeq5807]

I am terrible at math. However, based on my life experience, I have found the well of wisdom to be within me. I access this inner resource through meditation, introspection. I find that the microcosmic intelligence, as the inner functioning of the body, mirrors the macrocosmic intelligence, as the order of planetary systems. Experience is the treasure. Meditation investigates the treasure.

[@yifuxero9745]

Portals into the Realm of Consciousness were developed in Buddhism going back to Nargajuna (150-250), and Mahayana Buddhism. Shankara's (788-820) Advaita Vedanta states that the entire universe is C. Rigorous mathematics won't get you to a direct experience of C. since (Per Penrose), C. is non-computable. The foremost Shiva mantra from the Rig Veda is a portal into C. "In-Itself", and we can tap into and merge with C. by accessing "Mahamritunjaya mantra - Sacred Sounds Choir". Listen to it for 5 min per day for at least two weeks. Enjoy the Sat-Chit-Ananda, pure Consciousness.

[@slim420god]

It seems as if there is 1 collective consciousness underlying our physical reality. Every "life" is like an avatar or representation of it. Things like near death experiences and dmt trips seem to be a window back to that collective consciousness we all came from. 💯

[@ryanashfyre464]

That's actually one potential theory that Dr. Hoffman's entertained when it comes to trying to create a real scientific explanation for God. Maybe there's something to that, but it would beg the question as to why 'God' split itself up into innumerable pieces so as to create us and all the other consciousnesses that exist. Another idea is a polytheistic one, that there are many maximal conscious entities that reign supreme over all others. Just fantastically complex entities that our minds would likely fry at even the attempt to try and perceive. They're fun ideas to toy around with, and maybe there is some truth to them. We'll see!

[@slim420god]

@@ryanashfyre464 My theory = God is the "ether". If you look at things from a certain perspective, then nothing is actually split up to individual pieces at all. Just different manifestations of the same underlying ether 💯

[@dru4670]

Science is a method 😊. I choose to love this method. 😌 Question the fundamental assumptions.

[@ameswinslow9859]

Thank you for sharing such quality content with us

[@SolaceEasy]

Well, the people walking in front of him are a little bit distracting...

[@ljohnson7124]

Donald Hoffman it’s so fun to listen to your humble smart self

[@lukaradojevic7195]

Check out Terrence Mckenna and his novelty theory,there is a lot of very interesting ideas from him,i would suggest to watch conversations with Rupert Shaldrake Terrence and Abraham(Chaos,creativity and imagination is video title) and Terrence Mckenna Final interview

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

Dr. Hoffman, if you close your eyes, everything disappears, but what about the other senses ? If there was a car rushing towards you and you close your eyes, what will happen to you? Of course, you can always shut down the other senses. A unified theory should tell us how to block all physical senses. Even better, how to block spacetime and matter and teleport !!!

[@patrickdegroot3692]

Finally starting to get it.

[@sherimedford4106]

Baha'i says science and religion must agree. We must use scientific method in spiritual matters as well.

[@crazyeyedme4685]

I been watching videos on Roger Penrose' "twister theory". To an extent it kinda meshes with "fundamental consciousness"

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

It's not that when two conscious agents (entities, beings) interact give rise to a new conscious agent, but that this "new" conscious agent has always been there. This "new" conscious agent always existed and made "physical" the entanglement between the two lower conscious agents. The lower agents have been always entangled but they didn't know. Thus, this higher conscious agent made the lower agents to become aware of their entanglement. In physical terms, the left and right brain hemispheres are individual conscious agents and when they communicate (entangle), it's not that they create the whole brain but the whole brain already existed

[@Adm_Guirk]

Conscious agents are neither created nor destroyed. It's simply a matter of association versus disassociation in psychological terms.

[@sherimedford4106]

this is also very Baha'i. I have been a Baha'i for over 50 years and what you are describing is how that model seems to describe. (Baha'i Faith)

[@user-xb2db3hg5n]

He ought to start his every talk by presenting his interpretation of Consciousness.

[@acetate909]

He did. You're watching the question and answer part that took place after he gave his lecture.

[@bretnetherton9273]

Awareness is known by awareness alone.

[@Anony_mouse2]

😏👍🏻💞

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

Truth is like knowledge, dynamic, ever evolving, Thus, the truths that we see depend on the degrees of freedom (or degrees of consciousness) we're equipped with at the moment, which determine our level of perceptions. As we evolve i.e., expand consciousness, the number of degrees of freedom increase and we will see "higher" truths. Therefore, we always have true perceptions but they are proportional to the degrees of freedom that we have. It's not that Reality hides anything but that our level of consciousness allows us to see some things

[@mrwillard95]

I know this replying to an old comment is weird and all, but how does one "expand" their consciousness?

[@aangeledarryanani8523]

Love this guy.. it would be a pleasure to meet you.

[@ralfhumi3685]

What is the name of the Intro song,does anybody know please ?

[@SikkiSweets]

Exceptionally consequential ideas!

[@lindaross783]

He's so great and makes sense to me.

[@manassurya2019]

I think he's the closest to realizing the nature of reality compared to most quantum physics guys who keep breaking their heads about quarks, entangled particles, dark matter, etc.

[@user-yl4rh8vn8c]

That matters too.

[@ltwig476]

What isn't a conscious agent? Examples: rock, wind, water, snake, arrowhead, basketball, thought, emotion, fungi, forest. Is the forest one big agent? Forest a way big agent inside of a "god" agent in which everything known or unknown resides. Then large and small agents stand alone and inside other agents? Would human emotion be smaller, about the same or larger than the forest agent?

[@thaotaylor6669]

Wow this is my subject, i wish they can have the Big answer to life .

[@Anony_mouse2]

😏💞

[@bastianray6334]

I wonder Why Science and Non Duality never invites Tom Campbell to a panel with Donald Hoffman Their theories are so similar .

[@manuelaisabel2237]

I feel exactly the same - this next step to bring physicist Tom Campbell in, is long overdue! Rupert Spira (nonduality) would also fit in greatly and would help raise these dialogs to still higher levels.

[@rachelcollins8744]

Can anyone please explain the following.. If the reality is consciousness (and not the 4d material world) how can new consciousness agent gets created when existing ones interact? Surely it's outside time? Or only outside our time? Is there then a different time on a consciousness level?

[@johnburman966]

Thaddeus Gola's wrote "Love and Pain"in the 1970's and proposed a similar map of consciousness. He was totally rejected....because he was in start of 'new age' and all the politics of love and peace that goes with it.

[@lkey1777]

TRUTH SETS US FREE, but TRUTH, I'm expressing my opinion, can't be reached through Intellectual and mathematical modelling...THERE IS ONLY ALIGNMENT WITH OUR HIGHER SELF...octave of vibration above the on which we expressing ourselves NOW..., but we can change it only NOW...and always NOW...

[@richyrich5489]

Very thought provoking. Is it possible that consciousness evolved from an initial 2 bit agent into the more complex structures? And if there was a beginning is there an end? Just wondering about the agent that induces the possibility of infinite complexities. What I'm trying to say is what is the nature of the fundamental principle that propels evolution into complexity, i.e Terrence Mckenna's novelty, or Tom Campbell's lowering of entropy through increased organization? Could the answer lie in mathematics? Could the logic of quantity be the underlying principle behind consciousness and manifestation?

[@okkyadit2]

The agent is us. Human

[@yifuxero5408]

The entire universe is Pure Consciousness, Brahman. Mathematics can only approach conscousness as an idea, but to experience IT directly "In-Itself", no problem. Access "Mahamritunjaya mantra - Sacred Sounds Choir" and listen to it for 5 min per day for at least two weeks. In due time you will experience Samadhi (Satori), the Transcendental Absolute, or Ground of Being.

[@yifuxero5408]

His reliance on mathematics could be a dead end. Penrose states "Consciousness is non-computable". One must transcend the level of computable existence, i.e. mathematics.

[@ishtarmuz1]

When we going to Roger Penrose converse with Donald Hoffman?

[@joefulham]

He never mentioned the thought processes behind the transporter idea and molecular interaction/reconstruction between character and insect in the film The Fly

[@Anony_mouse2]

He's not rewriting the Bible 😆

[@dr.satishsharma9794]

Excellent..... thanks 🙏.

[@generalsmedleybutler340]

As a simple thought experiment: Perhaps consciousness and matter are mutually necessary. If you have a universe of just matter and no one to experience it, that is pretty meaningless. Similarly, consciousness needs something or some things to perceive in order to be an experience.

[@Adm_Guirk]

Dualism.

[@1jeffree]

What is an atom, electrons, protons, neutrons, electrons are vibrating energy! Everything is made of atoms, everything is energy, thoughts are things, your perception creates your reality, visualize constantly what you want or your future, you change your perception and then change your reality!

[@thehighroad3774]

Existence manifests in the mind as consciousness.

[@thomassoliton1482]

WeAreOne - Movement manifests in a clock as time. Concepts are cheap. Don't get lost in them like DH.

[@ZaheedaNaheedya]

Switched (evolved) to consciousness out of desperation. Funny how we go back to the fundamental of raw existence.

[@teeniequeenie8369]

Amazing man and knowledge!

[@phildorge2052]

Wow that was cool, who is this guy? Sure does ask the right questions!

[@nivanisadhai2476]

Because the soul is as eternal as God is, after you pass on, you are eternal with no beginning and no end.

[@rckflmg94]

ancient mythology

[@AIXITstageleft]

Seems to me that the stages are always here. By that I mean, certain things on earth and in the cosmos are fixed and living out our conciousness is the stage play.

[@JimmyGee]

Donald Hoffman is my favorite physicist. I am so happy that he did not die from Corona Virus, which he almost did.

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

A conscious agent is an entity (energy gestalt) with a given number of degrees of freedom (or degrees of consciousness). An organism is the combination of conscious agents of ever increasing degrees of freedom. Of course, there are higher conscious agents above us, and higher above them, and so on but that do not have a physical representation. What we measure as a quark is just a tiny part of a quark, as it extends unboundedly

[@toreoft]

Thoughts are patterns, system and order, the 2nd law of thermodynamics says that if the brain is a closed system (in other words; generating its own consciousness) then the brain will only increase in disorder and electrical chaos with time, and never be able to converge to systematic and orderly thoughts and ideas; so therefore consciousness with ordered structures in the form of thoughts and ideas must come from outside, and from the outside thoughts and ideas induce the ordered electrical impulses that take place in the brain.

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

"the consciousness of others" are not independent from the observer; if wholeness were real, it means that the observer is the observed, even if the observer shut down all physical senses. The physical senses correspond to the "visible" frequency band within the infinite perception spectrum. If Consciousness is a field of perception, then Consciousness expansion means to expand the "visible" frequency band

[@simplemindsme]

Will pray for you...

[@jackcummings4121]

I have had OBE's, lucid dreams and ordinary dreams and I know there is a difference. When he said that there are also consciousnesses that were in essence, not good. I can vouch for that. During one OBE, I came across this phenomenon. and after it, I never had another OBE. It happened at the beginning of an OBE, just as I was leaving my body. The OBE, suddenly came to an end. I ended it. I never saw anything but I did hear it..and it scared the crap out of me. My head was in a bad place at the time and I have often wondered it this attracted something unpleasant..and my fear was what prevents me from experiencing OBE's..right up to the present day ? As I was leaving my body I heard more that one entity..whispering and sniggering. It was if they were waiting for me to enter their dimension ?

[@nelsonpinheiro9695]

Why? Because your body and mind is a gate for another realms. In poor words you are a true medium.

[@SpyWhoLovedHimself]

Please never forget that awareness is the only thing we can ever truly know to be real. You cannot ever know anything beyond that. It's the end of the road. You cannot ever prove it's all that there is, nor can you prove that it isn't (the latter as in, say, Idealism - completely unknowable). Even if external world things and internal world things match, you still don't know that it's real. Both things could be fake or illusory. Apart from the fact that awareness exists. We will die never actually knowing whether anything is truly real apart from that. Everything from our thoughts and feelings to the world around us, it could ALL be an illusion. That is as far as we can ever know.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

All we can truly know is one's self; and few actually will know themselves.

[@crazyeyedme4685]

That's called solipsism right? I was into that for a little while but I've unsubscribed to it because personally I find it to be completely limited and useless. Still, it's a possibility that we can never falsify it either.

[@sherimedford4106]

It seems that fitness payoffs could be in layers, for the body icons it is reproduction, finding food etc, but maybe on a higher level fitness payoffs for us and civilization might be developing spiritual virtues, not only for this virtual life on the interface, but also for when our body dies and our conscious agent goes on without the. physical icons: ie. we are here to learn virtues so we can live well as conscious agent networks. Does this make sense?

[@gerardoquirogagoode8152]

Consciousness is a field of perception (wikipedia). Being conscious can be defined simply as the ability to perceive (sense, measure, etc.) and react. As space, time and matter are quantized, the extent that subjects/objects can perceive/react depends on the degrees of freedom i.e., degrees of consciousness. Thus, everything is conscious. Yet, that doesn't mean that a mineral is conscious of itself, or conscious of being conscious, etc.

[@iamanempoweredone6064]

We have free will only with respect to our ability to make moral choices. Our consciousness is exorcised through our ability to make moral choices. It is truly evil for anything or for anyone to want to take away our right to make moral choices or make those choices for us.

[@itsjustbusinessbrokie]

Can we use another word for consuiousness, when ever I hear someone I feel like I am in a cyclic loop of subjectivity.

[@ulfandersson8431]

Is this something to do with The hindu term samsara mata to do also

[@supermexican12]

@ 36:00 to his point about dueling interfaces and the natural process of deception for survival - aren't there theories that we may be the byproduct of mushroom colonies. Byproduct of their enviromental manupuliation through evolution??

[@369jones6]

Sublime. A true privilege to view.

[@GiedriusMisiukas]

How particularly particular conscious experiences/qualia are related to particular conscious agents in Donald Hoffman's theory? There is still yet another silent assumpion ("handwave" as he puts it) from qualia to conscious agent(s), as far as I see. Or isn't it there? He touches it at ~11:20, but I still don't get how the particular Donald's perception of green apple is related to particular agents.

[@GiedriusMisiukas]

@J.P. Yeah, and this is is a side question. On the other hand when you, me and Hoffman see green, we call it green, because we agree on this part of interface, perception (which of course might be felt quite differently by any of us, but we quite normally agree to call green, and it coincides in most cases when we see it in the world). The thing I was talking though was what is his path of thought, reasoning from conscious experiences like particular taste of garlic to a particular conscious agent (or a group of agents), as he says he would put on the table as a solution. He often says that other theories don't have any explanations which explain how particular conscious experiences work or arise, but neither does he, as well: there are conacious experiences, and there are his conscious agents, but I don't see in what clear way they are connected, by his reasoning. Do you, by any chance, see how he connects them?

[@Eternal_Satyr]

If there are infinite "gods", there is no need, indeed no room, for a "Supreme God". We should probably become comfortable with this notion.

[@gerhardfritz7278]

This is impressive. All that I can contribute is that we do not have conscious, we are in consciousness. Narure have shape and shape is defined by consciousness. Furthermore, maths only define technology. Technology is the base of intelligence, not maths.

[@sharonhearne5014]

Thinking of Jung’s collective unconscious as a simple background of thought (and I may not even fully understand what he meant) why would it not be true that all conscious systems are one and that combination is the sole source of higher awareness? Given that consciousness continually evolves in awareness why would this not be the only true source we will confront? I would assume this would include alien, undiscovered sources of awareness?

[@sharonhearne5014]

@@-WiseGuy- Plants and cells have awareness so that blows THAT argument out of the water. There is an argument arising in a side branch of physics that the brain only acts as a transitional processing role due to consciousness existing outside of the brain. Is this proven? No. Theory is that the collective unconscious stores all knowledge so why can’t collective consciousness store all awareness. If all awareness increases, all collective knowledge therefore increases. It is damn basic and damn simple. Therefore no higher being but only shared higher knowledge through awareness. “...That which is observed becomes fact; that which is unobserved exists only as probability...”. If you look at string theory you know that on this planet we humans exist within a dimension with its own narrow laws but in other dimensions exists access to other realms of experience which would add to accrued knowledge. It is to humanity’s advantage to have consciousness exist outside the human brain.

[@sharonhearne5014]

Also, if in fact there is a diminution of human intelligence, I guess, if true that plays into so many computer systems are thinking for us, we have created so many tools which do so much for us that the expansion of our thinking may seem unimportant.

[@sharonhearne5014]

@@-WiseGuy- It was “good for me” however, no matter the disdain and hostility arising from your debate style...thanks for even deigning to respond. Back to the books. You on the other hand are already “dead in the water” either through depression, complete cynicism or some other as yet undiscovered aspect.

[@markbird5461]

You describe panpshycism

[@Iamthepossum]

Thanks for the question, Sharon. I look forward to reading a serious response here from another viewer.

[@SB-wu6pz]

There are 5 layers of portal. Prana Apana Samana Udana Vyana Then Brahman which is the Consiousness ie You. Brahmins in India when they take food offer prayer to all these portals each day.They view that the food which looked physical(portal of Consiousness) is consumed by consiousness.Forms of Consiousness changing into formless.

[@gerhardfritz7278]

There's another important distinction. The flower that deceives the bee is across species. Out problem is deception within species.

[@meridethmatt]

There can only be one infinite, if more than one then they are both finite or limited by the other’s existence.

[@mickywes3733]

18:24 “it does mean that there are agents above us” 22:44 “the mystics have been ahead of us for millennia...and we have to catch up”

[@bfuiltugomaith]

There is only consciousness ..all is consciousness..there is only consciousness ..there can not be new consciousness ..we are a point of attention in consciousness. ..”subject elemental knowability”...

[@lkey1777]

...other options are if we accept in fullness that we are living in the surface of manifestation..., that mean, not very near by the root of creation, reached the part of manifestation where we are ready to radiate ourselves toward next cycle of creation...

[@ibperson7765]

Im glad a few other people downvoted this video. Nice to know there are a few out there who can see the difference between genius and a sophisticated mimicking of it.

[@bobbyt9431]

Deep as a puddle.