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Dr. John Vervaeke

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Dr. John Vervaeke
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  • A Thorough Critique of Popular and Psychological Accounts of Meaning of Life
    In this episode, John and Arjun Arora from the University of Toronto present an in-depth critique of current psychological and folk theories on the meaning of life. They discuss the limitations of popular constructs such as purpose, coherence, significance, and mattering, and propose a shift towards concepts like 'orientation' and 'connectedness'. Arjun shares his personal journey from nihilism to understanding meaning, emphasizing the practical significance of this research. The discussion touches on the inadequacies of traditional semantic and personal subjective interpretations, advocating for a trans-objective perspective that integrates cognitive science, phenomenology, and wisdom cultivation. The conversation also explores the notion of deepening our connection to reality and the importance of rationality, culminating in a call for a new metaphysics of meaning that is both practically and academically robust. Arjun Arora is a cognitive science and physics scholar whose work bridges science, philosophy, and the search for meaning. As a student collaborator of Dr. John Vervaeke at the University of Toronto, Arora explores questions at the intersection of cognitive science, metaphysics, and existential psychology. His research focuses on the nature of meaning in life — how orientation, coherence, and connectedness to reality shape human flourishing. Drawing on insights from philosophy, neuroscience, and contemplative traditions, Arora examines how wisdom, rationality, and self-transcendence can counter modern nihilism and restore a deeper sense of purpose. Through his academic and public collaborations, he represents a new generation of thinkers committed to integrating rigorous science with timeless questions of meaning, being, and becoming.   The Blind Spot Meaning in Life: An Analytic Study  Charles Taylor Michael Levin   — 00:00 Welcome to the Lectern 01:16 "What makes a life worth living, even when we are faced by frustrations, failures, and our faults?" 01:30 Meet Arjun Arora 03:00 Critiquing the standard model of meaning in life 04:30 Purpose and orientation 06:00 Coherence and its challenges 08:00 Significance and mattering 11:30 Meaning in life vs. meaning of life 14:30 Worldviews and meta meaning systems 17:00 The role of affordance and adaptivity 22:00 The normativity of meaning in life 47:00 The developmental dimension of meaning in life 52:00 Exploring the connection between wisdom and meaning 52:30 Modal confusion and existential modes 53:00 The having mode vs. the being mode 53:30 The cost of modal confusion 55:00 Existential resilience and meaning in life 58:00 The normative aspect of meaning 01:04:00 The role of trust and belonging in meaning 01:08:00 The problem with the current meaning in life construct 01:12:30 The need for a new metaphysics 01:43:00 The importance of phenomenology in meaning 01:45:00 Concluding thoughts and future directions     —   The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. Become a part of our mission.    Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.    —   Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode Philosophical Silk Road Intersection of Neo-Platonism and Judaism Ibn Gabirol's philosophy of matter and form Fountain of Life and the concept of God Dialogical nature of reason Jewish mysticism and its influence Potentiality and actuality in Neo-Platonism Receptivity and creativity in philosophy Coupling of form and matter in existence Desire and the divine essence Logos as the "virtual engine" Purpose of mankind and knowledge Self-organization and complexity The mystery of the divine and analogy of language Ibn Gabirol (Avicebron) Sarah Pessin – scholar, Theology of Desire Zevi Slavin – host/interlocutor Andalusian thinkers Fountain of Life Selected Poems of Ibn Gabirol Theology of Desire Books and literature on Ibn Gabirol generally   —   Follow John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon —   Thank you for Listening!  
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  • Silk Road Seminar - Jonathan Pageau
    Thank you for joining us for our monthly Silk Road Seminar!  Today's guest is  @JonathanPageau  Jonathan Pageau is a Canadian artist, writer, and public thinker exploring the patterns that unite art, symbolism, and meaning. As an icon carver and lecturer on symbolic thinking, Jonathan has become a prominent voice in the growing movement to recover traditional ways of seeing the world. His work brings together theology, myth, and modern culture to help audiences rediscover the sacred patterns underlying reality. He is the host of The Symbolic World, a popular podcast and YouTube channel where he examines culture, art, and current events through the lens of symbolism and story. Jonathan's insights have made him a sought-after speaker at universities, conferences, and major podcasts, including appearances on Jordan Peterson's podcast and The Portal with Eric Weinstein.  Beyond his media work, Jonathan is a skilled icon carver in the Orthodox Christian tradition, producing liturgical and commissioned pieces that embody the very principles he teaches. He is also the editor of The Orthodox Arts Journal and co-founder of Symbolic World Press, which publishes works on theology, philosophy, and art that bridge ancient wisdom and contemporary experience. Silk Road Seminars are a live event where John weaves together threads from his various theoretical conversations along with a distinguished guest. These hour-long conversations are live on Youtube followed by an exclusive Q&A, where you can ask questions directly to John and his guest. To be entered onto the guest list for these Q&As, you can sign up at the Gamma Tier (and above) on The Lectern at https://lectern.teachable.com/p/lectern-lounge Currently enrolled university students at all levels up to doctoral studies get free access to the Q&A. To gain access to Silk Road seminars, please email your proof of student identity to [email protected] to be added to the guest list and watch previous seminars as well! If you would like to donate purely out of goodwill to support John's work, please consider joining our Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke. The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. https://vervaekefoundation.org/ If you would like to learn and engage regularly in practices that are informed, developed and endorsed by John and his work, visit Awaken to Meaning's calendar to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships. https://awakentomeaning.com/join-practice/ John Vervaeke: https://johnvervaeke.com/ https://twitter.com/DrJohnVervaeke https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke  
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  • Virtuosity as a Way of Life | Ethan Hsieh and the Tiamat Process
    Something is coming: https://lectern.johnvervaeke.com/p/whatnext   What if mastery isn't about perfection—but about transformation? In this episode of The Lectern, John Vervaeke is joined by Ethan Hsieh to explore how the cultivation of virtuosity—typically associated with the arts—can become central to philosophical and existential growth. Ethan introduces his Tiamat process, a three-tier developmental framework integrating performance training, cognitive science, and dialogical practice. Together, they explore what it means to live a deliberately developmental life, moving beyond therapy into embodied transformation. Ethan draws from his background in acting, pedagogy, and philosophy to offer a new model of self-cultivation rooted in agency, feedback, metacognition, and trust. Ethan Hsieh is a facilitator, educator, and philosophical practitioner whose work bridges performance, cognition, and transformative pedagogy. As the creator of the Tiamat process, he integrates insights from embodied practice, developmental psychology, and dialogical philosophy to help individuals cultivate virtuosity as a way of life. Ethan is also a co-founder of Five to Midnight, a community of practice that fosters relational, developmental growth through shared inquiry. Learn more: http://5tomidnight.org - 00:00 – Opening and intentions 03:00 – Ethan's background in theater and philosophy 07:30 – What is Tiamat? Three-tiered developmental model 11:00 – Mapping metacognition through embodied practice 14:00 – Why "meta-maps" matter 17:00 – Habituation and interrupting automaticity 20:00 – Tiamat vs traditional therapy 24:00 – Participatory transformation and co-regulation 29:00 – Why agency must be distributed 1:00:00 – Where transformation lives: tier two dynamics 1:05:00 – Closing reflections - Tiamat Process – Ethan's developmental model blending performance, cognition, and feedback Meta Maps – Tools for mapping metacognition and lived experience Postures of Presence – Ethan's term for enacted, relational awareness Five to Midnight – Ethan's practice-based community: http://5tomidnight.org Deliberately Developmental Civilization – Concept by Ken Wilber & Dustin Dene Unified Theory of Knowledge (UTOK) – Metatheoretical cognitive framework: https://unifiedtheoryofknowledge.org - Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned: Tiamat process Virtuosity and virtue Meta maps and metacognition Postures of presence Embodied transformation Relational ontology Distributed agency Participatory knowing Deliberately developmental civilization Complexification and growth Therapy vs. transformative practice Feedback and co-regulation Performance and philosophy Five to Midnight Unified Theory of Knowledge (UTOK) Ken Wilber Dustin Dene John Vervaeke - Follow John Vervaeke: https://johnvervaeke.com https://twitter.com/DrJohnVervaeke https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke
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  • Silk Road Seminar - Elizabeth Oldfield
    Thank you for joining us for our monthly Silk Road Seminar! Today's guest is Elizabeth Oldfield.   Elizabeth Oldfield is an experienced leader, writer, consultant and podcast host with a passion for intelligent public engagement on issues of reconciliation, identity, and healing our common life. She is currently working with a range of organisations and individuals as a coach and consultant focused on building clarity, courage and connection.   Elizabeth appears regularly in the media, including BBC One, Sky News, the World Service, and writing in Prospect Magazine, UnHerd and The Financial Times. She also hosts The Sacred, a podcast, events and visual content brand which creates space for a wide range of guests to reflect on their deepest values. For ten years she was Director of Theos, the UK's leading religion and society think tank, where she was repeatedly accredited by Best Companies as a 3* (world class) manager, reflecting her commitment to building and leading flourishing, high performing teams. She spent the first part of her career working at the BBC in television and radio, contributing to programmes including Beyond Belief and the Moral Maze, as well as Radio 3 and 4 documentaries. She is motivated by the dearth of real wisdom in public life, by a desire to increase empathy across our deep differences and the way spirituality can help individuals and societies flourish. She has a masters in Theology and the Arts and lives in an intentional community in south London.   She has spoken with John previously on UnHerd and you can watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/SGCVcMFCd7o?si=pTU2cCbcgR1Nj2xF   Silk Road Seminars are a live event where John weaves together threads from his various theoretical conversations along with a distinguished guest. These hour-long conversations are live on Youtube followed by an exclusive Q&A, where you can ask questions directly to John and his guest. To be entered onto the guest list for these Q&As, you can sign up at the Gamma Tier (and above) on The Lectern at https://lectern.teachable.com/p/lectern-lounge   Currently enrolled university students at all levels up to doctoral studies get free access to the Q&A. To gain access to Silk Road seminars, please email your proof of student identity to [email protected] to be added to the guest list and watch previous seminars as well! If you would like to donate purely out of goodwill to support John's work, please consider joining our Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. https://vervaekefoundation.org/ If you would like to learn and engage regularly in practices that are informed, developed and endorsed by John and his work, visit Awaken to Meaning's calendar to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships. https://awakentomeaning.com/join-practice/   John Vervaeke: https://johnvervaeke.com/ https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke
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  • Exploring Jewish Neoplatonism: The Life and Philosophy of Solomon Ibn Gabirol
    Watch the first episode of our new season of Lectern Dialogues! This season's guest is Zevi Slavin. Zevi Slavin is a philosopher, educator, and public scholar whose work explores the intersections of mysticism and philosophy across traditions. As the creator of Seekers of Unity, he is dedicated to reviving and reinterpreting the voices of philosophical mystics, with a focus on Jewish thought and its dialogue with Greek and Islamic philosophy. A leading voice in the study of Jewish Neoplatonism, Slavin highlights figures such as Solomon Ibn Gabirol, whose integration of poetry, metaphysics, and theology offers profound resources for contemporary seekers. Through his research and public teaching, he advocates for a unified vision of reality that transcends artificial divides between traditions, demonstrating how historical thinkers can inform modern life, meaning, and spirituality. Seekers of Unity YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/c/SeekersofUnity The Zohar – Foundational text of Kabbalah: https://sefaria.org/Zohar?lang=bi Lurianic Kabbalah (Isaac Luria): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Luria Sefer Yetzirah – Early Kabbalistic text: https://sefaria.org/Sefer_Yetzirah?lang=bi Each quarter, John engages in thought-provoking extended conversations with a leading expert in psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. Each season offers a unique exploration, bringing together their diverse fields of knowledge to create fresh insights and understanding. These in-depth discussions, chaptered for your convenience, offer nuanced perspectives and integrative approaches to navigating our complex world. The first episode is free and publicly available. To follow the rest of the season as well as gain access to previous discussions, you can sign up at the Beta Tier (and above) on The Lectern at https://lectern.teachable.com/p/lectern-lounge   Shownotes (00:00) Welcome to the Lectern (01:00) Philosophical Silk Road and Andalusian Thinker (01:30) Innovative Intersection of Neoplatonism and Judaism (02:00) Books and Literature on Ibn Gabirol (03:00) Ibn Gabirol's Philosophical and Poetic Contributions (03:30) "I really like about this is his idea of God as an inexhaustible fount of intelligible realness." (04:00) Dialogical Nature of Reason and Selected Poems (05:00) Sarah Pessin's Work and Theology of Desire (06:30) Jewish Influence and Mysticism in Ibn Gabirol's Work (07:30) Philosophical Context and Relevance Today (08:00) Zevi's Perspective on Philosopher-Mystics (14:00) Discussion on Matter and Form (22:30) Potentiality and Actuality in Neoplatonism (35:30) Receptivity and Creativity in Philosophy (41:00) Exploring the Receptivity of Matter and Jewish Mysticism (41:00) The Coupling of Form and Matter in Existence (43:00) Desire and the Divine Essence (48:00) Logos and the Virtual Engine (52:00) The Purpose of Mankind and Knowledge (57:30) The Journey of Self-Organization and Complexity (01:11:00) The Mystery of the Divine and the Analogy of Language (01:22:00) The Legend of Ibn Gabirol's Death and Legacy     —   The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. Become a part of our mission.    Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.    —   Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode Philosophical Silk Road Intersection of Neo-Platonism and Judaism Ibn Gabirol's philosophy of matter and form Fountain of Life and the concept of God Dialogical nature of reason Jewish mysticism and its influence Potentiality and actuality in Neo-Platonism Receptivity and creativity in philosophy Coupling of form and matter in existence Desire and the divine essence Logos as the "virtual engine" Purpose of mankind and knowledge Self-organization and complexity The mystery of the divine and analogy of language Ibn Gabirol (Avicebron) Sarah Pessin – scholar, Theology of Desire Zevi Slavin – host/interlocutor Andalusian thinkers Fountain of Life Selected Poems of Ibn Gabirol Theology of Desire Books and literature on Ibn Gabirol generally   —   Follow John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon —   Thank you for listening!  
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