This was the first real-life episode of the Anagoge Podcast, recorded in Portugal. The video of the conversation is available on YouTube. James Cooke is a neuroscientist, writer, and contemplative practitioner whose work bridges neuroscience, philosophy, and spirituality. In his recent book The Dawn of Mind, he proposes a bold reframing of consciousness—placing it not in the brain alone, but within the deeper relational dynamics of life itself.

In this episode, we explore James' formative mystical experience as a teenager and how it set him on a lifelong journey to understand consciousness through science rather than in opposition to it. We unpack his core thesis of non-dual naturalism, the idea that reality is fundamentally relational, not made up of separate objects, and that consciousness itself may be best understood as an embodied epistemic relation between organism and world.

We discuss the illusion of the self, the role of suffering in revealing the nature of reality, and how insights from contemplative practice intersect with recent developments in neuroscience and quantum physics. Along the way, we grapple with the philosophical implications of groundlessness, the nature of ethics in a world without selves, and the limits of scientific explanation.

0:00 Start

0:45 James Cooke's Background

2:29 Why a Mystical Experience Led to a Scientific Path

5:53 A Broad Overview of the Book's Thesis: Non-Dual Naturalism

9:52 The Epistemic Weight of Mystical Experiences

17:02 The "No-Self" Claim and the Groundlessness of Reality

23:48 How the Infinite Nature of Reality is Relevant to Everyday Life

29:32 The Link Between "No-Self" and Ethics

39:03 The Nuances of Reducing Suffering: Utilitarianism vs. Values

45:57 Defining Life and Consciousness

50:49 How This Perspective Addresses the Hard Problem of Consciousness

1:06:15 Comparing Model-Building in Life vs. AI (LLMs)

1:09:19 The Influence of Kant and the Problem of Anti-Realism

1:15:52 The Power of Stories, Symbols, and Conventional Reality

1:23:35 The Role of Value Systems vs. Survival in Predictive Processing

1:33:41 The Problem of The One and the Many

1:45:13 Exploring Duality

1:48:56 James Future Work

Transcript article: https://tiagovf.medium.com/the-self-consciousness-relationality-54a037bb60a1

My new book, In Search of the Infinite – A Psychedelic Memoir, is a personal and philosophical account written over seven years, tracing my journey through over a dozen psychedelic experiences. It explores the depths of human experience: suffering, beauty, doubt, and wonder, through the lens of altered states and introspection, gradually moving from a strictly rational worldview toward a renewed engagement with religion. Blending memoir with philosophical reflection, it explores a sincere, evolving search for truth and meaning.

Paperback/Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/8MM0JhE

Free Digital Version: https://psychedelicmemoir.com/

If you would like to connect with me on Instagram, you can do so at @tiagobooks: https://www.instagram.com/tiagobooks/

The intro song is by Lief Sjostrom, titled Peril, from the album 'Impossible Parade'.
Website: https://liefsjostrom.com/
Album: https://liefsjostrom.bandcamp.com/album/impossible-parade

Alexander Jech is the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Philosophy Department and a Faculty Affiliate at the Nanovic Institute for European Studies at the University of Notre Dame. His work often explores political philosophy, ethics, and the limits of language. In 2024, he published a new translation of Søren Kierkegaard's influential work, Fear and Trembling.

We explore Alexander's fascinating and serendipitous journey into studying Kierkegaard, which began somewhat reluctantly but blossomed into his main philosophical passion. We dive deep into the inseparable link between Kierkegaard's tumultuous personal life—marked by his complex relationship with his father and his famously broken engagement to Regina Olsen—and the development of his core philosophical ideas.

Alexander unpacks the intricate concept of indirect communication and the use of pseudonyms in works like "Either/Or". A significant portion of our conversation is dedicated to "Fear and Trembling," where we discuss the paradox of Abraham and Isaac, the nuances of translating the text, and the profound concept of the teleological suspension of the ethical, clarifying common misinterpretations along the way.

Finally, we connect Kierkegaard's thought to the modern day, exploring the "leap of faith" as a model for identity transformation. We discuss how this applies to overcoming addiction, the role of transformative or mystical experiences in creating new possibilities for the self, and the mysterious power of love and the sacred in grounding this leap.

0:00 - Introduction & Alexander's Background

3:26 - What Drew Alexander to Kierkegaard?

6:24 - The Serendipitous Path to Becoming a Kierkegaard Scholar

10:07 - Kierkegaard's Relevance for Students

10:38 - Teaching Kierkegaard & The Human Heart

15:20 - How Student Needs Led to a New "Fear and Trembling" Translation

18:12 - Kierkegaard's Historical & Philosophical Context (vs. Hegel & Romantics)

25:54 - The Link Between Kierkegaard's Personal Suffering & His Philosophy

28:05 - Factor 1: The Relationship with His Father

33:03 - Factor 2: The Relationship with Regina Olsen

38:31 - Factor 3: The Art of Indirect Communication

43:26 - How "Either/Or" Was a Tool to Repel Regina

48:14 - The Leap of Faith: Kierkegaard's Personal Failure with Regina

53:28 - Unpacking "Fear and Trembling": The Story of Abraham

58:02 - The Teleological Suspension of the Ethical

1:00:38 - The Correct Interpretation: Kierkegaard's Lack of Faith

1:05:22 - The Paradox of the Teleological Suspension of the Ethical

1:10:06 - Translating the Paradox: The Importance of "Intend" vs. "Want"

1:22:22 - Is Faith a Rejection of Practical Reason?

1:38:00 - The Role of the Revolutionary: Justifying Horrible Acts for a Greater Good?

1:47:17 - Applying Kierkegaard: The Leap, Identity & Transformative Experience

1:58:28 - The Sacred, Possibility, and Bridging the Gap

2:05:28 - Kierkegaard's Answer to the Addict: How to Make the Leap?

2:16:47 - Conclusion

This podcast is available in article format: https://tiagovf.medium.com/the-life-of-kierkegaards-life-the-leap-of-faith-41df3231981f

My new book, In Search of the Infinite – A Psychedelic Memoir, is a personal and philosophical account written over seven years, tracing my journey through over a dozen psychedelic experiences. It explores the depths of human experience: suffering, beauty, doubt, and wonder, through the lens of altered states and introspection, gradually moving from a strictly rational worldview toward a renewed engagement with religion. Blending memoir with philosophical reflection, it explores a sincere, evolving search for truth and meaning.

Paperback/Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/8MM0JhE
Free Digital Version: https://psychedelicmemoir.com/

If you would like to connect with me on Instagram, you can do so at @tiagobooks: https://www.instagram.com/tiagobooks/

The intro song is by Lief Sjostrom, titled Peril, from the album 'Impossible Parade'.
Website: https://liefsjostrom.com/
Album: https://liefsjostrom.bandcamp.com/album/impossible-parade

Jean-Philippe Marceau is a writer and podcaster associated with The Symbolic World, often working with Jonathan Pageau. With an academic background in mathematics, theoretical computer science, and philosophy of mind, his new book addresses the contemporary "meaning crisis" through the lens of Christian metaphysics.

In this episode, we explore the core arguments of JP's book, "Post-Reductionist Christianity." They explore the limitations of reductive materialism, the importance of synthesizing insights from thinkers like Jonathan Pageau and John Vervaeke, and the structure of a post-reductionist worldview. The discussion navigates the metaphysics of emanation and emergence, different approaches to Christian apologetics, and the philosophical challenges posed by panpsychism and idealism, all while seeking a more meaningful understanding of reality.

The nature of consciousness is also covered, in addition to attention, and the profound ontological meaning of 'love', and its connection to the Logos. We grapple with the understanding of miracles, from simple dismissals to explore symbolic and causal interpretations. We tackle the concept of God as Creator in relation to 'The Good,' the idea of a 'naturalist Christianity,' difficulties within religious tradition and scripture, and finally, JP shares his experience with Christianity.

0:00 Introduction and JP's new book.

1:07 JP on the book's conciseness and its audience.

2:27 Synthesizing the worldviews of Jonathan Pageau and John Vervaeke.

7:47 The book's core argument against reductionism towards Christian metaphysics.

12:47 Personal narratives in books and initial feedback on JP's work.

21:47 Contrasting vision-based vs. forceful Christian apologetics methods.

26:17 The metaphysical concept of emanation versus emergence.

30:57 Debating panpsychism, phenomenal consciousness, and potentiality.

38:27 Idealism, metaphysical analogy, and Christianity's view of matter.

46:47 Consciousness, attention, ontological love, and basic sentience.

1:04:47 Ontological love defined and its relationship to the Logos.

1:13:57 Understanding miracles: symbolism, causality, and Christian metaphysics.

1:28:07 God as personal Creator versus the Platonic "Good."

1:41:57 "Naturalist Christianity" vs. traditional faith, scripture, and community.

1:52:17 JP's personal experience with Christianity

Get his book: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/products/post-reductionist-christianity-a-way-out-of-the-meaning-crisis

My new book: "In Search of the Infinite - A Psychedelic Memoir":

https://amzn.eu/d/8MM0JhE

If you would like to connect with me on Instagram, you can do so at @tiagobooks