Philosophize This! – Episode #180 … What if everything is consciousness? – Phillip Goff on Panpsychism

Intro

In this episode of “Philosophize This!”, host Stephen West interviews philosopher Philip Goff about panpsychism and its implications for understanding consciousness. They discuss the limitations of materialism, the role of consciousness in physical reality, and the potential societal impact of accepting panpsychism as a fundamental aspect of the universe.

Main Takeaways

Understanding Consciousness and Panpsychism

• Most people today believe in physicalism or materialism when it comes to consciousness.
• Panpsychism is a theory of consciousness that suggests that consciousness was removed from science a long time ago.
• Modern panpsychism proposes that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe.
• Philip Goff is a prominent philosopher in the field of panpsychism.

The Limitations of Materialism

• Galileo believed that physical reality could be understood solely through mathematics, but this meant cutting out qualitative experiences.
• Physics today primarily explains the way physical stuff behaves, but doesn’t tell us anything about the nature of matter in itself.
• Mathematical physics has been successful because it excluded consciousness, but it cannot explain consciousness.

Panpsychism and the Nature of Consciousness

• Panpsychist theory suggests that consciousness is a single substance underlying physical reality.
• Consciousness is the causal skeleton of the world and physical reality, with particles, fields, and dispositions of matter being networks of consciousness.
• Scientific theories like quantum mechanics and natural selection are counter to common sense, and we know very little about the intrinsic nature of matter.

Societal Implications of Panpsychism

• Accepting panpsychism could radically change our relationship with the environment and the natural world for the better.
• Panpsychism offers a way to integrate both objective scientific facts and human experiences into a unified picture of reality.
• A panpsychist society may prioritize symbiosis with the environment and view individuals as temporary concentrations of consciousness in a larger interconnected network.

Summary

Understanding Consciousness and Panpsychism

Most people today adhere to the belief of physicalism or materialism when it comes to consciousness. However, panpsychism challenges this perspective by proposing that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe. Philip Goff, a prominent philosopher in the field, discusses the theory and its implications.

The Limitations of Materialism

Galileo’s belief that physical reality could be understood solely through mathematics led to the exclusion of qualitative experiences. While mathematical physics has been successful in explaining physical behavior, it fails to account for consciousness. This limitation calls for alternative theories like panpsychism.

Panpsychism and the Nature of Consciousness

Panpsychist theory suggests that consciousness is a single substance underlying physical reality. It posits that particles, fields, and dispositions of matter are networks of consciousness. Scientific theories like quantum mechanics and natural selection challenge common sense and leave much unknown about the intrinsic nature of matter.

Societal Implications of Panpsychism

Accepting panpsychism could revolutionize our relationship with the environment and the natural world. By integrating objective scientific facts and human experiences, panpsychism offers a unified perspective of reality. A panpsychist society may prioritize symbiosis with the environment and view individuals as temporary concentrations of consciousness within a larger interconnected network.

Conclusion

Exploring panpsychism and its implications for understanding consciousness opens up new possibilities for our understanding of the universe and our place within it. By considering the role of consciousness as a fundamental aspect of reality, we may reshape our relationship with the environment and foster a more interconnected and sustainable society.