Iain McGilchrist - Consciousness and Deep Ontology [View all]

A brief and engaging discussion of consciousness, matter, and the cosmos. This perspective on consciousness, called philosophical idealism, has been around from the beginning of civilization, and probably long before. Many of the big names in philosophy were idealists. Scientific materialism (or physicalism), the alernative to idealism which believes that matter is foundational, is a relatively modern perspective which, while enjoying a period of cultural dominance, is being increasingly questioned by both modern philosophy and physics. Iain McGilchrist, Don Hanson, Bernardo Kastrup, and Frederico Faggin are a few of the contemporary philosophers who are exploring idealism. They all have a strong background in science.



What is the relationship between consciousness and the nature of ultimate reality? Some say there is no relationship; consciousness is a late, contingent product of biological evolution. Others say consciousness is irreducible and fundamental, whether part of ultimate reality or all of it. Does it make sense to explore consciousness and cosmos together?

Iain McGilchrist FRSA is a British psychiatrist, philosopher and neuroscientist who wrote the 2009 book The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World.