You have an Endless Potential

This episode is comprised of multiple Season 4 episodes from the podcast, specifically, Jonathan Pageau, James Orr & Nigel Biggar, Ian McGilchrist, Lawrence Krauss, Christopher Kaczor and Matthew Petrusek and Bishop Barron. We have paired this compilation with the release of the full video series on YouTube in one video. This episode is brought to you by Jordan's personality course available at https://courses.jordanbpeterson.com/personality?utm_source=jbp_clips_yt_description&utm_medium=Video1&utm_campaign=black-friday-nov-2021 The Personality Course is available for the week of Black Friday for 53% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 Nov 20211h 7min

This episode was recorded on September 10th 2021. Jordan Peterson, Bishop Barron, John Vervaeke, and Jonathan Pageau have a round table to explore ideas and theories of Meaning. All three guests have been on the podcast before, and all share Jordan’s passion for the universal truths of human experience. This deep discussion explores the roots of Meaning and religious significance. Bishop Barron is the founder of Word on Fire and the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of LA. John Vervaeke is a colleague of Jordan’s and an associate professor at the University of Toronto since 1994. He teaches courses on reasoning, cognitive development, and higher cognitive processes. Jonathan Pageau is a symbolic thinker, YouTuber, and class carver of orthodox icons. - Find more Bishop Barron on YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/wordonfirevideo And here: https://wordonfire.org/ Find more John Vervaeke online on his website: http://johnvervaeke.com John's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpqDUjTsof-kTNpnyWper_Q Find more Jonathan Pageau on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCtCTSf3UwRU14nYWr_xm-dQ  Jonathan's website: http://www.pageaucarvings.com _________ [00:00] Preview [01:30] Intro [02:40] Everyone gives their answer to “What is meaning?” [03:30] “We're using meaning as a metaphor... something similar to the way a sentence works. It has intelligibility to it that connects us to the world... so that we can interact and be informed by it” Jon Vervaeke [07:22] “Our mental framing is transparent like a pair of glasses, but there are times we need to step back and, by taking the glasses off and examining them, consider our framing structure" JV [09:10] “When you look at the world there is a central point of focus. When you focus on the point with your eyes it becomes very clear... until we no longer perceive anything by the edge of our vision. It's nothingness, it's just not there" Jordan Peterson [13:56] Bishop Barron's view on meaning and religion [14:23] “I would say that meaning is to be in a purposeful relationship to a value" Bishop Robert Barron [17:55] “So I'm talking to you, which I believe is a good, but it's nested in a higher good and a still higher good, so finally I want not just this particular good but good itself—that's a religious relationship" BRB [18:20] Pageau’s opening thoughts on meaning and religion [19:56] “The reason we perceive hierarchy is because we are always judging... or trying to evaluate whether something’s good" Pageau [20:31] Jordan’s brief foray into “mini-celebrations” [21:53] The idea of revelation [24:46] “It isn't obvious to me that we see objects—we see patterns" JP [27:40] “Like a Rolling Stone—it wasn't the first song I liked, but it was the first that rocked my world and rearranged my mind, and I think that's where real value is" BRB [28:42] Underlying causes of the crisis of meaning [30:10] “Something that starts with Scotus... and goes into the heart of the scientific revolution is that there’s no such thing as levels—reality just is" JV [31:00] Science around the hierarchy of intelligibility and connectedness [33:00] What is science? [39:00] “There’s an epistemic hierarchy and science does not belong on the top" BRB [42:00] “As scientists, we are motivated by a narrative we don't understand scientifically… The whole enterprise is driven by a dream whose reality can't be encapsulated within the process itself" JP [44:00] The ignorance in assuming science OR religion are correct [44:40] Eminationist ontologies [55:30] Religious experiences [01:07:30] The book of Revelations as a psychedelic experience. [01:17:30] The Psychedelic problem and why psychedelics are useful in communal experiences. [01:26:00] Jordan’s biblical lectures [01:32:00] What are the guests working on? [01:36:00] Beauty in churches [01:38:00] Growing up Christian [01:44:00] Possibility is real [01:50:00] Joining religion and science [02:03:30] Wrapping up #Meaning #Psychology #Religion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Nov 20212h 6min

This episode is comprised of multiple Season 4 episodes from the podcast, specifically, Jonathan Pageau, Randall Wallace, Iain McGilchrist, Bishop Barron, Stephen Fry, and John Vervaeke. We have paired this compilation with some exciting upcoming episodes in the form of next Monday’s podcast which is a conversation between Jordan, Jonathan Pageau, Bishop Barron, and John Vervaeke where they discuss many of the same concepts you will hear about today - as well as the role of the psychedelics in religious tradition.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Nov 20211h 6min

This episode was recorded on September 8th 2021. Saifedean Ammous is an expert on Bitcoin with a PhD from Columbia University. He joins Dr. Peterson to discuss decentralization, different schools of economics, the Fiat vs. Bitcoin standards, and much more. Dr. Ammous is the author of The Bitcoin Standard, widely considered the essential book on the economics of Bitcoin. He also hosts a podcast of the same name. His new book, The Fiat Standard, should be out in November. _ Find Saifedean here: https://twitter.com/saifedean Saifedean’s online learning platform: http://saifedean.com (20% off by using the code “Peterson”) The Bitcoin Standard: http://saifedean.com/thebitcoinstandard The Fiat Standard: http://saifedean.com/thefiatstandard _________ [00:18] Intro [02:34] What are hard monetary assets? [06:13] The argument for bitcoin being the best hard money ever created [09:11] "Bitcoin only has users... no admins. There is nobody with a master key" - Saifedean Ammous [10:36] How the Bitcoin network functions using "consensus parameters" [15:49] "The way that Bitcoin came about seems... virtually impossible to believe" - Jordan Peterson [18:27] Other schools of economics (Austrian) vs. the most common today (Keynesian) [20:46] "So the Austrian school of economics... tilts you more towards an appreciation of non-centrally controlled, distributed networks, and emphasis on the individual actor" - JP [23:25] Paul Samuelson and communist economic expectations of centralized planning post-WW2 [25:27] Dr. Ammous' academic background [27:14] Climate change. The push towards central planning, implying certain people or groups know the exact consequences and solutions to future economic developments [29:41] "I've been struck by the problem of unintended consequences and the irreducible complexity of things. We can talk about the problem of climate change, but those words are incredibly deceiving" - JP [34:16] Highlighting the crucial role of the entrepreneur in Austrian economics [40:46] Saifedean reflects on the views held by the central bank, governments, and mainstream economists on money—as opposed to Bitcoin's structuring and the Austrian school of thought [41:43] "From the Austrian perspective, money is a product of the market and not the invention of the state. The state's meddling in money... is irrational and cannot succeed for the same reasons central planning does not succeed" - SA [45:50] Overview of Dr. Ammous' book The Fiat Standard [54:40] Current inflation in Western democracies. The devastating effect of hyperinflation on the average person [58:15] "Money is an incredible technology for lowering our time preference" - SA [58:59] "The 20th century was a global trainwreck of watching the money preference rise. Generation after generation... witnessed their money devalue" - SA [01:02:32] Why some efforts in energy production are misguided [01:06:39] The Fiat Standard [01:10:29] Why are we allowing people to mine bitcoin? [01:12:46] The genius that went into the production of the Bitcoin code [01:23:14] The crazy reality of decision-making at climate change panels [01:26:36] Fiat-based currency jobs and the Zoom warriors disconnected from the physical world [01:31:09] "A lot of the problems of the 20th century, in my opinion, have their roots in highly inflationary fiat currency" - SA [01:31:18] Covering some of the common objections against Bitcoin [01:39:45] "We are always going to find more reasons to print money" - SA [01:41:43] Ammous’ online learning platform [01:48:29] The growth of Saifedeen.com and the parameters attributed to its success [01:50:05] The possibility of decentralizing societal accreditation [01:50:21] "I've talked to seriously wise academics who know that there is almost zero financial knowledge in universities [today]... There is tremendous residual value, however, in the accreditation" - JP [01:56:18] Wrapping up #Crypto #FiatStandard #Bitcoin #JordanPeterson #Decentralization Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Nov 20212h 4min

In our second weekly compilation, we are investigating the various methods and practices that humans use to conceptualize God. This investigation leads us down the path of exploring meaning and wonder. What does it mean to live as though God exists? Why are we awestruck when viewing a beautiful painting? Why does walking inside a great Cathedral render us speechless? What is the relationship between these experiences and God?  Jordan talks about how living as though god exists is some form of evidence that we as a society hold these values in high regard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Nov 20211h 5min

This episode was recorded on October 18th, 2021. Mustafa Akyol joins me to discuss Muslim history and tradition. We touch on subjects like Jesus Christ from a Christian and Muslim perspective, the Virgin Mary's role in the Quran, separation of church and state as an ideology, the dangers of literalism when facing religious texts, and much more. Mustafa Akyol is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, where he focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. He's contributed as an opinion writer for the New York Times since 2013, covering politics and religion in the Muslim world. Published by W. W. Norton, his 2011 book, "Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty," presents a strong argument for Islamic liberalism. The book was long-listed for the Lionel Gelber Prize for best nonfiction book. It was also praised by The Financial Times as "a forthright and elegant Muslim defense of freedom." His other books include "Reopening Muslim Minds" and "The Islamic Jesus." Find Mustafa's most important book, "Reopening Muslim Minds," here https://amazon.com/Reopening-Muslim-Minds-Freedom-Tolerance His book "The Islamic Jesus," discussed in this episode, is at https://amazon.com/Islamic-Jesus-Became-Prophet-Muslims Find a free PDF of his book "Why, As a Muslim, I Defend Liberty" at https://libertarianism.org/books/why-muslim-i-defend-liberty Or visit his page at the Cato Institute: https://cato.org/people/mustafa-akyol _____ [00:00] Introduction [02:47] Regarding the separation of church and state, what do Christians and Muslims have in common? [10:36] What are some similarities between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? [11:05] "I see the world's history, and I see a Judeo-Christian/Islamic history because it's all Abrahamic monotheism starting at Judaism." Mustafa Akyol [11:46] What the Three Abrahamic religions have in common—monotheism, rooting in the same tradition; and strange insistence on a book as the bedrock of culture [12:45] Unique ideas of religious and societal tolerance through different ages in history [21:10] The connection Jesus and Islam [28:45] What is the totalitarian impulse? [29:30] "I think it is an understatement of the severity of the totalitarian problem to attribute it merely to the religious." - Jordan Peterson [31:27] Critiquing the inevitable flaws of the purely secular state. The benefits of a higher law on the unification of people and not deifying human rulers [34:59] "There is another value in Sharia law—[it] was separate from the rulers, even above the rulers." - Mustafa Akyol [39:35] Briefly touching on the ruling class in Saudi Arabia. A brief history of the Wahhabi's rise to power, and how a group of extreme thinkers gained more power than would have been naturally possible [45:36] Bad Ideas from the West are, in fact, devastating [48:45] A modern Muslim's take on religion, power, and the birth of Islam with the prophet Muhammad [55:15] "The whole thorny moral problem of what to do when you are being oppressed is not something let's say as a species we have figured out." - JBP [01:18:51] "The inherent problem with literalism in interpretation. The perspective of the reader creates so much of the truth in this model that they can then impose on the world around them." - JBP [01:26:20] Regarding reason and Sharia law, one group has said that Sharia indicates what's inherently right and wrong in the world. Another group, that it only creates that difference through the imposition [01:27:01] Mary's role in the Quran and Islamic tradition [01:31:29] The influence of gnostic Christian gospels on Muhammad in Mustafa's opinion. The odd state of the Jewish Christians who were accepted by neither side [01:35:16] Final questions on Jesus Christ from Christian and Muslim perspectives [01:43:35] Wrapping up _____ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Nov 20211h 51min

In this episode, we investigate the principle set forth by Vilfredo Pareto (an Economist born in 1848) which specifies that 80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes, asserting an unequal relationship between inputs and outputs. This principle serves as a general reminder that the relationship between inputs and outputs is not balanced. The Pareto Principle is also known as the Pareto Rule, the 80/20 Rule, or the Matthew Principle. Jordan often uses the principle to demonstrate the harsh reality that inequality is not a simple issue, and therefore has no simple answer. Sections: [1:20] - 2017 Maps of Meaning 01 (Context and Background) [10:45] - 2017 Personality 13 Existentialism via Solzhenitsyn and the Gulag [17:01] - Biblical Series VIII The Phenomenology of the Divine [21:34] - 12 Rules for Life Tour - Melbourne, Australia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Nov 20211h 7min

Welcome to the Jordan B Peterson podcast season 4, episode 54. This episode was recorded on June 14th, 2021.  Dr. Clay Routledge is an existential psychologist, writer, and professor at North Dakota State University. He's also a senior research fellow at the Archbridge Institute and an editor for Profectus magazine. Dr. Routledge studies basic psychological needs and how they're shaped by family, social bonds, economics, and broader cultural worldviews. He has published over 100 scholarly papers, co-edited three books on existential psychology, and written several books, including Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource, Supernatural: Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World.  A lot of Dr. Routledge’s work - like Dr. Peterson's - focuses on the need for meaning. The two had a wide-ranging conversation about loneliness, meaning, nostalgia, Terror Management Theory, and existential psychology. They also shared views on human progress, responsibility, religion, and UFOs. Dr. Clay Routledge Website: https://www.clayroutledge.com/ Dr. Rouledge Article on Meaning: https://www.archbridgeinstitute.org/2020/05/28/why-meaning-matters-for-freedom-and-flourishing/ ------------ [00:00] Intro  [00:18] Jordan B. Peterson introduces guest Dr. Clay Routledge [01:55] How Dr. Clay Routledge got into his work [09:43] Terror Management Theory [18:33] The resistance to Terror Management Theory [22:01] Existential Psychology [27:09] The psychology of nostalgia [34:31] What elicits nostalgia [40:36] Pain responses [44:58] Reminiscence therapy and nostalgia [47:47] Collective nostalgia [54:48] Religion and its cultural impact [01:04:03] Secularism and UFOs  [01:08:33] Politics, control, and meaning [01:16:36] The different kinds of meaning and the freedom of restraint [01:24:17] Filling the hole of religion [01:28:34] Human progress [01:32:38] Dr. Routldge's survey of American progress amongst university students and the apocalypse [01:43:43] Meaning across different cultures [01:48:18] Religion in free-market societies and ethical principles [01:51:56] Dr. Routledge's qualitative taxonomy on meaning [01:55:18] Responsibility and meaning [02:02:12] Loneliness [02:07:35] Dr. Routledge’s purpose with his work ----------- #JordanPeterson #Nostalgia #TerrorManagementTheory #Loneliness #Meaning Visit www.jordanbpeterson.com to view more information about Jordan, his books, lectures, social media, blog posts, and more. Jordan B. Peterson is a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, a clinical psychologist, and the author of the multi-million copy bestseller 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, #1 for nonfiction in 2018 in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Norway, and slated for translation into 50 languages. Dr. Peterson has appeared on many popular podcasts and shows, including the Joe Rogan Experience (#877, #958, #1006), The Rubin Report (12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, Free Speech, Psychology, Gender Pronouns), H3H3 (#37), and many more. Dr. Peterson’s own podcast has focused mainly on his lecture series, covering a great deal of psychology and historical content. Jordan is expanding his current podcast from lectures to interviews with influential people around the world. We hope you enjoy this episode and more to come from Dr. Peterson in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 Nov 20212h 15min