Brain Science Podcast discussion

Hi brain-mind enthusiasts,

I teach English and American studies to international students at Saint Martin's University and have worked in higher Ed for over 20 years. It's my day job.

My first degree was in digital electronics and computers in the mid-70s plus I've been interested in minds, brains, machines, organisms, and consciousness for over 30 years. I spent several years studying systems theory and self organization, and more recently many years studying integral theory. I also practice meditation and have studied the philosophy of India for many years and thus have an interest in bringing Asian nondual and Western perspectives to bear on each other.

My current interest comes from having studied cybernetics and systems theory in the 1980s which extends now into the embodied mind approach and dynamical systems theory. My view is that the 4e or e* or dynamical organism-in-environment approach will eventually supplant the computationalist-representationalist view in cognitive science and will also eventually adopt a postmetaphysical philosophy of nonduality characteristic of Asian thought. Philosophers who are conversant in both Asian and Western traditions are already pointing to such a convergence as for example in Jay Garfield's book "Empty Words" and Mark Johnson's "The Meaning of the Body."

If you're a philosopher and have never ventured into Buddhist philosophy, first of all, shame on you, and secondly, you are missing over ten centuries of critical philosophy and argument that is every bit as rich and diverse as the Western tradition. Venturing into this territory provides one with perspectives that expand our Western notions of just about everything--self, world, truth, meaning, logic, reality, consciousness, mind, and life. And, don't be duped by the many colonialist dismissals of Asian thought systems as being "just religion." They couldn't be more wrongheaded.

Anyway, in addition to East-West philosophy and the sciences of the mind, I love astronomy, music, wilderness, outdoor sports, and the unbelievable selection of tasty microbrews now existent in the world.

Cheers y'all!

Blaine,

I agree with you that everyone interested in philosophy should explore Buddhist thought. Actually, spent many years studying Eastern philosophy before I discovered Western Philosophy, which lead me to Philosophy of Mind and back into neuroscience.

Thanks for joining our group. Do you listen to any Buddhist-oriented podcasts? I just got an invitation to appear on Secular Buddhist.

Hi Ginger,

The only Buddhist podcast I've listened to is Buddhist Geeks. It's pretty interesting but I get much more from reading and practicing. Great that you spent time in Asian philosophy. Nondualism is the only way out of the postmodern cul de sac we've gotten ourselves into. Science adds so much to the picture but it never has nor will provide us with wisdom and ultimate understanding of who we are. Nevertheless, science is a indispensable and worthy pursuit.

Blaine