Every Theory of Consciousness
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– VIDEO NOTES
Robert Lawrence Kuhn is an American public intellectual and investment banker. He is also an author, television producer, columnist and commentator, especially on topics related to China. Kuhn is the creator of the PBS series @CloserToTruthTV.
– LINKS
Landscape of Consciousness: https://loc.closertotruth.com
– TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – The Landscape of Consciousness Map
16:32 – Materialism
26:58 – What Counts As Materialism?
45:12 – The Difference Between Panpsychism and Materialism
49:36 – What’s the Difference Between Panpsychism and Idealism?
58:12 – Idealism and Monism
01:03:51 – Do All These “Theories” Really Differ?
01:08:40 – Dualism and Property Dualism
01:20:30 – Are Psychedelic Experiences Significant?
01:32:02 – The “Challenge” Category
01:42:36 – Quantum Theories of Consciousness
01:47:57 – Integrated Information Theory
02:01:53 – Theological Approaches to Consciousness
02:15:33 – How Theory of Mind Brings Us Together
– CONNECT
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The Within Reason Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489d
– CONTACT
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——————————————
@jop521
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Yes! This was an amazing overview.
@Ferkiwi
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I honestly don't like that he used a term as broad as "Materialism" for that first category.. because one could interpret all first 5 categories to be forms of materialism too.. (and some of the ones in the 6th one too, like Tegmark). This gives the wrong impression about what Materialism is.. which has nothing to do with not having a "mental property" (if that were the case, then emergentism shouldn't be categorized as materialism either….). And it's made more confusing by having as well "non-reductive physicalism" as category 2 (why not make a "reductive physicalism" category at that point?).
He also does not have a true pure "neutral monism" category… even though the "monism" one has many that could be considered neutral monists.. but it should have been called "NEUTRAL" monism, because all materialists and all idealists are already monists. And for example he's missing Spinoza which should be spearheading the neutral monist section.
@MycoDogs
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Based episode
@hiperjuniper
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Yeah, I don’t understand how materialism feels reductive. Materialism is a tool. Being here and realizing it is WEIRD. Anything you can describe with materialism still WEIRD AS FUCK. It doesn’t matter if we can say that this thing does that thing, everything still WEIRD AS FUCK. Material? Material IS WEIRD! What do you mean material exists? There’s nothing and all of the sudden there are THINGS INTERACTING? People who hate on materialism are looking for something else (a fairytale, maybe?) while we already have everything in the weirdest way possible.
@thermidorienne
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
shoulda asked him about his long friendship with Epste*n!
@MachineOfLovingGrace
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I love you both. My brain fuel!
@Lotuspod333
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I've been looking forward to this interview for a long time.
@akvarel00
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
thank you, what a welcome appearance. hope to see Peter Tse on the podcast at some point. with recent focus on consciousness seems appropriate, he was on Closer To Truth a few times, you really got my hopes up by inviting Kuhn. 🙂
@adrianlawrence5694
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I'm 10 minutes in and the chart is missing the buffet option of a little bit of everything hehe, or anti-foundational views, at least from what I could see. Interestingly enough I was amending Values Values within Neopragmatics Deus Per/Intra/Ex Machina several times last month, compressing a lot more depth into several new paragraphs.
@Damn-Damn
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
doemn>>>>>>>>>>>>>
@Bbriggdog
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
So did Alex basically admit to having psychedelic experiences in this discussion?
@DRJEM458
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
People just love wasting their time making mysteries for themselves that don't require solutions. Free will can't logically exist (but people want it to, so they work hard to make it a mystery). The "self" is an illusion (but people want their "self" or soul to be real, so they work hard to make it a mystery). Consciousness is simply our sensory input and prediction systems at work, not different in kind from a flatworm detecting and avoiding light (but people want consciousness to be special, so they make it a mystery). We desperately want at least a dash of magic to exist in the world, so we overcomplicate our understanding of the world to justify wasting time by engaging in what amounts to secular magical thinking.
@StraitjacketFitness
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
2:20:29 Alex's presentations are so much more helpful without the interruptions.
Poorman's Adblocker:
1) Place the red dot to the last ten seconds of the video.
2) Let the last ten seconds play, and the video end.
3)Hit the replay button.
That is what I did and I only got one ad.
Hope this helps. 🙂
#PoormansAdBlocker
@StraitjacketFitness
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
One hour crew, checking in.
🙂
@timb350
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
The ONLY relevant word here…is 'theories'. And…it is worth noting…that the 'theories' that are currently available do not come anywhere close to actually resolving the issue. Given the dimensions of the questions (what is consciousness…how is it created)…that degree of ignorance is astounding. We effectively have absolutely no realistic empirical understanding of either the ontology or mechanics of the single most significant phenomenon in the entire universe…!!
@naturalisted1714
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I see he has Clark's Generic Subjective Continuity in his list if you follow the links on Robert's chart. Clark's essay on GSC is a must read for anyone interested in death in the naturalistic world.
@-jg9pi
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I wish Alex would make a deep dive into Petersons old material on consciousness… I think a lot of things would start to click
@Peaches_In_Regalia
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Amazing! Can´t thank you enough!
@ZapPhoenix
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Alex, what are your thoughts on ai consciousness, how do you respond to the paper, the evenhanded standard?
@MrVentanamarilla
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Watching Spain VS Austria or watch this. Oh my…😢
@librulcunspirisy
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
And all of these "theories" are based on the rejection of science while trying to make that rejection look "scientific." Science converges on consensus because it relies on reason and evidence, religions diverge because they're just made up. What does this ever expanding mess look most like?
@DoesHeDieded
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Gotta get Pete Mandik on.
@jailai6531
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I love this man's mind. His search has led me to a peaceful place. Thank you both.
@Razoriy
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Now that's a perfect movie night with the hommies
@leebennett1821
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Basically Consiusness is a Series of connections in your Brain basically when your Die your Brain Shuts off and that thing was you ceases to exist
@Paine137
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
I watch Robert often and rip apart most of his guests, but I always appreciate his willingness to interview everyone.
@naturalisted1714
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Tom W. Clark under First Order materialism. Tom would be a great guest.