"Kant went out and he saw a tree, and this was very problematic for him."

The academy needs more professors like you Dr. Vervaeke, especially regarding this general topic of the Meaning Crisis.

John you are amazing. It is so fitting that this series is free, Socrates would be proud.

I'm so glad that I found JBP, and even gladder that Jordan brought me here.

I am so proud to be a part of the community of people watching these videos

"Conditions don't make things happen. They make things possible." *mind blown*

Aristotles said: It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. And you Dr.John, you are the that little glimps of light that in this moment of writing this, showed me the light again. Thank you

We are blessed to be living in a time where access to such important, deep, and truly life changing content is readily available for FREE. Mr. Vervaeke, you’re well on your way to be as fully human as possible! God bless.

JP constantly interrupting Dr. Vevaeke brought me here and boy am I glad for those interruptions because this series has led to many breakthroughs in Participatory knowing and the whole lot of ideas he's elaborated on. Grateful to JP and Dr. Vevaeke

6 down, 44 to go. Clinging onto every word and building up my knowledge database in Notion. Can't believe we get this for free. Love all the way from Ukraine sir, you're helping me to get through some tough times.

This is basically everything a western civ course SHOULD be: Holistic and essential. BRILLIANT!!!

By making a comment here the KZfaq algorithm cites this video as more interesting to others, hence more likely to be recommended.

Take a shot every time he says "structural functional organization" and see how well you can actualize your potential to survive alcohol poisoning. Fantastic series though, this channel/series deserves exponentially more exposure.

maybe you can hear me as I declare in a very loud voice "that was absolutely brilliant... just brilliant!" loud declaration of profound thanks sent from the UK...

“You are a match for the World. And the World is a match for you.” - Joseph Campbell

Sir, you to me are what Socrates was to Plato. I am more than content to listen for now and meaningfully connect it to what I've managed to glean on my own, but I also wish there were an academy where I could participate in the conversation. I'd bet many others wish the same. We need more spaces where wisdom can be actualised.

How calming this is to me... John Vervaeke is fantastic and i apprecieate the work that went into this. With Jordan Peterson and Iain McGilchrist John enters into my Holy trinity of present intellectuals. Its so great to have you (all of you) here.

JBP's biblical series got me primed for three hour lectures. I love these and I wish they were longer. I'm hungry for more John Vervaeke

Hi John, I'm a PhD student studying microbial ecology. I'm giving my first talk to my department next month and I found this video to be very helpful in focusing my thoughts about evolution and translating theories in evolutionary biology from the macro-world into the microbial world. The way you described evolution by natural selection as a series of restricting and enabling constraints feels deeply important, though I'm not exactly sure why yet. Thanks for uploading!

This series is a gift to mankind. I'm certain that Vervaeke will be remembered for generations to come.

Pastor vanderklay, the pastor of the idw brought me here.

I honestly can’t believe this is free to view on the internet. Thank you John 👏

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, John. This series has helped me tremendously. I’m taking charge of my life in a way I have never before. Thank you so much 🙏

I found this lecture to be deeply challenging emotionally even more than intellectually. I feel like I'm clay being kneaded and (in)formed from the inside out. The discomfort I felt in getting beyond Kant's causality became a churning that seemed to finally coalesce in that question: "what are you doing to cultivate your character?" What other lectures are able to do that!?

This may be one of my favourite episodes of the series. Dynamical systems theory was paradigm-shifting for me when I first got into contact with it (in the context of the physical and social sciences), and looking at virtue and development within this paradigm is very enlightening.

Thank you John. I was first introduced to your material through your dialogue with Jordan Peterson and Johnathan Pageau, and have found these lectures to be so engaging. They’ve opened up a whole world of thought for me that I’m incredibly grateful for.

As a retired engineer any mention of "systems" gets my attention. At 40:20 is where it come together for me. Your starting to answer my Husserl and Heidegger question I asked in your previous lecture. I hope you will get into what "Being" and "Being - in - the World" really means since I believe the Germans went back to Aristotle to develop their systems of thought. Sidebar ... I read your book "Zombies in Western Culture"... couldn't put it down. Thanks.

"Kant went out and he saw a tree. This was very problematic for him" me too Kant

Every time I rewatch this video series a little more knowledge is gained. What he is explaining is timeless knowledge.

John, Your series on meaning is brilliant. The University of Toronto Psychology Dept seems to be intellectually on fire. At age 63 I am now feeling enthused to do more studies in your area.

Minute 52: “Ur purpose is to become fully human as possible.” I came to this conclusion a while ago although I didn’t put all the work in to get there. I’m very appreciative for the work this gentleman is doing.

You don’t find this series, it finds you.

i love the dual meaning of "inform", give shape to objects, give propositions to people, but simultaneously give propositions to objects and shape to people

This is one of the best lectures of all time, in any subject. Thank you, Professor.

Am I the only one depressed that Vervaeke isn't as popular as JBP?

This lecture changed my perspective in so many ways I'm not even sure I'm aware of all of them. The concept that the world is made of matter and patterns and how they interact and the idea of expansion and selection are so profound and so illuminating and useful it's beyond belief. Thank you for everything prof. Vervaeke ♥️ This helped me so much in understanding my work better and finding meaning in my career ♥️ You are a miracle ♥️

That statement, "Your purpose is to become as fully human as possible" really had an impact on me. I hadn't even considered that before - the idea that that would be enough purpose in itself.

"Triangle!" 🤣Love these!

The fact that this content is freely accessible is as radical as it is benevolent. Thank you for imparting such indelible truths.

Thank you John for this amazing work. Its a great gift for all of us that are awakening. I wish that these classes last for ages here, as they can enhance our character and support the purpose of many of us.

14:00 Homuncular Fallacy = "It's just Turtles all the way down!" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A gift for humanity. Can't thank you enough

39:54 _Listen to my language_ I would like to welcome John to the pantheon of dictionary sages. Along with Rich Hickey (Clojure), Kevlin Henney, Rich Harris (Svelte) and others these people illuminate our lives with the torch of clarity using the modest yet dazzling approach of looking up what words actually mean and where they come from. Thanks! 👏

It would be hilarious if one of these was something completely random, like him baking a cake. Then the next one is back to the Awakening explanation without ever addressing the random cake baking episode.

John is an incredible speaker.

I'm on ep6 and already imagining myself to watch this course over and over again till I die. Thx for the light and wisdom you've shared with us

Thank you, John, for everything you are giving of yourself to others who you are unlikely to ever meet (including myself), through these lectures.

This series has been a revelation. Thank you!

Passion of Prof. John

The part about ‘blablabla’ cracked me up 😂. People just use terms without knowing what they really mean. It’s so funny. Funny and sad at the same time.

When I was 18, I watched Gregory b sadlers playlist on plato, Aristotle and Socrates. This channel is giving me strong vibes and relating to his channel a lot.

Very grateful these lectures are available online for free. Awesome stuff. This lecture is especially packed with insights. Great job weaving all of this together for us. Impressive.

These courses are absolutely fantastic. I never met before such a wonderful way to deepen my knowledge in so various fields of phylosophy and psychology. Thank you so much Professor Vervaeke.

Who or what is the "I" cultivating my character?

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing, Amazing….

Thank you for your time and labor... I am enjoying the discussion...

This Man's mind is so deep, what a gift this series is. I would love to have beer with John. Come down to Aussie and it's my shout Mate.

This is an important lecture for me. And I just realized that Moshe Feldenkrais of the Feldenkrais method worked with options and constraints to optimize growth and learning. Very cool association!

This is what it’s like to be high on life.

Your lectures are priceless! Thank you so much. It's a real pleasure and honour to be able to listen to them.

I wish this series had a workbook or a small questionnaire. Even a glossary. That would help with retaining the knowledge

Nice marker pens this time round! Much love for this series!

Thanks for sharing this, it contrasts quite a bit from what I've listened from eastern philosophy.

I looked up “character” a few months ago. It comes from a Greek root meaning ............... “to carve”... a char-actor ... is then, “one who acts to carve.” I think that’s so spot on. It’s how you carve your self, as in a sculpture, and how you carve your self upon the world. How you will make your mark. And this goes well with his statement about “building yourself up, or “growing up”..

36:25 made me "wow" out loud. WOL

Great vid. First time I heard the word “akraisia”. I can’t help think that when it comes to our treatment of animals and our full human potential, that we just haven’t done enough character development to make the personal commitment to non violence, and putting respect for other beings beyond our sensory pleasure. I’ve not eaten animals for 6 years and it’s been part of my personal development, and striving for full potential. “If a man earnestly seeks a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from animal food…” -LEO TOLSTOY (1828-1910)

Thank great Jedi Master....I love your passion

“Look, you are a self-organizing process. You are the source of your actions that modify the environment that then feeds back into you, and changes you and then you produce your actions and then the environment feeds back and changes you. Here’s the question I’m asking you: are you just letting that run? Or are you trying to rationally and reflectively cultivate your character, structure a virtual engine so that that self-organizing process is growing and developing in an optimal fashion?” (around minute 39) - It somehow feels as if this is the great antidote to magical thinking. As if this is all the “magic” we need (writes someone prone to magical thinking).

Rafe Kelley's podcast brought me here. Burning through this series. You're an excellent lecturer, Mr. Vervaeke!

This lecture was life-changing for me. Just like Jordan Peterson's "Walking with God". There are quite remarkable parallels between these two

I'm in love with the way you explain words as metaphores revealing their deeper meaning and it fascinates me - I'm trying to map it into my native language (Polish) and it's so difficult! Respect!

All my life up until now I thought I was no different from a tornado... (these videos are incredible)

Thank you!

About wisdom as virtual engine 40:50: In what is sometimes called a shame-based culture, parents use shame to steer children away from the extremes. So, in the case of courage, we are ashamed to be a coward and we are ashamed to be foolhardy. I wonder how reason, spirited-ness and appetite fit into this picture. These are the three parts of the psyche or soul, according to Plato.

I've really liked the lecture, I enjoy the easy examples such as the pen and the chocolate cake. What I've understood is that if Aristotle was my therapist, he'd reccommend me to improve my character, the parts of myself I can change. He'd told me to develop the virtues that can make me as rational and moral as possible, such as courage. He'd say that by acting in a more couraugeous way, my enviroment would change in a way that it would enhance the same virtue I'm trying to gain. (Plato also was into cycles know that I think about it inner peace - contact with reality). But if he told me so I'd say which are these virtues that you want me to develop? You'd need to have a perfect idea of what an ideal human is, so you could gain abilities to act in that way. But nowadays decisions are really complicated, you can be in a conflict where empathy leads to one option and rationality leads to another and they are two perfectly human virtues. Even with the example of the chocolate cake, if you decide that eating the chocolate cake is wrong you need to learn control, but why is eating it wrong? Even with the perfect set of virtues to be in charge of your life if you don't know what is good or wrong, your equally lost. But I suppose that this is a matter of morality and we'll see it in another video.

Grateful for your genersity. Thank you for this enlightenment.

And this is the point where I finally tidy up my room...

Definitely worth a re-watch. Everything comes together nicely from around the 30:00 minute mark.

Francis Collins the scientist who led the Human Genome project combines the rigorous scientific main stream view of Science with a belief in God. He is a very good example for our time.

Thak you for putting purpose in youtube. Now we know why universe created it.

The only problem is that since Kant, we have been on a path where we do not control our environment (Kant's copernican revolution) and eventually when we get Marx (materialist determination), we don't even control ourselves. Therefore, we cannot develop character.

Thank you

51:53 and the Bene Gesserits go wild!

This is so relevant

Another great lecture, thanks so much for uploading!!

wow...your discussion about causation and constraints in biology was incredibly profound. The conflation of the two is something i see all the time in medicine. best talk yet!

Change occurs. Causal impact, abstract understanding. Energy input or loss, physical understanding. Rate of charge is understood in terms of power.

I see such a nice hyperlinking back to most of the content that you been part of. This nexus of dense interconnecting information is an amazing resource. I framed Socrates as a pagan prophet and had my 70 year old mother watch your Socrates video. During you talk there was a nice realization of what it is I have been talking about my whole life.

Holy shit! This is incredible.

Karin, where are your lovely summaries and vocab/definition lists on this vid? I found them helpful for my note taking

Additional insight on the Structural-Functional Organisation. I could watch the explanation on growing a virtual engine, cultivating a good character, and aligning with our purpose of becoming as fully human as possible over-and-over. It sounds like what self-help gurus and pseudo-psychologists have been struggling to articulate but they can’t because they use low resolution conduits to access deep truths. Here’s John drawing from a deep well and a high resolution. If you, John, must write a book on self-development, consider titling it: “The Algorithm of a Meaningful Life.”😊

51:50 your purpose is to become as fully human as possible. How are you cultivating your character to do so? How much of your life is dedicated to creating a virtual engine that realizes your personal capacities, those things that make you most human in contrast to the things around you

This has been my favorite of the series so far. I will be watching this a few more times...

We need an akirathedon mix of these lectures!!

Wyręczać się myślą To skandalem jest Wyręczać się kimś to dopiero skandalem

Learning a lot. he's got clout. Thankyou JBP and Akira the Don.

Thank You John! Amazing content Really stretching my mind Much appreciated

All these works shall aid in meditation in due time. And I shall be rewarded for noticing

That was intense! Great lecture!

In Maps of Meaning JBP has a notion of emergent, bottom up, divinity, this is appealing because you can posit an idealized end point of personal growth that doesn't involve you trying to be an exemplar of a category of beings that don't have, or strive to attain the values that they claim are most meaning ful. In other words, on the spectrum of Animal to Divinity, man clings to the animal while he screams with shut eyed fury lest he see or hear a bit of divinty.