Epistemology

Thank you for joining our Berkeley seminars! 

As we discussed, there are current thinkers whose views are similar to Berkeley. They deny that matter has any real existence and instead argue that consciousness is “fundamental.”

For example, Donald Hoffman, a professor of cognitive sciences at UC Irvine, has authored a book entitled The Case Against Reality in which he argues that all our experience is like a computer interface showing us icons which bear no resemblance to “reality.” He argues from evolutionary theory, neurology and physics.

Here is his entertaining TED Talk:

https://youtu.be/oYp5XuGYqqY?si=FMBgfXP6jjFexNb1

Here is a talk with Deepak Chopra entitled “Reality is Eye Candy”:

https://youtu.be/IxWkwy8z-Jg?si=TYGVR94wxxJQ23MX

And here is Deepak Chopra talking from a different viewpoint saying, “Reality is nothing perceivable or conceivable”:

https://youtu.be/Z_7BHYIBJkU?si=F-hV2sMdDzY1hQMk

See you next time!