John Vervaeke - Is Religious Nontheism Possible? - Lucas Vos Podcast #23

John Vervaeke, PhD is a philosopher and cognitive scientist. He is an associate professor and award-winning lecturer at the University of Toronto, teaching in the Department of Psychology. His work and research is far-ranging, including topics such as human intelligence, rationality, wisdom, and AI.

John's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke

His website: https://johnvervaeke.com/

Find the show on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1704624799

Youtube link of this episode: https://youtu.be/Fdu8OQ6KWqk?si=MarGMAxWjsnhksVV 

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(2:30) Nontheism - Would you view D.C Schindler and Jonathan Pageau as nontheists while they themselves identify as theists?

(9:55) Can you be religious and a nontheist? And are you?

(13:50) Wolfgang Smith: critique on evolution and three worlds ontology

(22:30) Jordan Peterson: what spiritual practices would benefit him most? And what do you think of ARC?

(27:08) Is unity something to strive for on a worldwide scale?

(28:11) Bishop Maximus: How has he impacted you and how have you impacted him?

(31:57) Spinoza: what is your relationship to his work?

(36:25) Spinoza: Do you reject miracles in the same way Spinoza does?

(40:20) Robert Breedlove: What do you think of his ideas about money and Bitcoin?

(48:10) Can you speak about your Belgian roots a little bit?

(49:36) John speaks about his own cultivation of wisdom and how he too lacks it at times

(51:28) John's 'symphony of sages': who he aspires to, why contemporaries can't be sages, and the risk of striving to be like one sage.

(01:02:05) Ancient Egypt: Understanding the gods and John's favorite pharaohs

(01:07:25) How Göbekli Tepe shows that the sacred preceded agriculture

(01:09:18) Death and afterlife: Is there consciousness beyond death?

(1:17:11) Outro