What on earth do UFOs have to do with Idealism?

In 2012, Bernardo Kastrup released Meaning in Absurdity, a book on bizarre phenomena such as UFOs, entities and visitations and what they might imply about the nature of reality.

When we discussed this last year, my first question was 'what the hell do UFOs have to do with Idealism?' The ensuing conversation was fascinating and unique, and you can see it here.

"The idea developed in the book is, in my opinion, one of my key contributions, for not only does it shed light on the absurd in an unexpected but intriguing manner, it also bears direct relevance to our entire view of the nature of reality."

Like the book, these sessions will "ask you to have an open mind and enough mental flexibility to navigate through seas that will drag you out of your comfort zone, wherever it may lie.

If you are at home with the wacky, the weird, and the absurd – but can keep yourself engaged when structured thinking is called for – you may find a new world of insights when we explore quantum entanglement, Gödel’s theorems, intuitionistic logic, and the history of science.

If, instead, you are comfortable with science and formal philosophy – but can balance your skepticism and cynicism – you may find a breath of fresh air when we explore the serious aspects of UFOs, the Otherworld, and the inner landscapes of the unconscious."

A rare opportunity

Because there is so much unreliable information on this topic, Bernardo no longer engages on it publicly. So it is a rare chance for a private conversation on the 12th and 19th of August at our regular time:  6-8pm UK time / 7-9pm CET / 1-3pm EST

On the 19th of August, we're also joined by special guest Jeffrey Kripal.

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) and high strangeness field has seen remarkable developments in recent years:

In 2017, The New York Times published a groundbreaking article revealing a secret Pentagon program dedicated to studying UAPs - the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).

Then, in 2020, the Department of Defense formally released videos confirming sightings by military personnel, followed by a 2021 report from National Intelligence stating that 143 out of 144 UAP of these encounters reported since 2004 remained unexplained.

In 2022 the U.S. government established an office (AARO) to investigate, before the 2023 whistleblower testimony to Congress which claimed the retrieval of non-human craft and biologics, pushing the conversation into mainstream awareness.

Additionally, academic initiatives like Harvard’s Galileo Project and NASA’s UAP study team are taking a rigorous, transparent scientific approach to these mysteries, moving the conversation from ridicule to serious inquiry.

Bernardo will provide an update on his most recent thoughts on these phenomena and their public perception, and as always, your comments and questions are welcome below, and will help shape the discussion.

Zoom Link

6-8pm UK time / 7-9pm CET / 1-3pm EST