Buddhism, Emptiness & Idealism #1

Topics discussed in this session included:

• The difference between vicious and benign infinite regress
• How reality manifests the liars paradox, but we should still expect consistency
• Why you can measure objects but not thoughts
• Why introspection is superior to science for a meaningful life
• Bernardo's thoughts on Bosa Nova & MMA
• What about a chair exists when no one is in a room?

As I'm sure you know, Idealism and Non-Duality claim that awareness is fundamental - but some Buddhists say that even awareness is empty of inherent existence. Dependent on causes and conditions just like everything else. They claim that advanced meditation and rigorous logic can show this to be inevitably true. Here is an example of a conversation I've had on this topic, with Buddhist teacher Yahel Avigur.

This debate has raged for centuries, and has profound implications to how we understand these ancient philosophies and spiritual practices. In December 2023, Bernardo debated Buddhist scholar Jay Garfield on this topic, which you can watch here.

I then followed up with Jay to try better understand Buddhist objections to Idealism. You can watch that interview here.

This session with Bernardo on the 15th of April followed up on these conversations, with Bernardo elaborating on how Analytic Idealism defends against the critiques that Jay raised, and those that have historically emerged from Buddhism against mind-only philosophies.

I recommend watching this, (and the follow-up conversation with Jay if you have time) before watching the recording of this session.

See you soon!

Amir

Speakers

Bernardo Kastrup

Analytic idealism

Bernardo Kastrup is the Executive Director of Essentia Foundation and Founder/CEO at AI systems company Euclyd BV. His work has set off the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence).

As a scientist, he has worked for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the ‘Casimir Effect’ of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). He has also been creatively active in the high-tech industry for almost 30 years, having founded parallel processor company Silicon Hive (acquired by Intel in 2011) and worked as a technology strategist for the geopolitically significant company ASML. Most recently, he has founded AI company Euclyd BV.

Formulated in detail in many academic papers and books, his ideas have been featured in Scientific American, the magazine of The Institute of Art and Ideas, the Blog of the American Philosophical Association and Big Think, among others. His most defining book is Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell: A straightforward summary of the 21st-century’s only plausible metaphysics.

Explore Bernardo’s work →