A curated collection of documentaries, scientific insights, and philosophical perspectives on quantum physics, non-duality, and the mysteries of existence.
This vault archives YouTube transmissions and corresponding literature across meditation, neuroscience, ontology, ecology, AI, spirituality, and cosmology.
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500 Transmissions
Altruism
Tibetan Tradition of Mind Training | Watch Documentaries Online | Promote Documentary Film
Synopsis: In this introduction to the mind training (lojong) tradition, Geshe Dawa explains the history and practice of mental transformation. Coming from early Indian Buddhist masters, this important, practical tradition became central to all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The most sophisticated and rigorous system of...
Synopsis:In this introduction to the mind training (lojong) tradition, Geshe Dawa explains the history and practice of mental transformation. Coming from early Indian Buddhist masters, this important, practical tradition became central to all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The most sophisticated and rigorous system of positive psychology ever devised, the mind training teachings uphold phenomenological existence while denying any underlying essence, thereby providing a powerful tool for both simple and profound change.
The talk marks the opening of "Bridging Worlds: Buddhist Words and Works," an exhibition in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 2007 visit.
Consciousness Is the Ultimate Reality That Defines Everything Else
Rupert Spira in conversation with Donald Hoffman (moderated by Simon Mundie) An argument that consciousness is not produced by the universe but is the condition for there being a universe at all — the ground within which space, time, and matter appear. The central claim...
Rupert Spira in conversation with Donald Hoffman (moderated by Simon Mundie)
An argument that consciousness is not produced by the universe but is the condition for there being a universe at all — the ground within which space, time, and matter appear. The central claim the ILC framework formalizes.
Biology/Ecology
Plant Intelligence and Human Consciousness Panel
Monica Gagliano has single-handedly pioneered the revolutionary new field of Plant Bioacoustics, which is providing the most powerful evidence to date that plants possess forms of cognition that could constitute “personhood.” Michael Pollan, who has studied the human-plant relationship in such classic bestselling works as...
https://youtu.be/LlyZl33Chz8
Monica Gagliano has single-handedly pioneered the revolutionary new field of Plant Bioacoustics, which is providing the most powerful evidence to date that plants possess forms of cognition that could constitute “personhood.” Michael Pollan, who has studied the human-plant relationship in such classic bestselling works as The Botany of Desire, has now turned his attention in his new book How To Change Your Mind to what cutting-edge research on psychedelic substances (which are nearly all derived from or modeled on plant molecules) is revealing about human consciousness. These two brilliant visionaries engaged in conversation hosted by J.P. Harpignies, Bioneers Senior Producer.
Books
The Mystery of Life: Francis Lucille
Francis Lucille answers questions from the audience at SAND 18, bringing his intelligence and wit to a variety of topics - free will, discipline, following our enthusiasm, the mystery of life, and giving priority to truth, love and beauty.
https://youtu.be/gC3UOHOUQQo
Francis Lucille answers questions from the audience at SAND 18, bringing his intelligence and wit to a variety of topics - free will, discipline, following our enthusiasm, the mystery of life, and giving priority to truth, love and beauty.
Artificial Intelligence
Max Tegmark – Transhuman Brains?
Transhuman brains are the melding of hyper-advanced electronics and super-artificial intelligence (AI) with neurobiological tissue. The goal is not only to repair injury and mitigate disease, but also to enhance brain capacity and boost mental function. What is the big vision, the end goal —...
https://youtu.be/efXRAJAVWz0
Transhuman brains are the melding of hyper-advanced electronics and super-artificial intelligence (AI) with neurobiological tissue. The goal is not only to repair injury and mitigate disease, but also to enhance brain capacity and boost mental function. What is the big vision, the end goal — how far can transhuman brains go? What does it mean for individual consciousness and personal identity? Is virtual immortality possible? What are the ethics, the morality, of transhuman brains? What are the dangers?
Analytic Idealism
Analytic Idealism Course
In this Part I of Essentia Foundation's Analytic Idealism Course, we investigate whether our ordinary intuitions about the nature of reality and the world at large can be true at all. Link to PART II:
In this Part I of Essentia Foundation's Analytic Idealism Course, we investigate whether our ordinary intuitions about the nature of reality and the world at large can be true at all.
Rupert gave a talk entitled The Science Delusion at TEDx Whitechapel, Jan 12, 2013. The theme for the night was Visions for Transition: Challenging existing paradigms and redefining values (for a more beautiful world). In response to protests from two materialists in the US, the...
https://youtu.be/sF03FN37i5w
Rupert gave a talk entitled The Science Delusion at TEDx Whitechapel, Jan 12, 2013. The theme for the night was Visions for Transition: Challenging existing paradigms and redefining values (for a more beautiful world). In response to protests from two materialists in the US, the talk was taken out of circulation by TED, relegated to a corner of their website and stamped with a warning label.
Biology/Ecology
Plant Communication with Pam Montgomery
Plants and trees give us our very life. Without them, we wouldn’t have our breath, tissue, food, cognitive abilities of “higher mind,” emotional stability, and spiritual guidance. Because of our close symbiotic relationship, we share a common ground with the plants that surround us. Our...
https://youtu.be/HWd118P7syY
Plants and trees give us our very life. Without them, we wouldn’t have our breath, tissue, food, cognitive abilities of “higher mind,” emotional stability, and spiritual guidance.
Because of our close symbiotic relationship, we share a common ground with the plants that surround us. Our life-giving connection with the green beings is inherent in our humanness and our birthright is to be intimately related.
Communicating effectively is one of the foundations in a relationship that builds to a co-creative partnership. We all know how to communicate with plants... this innate knowledge lives within us, but has been forgotten due to the chaotic nature of our day to day lives.
Altruism
Animal emotions and empathy with Frans de Waal
Do animals show empathy? Are there any signs of morality in animal societies? Can a monkey distinguish right from wrong? And what are the standards of what is right and what is not? Does morality evolve in time both for human societies and animal societies?...
https://youtu.be/leCDilISCEc
Do animals show empathy? Are there any signs of morality in animal societies? Can a monkey distinguish right from wrong? And what are the standards of what is right and what is not? Does morality evolve in time both for human societies and animal societies?
It is hard to imagine that empathy—a characteristic so basic to the human species that it emerges early in life, and is accompanied by strong physiological reactions—came into existence only when our lineage split off from that of the apes. It must be far older than that. Examples of empathy in other animals would suggest a long evolutionary history to this capacity in humans. Over the last several decades, we’ve seen increasing evidence of empathy in other species. Emotions suffuse much of the language employed by students of animal behavior -- from "social bonding" to "alarm calls" -- yet are often avoided as explicit topic in scientific discourse. Given the increasing interest of human psychology in the emotions, and the neuroscience on animal emotions such as fear and attachment, the taboo that has hampered animal research in this area is outdated. The main point is to separate emotions from feelings, which are subjective experiences that accompany the emotions. Whereas science has no access to animal feelings, animal emotions are as observable and measurable as human emotions. They are mental and bodily states that potentiate behavior appropriate to both social and nonsocial situations. The expression of emotions in face and body language is well known, the study of which began with Darwin. Frans de Waal will discuss early ideas about animal emotions and draw upon research on empathy and the perception of emotions in primates to make the point that the study of animal emotions is a necessary complement to the study of behavior. Emotions are best viewed as the organizers of adaptive responses to environmental stimuli. If you like this kind of stuff you should read: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?
Science
Two robots debate the future of humanity
Hanson Robotics Limited's Ben Goertzel, Sophia and Han at RISE 2017. Now for something that’s never been done onstage before. While they may not be human, our next guests are ready to discuss the future of humanity, and how they see their types flourish over...
https://youtu.be/1y3XdwTa1cA
Hanson Robotics Limited's Ben Goertzel, Sophia and Han at RISE 2017. Now for something that’s never been done onstage before. While they may not be human, our next guests are ready to discuss the future of humanity, and how they see their types flourish over the coming years.
Documentaries
Is Humanity at a Turning Point? Fritjof Capra on Patterns of Connection
Michael Shermer speaks with scientist, educator, activist, and accomplished author, Fritjof Capra, about the evolution of his thinking over five decades. In this conversation, based on Capra’s book, Patterns of Connection, Shermer and Capra discuss: what it means to be spiritual in an age of...
https://youtu.be/CAp6_H23CpA
Michael Shermer speaks with scientist, educator, activist, and accomplished author, Fritjof Capra, about the evolution of his thinking over five decades. In this conversation, based on Capra’s book, Patterns of Connection, Shermer and Capra discuss: what it means to be spiritual in an age of science, nuclear energy and why Capra thinks we don’t need it and Shermer thinks we do, 50 years of progress or regress, limitations of models and theories of reality, limitations of analogies between western physics and eastern mysticism, mind and consciousness, and why Capra is hopeful for the future of humanity.
Books
Welcome to the The Wandering, Winding Way of the Wound: Bayo Akomolafe
The Wandering, Winding Way of the Wound or the Politics of Cure, the Shadows of Harm Reduction, and Transgressive Networks of Care at World End was a webinar hosted by Bayo Akomolafe at SAND in 2022.
https://youtu.be/9zpw3uUVFmg
The Wandering, Winding Way of the Wound or the Politics of Cure, the Shadows of Harm Reduction, and Transgressive Networks of Care at World End was a webinar hosted by Bayo Akomolafe at SAND in 2022.
