In Episode 9 of the Transcendent Naturalism series, Dr. John Vervaeke, Gregg Henriques, and guest Brett Andersen delve into the intricate relationship between complexity, criticality, and consciousness. The episode explores the concept of self-organized criticality and its role as a linchpin in understanding a variety of scientific topics. Andersen introduces his work on the diametric model of autism and psychosis, and the trio discusses the growing consensus around criticality as a framework for understanding brain function. The episode also touches on the psychology of meaning, the nature of sacredness, and the transformative power of psychedelics. This intellectual journey culminates in a discussion about the role of individual and collective consciousness in shaping society. Whether you're interested in the cutting-edge theories of cognitive science or the philosophical implications of modern neuroscience, this episode offers a comprehensive look at how these ideas are shaping our understanding of the world. Brett Andersen, a Ph.D. student in Evolutionary Psychology at the University of New Mexico, is a compelling voice at the intersection of cognitive science, complexity science, and the philosophical underpinnings of morality and religion. With a penchant for delving into controversial topics, Brett crafts thought-provoking essays on Substack and produces insightful YouTube videos. He's also in the process of writing a book, slated for a free PDF release, that encapsulates seven years of rigorous research across scientific and philosophical literature. Resources: Brett Andersen: Substack | YouTube | X Gregg Henriques: Website | Facebook | X Books: Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief - Dr. Jordan Peterson How Nature Works: the science of self-organized criticality - Per Bak The Life of the Cosmos - Lee Smolin The Cortex and the Critical Point: Understanding the Power of Emergence - John M. Beggs The Structure of Scientific Revolutions - Thomas S. Kuhn The Romance of Reality: How the Universe Organizes Itself to Create Life, Consciousness, and Cosmic Complexity - Bobby Azarian The Voyage of the Beagle - Charles Darwin Publications: Predictive processing and relevance realization: exploring convergent solutions to the frame problem - Brett P. Andersen, Mark Miller & John Vervaeke Relevance, Meaning and the Cognitive Science of Wisdom - John Vervaeke and Leonardo Ferraro Flow as spontaneous thought: Insight and implicit learning - John Vervaeke, Leonardo Ferraro, and Arianne Herrera-Bennett The self-organization of cognitive structure. - Stephen and Dixon The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs - Robin L. Carhart-Harris et al. Gaining Insight Into the ‘‘Aha’’ Experience - Sascha Topolinski and Rolf Reber The Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke Distributed Cognition and the Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke The Enactment of Shared Agency in Teams Exploring Mars Through Rovers - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke Perception and self-organized instability - Karl J Friston, Michael Breakspear, and Gustavo Deco Psychological Entropy: A Framework for Understanding Uncertainty-Related Anxiety - Jacob B Hirsh, Raymond A Mar, and Jordan B Peterson Video: Intimations of a New Worldview, Part 7.1: The Evolutionary Psychology of Meaning - Brett Andersen MIsc. The REBUS Model Timecodes: