Description
Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes is a philosopher of mind and leading voice on psychedelics, panpsychism, and the metaphysics of consciousness. He’s a research fellow at the University of Exeter and author of Noumenautics and Modes of Sentience — books exploring whether mind is fundamental to the universe. In this episode, we dive into why your brain might not produce consciousness, how psychedelics could reveal deeper truths about reality, the philosophical roots of mystical experience, and why matter itself might be sentient. Expect to rethink everything you thought was solid... Timestamps: 00:00 Understanding Panpsychism 02:49 The Nature of Consciousness 05:56 Defining Mind and Its Ambiguities 09:01 Historical Perspectives on Mind 11:49 The Evolution of Consciousness 14:57 Philosophical Positions on Consciousness 17:41 The Intersection of Consciousness and Biology 20:33 The Influence of Historical Context on Consciousness 23:53 Exploring the Continuum of Consciousness 26:41 The Debate on Consciousness Cutoff Points 32:22 Exploring the Nature of Electrons and Consciousness 34:26 The Interconnection of Consciousness and Physics 36:24 Diverse Perspectives on Panpsychism 40:13 Historical Context of Panpsychism and Its Reception 43:40 Psychedelics: Insights into Consciousness 51:52 The Challenge of Describing Psychedelic Experiences 01:00:23 The Debate of Universalism vs Contextualism 01:01:43 Psychedelics and Consciousness: Fact vs Fiction 01:03:46 Hallucinations: Delusions or Deeper Reality? 01:05:13 Mental Causation: The Connection Between Mind and Body 01:08:55 The Therapeutic Mechanism of Psychedelics 01:12:49 Exploring Panpsychism: Consciousness Beyond the Brain 01:16:22 The Future of Consciousness Studies 01:25:03 Metaphysical Possibilities in Science Sponsors: Mind Labs Pro Scientifically Rigorous Supplements: https://www.mindlabpro.com/?a_aid=67fd1cb8d9ad3&a_bid=6d45f5c3 Get Professional High Quality Talk Therapy at BetterHelp. 10% off your first month of therapy with this link - https://betterhelp.com/giantsshoulder (Paid Partnership by BetterHelp)❤️ Subscribe to our main channel - https://www.youtube.com/@thegiantsshoulder?sub_confirmation=1💚 Follow on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5m3Gta5MtIYdk59pb2GJ7M?si=Ka2rAQv7TyqiC9wvGwERpA💜 Follow on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-giants-shoulder/id1752486249Download my FREE EBook 26 Neuroscience Books for 2026 HERE: https://thegiantsshoulder.com/