David Pearce
Subjects: Panpsychism and transhumanism.
David Pearce is my guest today. He’s a transhumanist and a philosopher who has a reputation for being a bit different. His views on consciousness are what set him apart. David Pearce believes that consciousness is more complex than classical physics can explain. He believes that consciousness could be an intrinsic property of reality. David is convinced that quantum unity in the brain is what facilitates the unity of consciousness, whether or not it is true. David is therefore skeptical of the arrival of \”mind-uploading\” or conscious artificial intelligences in the near future. While our descendants will still be biological, their brains will be very different from us. They will not only have a longer lifespan, be more resilient to diseases, or be physically fitter, but they will also be much more intelligent. David believes that our great-grandchildren will live in blissful mental spaces, which are exclusively \”above the hedonic zero\”. Their ordinary states of consciousness will be similar to those experienced today, as they will have given up retributive feelings such as anger and jealousy. David’s descendants will strive to eliminate suffering from all sentient beings on earth and eventually the entire universe.
In our conversation, we discussed all of these topics and more. This will be a fascinating episode, whether or not you find David’s vision difficult to believe. Please consider supporting Waking Cosmos via Patreon if you enjoy these conversations.
https://www.patreon.com/wakingcosmos
David’s Website
https://www.hedweb.com
Source:
