Super-excited to have hosted an interdisciplinary discussion between two legends, the biologist Michael Levin and metaphysician D.C. Schindler.
In the conversation we discuss Levin’s “Platonic Morphospace” research programme, which treats morphogenesis, physiology, and behaviour as pattern navigation by goal-directed cellular collectives. We discuss how these discoveries question the foundations of the mechanical philosophy for science and highlight alignments with neo-Platonic philosophy.
Mike's website: https://thoughtforms.life/
DC's books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/D.-C.-Schindler/author/B001JRTOAU
Chapters:
00:00 Introductions and Setup
00:29 Levin’s Big Questions
01:14 Patterns and Morphospace
03:21 Beyond Evolutionary Explanations
03:51 Synthetic Agents Xenobots
05:04 Minimal Computational Models
06:09 Actionable Research Program
08:02 Schindler’s Neoplatonic Lens
14:36 Machines Organicism Debate
19:19 Cognition as Continuum
22:03 Nonphysical Causation Example
25:15 Math Truths as Causal
28:35 Expanding Platonic Space
30:48 Forms Beyond Matter
31:29 Life Versus Death Question
33:03 Dog Corpse Thought Experiment
35:21 Operational Categories Spectrum
37:40 Death As Shrinking Agency
40:26 Hybrids Xenobots Blur Lines
41:46 Embryo Alignment And Goals
44:28 Soul As Organization Pattern
48:19 Transformation Models And Math
53:52 Phase Transitions Emergence Debate
58:07 Wrap Up Future Work
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