BEYOND REASONThe Problem of Solving the

Meaning of Life

The 1970s – you had to be there

Meaning and Equations

Why (me + universe) = 42

LOGOS

A pleasant evening at home 430 BC

Survival of the meanest

The Selfless Bee

A story of life based on biochemistry

Complex carbon first replicating dna based self-conscious Art recorded historyMolecules on earth Molecules life forms life (???)

6 – 4 billion years ago 3.5 billion years ago

2 million – 200 000 years ago 5000 years7000

0Years

We can suppose that the probability of replicating molecules emerging on the surface of the earth is tiny, but in a vast universe with billions of earth-like planets the probability of it emerging somewhere is substantial

Human consciousness may seem special and different, but it is just another byproduct of evolution. It is the capacity to process useful information. This is no more magical than the information processing of our computers.

Popular Self Reduction

The Return to Logos?

Reason-responsive animals in a Reason-giving Universe

Echoes of philosophical thought from before Christianity. ‘The logos that runs through all things’

The universe has a ‘logos’ and we are creatures that can respond to the ‘logos’

Here there is a new bridge between our world and our ethics and the world of non-theistic, modern ethics.

Evolutionary Cognitive Anthropology

Hallo Russell

Constant experience Minority Report

McGilchrist: modes of perception, modes of reason.

The brain and the world: two modes of perception, two modes of reason. Here is where we construct our world.

Right: rich holistic immediate intuitive open to possibility

Left: analytic, focused, verbal, planned

Gate: access to road

Route to gate

Stream, don’t want to get feet wet

Road over bridge

Road over bridge

Bridge over stream

Direction of pub

TreeTreeTree

Tree

Right: rich holistic immediate intuitive open to possibility