This is Going to Hurt. Everything You Know is False. | Annaka Harris on Impact Theory
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Published 2020-02-11
What if everything you think you know about yourself is wrong? Most people have the intuition that they have a self separate from their body and brain, and that they can control their experience with conscious will. But what if that isn’t true? Best-selling author Annaka Harris is devoted to challenging our deepest intuitions about the nature of consciousness and the self. On this episode of Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu, she discusses experiments on the cutting edge of physics and neuroscience, and explains why those experiments matter. The result is a fascinating conversation that will leave you questioning some of your most cherished, comforting intuitions.
SHOW NOTES:
Consciousness is exactly as mysterious as it seems to be [2:29]
Annaka defines what consciousness is [4:54]
Tom and Annaka discuss the story of Phineas Gage [6:31]
Annaka talks about the difference between consciousness and high level thought [9:14]
There is a basic level of consciousness that doesn’t involve awareness of consciousness [11:35]
Challenging intuitions is a basic element of the scientific method [14:58]
Is there outer evidence of conscious experience? Is consciousness doing anything? [18:46]
Upending comfortable intuitions is eventually a freeing experience [20:57]
Annaka explains how the brain binds disparate signals to make them seem congruent [22:23]
Annaka and Tom discuss how much unconscious brain functioning we take for granted [27:09]
Annaka describes the false sense of self and conscious will [29:53]
We make decisions before we are aware of them [33:41]
Annaka discusses the question of whether or to what extent plants are conscious [35:30]
Trees take care of their own kin, and defend their kin [40:48]
What if consciousness is a field like gravity? [43:39]
Annaka describes the double slit light experiment [46:13]
• The Double-Slit Experiment
• Double Slit Experiment explained! by ...
drive.google.com/open?id=11YDGl3xTv1_yHcaFRf68M6zh…
Measuring an event can change the past [51:41]
Annaka discusses problems with the views that consciousness emerges from life [54:25]
Annaka shares the impact she wants to have on the world [1:03:06]
QUOTES:
“There’s something jarring about learning that the things that feel most true to you about reality are possibly not structured that way.” [21:29]
“We feel that consciousness is behind our willed actions, when in fact, there is a lot of neuroscience to suggest that it’s actually the reverse. It’s at the end. That all this processing happens, a decision gets made, and we’re kind of the last to know.” [31:54]
“We have no evidence that consciousness is due to complexity.” [1:00:24]
FOLLOW:
WEBSITE: annakaharris.com/
INSTAGRAM: bit.ly/392CIl1
FACEBOOK: bit.ly/2GTsk36
TWITTER: bit.ly/2RUoY63
BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
“Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind”, amzn.to/2u7OR9H [2:19]
IMPACT THEORY MERCHANDISE: Check out Impact Theory's Merch Shop: bit.ly/ImpactTheoryShop
All Comments (21)
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The fact that i can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, Share abit of knowledge and it becomes another's, Smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.
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The ego knows how to hide, while fooling you into thinking it's not there anymore.
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I'm 62 yo. "What is consciousness?" Has been my biggest interest as long as I can remember. Feels so good to listen to others talk about it. I'm learning now that I am not alone in this. Thank you for this wonderful conversation! 🙏
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Love reading the comments. Surely looks like a large segment of humanity is interested in exploring consciousness itself. I am one of these types and glad to know I am in good company.
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“We behave based on what we believe. So we might be behaving our lives away based on false or inaccurate or disempowering beliefs.” - John Assaraf on another great episode of Impact Theory
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Whoever is reading this, one day you will be living your dreams! Congratulations to you 🙏💫🌟
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The illusion of free will is so powerful that I do not believe it is possible to truly accept that it is an illusion. We cannot perceive our behavior in a way that is not based on the belief that we are choosing how we behave.
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Questioning the foundations of reality can be frightening unless you have the optimistic belief that the outcome will be positive.
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Finding Sams voice almost a decade ago completely changed my life. His wife is equally interesting, intelligent & fascinating. What a power couple. Thanks for the content!
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“When the people fear their government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty” - Thomas Jefferson
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I remember being called crazy when I was around 13 years old for expressing the idea that consciousness might be fundamental to the universe. Now it's almost a trendy idea, but it's nice to see someone like Annaka who is actively trying to approach the idea scientifically. Science and faith don't have to contradict. Faith just picks up where the science is lagging and later when it catches up we can get a more concrete picture.
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explaining something no one will ever understand, what a fantastic job.
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I really cant get enough of your shows! Gosh, in a perfect world, you would bless us with daily impactful interviews. I find myself replaying some of my favorite episodes every day. My morning begins with Impact Theory (my AM motivation). Thank you Tom & team!
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just discovered this channel! the world needs more mind-opening content like this. thank you for what you do Tom!
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im finding it difficult to think of a more fascinating conversation ive ever listened to. thank you for sharing this
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I have had 2 near death experiences, a motorbike crash and a stroke. Both times I was floating and flying but I couldn't move. And when I started breathing again it was very painful and my body felt like a Ricketty Old Steam Engine Pumping Blood and coming back to life !!!! And I didn't black out at all and was aware of what was going on around me !!!! The strange thing was it was a very pleasant experience both times !!!!
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I keep coming back to your interviews because I deeply appreciate your tact, intelligence, understanding, and capabilities as an "interviewer", as it's done so naturally it's like you've been good friends with everyone you have on. Your intelligence specifically is refreshing, as you really do your homework and always seem to be able to grasp and deeply understand so many ideas and information that would often seem difficult to many or most. Yet you're able to explain or get them to explain things so easily. There's something really special about you, Tom! So grateful for your channel.
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When my son was a young teenager. he was riding his bicycle and was struck unconscious by a car. He later told me he saw himself standing by the side of the road looking at himself under the bicycle and the car. He said to me, `I thought I was dead`. This only proves to me that the soul or spirit is the conscious part of us.
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I am not the voice in my head. I am the stillness that defines the voice.
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I would like to hear a discussion about the theological implications about the double slit experiment.
