Layman welcomes Jeremy Lent to talk about his new book, The Web of Meaning.  In a wide-ranging discussion, they explore the intersections of complexity science and Taoist wisdom; the impact of earlier books of this kind, such as The Dancing Wu Li Masters; the nature of worldviews, questions around their causal influence, and the possibility of their transformation; the "greatest story ever told" (the modern cosmological story); the ontological reality of chi or subtle energy; embodied practices and dance as means of body-mind integration; the ecological crisis and moving beyond pessimism or optimism; the wisdom of slime molds; the integration of yu wei and wu wei, and of West and East, as a path out of the meaning crisis; the difference between complication and complexity; the neural differentiation of the 'I' and 'Me,' and how to bring them into harmony; the place of consciousness in the universe; and much more.  

Jeremy Lent, described by Guardian journalist George Monbiot as “one of the greatest thinkers of our age,” is an author and speaker whose work investigates the underlying causes of our civilization’s existential crisis, and explores pathways toward a life-affirming future. Born in London, England, Lent received a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and was a former internet company CEO. His award-winning book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity's Search for Meaning, explores the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. His new book, The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe, offers a coherent and intellectually solid foundation for a worldview based on connectedness that could lead humanity to a sustainable, flourishing future. He is founder of the nonprofit Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering an integrated worldview that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on the Earth. He lives with his partner in Berkeley, California.  

The Web of Meaning The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find our Place in the Universe: Lent, Jeremy: 9780865719545: Amazon.com: Books

Professional website https://www.jeremylent.com  

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