Solving the Problem of Human Perception | Cambridge | EP 242 

“To keep bad men from dominating you need good men who are capable of being quite terrible” that was just beautifully said

Dr Peterson is one of the few people who can combine history, evolutionary biology, philosophy, literature, clinical psychology, religion, and spirituality in a meaningful way that preserves and honors the contributions of each discipline. Profoundly beautiful talk at the deepest level.

Man's a genius. This sentence, juxtaposed with his hand gestures, just makes me smile: "That's the axiomatic structure of your apriori perceptions manifesting itself as self evident fact to your ignorant mind." He mimed the expansion of thought as he was speaking the words that expanded my thoughts.

Not gonna lie, in the last 10 minutes of this when JP gets a bit choked up, I was right there with him. The human experience can be some of the most intensely beautiful things we can perceive and how it relates to the world we inhabit and to ONE ANOTHER.. makes a grown man cry. Incredible talk Jordan.

Honest and mature introduction. I’m so glad that Cambridge isn’t cancelling anymore and can promote solid academic exchange and discussion

I'm both an architect and a musician. This is the most profound, poetic defense of the redemptive power of art I've ever encountered. At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2970">49:30</a> Peterson's voice breaks as he's describing "the point of maximum suffering" at the transept a chapel. Part of what makes him such a remarkable figure is his courageous, public embrace of deeply personal vulnerabilities like this. I have a lot of knowledge about art, architecture and music. I have worked professionally creating in multiple artistic disciplines. I have always felt art was sacred. Peterson explains why with exceptional eloquence here - despite being so profanely interrupted by a protester dressed as a lobster at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3010">50:10</a>. The man is a treasure.

One thing I really enjoy about Jordan Peterson is his genuine expression of his ideas. So much so he gets wrapped up and emotional about his subjects. He is very inspiring.

This man is a master. He will go down in history as the greatest psychologist and philosopher since C. G. Jung. Our world needs to hear everything he has to tell us. Pure genius but also pure common sense.

”When you have something to say, silence is a lie” Jordan Peterson

Beyond his genius, near perfect explanations of the most complex topics, the best thing about Jordan is how much he loves humanity - never stop.

I just got rejected by a guy, and the shame is indeed the part that is most difficult to deal with. I'm going to focus on being all that I can be now. Thank God Dr. Peterson existed.

One of the best lectures I've watched. "You see meaning and infer objects!" That is absolutely pivotal, not only to what Peterson was trying to communicate about perception, but also to the entire human story. Strip away all the cultural complications, and the baggage of 300,000 years, and imagine the view . . . I never looked at perception this way before, but it absolutely makes sense.

"We see Meaning and infer objects." Such an incredible, potent distillation of his book "Maps of Meaning", blew me away.

I am one of the fortunate ones to be attending his lecture this evening!!

When Professor "Jordan B Peterson" spoke about the wonders of the night sky, I felt like I was looking at it too. The professor has a very rational and determined absolute knowledge and logic, with a coolness that never loses, and a soft sensibility that sometimes incubates tears. It gives me great empathy and trust. When I was a child, I looked up at the night sky and held in my heart many bright colorful stars. My dreams and love grew up eating that kind of starlight. But today's children cannot afford to see the stars. Today's world is too harsh. And when I was young, I saw the apparitions of the Virgin Mary. There was also an angel beside Mary. They were not in the light of the earth, but in the white light of heaven. Mary placed her hand on my forehead. And she said something into my head, like telepathy. One day when the world is still, alone, staring endlessly at the night sky, I get a world that expands infinitely wide. It's as if I'm traveling somewhere in my subconscious. My imagination is limitless and I seem to be slowly melting into the universe. It makes me feel like I'm being materialized into the universe. It's probably like going back to the most primitive archetype. Eventually, the energy of the universe enters the crown of my head and the world expands further. I look at the blue Earth and the Moon from space. And I follow the planets of the solar system and their orbits. Soon after, I see myself, a little dot that lives on Earth. And again the world expands so vastly that I keep sailing through the universe towards the end point. At that end, humanity will find the divine "truth" and "love" of perception. This is perhaps the final destination of cognitive psychology.💖

I cannot tell you how much life this man has breathed into me with every talk I've ever heard of his. It's incredible how much he's inspired me to live. I wasn't always so sure. I just want to shake his hand.

Only an hour video? Huh. I seriously and truly would love a 4+ hour video. I never tire of Jordan. What a blessing to my non focused hellish chronic brain pain. Listening helps me focus. I adore intellect. The UK loves you Dr. J P 🇬🇧

We need more people in the world like Jordan Peterson. He is such a blessing and I appreciate his podcasts.

What man meant for evil….We wouldn’t have this treasure of a man were it not for him being “canceled”. His lectures are always thought-provoking , emotive, and substantive. Every word is a nutrient filled intellectual bite. ❤️🇭🇹

No one has effectively given me hope and direction like Dr Peterson. I have been slowly eliminating chaos from my life, but there are obstacles that I have found no way around that are very personal and painful. I have searched for someone like him here in VA to speak with to no avail. We need more JP types that we can turn to for advice and wisdom. It hurts....It hurts.

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is an artist, and with words, he paints the truth. Today, I am grateful.

God this man is so high class. And his lectures are so profound and DEEP, EVERY TIME. He is a true gem ofour generation, and will likely become a historical philosophical (and dare I say religious) figure remembered a century from now.

Truly outstanding! This talk is such an incredible feat. May this man receive all the health and happiness he deserves.

He's an incredible thinker of our time and a precious gift of life for all who need it. And I need it. Period.

Despite having an ADHD diagnosis, Dr. Peterson never fails to captivate my full and undivided attention! Thank you.🙏🏻

I’m literally gaining IQ points every time I listen to this man

I remember back in middle and high school I never understood why people would enjoy watching and reading on these subjects or seminars yet here I am at 24 enjoying his speeches for nearly 4 yrs now

This man has a unique way to draw together so many of the realms of our lives, but, then again, he has devoted his life to learning about ways they coalesce. He tells a very good tale.

This is absolutely brilliant. Possibly the best lecture I have ever encountered. Thank you, Jordan!

Keep doing what you’re doing JP! The world needs you

Brilliant!! You wre able to tie all those strands together that you laid out over the course of the lecture in the most profound and illuminating manner...... Literally had tears streaming down my face as you spoke of the divine awe inspiring glance heavenward of millions of years of struggle and survival and expansion of consciousness despite the rude and presumptious interruption of that "protester" which you gracefully deflected with precision and dignity. Immense gratitude that we have a man of your ilk and courage to challenge the perverse radical ideaologies that threaten the minds and very sould of so many vulnerable young and old!! Bravo and many thanks Dr Peterson....

I have never heard such a beautiful definition of art, and how deeply it is tied into our existence. Thank you, Dr. Peterson, and godspeed.

"She is rejecting you because you are not all you could be..." This hits home hard... Everytime I am rejected, I loath myself for not being good enough. So it's not just me, huh. Makes me think of past rejections in a new light.

Just in time for a long work day! Thank you Dr. Peterson! Hope you are well!

His passion if you go to marker <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2855">47:35</a> or <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2899">48:19</a> if you want to experience the awe in him, just listen from that point until end which is about the last 5 minutes. He’s just amazing!

Gods, I'm so grateful that I can hear this man speak.

He's sincere. One of his better qualities, if not his very best.

What an incredible man. I don't pretend to understand everything he said, nor did I hear what the protester said near the end, but the fact that Dr. Peterson didn't succumb to her anger, but was so gracefully able to return to his thought without losing the beauty and the depth of spirituality, was the reason why I cannot get enough of him.

He's back! So grateful that Dr. Peterson had the fortitude to make it through his struggles and the courage forge on!

This was one of the most thoughtful and complex lectures I’ve listened to. Absolutely amazing, and has given me so much to contemplate.

"Love is the desire to work for the betterment of all things." - J. Peterson Amen! 🙏

The feeling you have when you find out a new lecture by JP is here is lit. 🔥❤️

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="461">7:41</a> When he started with the hands gestures, that's when I knew the lecture began. Thanks Doctor for what you're doing.

I'm awe-struck by the end of every video I watch of Dr Jordan, and not just by the content itself but the way he communicates it in such a digestible yet elegant manner. I wish i had friends who would watch this and appreciate this mind opening video with me. I wish I was surrounded by people who would sincerely discuss deeper ideas like that.

Dr Peterson’s words, so thoughtfully composed, are music for the mind. He is Die Meistersinger!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3320">55:20</a> I didn’t meet my wife until I finally let myself be the man I was deep down. Jordan got me there, bro. What a beautiful call to rise from the dust and be men there.

I could listen to Dr. Peterson for hours. His command of a subject matter with eloquent delivery is unmatched.

Musician/teacher and amateur filmmaker (and related arts and crafts) here. This is brilliant! What I teach my students is: if you eventually manage to play a piece (or just a nice chord progression cliche with smooth voice leading) decently, you will find out that you don't actually play anything. You earned the privilege to feel the music running through you. Same with any artform. Nothing beats that.

Your lecture was truly fascinating and I agree that you've got something...Your lecture leads you to trying to determine what the basis of perception is (excluding societal/proposed-oppressive culturalization/socialization), after which you go on to talk about Wagner's Master-singers of Nuremberg. I've tried to gather exactly what you're trying to get at with this analogy and later with imitation and awe. And I think it's something like this; you have people, and they're all primordially awe stricken by greatness (as you explain in <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2980">49:40</a> segment) and instinctually desire to recognize, elevate and celebrate it (as explained in the Wagner's Master-singers of Nuremberg analogy). From this, what I have come to understand is that the basis of our perception is actually our ideal selves, in other words, everything we interact with and see we first derive its meaning in relation to the ideal selves we wish to strive towards...It seems right in some way, but also potentially wrong in others; like for example, I don't understand the connection between picking up a glass of water and drinking it. I'll try though. A glass of water, it's meaning is "drink" (I think) and so we want to pick it up to drink it. Why the meaning "drink"? Because that's what is meaningful about it in relation to our ideal self...in a very minimal way (or major way depending on how you look at it), "drink"ing is actually an important process in pursuing the ideal self, since staying alive is a pretty important step to take on the journey (maybe even the first). To make more sense of it let's try paper. When we see paper its meaning is "something to write on"; or so much more; maybe paper for you is the only mechanism by which you communicate with others because you are mute. What we perceive does seem subjective in some ways, but also unified by our shared goal of being our best selves. This is a side note. Whatever it's meaning, it is derived from its importance on our journey to become our ideal selves (needless to say, paper as a writing thing is important to know when trying to make your way though society). So I guess in some sense, what we perceive is shifts to how it might impact our lives and our pursuance of our ideal selves. An objects importance can be introduced and explained by culture and society, but even with that fact, the meaning we associate with the object, which is the first thing we see/perceive (which is for the better practically speaking), is always in retrospective of our primordial human desire to become the best we can be. That's what I've been able to understand and it makes a lot more sense to me now. Maybe going through it myself in writing helped others understand better too :)

Your lectures strike a needed chord in my generation. We each have so much difficulty writing the song of our lives.The notion that by imitating and or revering the highest ideal we can have some semblance of how to navigate this labyrinth is powerful. It deepens my love for my parents and for their attempts to embody the highest ideal so that one day I may come to understand it on my own. Thank you, absolutely remarkable.

Of all the lectures I have been to, or listened to, I am always intrigued that I become almost instantly emotionally invested in Dr. Peterson when he speaks, and then although doing my best to process the information presented I can't help but find myself travelling along with him to wherever he takes us. Thank-you Dr. Peterson for the very natural and dynamic way in which you present your lectures. I may not agree or understand all of the time, but the insights and knowledge I have gained from you over the years has shaped me as a person and enriched my life.

Its always fascinating to watch him unpack his thoughts. You can tell he really understands something about our existence that language cant properly convey, but he gets pretty damn close - until the emotion comes out. I understand his lectures obviously all of the lives hes changed understands them, it's the parts when his emotions cant be controlled that Id like to understand on a deeper level - those are the parts that no one really grasps fully besides himself. I mean I understand why its emotional, but not on that level where language isnt sufficient and it becomes unbearable. I just hope the people around him have his best interests at heart, which what do I know I'm sure they do. I just hope he doesn't end up being micro-managed as an infinite paper printer - He can fill a stadium with people just to listen to him regarding pretty much anything he presents. He deserves nothing but success and he for sure can achieve lifetimes worth without being wrung dry. People can scoff and roll their eyes, which the edgy far right likes to do, but hes one of the most important figures of these times and his detractors have yet to direct anyone that remotely fits that description.

You’re one of the greatest men of our times, Jordan. You’re navigating the insanity of our world gracefully

Watching this moved me to tears several times as it touched on so many things that mean so much to me. Not least Jordan’s unrelenting passion and genuinely heartfelt expression of what it means to orient oneself toward the infinite and despite seemingly inevitable failure, give oneself completely to what in every fibre of our being (if we are honest) know to be the truth. Thank you Jordan, to me you are an example of how to tread that treacherously (and terrifyingly) fine line between humanity and truth. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ✨🙏🏼✨

I read 12 Rules for Life and Beyond Order and was extremely impressed by them. However, I recently read for the first time Maps of Meaning. Firstly, it is more difficult than much of Jung and Nietzsche’s work. Secondly, it is one of the most profound texts I’ve ever read. I believe it is a book not made for all to read, but those who can grasp it’s profundity should immediately read it.

This was not at all what I anticipated based on the title, and it stretched my little synapses to places they hadn't yet been. How you manage to make that happen for me and countless others is truly a blessed gift. Thank you for having the courage to model critical, deep logical and philosophical thinking with such grace all while being a sharp-dressed man...ZZTop got at least that right! With infinite gratitude for you and your support system that affords you and us this sweet privilege to exchange and synergize. I have to mull over the "infinite" ways to organize a library, that was utterly fascinating! [<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1055">17:35</a>]

Been watching this lovely man for over 5 years now. Cant say a bad word about him. Some of the attacks on his person were despicable.

I've loved Dr. Peterson's teachings for years, used many of his lectures to help myself "grow up" and utilized his debates in my lectures but this...you can truly hear his love for humanity in his carefully crafted words AND his yearning voice. Thank you Dr. Peterson for helping us come home.

Most helpful thing I’ve ever watched. And I NEEDED this today. Thank you Jordan. May your word continue to resonate throughout the world ❤️ you’re a magnificent, remarkable human being.

I'm so glad I didn't miss out on this lecture. You can easily see the art on display as Dr. Peterson presents this ideas and shines light on their connections. It generates that same sense of admiration that he described. What an unbelievably great educator, and what an honest man.

Wonderful meeting you and shaking your hand last night in Indy, Dr Peterson. Godspeed in your travels.

Your speech is like a song. Thank you, Dr. Peterson. I enjoyed it.

Thank you for putting all of these unknown feelings to words. The way you say all those things truly shows how much thought is put into them.

These recently uploaded lectures at Cambridge I not only find deeply compelling, but positively heartwarming. I'm glad the University's academia fought for Dr Peterson attendance, the arguments discussed are so very interesting and the civil fashion in which the discourse occured as I've said delights me.

Times Jordan experienced latency issues due to real-time formulation of a sentence: <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="530">8:50</a> - Sometime it's error ridden enough <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="578">9:38</a> - we have to be able to deal... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="586">9:46</a> - the underline neurophysiological.. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="650">10:50</a> - you don't learn anything except... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="846">14:06</a> - NO! (honorable mention) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="922">15:22</a> - and how is it that we managed... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1135">18:55</a> - the self evidence of the stupidity of that categorical structure is actually the mystery <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1235">20:35</a> - to the aggregation of a library... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1338">22:18</a> - the way we solve the problem of perception was through 3.5 billion years of evolution <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1474">24:34</a> - the object itself announces its utility in the perception <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1568">26:08</a> - the fact support the notion... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1761">29:21</a> - as a part of the strategy... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2125">35:25</a> - the psychopathy machiavellian... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2207">36:47</a> - (the martial arts of constructing an argument) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2223">37:03</a> - Yes (a tactic has been devised) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2276">37:56</a> - Jordan takes time before choosing the risky path of operatic fairytale that may not impress the Cambridge audience <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2286">38:06</a> - opera <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2699">44:59</a> - raise this untutored but extraordinarily... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2728">45:28</a> - patriarchical, power driven... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2860">47:40</a> - WHY? (honorable mention)

This talk made me cry. Thank God you're still alive, Dr. P.

I am so glad that his teachings can be accessed by everyone around the world, he’s truly a gem, may God bless this man 🙏🏻

Perhaps the most beautiful and genuine talk you’ll ever have the pleasure of hearing. Thank you Dr. Peterson.

That was emotional. thank you for posting it. I am an artist. It was a pleasure to listen to it. Our paths may never cross, as I am definitely not in your circle of academics, not even close to ever encounter your presence, but I encounter what you were describing, something that makes us emotional beyond understanding.

Like a good book, I’ll have to go over this a couple more times to get the full understanding. Thank you Jordan. 🙂✌️

I can sometimes forget how inspiring this man in. Ironic really how his speech about the night sky produces exactly the kind of awe that he is trying to describe. Thank you sir

This MAN loves humans and should be listened to .There is no deceit in him . Pay attention children .

Man, this was so specifically something I was thinking through lately while processing deception in my own life. This lecture really leaves the realm of terminology and feels like I'm seeing the same shape puzzles in my head; almost like the alternative, fully linguistic path to a physicists ability to visualise the geometry of other dimensions. The consistency just shows how high fidelity the tools he provides to think with are... and how high I am

A person so deep in his understanding and experience of psychoanalysis that you'd be hard-pressed to find one person that crucified for helping people survive and to objectively express the foundational complexities of humanity and life at the same time. Never been a better phoenix in the world of the mind and heart at the clinical level. Find yourself all the psychoanalysis professionals you want, but you won't find another with a heart that deep. Not one. Protect your joy, Dr. Peterson. Don't let ANYONE steal it.

A man with the spark of the divine in himself. Thank goodness he is also eloquent and generous enough to offer it to all of us.

Thanks Dr Peterson. It was great meeting you in San Antonio. You changed my life and my relationships and I know these aren’t “your” ideas but you’ve been able to explain them in a compelling way that we can understand and accept. Thank you.

The product of Dr. Peterson following truth and intuition is a blessing on the world, and just in time. Looking forward to seeing him live on Wednesday in San Francisco. Thank you for doing what is right Jordan Peterson. It is seen, heard and most importantly felt.

Beautiful piece of ART 🖼, Divine art, filled with truth. Thank You Doctor Peterson.🕊

The only appropriate word which comes to my mind as a comment to this beautiful lecture is: Amen

As an aircraft mechanic,I love learning from Dr. Peterson.I have been trying harder to learn more about life and my job.Since the only reading I only do,With the exception of some magazines and biblical text,is aircraft manuals and tech manuals for electronic systems I deal with every day. So thank you Dr. Peterson for the incredible insight on topics I would never encounter outside of your youtube video's.

To choose the correct way to interpret something, we need two things: 1. a value system (for AI this is the error function) 2. external context (for AI this is the training data)

Amazing as usual. The last 12 minutes are probably the most profound but you need the other 45 minutes to get it

Ive been binge watching everything Dr. Peterson talks about the last few weeks since I discovered him most of the things I hear him saying Ive known them intrinsically I get an intense feeling of recognition in my spirit like Im hearing echos of things in my mind especially since my oldest son passed away a few months ago. Ive been desperately searching within my own mind for the meaning of my sons life and death a pursuit that makes me feel like im living in a pressure cooker Im honestly surprised I havent lost touch with sanity over the loss.... I would love to ask Dr. Peterson what has kept me alive after such a soul destroying loss.... What combination of knowledge inside of my vast archive is responsible for it? Ive been an aggressive problem solver all my life all I do is intake and process useful knowledge and information to help whoever needs it.

Jordan Peterson's talks are the essentials and guideposts for my life. Tremendously grateful!

That woke me up! Lol Possibly the best lecture that I have every heard. It was an absolute honour to listen to such and honest, caring and super gifted man. He should be everyone's father. I am serious! God bless him 🙏🇬🇧

The last part on imitation and awe just blew me away. It is just such a wondefull conclusion to the lecture. Thank you mister Peterson, just breathtaking.

This talk from one of our greatest living minds totally blew my mind...WOW!!!

This man blows my mind! I love hearing him talk, he makes so much sense. Thank you for spending your life to teach others.

Was at your show Tuesday night in Grand Rapids, it was a pleasure listening to you in person! I joked with a friend that it was a different lecture, and the same lecture I’ve heard 100s of times, simultaneously. That’s the nature of the questions we’re all trying to wrestle with!

I love how Jordan is lecturing essentially about the deep and meaningfull connection of all things and how we are in awe of the almost infinit but still capable of making sense of it and immitating it, while also embodying the exact thing he talks about, by tapping into the infinite wisdom of almost infinite disciplines and making sense of everything. This hour of him talking is in itself a representation of what he talks about and THAT's how you convince people that what you say is true. By embodying it and being yourself a testemony of what you say, that everyone can see works exactly how you claim it does.

Formulation of your words and thoughts is like a drop of water to the thirstiest man on earth. You truly make world a better place. Thank You

This man just radiates pure brilliance

Thank you so much for allowing us to listen to these lectures. It’s great to be able to stretch my thinking.

Watching how the public heads follow him as he moves around the stage says everything about the lecture’s quality. So good!

Like a symphony of words. I love how all the constituent parts weave together. Exploring the lightest lights and the darkest darks and in the end all that’s left is love. 🙏🏻✌🏻

You are really something, Dr. Peterson, really something. It is said that the best way to inspire others is by showing passion, and, oh man, passion has been shown in this lecture. I really mean it when I say that Jordan is one of the only thinkers who can truly grasp the problems of our time, and communicate it in a very compelling way. This lecture, along with his classes and his books, will be watched, read, re-watched and re-read for a long, long time. You have already became one of the most relevant thinkers of our time, and I believe there's still much more to give. Thank you Jordan!

I’m so glad I was able to hear your ideas Jordan, they are truly genius and more people need to hear what you’re saying.

Found Dr. Peterson at the most pivotal points of my life and man did he help shift, guide and empowered my life for the better. Shout out to doc P. 💯

This is the Art of understanding. The purest and most honesty Art form which I've ever encountered. God bless the human race.