What Things Really Exist? | Episode 304 | Closer To Truth 

You need a producer to take on your exquisite project. It's more.than deserving as are you. It deserves a powerful media platform with plenty of eyeballs. One of the best series ever produced, Robert. Let's get this program scaled up

Love this show. A lot of the criticism is coming from people who would rather criticize the way you do this as opposed to carrying a load themselves. Good job Closer To Truth!

Robert Kuhn, always so kindly, unpretentious and accessible, he does great interviews - the world needs more enquiring minds like him. If I could I would make him a RU-vid professor extraordinaire🤓.

I am. Therefore I exist (although I can't prove that to anyone but myself in any meaningful way).

Taxes really exist, the rest I’m not sure.

Robert Kuhn is one if the best and most impactful science journalists. I cannot think of a single person including the populist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who could hold a candle to Kuhn. His unique style of probing questions, the clever deployment of the ‘5 WHYs’, gives you access to the most insight and sense that you will ever make of existence.

Quantum waves sitting around watching its grandchildren waves singing in their first school play with a tear of waves in its wave eyes . Wavy crazy goodness

It all comes down to solipsism: The only thing that we can be sure about, it is our own personal existence. We do exist because we ask the question: "do I exist?". The rest is the matter of beliefs and tastes. Some people believe only in "facts" that they like to consider being "hard", the others believe in more. Are there two horses in the field or just some images of an unknown source that were projected into (or, maybe, created inside) our brain?

The one person's opinion and belief set that I respect most here is John Searle's. I love his pragmatism.

Each human contains about 38 Trillion cells. In each cell is 100 Trillion Atoms. In each Atom are protons, neutrons, & electrons. Humans are just a large group of subatomic particles, & can processes information

Amazing as ever, Robert. Yep, as Penrose says, maybe out there is recreated at every moment via senses. Lovely thank you.

yet another wonderful discussion. this makes being on youtube worthwhile...

I love your journey Robert

Awesome as always! 👍

Starts right off with sir roger. Love it

More replayed content yay!

Searle dropping truth bombs like the Enola Gay 💯

2021 and Searle and Dennet are still not laughed out of town 🤣🤣🤣

Brilliant description and conversations...closer to perfection

I think all that we can know that really exists is recurrence, and the knowledge that something outside our perception of reality is causing things to recur. Other than that it’s impossible for that which is within a system to know reality unless it is the point of reference or the center or the reason for, all that is

Would love to see you interview Bernardo Kastrup he makes a lot of sense.

John Searle nailed it.

If I think of existence, that existence exists, I am flabbergasted.

I thing back to composition 101, the intro sets out what you will talk about. Videos seem to ignore that step and I must watch twice.

Things only exist to the degree we consider and agree that they do and more so when others do as well.

interesting ... as always ...

i think it is obvious that we have different levels of physical reality. science has gotten down to very small "particles". but when we do, we start pushing into the wave-particle duality. i think this is highly suggesting that whatever a wave actually is, it is a lower level of reality than matter. and it seems like consciousness plays a role in presenting waves to us in this form that we refer to as matter. i think that consciousness is separate from the physical world.

great, how you make a little sum up after each interview

Interview Donald hoffman. He's good for this subject

great video, different views. there is another one:" the only REAL thing is consciousness, everything else is information generated by c. for c. consciousness evolves, and generates virtual realities for consciousness to play and speed up its evolution.": TOM CAMPBELL (Physicist)

Very well done. But give me a break on the adverts!

Life we live is existing in multiple worlds. We have only begun exploring.

Arguments, arguments, and arguments; because we have the wrong scientists as faculty members, and the geniuses are out of campus!

We are beyond the physical, and that's why we don't combine with the physical. Where do we get the idea of eternity in a world where everything, although utterly real, is temporary? Why, if pleasure and pain are both equally present in this world, are we always seeking pleasure and trying to avoid pain? And why do we hanker for knowledge in a world of dull matter?

DR. ZACH BUSH a Triple board certified Beautiful Soul Who might be able to give you a different perspective that no one I have seen you interview.

In the material world particles are governed by natural laws. But, as Roger mentions, *structured* material has something extra: the structure. This structure is abstract in terms of function, and natural laws only indirectly affect this function. But I am still figuring this out. 😄

Wow I think like this

Would help to get from physical brain to mind / consciousness.

I'd like to see him interview Hamilton Morris.

I don't think physics can ever explain why there's something rather than nothing. The thing that really hurts me is when people like Richard Dawkins claims that the why question is a silly one. Though I'm an atheist, I should still say that scientists have to be more careful when addressing metaphysical questions. And BTW, I love professor Dawkins.

2 horses in the field ! Mine was 3rd !

i would love to listen to you asking Sadhguru your questions.

Series should be renamed from “closer to truth” to “more and more useful mathematical models”. Science can never get us to TRUTH. It is the wrong question.... but i still love the series!!!

Do purple anti-gravity zebras have a separate world in which they exist? I expect that's where math "really exists" too.

So, it seems that all those conceptions and the conclusion itself, all it is about beliefs?

Of all his videos that I've watched (and there have been many), I've yet to hear any discussion about solipsism and the like, and the possibility that nothing exists unless it is personally observed.

I like DLK , he’s open minded and smart as a whip. I would hang out with him.

World # 2 (24:20) must be struck down from your ontological raster as its existence has been made dependent on the existence of the epistemic agent. What we have here is an instance of the onto/episteme confusion. What exists is independent of whether or not it is known to exist. But you are in good company. Herr Einstein is guilty of the confusion as well. He integrated the physical limits of propagation of information in the universe -- a purely epistemic phenomenon-- into its concrete structure.

I exist.

Mathematics is related to intuition of things that exsist, intuitive PROCESSES are mental and mental phenomenon are Spiritual things, Mathematic DESCRIBES PHYSICS and physical things. Everything goes back to the spirit or first cause

"EXCELLENT"...... Noble Laurate & senior mathematician Dr. Roger Penrose's views of three worlds i.e. physical , mathematical / plutonic & mental including his assertion that global quantium coherence build up in brain incorporating all the sensory signals presumably by Q. entanglement (from other video) etc. , strengthens the views of other distinguishd guests Dr. John Leslie (Consciousness & pansychism) Dr. William Craig(spiritual), peter van Inwagen(metaphysical) & even host Distinguished Dr. Robert L Kuhn 's final conclusion and all these views are immensely pointing towards existence of PURE AWARENESS / CONSCIOUSNESS which is singular & fundamental , indescribable, beyond physical , not in time & space , dimensionless but at the same time with infinite dimensions , creator of universe & multiverses , formless , structureless , not perceivable by senses , can not be destroyed , water can't wet it , fire can't burn it, weapons can't chhater it , immortal , from which everything physical & nonphysical evolves & dissolves & again evolve , source of all creation etc.....as described in detail in Hindu scriptures.....and is given name as CREATOR / GOD / SHIVA etc.......& these views are supported by quantium physicists Noble Laurates Distinguishd Dr. Max Plank(singular) , Dr. Irwin Shriodinger (fundamental) Dr.Niel Bhor , Dr. Hiesenberg , Dr. Brian Jopson(pansychism /esp) & other Noble Laurates like Distinguishd Ravinder Tagore(Consciousness) , Dalai Lama(Consciousness) & other great scientists like Distinguishd Freeman Dyson , Dr. David Bhom , Dr. Henry Stapp , Dr Meenas Kafatos , Dr. Mani Bhomica, Dr.Amit Goswami , Dr. Donald Hoffman , Bernardo K. Dr. R. Sheldreck , Dr. Wolf & several other great / renowned scientists , philosophers , scholars ( Huston Smith) , medical doctors , saints etc...... All the above mentioned Distinguished guests , have explained beautifully , elegantly , in depth on basis of scientific & other facts ........ Distinguished Dr. John Searle have also tried to explain in best possible way but It is unfortunate & distressing that Dr. John Searle , being physicalist himself , is not ready to accept / adopt physics's own child / progeny (being discovered) i.e 'Mathematical world' which has to be logically created by " CREATOR " (of course physics definitely can't claim to have created same as MATHEMATICAL world was there long before human beings came in to existence...... therefore while recognizing child i.e "MATHEMATICAL world" , he needs to recognize child's mother i.e CREATOR as there can't be child without a mother who gives birth to child).......he is also not trying to understand simple equation of cause & effect i.e. there has to be some entity (creator) which causes this subtle MATHEMATICAL world.......& that's the reason Dr.John Searle's great admirer , physical scientist & host Distinguished Dr Robert L Kuhn rejected Dr.John Searle's views outrightly at the outset in his final conclusion....Dr. John Searle' views will definitely misguide young generations. Distinguishd Freeman Dyson(of Dyson sphere fame) was a great admirer of Indian mathematician Distinguishd Ramanuja Srinivasan who quoted (in year 1910) that "EQUATIONS HAVE GOT NO MEANING UNLESS IT REVEALS GOD"....... Leave apart other evidences / proofs put forth by spiritual and other scientific basis , existence of "MATHEMATICAL world" (various equations , physical laws , constants , four fundamental forces etc. resulting in various interactions , Q.fields excitation , fundamental elementary particles & other various interactions going on at quantium and macro / cosmic level involving Q. entanglement , coherence and decoherence , tunneling , information etc. in extreme prescion & subtle manner, in symmetry resulting in creation of physical existence / physical world including complex human beings) itself is a 100% proof for the existence of CREATOR / GOD / SHIVA....... thanks🙏.

I’m not a scientist, scientist , just a medical doctor , but I think I know enough to ask; What is math without a user?

If Robert spoke any slower I think the Earth would stop rotating. 🤣

I think the question is “do things really exist?” After you have defined what you mean by REALITY. Imho the best you can say is: first you CHOOSE unscientifically to escape the cartesian solipsism. Then you CHOOSE to believe in a EXTERNAL REAL WORLD. From there you migrate from naive scientific realism to instrumentalism or my preference: EPISTEMIC STRUCTURAL (Scientific) REALISM. Easy.

I wonder - has John ever meditated or explored his inner world 🤔?

Can anyone tell me where Plato (according to Peter van Inwagen at 8:16) says that "the things that people normally say exist hardly exist at all"? Thank you.

Is this an old episode?

Every major physical Theory Harkens back to the observer; thermodynamics, relativity, quantum gravity... maybe quantizing gravity only makes sense with the involvement of an observer where spacetime is only meaningful when space-time and gravity are both quantized in relation to an observer... Nothing mystical in any sense, only in that certain physical properties make sense when observed in aggregate, under the included framework of an observer.

I'll go with John Searle's position on this one.

The C word is again something to ignore! We all know deeply that consciousness is the solution. In my next incarnation i hope i will be one of those neo scientist whitout the FEAR of the Hight priest in science! Thanks. 👩🏽‍🚀✌🏻

Time and space are functions of ones conceptual scheme

I stink, therefore I am

I'm pretty sure the pain in my big toe exists. Does that prove anything ?

Next time please question what things is fast in universe?

High voltage.

Closer to amnesia.

i agree with everything he said at the end except i dont believe math needs to exist before anything does. i think the platonic world is existing infinitely too but i think math is just an explanation of how to say something exists. not an existence in itself.

Because we haven't found out yet that's why there's more to figure out. We've only found out to some degree from "our" point and perspective. Seems like there is a point upon real consciousness of wondering how the heck did we get here. The point of realization when we realized who we are and how the heck did we get here through time... Time repeats huh yet it Started at the point of realization. So to our amazement we labeled our birth to see everything that it had to be some higher power due to how did we come to consciousness and realization at the pt. the reason why we never knew before because we didn't realize it. The thought. 1, 2, 3, 4 is what we think in a way, 5 and 6 is part of 4 because we think it. They all exist until we figure things out with 4.

we can never perceive infinite physically because our consciousness does not allow that.....but the space is actually infinite and zero dimesional points also exist.....uncountable numbers also exist (irrationals like "pi") which u can not count down with ur hand...mathematics done on these giant axioms do tend to explain the physical universe little bit where the smallest number possible is Planck's constant......Penrose's description is much superior than the John's one in that perspective....

Matérialism is an hypothèse! Going a way slowly.... slowly. Masse, gravity, time, space those are the gods of materialism science! That is a good start but just a start! 👩🏽‍🚀🙈🙉

What really exists? It all depends on in what reality do You believe.

The physical world is the spiritual world. There is nothing physical or material here, it’s an illusion.

What does Lane Craig mean ? Of course Sherlock Holmes exists !

You should talk to a couple of Zen Buddhist on the show

32K views on this while the Kardashians of the World get millions of views. A sad reality of the place humanity is at in its evolution. I often wonder if there’s hope for us.

Everything is brought into being by the human imagination.

For some people money & power For some people self For some people passion for something But things that really exist are emotions, relations the compassion & love we share with others & the ultimate reality which exist in all realities that we are conscious beings & our origin is from Supreme consciousness (GOD) who governs every reality our material universe or multiverse & us.

Life, God, the real Living, the invisible "subject" of all knowledge, the Self etc..

Robert I'm so proud of you for finally coming out of the closet as not a staunch materialist. We all knew this entire time but you'd never admit it.

Ενας κόσμος ειπαρχη ο κόσμος της υψίστης συνειδητότητας κ απο εκεί πηγάζουν τα πάντα

If it’s an allusion ( consciousness) then what is being fooled?

14:57 dont be bothered by it … numbers dont exist !! numbers are a product of logic .. which in turn is a product of understanding .. which in turn is a product of conciousness .. which in turn is a product of evolution logic is bound by a set of parameters .. change those parameters and the logic changes ask Spock or any vulcan for that matter .. and theres your answer .. fictitious characters are no different to numbers .. cause you know who Spock is does not mean he exists numbers are a method for describing logic .. and mathematics is the universal language based on logic.

Penrose is a really smart guy, but to say that the universe is run mathematically is bonkers. It's like wondering how little kids are so good at calculating trajectories mathematically as they throw a ball back and forth. The universe just exists and does what comes naturally, no math needed. Humans compose mathematical stories to describe these regularities, so it's no surprise that math is unreasonably effective.

William Craig? LOL. How could you leave out Deepak Chopra and Mehmet Oz??

Things obtain truth by the virtue of being and being assessed. They reveal through phenomena to senses. The obtaining of the truth of the phenomenon produces the fact. The fact is dependent upon the distance from the object. The spatiotemporal fact is it is a book. The legal or biblical fact is apprehended from the experience of the information imprinted on the the thing itself - it is real information. The belief extracted from the information is a doxastic fact. However, insofar as the doxastic or informational fact *describes* a true reality is questionable. Because these facts are obtained at a certain distance... There is no question the book, information or belief exists. What is in question is which objects exist and what histories formed them. Here, doxastic facts do not necessarily obtain ontological truths.

Seek Satori. Then you will know.

I like john, but it get’s boring and then I see coincidences etc which I know is stupid but yeah

I've always been interested in animal intelligence. I was painting the house once and a large black and yellow garden spider had made a wed under the over hang of the roof. I used a shovel to take her out of her web and let her go in the woods at the edge of my yard. The next day she had returned to exact spot I had removed her from and built a new web. That takes thinking? A memory, a little mental map of were the house is in the yard? i mean that's actually pretty complicated for a spider? We had a dog once that had a litter of puppies. One was given away. That dog looked everywhere for her puppy! She knew one was missing. Can animals count? You had 5 puppies, one is missing now you only have 4. Can animals count? Survival actually takes a little thinking and logic. Animals don't just walk around bumping into trees. I was working on a 200 foot grain elevator looking down on a cow pasture. The owners of the cows rung a bell letting the cows know it was feeding time. The cows didn't just mindlessly walk across the pasture through the grass. There were actually trails crossing the pasture and the cows would line up nose to tail and walk single file along the trails to the feeding area. Sometimes it impresses me how much like people animals really are.

Does "existence" itself really exist? Merely because a question can be stated with words (that usually have vague meanings anyway) does not require that a meaningful answer must "exist" for it. How deep in inches is a bottomless hole?

Our existence is our conciousness in that we exist in our conciousness. Without it we don't exist. But our consciousness keeps changing. We feel it. We are creating and being created unceasingly. So we know that there exists something inside and outside us. We are beings entangled with our inner and outer circumstances. We interact with them. We feel it. OUR SURROUNDING IS US AND OUR CONCIOUSNESS IS US. WE ARE ONE INSEPARABLE.

Consciousness is all that there is. Conjuring itself into existence. That's it. You got it right. Consciousness living an illusion it weaves out of itself in a mind posture. The universe represents consciousness. It mind-wraps itself to conjure itself into existence.

So these very clever people have no answer to existence. Philosophy has never come up with any answers to anything.

« My Big Toe » trilogie of Thomas Campbell is a Theorie Of Everything! Wy not take a look? 👩🏽‍🚀🙈🙉

Right now, the illusion of me and you.

If the blind men want see and a deaf men wants to hear they can help each other. Why wonder what is real if you don't have to see or hear for too know what is real.

I’m not sure how what Searle is saying is any different than... “Hey... just use common sense!” Which is... a strategy... I guess.

Only God really exists. Everything else we see has a time limit on them. You and me are lucky to live 100 years. You may think you can build a machine that creates itself and therefore will never die away. Dreams like that is possible and people do, specially creative people who work with computers. Their dreams will be shattered when they know Microsoft has gone bust. Companies do and go too, though some of them may be over a few centuries old.

"Spiritual world of God"??? You mean like the the world of the Tooth Fairy, the Goblin, Superman, Santa Klaus?

Mathematical world? Mathematics is just a language: a computational language. Just as there are languages of communication (e.g., speech, writing and reading.) Nothing more: nothing less. There's no mystery to computational languages (that solely pertains to the human species.)

Why is it that as a complex but evolving critters ....with an ever increasing interest, awareness, understanding and confusion about both ourselves and the physically reality we exist in... but then due to situation and ignorance some cannot truly accept either the harsh simplist conflicting nature of reality nor not knowing all the answers about the positive/negative reality they are in! ... and so we all strive to study, or ponder, invent, create, test and confirm more than our current locations and situation allows. ...to get further confused or distracted by all the diverse ideas we can create. But then still invent even more fantasies and hierarchical. Structures and delusions to then place and judge ourselves within.... while others believe in a whole load of equally interesting, absurd, self delusional and often highly, conflicting and contradictory notions..which they chain themselves too. Some with at least some fundemental evidence and basis while others have no evidence at all....and yet both claim their beliefs are true and valid...or if not at least meaningful to them. Why it's reality so problematic!?. It's funny and sad to realise the even our current physical form and existence that physical reality is too conflicting, chaotic, hard and difficult for some to handle or accept....so they invent mystical realms and hierarchical gods and. Saviours to ease and sooth the harsh nature and conflicting feelings of joy and pain in this reality ...and always with the desire and hope that there is a perfect, positive and happy solution, or conclusion or ending...but with a sense of fear sadness and pain that their situation and reality already clearly shows that that is highly unlikely. So what is Truth ...dreams, delusions or reality? As it seems humans can't make up their minds whether they want to know the truth or not!