The Meaning Crisis, Process Cosmology & Whitehead's Universe | Andrew M. Davis

In this conversation, Dr Andrew M. Davis joins Dr Tevin Naidu for a deep exploration of meaning, process philosophy, and the evolving story of consciousness. They discuss the modern meaning crisis, Alfred North Whitehead’s process cosmology, philosophical praxis, and how value, agency, and mind might be fundamental features of an unfolding universe. From metaphysics to existential risk, and from science to spirituality - this conversation explores how philosophy can help us re-enchant our understanding of reality itself.

This episode is part of a special series in collaboration with the Mind-at-Large Project: a three-year international initiative, spanning conferences, films, and media, investigating consciousness and its role in reality. It seeks to challenge the prevailing materialist paradigm and expand our understanding of mind across scales, from neurons to ecosystems, from individuals to the cosmos itself. A collaboration between philosophers, scientists, and scholars rethinking the nature of consciousness, reality, and beyond.

Andrew M. Davis, PhD. is an American process philosopher, theologian, and scholar of the cosmos. He is research and academic director for the Center for Process Studies where he researches, writes, teaches, and organizes conferences on various aspects of process-relational thought. He is author, editor, and co-editor of nearly a dozen books including Mind, Value, and Cosmos: On the Relational Nature of Ultimacy (2020); Process Cosmology: New Integrations in Science and Philosophy (2022); Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology (2023); and Whitehead's Universe: A Prismatic Introduction (forthcoming, 2026).

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – Introduction | Meaning, Mind, and the Future of Philosophy
03:12 – What Is Philosophical Praxis? Reconnecting Thought and Action
07:30 – The Meaning Crisis and Modern Disconnection
11:24 – Process Philosophy and the Need for a Living Metaphysics
15:10 – Whitehead’s Vision: The Universe as Becoming, Not Being
19:18 – Panpsychism, Panentheism, and the Mind at Large Framework
24:02 – Existential Risk and the Evolution of Consciousness
28:37 – How Reductionism Distorts Reality and Meaning
33:25 – Reclaiming Teleology: Value, Purpose, and Cosmic Direction
37:44 – Science, Spirituality, and the Death of Materialism
42:20 – Psychedelic States and the Expansion of Experience
46:48 – Axiology and the Centrality of Value in the Cosmos
51:36 – Philosophical Therapy: Healing the Worldview Divide
56:42 – The Crisis of Meaning as a Crisis of Perception
1:02:15 – Whitehead, Deleuze, and Creative Becoming
1:08:10 – Is the Universe Conscious? The Panexperiential Turn
1:14:00 – Towards a Cosmology of Value and Participation
1:19:28 – The Role of the Philosopher Today: From Critic to Creator
1:25:36 – Mind-Body, Mind-at-Large: Bridging Consciousness and Cosmos
1:32:02 – Hope, Purpose, and the Next Evolution of Thought
1:38:27 – Closing Reflections | Re-Enchanting the World

EPISODE LINKS:
Mind-at-Large Project Playlist:    • 🌌 Mind-at-Large Project  
Mind-at-Large Project: https://mindatlargeproject.com
Andrew's Website: https://andrewmdavis.info
Whitehead's Universe: www.whiteheadsuniverse.com
Andrew's YT Channel:    / @andrew-m-davis  
Center for Process Studies: https://ctr4process.org

CONNECT:
Website: https://mindbodysolution.org
YouTube:    / @mindbodysolution  
Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show...
Twitter:   / drtevinnaidu  
Facebook:   / drtevinnaidu  
Instagram:   / drtevinnaidu  
LinkedIn:   / drtevinnaidu  
Website: https://tevinnaidu.com

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