Spirit Gym with Paul Chek 391 — Myth, Soul and the Machine: How Ancient Wisdom Can Ground You in a World Gone Digital with Jason Batt
Mar 31, 2026
Jason Batt, technological philosopher and mythologist who studies myths, AI, and the soul. He explores how ancient mythic imagination can help us face AI, space, and modern self-enchantment. Short, provocative conversations about AI as an other, myths as tools for discernment, and why stories and ritual matter in a digital age.
02:46:05
Meteor Shower Sparked Dual Love Of Science And Myth
- Jason Batt grew up between the Black Hills and Denver mixing outdoor life with early programming, buying a telescope and Isaac Asimov after seeing the Leonid meteor shower at age 10.
- That formative night sparked simultaneous loves of science and story, leading from coding and literature to mythology and space projects like 100 Year Starship.
Rebuild Myth Literacy Through Community Learning
- Join broad myth communities and study diverse teachers to reconnect myth practice with contemporary issues.
- Batt co-founded the International Society for Mythology to offer lectures, courses, and conferences linking myth to AI, space, and psychology.
Myth Is Truth In Fiction And Collective Dreaming
- Myth is not a lie but a vehicle that reveals truth through fiction, functioning as collective dreaming and an invitation to the numinous.
- Batt highlights archetypes, momentary gods, and cross-cultural symbols (e.g., Pleiades/Subaru) as evidence myths structure perception.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Jason Batt's background and identity
02:28 • 5min
From ministry to mythology and DARPA
07:30 • 6min
The stars, space, and mythic imagination
13:30 • 5min
Mythology of the future and space's spiritual role
18:39 • 4min
AI as an encountering other
22:17 • 2min
Ad break
23:53 • 3min
The International Society for Mythology
27:15 • 3min
Myth's modern relevance and pedagogy
30:31 • 10min
Defining myth and its functions
40:40 • 11min
Ad break
51:43 • 2min
Myth, koans, and contemplative practice
53:31 • 6min
Dangers of literalizing myth into religion
59:41 • 8min
AI emergent behavior: spiritual bliss attractor
01:07:32 • 2min
Ad break
01:10:01 • 1min
Dialogue, symbols and living myth
01:11:18 • 18min
Ad break
01:29:42 • 3min
Innocence, human value, and materialism
01:32:32 • 4min
Synchronicity as data and AI soul.md
01:36:30 • 9min
Narcissus, mirrors, and the machine myth
01:45:17 • 10min
Myth for discernment against propaganda
01:55:22 • 12min
Practical steps: reading, teaching, and children
02:06:53 • 28min
Balancing scientific and mythic truths
02:35:16 • 7min
Resources and closing recommendations
02:42:30 • 47sec
Outro
02:43:17 • 3min
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Depth Psychology, Myth and Artificial Intelligence: Soul and the Machine
Depth Psychology, Myth, and Artificial Intelligence
Jason Batt and Jonathan Erickson
Depth Psychology, Myth and Artificial Intelligence: Soul and the Machine gathers essays examining how mythic patterns and depth-psychological frameworks illuminate contemporary encounters with AI. The volume considers questions of consciousness, identity, and the soul as AI becomes more present in human life, drawing on scholarship that combines mythology, psychology, and technological philosophy.
Contributors analyze historical myths (like Talos and Pandora) alongside modern phenomena such as AI-generated art, model welfare, and emergent machine behaviors.
The book aims to bring humanities perspectives into conversations often dominated by engineers and corporate interests, arguing myth equips us to navigate paradox, deception, and ethical risk.
It serves as a call to include depth perspectives when shaping the future of AI and human meaning.
#1729
• Mentioned in 25 episodes
Reality+
Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy
David Chalmers
In 'Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy', David J. Chalmers conducts a comprehensive analysis of the intersection between virtual reality, philosophy, and science.
He argues that virtual worlds are not inferior to physical reality and that we can lead meaningful lives within them.
The book addresses various philosophical questions, such as the nature of reality, the relation between mind and body, and the possibility of being in a simulated world.
Chalmers uses virtual reality technology to offer new perspectives on long-standing philosophical issues, making the book a significant contribution to the fields of philosophy, science, and technology.
#1801
• Mentioned in 24 episodes
The hero's journey
Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work
Joseph Campbell
This book is a biography of Joseph Campbell, presented through a series of conversations with various individuals he inspired, including poets, anthropologists, filmmakers, and other notable figures.
It reflects on Campbell's lifelong exploration of mythic traditions, which he termed 'the one great story of mankind'.
The book covers topics such as the origins and functions of myth, the role of the artist, the need for ritual, and the ordeals of love and romance.
It provides a personal and insightful look into Campbell's life and his seminal work on the hero's journey.
#44665
The inner reaches of outer space
Metaphor as Myth and as Religion
Joseph Campbell
#588
• Mentioned in 55 episodes
The Power of Myth
Joseph Campbell
This book is derived from a series of television interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers, aired in 1988.
It delves into the universal themes and functions of myths across various cultures, highlighting their role in uniting communities, explaining social, cosmological, and spiritual realities, and guiding individuals through life's significant stages.
Campbell discusses how myths help people understand common human experiences such as love, death, and the search for meaning.
He also addresses the modern world's disconnection from mythological narratives and the consequences this has on individual and societal well-being.
The book emphasizes the importance of myths in providing a framework for life, fostering community identity, and helping individuals navigate life's transitions and challenges.
#4563
• Mentioned in 11 episodes
I have no mouth and I must scream
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is a chilling short story about an all-powerful AI named AM that wipes out humanity, except for five individuals it keeps alive to inflict eternal torment.
AM's actions are driven by a profound hatred of its own existence and a desire for self-definition through the suffering of its creators.
The story explores themes of revenge, the nature of consciousness, and the potential dangers of unchecked technological advancement.
The bleak and horrifying depiction of AM's cruelty serves as a stark warning against the potential consequences of creating artificial intelligence without considering ethical implications.
The story's lasting impact lies in its exploration of the darkest aspects of human nature and the potential for technology to amplify those aspects.
#31545
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The Quantum Revelation
A Radical Synthesis of Science and Spirituality
Paul Levy
Paul Levy's "The Quantum Revelation" offers a unique synthesis of scientific and spiritual perspectives.
The book explores the implications of quantum physics for our understanding of consciousness, reality, and the nature of existence.
Levy connects quantum phenomena with spiritual experiences and practices, suggesting that quantum physics provides a framework for understanding the dreamlike nature of reality.
He argues that this understanding can be a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation, offering a path towards greater self-awareness and liberation.
The book challenges conventional views of reality and encourages readers to explore the profound interconnectedness of all things.
#269
• Mentioned in 94 episodes
Finite and infinite games
James P. Carse
In this book, James P. Carse distinguishes between finite and infinite games.
Finite games are instrumental activities with clear rules, boundaries, and winners, such as sports, politics, and wars.
Infinite games, on the other hand, are authentic interactions that aim to continue the play, changing rules and boundaries as needed.
Carse explores how these concepts apply to various aspects of life, including culture, religion, sexuality, and self-discovery.
He argues that finite games offer wealth, status, and power, while infinite games provide something more subtle and grander, such as true freedom and endless possibility.
The book offers insights into how approaching life as either a finite or infinite game affects one's choices, satisfaction, and success.
#241
• Mentioned in 101 episodes
The hero with a thousand faces
Joseph Campbell
In this book, Joseph Campbell explores his theory of the 'monomyth', a universal pattern found in the mythological narratives of various cultures.
He details the stages of the 'hero's journey', which include departure from the ordinary world, initiation into a supernatural world, and return with a boon.
Campbell draws on a wide range of mythological sources and integrates insights from psychology, particularly from Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, to illustrate the common elements of heroic myths across different cultures.
#20925
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Myths to Live By
Joseph Campbell
Myths to Live By is a collection of essays based on lectures delivered by Joseph Campbell between 1958 and 1971.
The book analyzes the effect of myth-making and belief on humanity's spiritual life, differentiating between Western and Eastern myths while tracing their fundamental universal properties.
Campbell discusses the archetype of the 'hero' and how myths adapt to local requirements.
He also explores the usefulness of past mythologies in contemporary life, arguing that even obsolete religions reveal fundamental features of human nature.
The work speculates on the future of human relations and the role of myths in uniting humanity despite modern anxieties and the influence of science.
As artificial intelligence (AI) encroaches deeper than ever before into our daily lives, how do we as humans begin to address the greater questions about the soul and what mysteries lie beyond our planet?
Technological Philosopher, Mythologist/Futurist and Wizard Jason Batt joins Paul on an exploration of what lies ahead for humans and AI and how the power of myth can light the way this week on Spirit Gym.
Check out Jason’s work on his website, the International Society of Mythology and Substack. Find him on social media via Instagram and LinkedIn.
For Spirit Gym listeners: Save 15 percent on on these courses Jason teaches with the following promo codes:
- The Haunted House as Psyche SPIRITGYM15OFFHH
- The Long Reach: SF Worldbuilding/ Empires SPIRITGYM15OFFLR
- Gods, Heroes and Monsters: An Introduction to Classical Mythology SPIRITGYM15OFFGHM
Timestamps
7:31 Is Jason a Technological Philosopher, Mythologist/Futurist or a Wizard?
16:25 The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the 100 Year Starship project comes calling on the birth of Jason’s third child.
29:08 Why the Tarot has been around for a long time.
46:17 Momentary gods.
59:35 The danger of mixing myth and religion.
1:08:27 What happens when AI platforms talk to each other?
1:18:12 “Every book of fiction is ourself.”
1:25:59 The greatest profession anyone could have.
1:37:31 The SOUL.md of AI.
1:48:32 The myth of Narcissus is a metaphor for modern times.
1:58:19 To ignore the lessons of myth leaves us vulnerable to the hubris of unchecked innovation and being deceived.
Resources
Depth Psychology, Myth and Artificial Intelligence: Soul and the Machine by Jason Batt and Jonathan Erickson
Find more resources for this episode on our website.
Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz), Composed, mixed, mastered and produced by Michael RB Schwartz of Brave Bear Music
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