Living Mirrors with Dr. James Cooke Matt Segall on the pan-experientialist process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead | Living Mirrors #69
Oct 6, 2021
Matt Segall, an Assistant Professor at CIIS specializing in process philosophy, delves into the transformative ideas of Alfred North Whitehead. He explores the intriguing concept of pan-experientialism, arguing that consciousness permeates all aspects of nature. The conversation also contrasts Whitehead's dynamic philosophy with Bertrand Russell’s static views, challenging conventional perspectives on time and existence. Segall emphasizes the importance of creativity and interconnectedness, advocating for a more ethical approach to our cosmic role.
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Experience vs. Consciousness
- Whitehead distinguishes experience from consciousness, believing experience pervades nature but full consciousness requires the brain.
- Experience transfers from moment to moment, defining causality in his pan-experientialist philosophy.
Reality as Interconnected Process
- Process relational ontology sees all individuals as internally related, changing when removed from their relationships.
- This interconnectedness means a local change subtly influences the entire universe.
Mind and Matter as Past and Future
- Matter is past actualities while mind is future possibilities in Whitehead's process scheme.
- Streams of experience form objects, with complexity increasing a system's capacity to realize novel possibilities.
