

Jack Roycroft-Sherry
Jack Roycroft-Sherry
I'm Jack, an Economics and Data Science student in the beautiful town of Nottingham, England. Stick around if you like hearing from cognitive scientists, psychologists, economists and philosophers.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 28, 2025 • 1h 14min
What DMT Entities say about God, Metaphysics & Consciousness - Adam Butler
Insane DMT experiences have changed Adam Butler's life and the lives of many others. But what do DMT experiences and DMT entities mean for science, metaphysics, and the ultimate nature of reality?In this podcast, learn about: what a DMT trip is like, how DMT saved Adam's life, DMT vs shrooms, psychedelics bringing you to your higher self, whether one should take psychedelics, different entity encounters on DMT, the nature of evil, life's ultimate purpose, and more...Timestamps: 00:00 - What is a DMT Trip Like?03:44 - DMT vs Mushrooms05:15 - Psychedelics as "Plaque Removal" to See Your Authentic Self08:13 - What Does it Mean to "Shine a Light" on Your Mind?10:45 - 50 Hits in One Day14:04 - Interacting with "Entities," Archetypes, and a "Future Self"16:24 - Differentiating Parts of the Self vs. "Something Other"23:24 - Do These Experiences Make One Religious or Believe in God?25:12 - Do Difficult Life Events Happen for a Reason?26:20 - Learning to Listen to Your Body's "Stressor Signals"31:17 - Are Psychedelics Necessary? 33:10 - Produce DMT Endogenously 34:25 - Other Modalities: Darkness Retreats, Binaural Beats, Fasting38:09 - Why is Such a Simple, Innate Molecule So Powerful?39:20 - DMT vs. Shrooms: Rick Strassman's "More Real Than Real"42:15 - Is Heightened Sensitivity Always a Good Thing?44:10 - The Pros and Cons of Empathy Overload51:27 - Good vs. Evil: Encountering Demons and "Dancing with the Devil"58:54 - The Power of Intention: Psychedelics Amplify What's There01:05:50 - The Ultimate Goal: Getting Your Soul Comfortable in Your Skin01:10:49 - Final Advice: Integrating Your Masculine & Feminine (Anima/Animus)01:15:02 - Closing Thoughts & Adam's Offer (Free Book)Find Adam: Book: Butler's DMT Field Guide: A Brief History, Step-by-Step Recipes, and Personal Experiences From a DMT Saturated ConsciousnessFind Jack:• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Oct 14, 2025 • 55min
The Hidden Non-Physical Patterns Animating Life & The Universe | Dr. Michael Levin
Michael Levin's reality-bending biological discoveries are forcing him to look to a non-physical realm of patterns—discussed by philosophers like Plato—for explanations.In this podcast, we explore why philosophers posit a non-physical realm, how biology taps into it, the mathematics governing life, the creation of artificial organisms, the desires of non-physical minds, the shape and properties of realms beyond the physical, the agency in non-physical patterns, and much more…Timestamps:00:00 The Platonic Realm of Patterns03:02 Biology’s Access to Non-Physical Patterns09:31 Non-Physical Ingressing Minds14:00 The Space of Possible Minds18:35 Unexpected Competencies in Dumb Algorithms24:00 Anthrobots & Strange Biology28:38 Why is Platonic Space the way it is?32:06 Are Unorthodox Morphologies Subjectively Desirable?35:23 The Agency of Non-Physical Patterns37:50 The Intersection of Science and Cosmology41:56 Dynamic Nature of Non-Physical Patterns43:19 Psychological Perspectives on Identity and Agency48:33 Strange Discoveries in Biology50:36 Shifting Beliefs and Understanding of IntelligenceJACK• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DGVMa1qAI1huc87xNDrgy?si=62c281d9e8274694• X: https://twitter.com/jack_roycroft• Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageMICHAEL• Blog: https://thoughtforms.life/• Platonic space symposium: https://thoughtforms.life/symposium-on-the-platonic-space/• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC3pVafx6EZqXVI2V_Efu2uwREFERENCED PODCASTS• The structure of genotype space w/Andreas Wagner: https://youtu.be/BhUaeh6DyO0• God & Patterns in the Universe w/Matt Segall: https://youtu.be/RIl4paND5QI• Intelligence beyond brains w/Damiam Kelty-Stephen: https://youtu.be/X9FmMuU2HCw

Oct 3, 2025 • 1h 41min
Jung, Magic, Psychedelics & Synchronicity
Anderson Todd, a cognitive scientist and Jungian depth psychologist, dives deep into the realms of magic, psychedelics, and synchronicity. He discusses his magical practices and the transformative effects of psychedelics like iboga and DMT. Todd uncovers how learned associations shape consciousness and emphasizes the psychological utility of synchronicity in personal growth. He also critiques modern media's magical manipulation and highlights the significance of personalized symbols in magic and psychotherapy. This thought-provoking conversation is a blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary psychological insights.

Sep 23, 2025 • 57min
How 5-MeO-DMT Shatters Our View of God & Consciousness - Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes
5-MeO-DMT is a powerful psychedelic produced by the Sonoran desert toad. It fascinates philosopher and metaphysician at Exeter University, Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, because of what the dissolution of all experience that the drug induces says about the nature of reality.Learn about why 5-MeO-DMT is interesting (and frightening), how different psychedelics change our views of reality, how 5-MeO-DMT makes Spinoza's pantheism (that God is nature) likely, Bergson's views on matter and memory, atheism vs. pantheism, exotic forms of experience, the true nature of ultimate reality, and more...Timestamps: 00:00 The Intrigue of 5-MeO-DMT02:38 Exploring Consciousness and Existence06:17 Psychedelics and Metaphysics12:11 The Ethical Implications of Metaphysical Experiences18:02 The Nature of God and Reality22:30 Bergson and Spinoza: Philosophical Connections28:43 Spinoza's Philosophy: Physical and Psychological Causation30:08 The Nature of Good and Ethics in Spinoza's Thought31:32 Understanding God and Nature: A Unitive Experience33:09 Spinoza's Controversial Relationship with Religion35:15 Pantheism vs Atheism: Clarifying Misconceptions37:16 Exploring Other Aspects of Reality39:31 Qualia and Perception: Different Ways of Experiencing Reality42:33 The Nature of Existence: Perspectives on Agency43:35 Immanence vs Transcendence: Understanding Spinoza's God46:50 Sin, Determinism, and the Nature of God49:29 Evaluating Metaphysics: Truth and Knowledge54:36 Current Projects and Future DirectionsFind Peter:-Mind-at-Large project: https://ctr4process.org/mind-at-large/-Recent books: Modes of Sentience (2021); Philosophy and Psychedelics: Frameworks for Exceptional Experience (2023)-Upcoming book: The Psychedelic Experience Manual

Sep 4, 2025 • 47min
The Disturbing Science Behind Demonic Possession - Richard Gallagher
Are demonic possessions real? Psychiatrist Richard Gallagher has been investigating them for over 25 years, becoming convinced after starting as a deep skeptic.We discuss the scientific understanding of these cases, how to differentiate demonic possessions from ordinary biological illness, how people become possessed, the dangers of psychedelics like ayahuasca today, the nature of evil in the world, demons in different religions, and more...Timestamps:00:00 Origins Investigating Demonic Possession05:05 The Journey from Skepticism to Belief09:17 Understanding Possession and Oppression13:58 Remarkable Cases and Experiences18:27 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality23:04 The Nature of Good and Evil27:56 Conditions Leading to Possession32:14 The Role of Psychedelics and Modern Culture36:57 Awareness and Caution Regarding Demons41:31 Conclusion and Reflections on the SubjectFind Richard: -Book: Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal. Amazon link: https://a.co/d/5sDHWt9

Aug 19, 2025 • 1h 15min
God, Consciousness, Time & Memory - Matt Segall
Whitehead had some "heretical" views on the nature of God, consciousness, evil, and the future of reality. I wanted to explore these ideas with renowned philosopher Matt Segall, author of the blog "Footnotes2Plato." Topics we discuss are: How Whitehead re-conceptualized God as within reality, Consciousness and experience as being embedded throughout the universe, Bergson and the strange nature of time; God's memory and the storing of value, the cosmic trajetctroy of the cosmos, and more...Timestamps:00:00 Exploring Whitehead's Concept of God04:10 The Primordial and Consequent Nature of God08:28 Relational View of the Trinity12:01 The Problem of Evil and Evolutionary Cosmology21:10 Whitehead's Dual Poles of God25:15 Metaphysical Reality and Human Cognition32:53 The Living Universe and Consciousness38:56 Humanity's Unique Contribution to the Universe39:05 The Nature of Consciousness41:29 Human Experience and Freedom44:32 Responsibility in the Cosmos48:08 The Future and Divine Possibilities50:58 Memory and Time01:05:09 The Role of God in Evolution01:12:53 Worship and Divine Participation

Aug 6, 2025 • 48min
Why Cognition Happens Everywhere (Rocks, Cells, Societies) - Benjamin Lyons
We often think of cognition as a grand, strange, and magical thing. However, what if it was actually pretty basic, simple, and pretty much everywhere? Such that even rocks, economies, or cells perform "cognition."My guest today is Benjamin Lyons, who has written a paper with the Michael Levin on the nature of intelligence. They argue that intelligence works much like an economy (Benjamin is an economist by training), whereby local-level parts each do their own little thing, and then aggregate all of it together. In the economy's case, this produces everything that we need in our daily lives. But as a general theory of intelligence, we can apply the same logic to get insights into brains, organisms, life, diseases, emotions, and more...Timestamps: 00:00 Rethinking Cognition02:56 Cognition Can Happen Anywhere06:12 Paper w/Michael Levin: Price System & Intelligence09:51 Bioelectricity vs. Price Systems12:00 The Role of Agency in Cells and Organisms14:48 Survival Instincts: Cells, Corporations, and Human Behavior18:03 The Nature of Goals: Beyond Survival and Reproduction25:35 Exploring Agency in Biological Systems28:27 Cognition and Embodiment: A Unified Perspective30:12 The Body as a Coordinating System34:32 Love, Sacrifice, and Biological Existence37:15 Complexity in Human Cognition and Coordination39:39 Emotions: Choices or Hard-Coded Responses?41:37 Optimization Principles in Physics and Biology42:49 Disease Models: Economics and Biology IntersectFind Benjamin:-Substack: https://interestingessays.substack.com/-https://x.com/BenjaminLy61243-Paper with Mike Levin: https://ideas.repec.org/p/osf/osfxxx/3fdya.html (title: Cognitive Glues Are Shared Models of Relative Scarcities: The Economics of Collective Intelligence)Find Jack: -X: https://x.com/jack_roycroft -Substack (where I'll be writing soon): https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherry

Jul 22, 2025 • 1h 2min
How a Spiritual Worldview Explains Consciousness - Joscha Bach
Joscha Bach is a cognitive scientist and AI researcher.Animism is the view that everything in the universe is alive and conscious. Is such a worldview absurd? Or might it help make sense of life, evolution, and consciousness?In this podcast, learn how Joscha came to understand spirits as "self-organizing software agents", how life is animated by non-physical software patterns, how non-physical patterns animate societies, as well as where emotions actually come from, the nature of consciousness, the future of AI consciousness, God and the deep nature of ultimate reality, and more...Timestamps:00:00 Joscha's Realization about Spirits04:16 Software & Brains07:08 Mind vs. Brain12:04 Where are Spirits before Incarnation?14:20 Software at Different Layers of Reality18:14 Ghosts22:42 Humans vs. Computers26:39 Artificial Intelligence28:45 The Hard Problem of Consciousness29:05 Understanding Consciousness and Its Implications32:05 The Nature of Consciousness36:52 Emotions, God, & The Outer Mind41:48 Hemispheric Differences in the Brain45:45 Conscious AI48:30 Collective Agents and Societal Dynamics52:38 Metaphysics & God53:30 Martyrs in Cells and Humans59:10 Origins of RealityFind Joscha:X: https://x.com/PlinzCalifornia Institute for Machine Consciousness: https://cimc.ai/Liquid AI: https://www.liquid.ai/Find Jack:Substack: https://substack.com/@jackroycroftsherryX: https://x.com/jack_roycroft

Jul 9, 2025 • 2h 20min
The Strange New Science Behind Dreams and Synchronicity - Anderson Todd
Anderson Todd, a cognitive scientist and Jungian psychoanalyst, dives deep into the world of dreams and synchronicity. He shares his captivating experiences with lucid dreaming and discusses their therapeutic potential. Todd emphasizes the importance of understanding dream symbols and their personal significance. He explores how our psyche is influenced by social modeling and the paradox of dream interpretation as immersive experiences rather than mere messages. The conversation also touches on the metaphysics of synchronicity and the role of magic in enhancing these meaningful coincidences.

Jun 18, 2025 • 1h 1min
Mythology, Psychology & The Archetypes Shaping Reality - Brant Elwood and Aodhán Moran
Brant Elwood is a Social-Organizational Psychologist and consultant.Aodhán Moran is a psychologist and entrepreneur.Are myths just made-up stories? Or do they tell us something important about our psychology and our world today, and the unconscious dynamics going on every day in groups, families, organizations, and societies?In this podcast, learn how myths describe eternal patterns in human history, the role myths have played in human biological evolution, mythological patterns at play in our political world today, the ontological reality of collective group minds, the unconscious forces that shape our everyday decisions, and more....Timestamps:00:00 Mythology Meets Group Psychology 01:49 Are Mythological Stories Real? 12:53 The Role of Myths in Group Formation23:53 Leadership and Group Dynamics31:12 The Maverick Archetype and Its Implications32:48 Creation as Rebellion: The Role of Disruption34:35 Trust and Group Dynamics35:31 Disruptors: Messiahs or Scapegoats?37:44 Unconscious Group Behavior41:18 Extreme Ownership: Leadership and Accountability51:56 Game Theory and the Unconscious in Group DynamicsFind Brant & Aodhán: X: @aodhanpmoran X: @TheGroupLens Book: Gods, Heroes and Groups - https://www.karnacbooks.com/product/gods-heroes-and-groups-relational-dynamics-through-mythic-archetypes/97812/?MATCH=1 See Brant and Aodhan at a Jungian Psychology event this June: https://heresyprogrammes.podia.com/alchemy25


