cover of episode 532. A Dialogue So Dangerous, It Just Might Bring You Wisdom | John Vervaeke and Jordan Hall

532. A Dialogue So Dangerous, It Just Might Bring You Wisdom | John Vervaeke and Jordan Hall

2025/3/24
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The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

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Jordan Peterson: 我认为自愿自我牺牲是统一的元叙事,它在心理上和社会上都能团结人们。我一直在试图弄清楚良心在心理学上是如何运作的,我认为良心表明了一种价值的垂直等级结构。我们试图阐明类似雅各布天梯的结构,这是一个嵌套的价值结构序列,趋向于顶点,即超越的或不可言喻的神圣。我们试图以一种既有区别又有逻辑的方式来理解我们的局部计划和最终目标之间的关系,同时忠于现象和超越的统一现实。我观察到,在过去十年中,我经常直到谈话结束后很久,才能发现谈话是否有价值,这表明存在着认识论上的感知与本体论意义之间的差异。如果我们能够根据我们投入的时间数量来实现最有价值的事物,那么我们就有效地将我们的目标与我们的价值观协调一致了。我将《登山宝训》视为一种指导手册,它首先让我们将自己导向最高善,然后尽心尽力地关注当下。如果我们把目标定得很高,即使我们无法具体说明目标,我们的感知和情感也会与之协调一致,并指引我们前进的方向。良知是来自更高目标的声音,它告诉我们在更近的目标上运作时,我们的近端运作违反了更高目标。如果我们把效法基督作为我们的最高目标,即使我们不知道这意味着什么,这也会使任何它所代表的东西都能以良心的声音对我们说话。我认为,越自私的意志,越有可能将应该处于较低层次的目标提升到最高地位。我认为,基督教戏剧的核心信息是,自愿自我牺牲是统一的元叙事。它在心理上和社会上都能团结人们。我认为,社会互动是基于自我牺牲的,因为这几乎是社会性的定义。如果我们采取自愿自我牺牲的伦理观,那么我们就能在心理上团结自己,同时这也是最佳策略。我一直在思考,如果把效法基督作为我们的最高目标,那么它的对立面是什么?我认为,后现代主义坚持认为,没有统一的故事,只有权力,这是错误的,并且是自我毁灭的。我认为,权力是一种退化的游戏。我认为,基督教戏剧的核心信息是,自愿自我牺牲是统一的元叙事。它在心理上和社会上都能团结人们。我认为,社会互动是基于自我牺牲的,因为这几乎是社会性的定义。如果我们采取自愿自我牺牲的伦理观,那么我们就能在心理上团结自己,同时这也是最佳策略。病态的良心可能是来自惩罚或创伤我们的权威人物的内在声音。我认为,统一的元叙事不是自我牺牲,而是为了获得最真实的东西而进行的牺牲。良知是一种规范性的自我认知,它让我们通过规范的视角来认识自己。规范性是指我们约束自己行为的方式,以便与最真实的事物取得联系。伦理学是对规范性的一个过于狭隘的理解,它只关注应该做的事情,而没有涵盖试图使我们的思想尽可能真实,使我们的经验尽可能贴近美的一切。我认为,规范性是一个更广泛的概念,它包括与真实事物联系的观念,而这种联系比我们的道德决定更基础。我们对真实性的判断是基于对比和比较,通过与更小世界进行比较,我们判断更大的世界更真实。真理不是我们可以不经过转变就能获得的,我们需要转变才能获得真理。我认为存在性良知是认识到现实既以可理解的方式闪耀,又以神秘的方式隐退。我认为奥古斯丁所说的基督教是希腊哲学的延续或完成,其核心在于有限的超越性。我认为,基督教神学中坚持认为,基督作为上帝,全面地承担了死亡,这不仅仅是死亡,而是肯诺西斯,是深刻的自我清空。我认为,死亡和地狱与无限的结合,是无法找到正确方向的,除非我们穿越了更低的领域。我认为,自我超越是一种自我修正的形式,除非我们对自己的自我欺骗能力有深刻的拥有感和责任感。我认为,自我毁灭的根源在于自我欺骗。我认为,使我们具有适应能力的认知过程,也正是使我们容易产生自我欺骗的原因。我认为,大多数自我欺骗是由于洞察力的缺失,我们对自己可能已经有所察觉的洞察力产生抗拒。我认为,背叛自己是一种无法饶恕的罪,因为它切断了我们自我转变的可能性。在获得洞察力之前,熵会先增加,然后才会减少。我认为,谦逊是一种美德,它让我们能够识别出有限的超越性,既不陷入绝望,也不陷入傲慢。我认为,在祈祷中承认自己与超越的脱节,是一种寻求谦逊的方式。我认为,没有区别,自我意识和负面情绪状态在统计上是不可分割的。我认为,好客是一种重要的道德美德,它能够促进社会信任和合作。我认为,好客能够促进贸易和信息交流,从而增强群体生存能力。我认为,在扩大社会网络的过程中,需要能够在不同世界之间移动并进行自我转变的人。我认为,仪式是一种游戏,它能够增强我们的认知灵活性,并促进不同群体之间的互动。我认为,仪式是一种想象性的活动,它让我们体验不同的身份和视角。我认为,好客是一种仪式,它让我们超越表面的差异,看到我们共同的人性。我认为,好客的仪式能够增强我们与超越性力量的联系,并促进社会和谐。我认为,好客是一种超越表面差异的行为,它让我们看到我们共同的人性,甚至是一种神圣的联系。 John Vervaeke: 我认为,统一的元叙事不是自我牺牲,而是为了获得最真实的东西而进行的牺牲。我认为,在理解我们的目标和方向时,存在着三个相互关联的因素:起源、方向和展示。方向就像是一种姿态,它让我们处于最佳状态,以便获得最佳的把握。我们通过寻找共鸣时刻来与世界互动,这需要在控制和回应之间找到最佳平衡点。在深入的对话中,我们不仅朝着更高的目标前进,也在不断地改变目标的性质以及目标等级之间的关系。我认为,统一的元叙事不是自我牺牲,而是为了获得最真实的东西而进行的牺牲。我将理想定义为我们约束自己行为的方式,而不是我们可以实现的状态。规范性是指我们约束自己行为的方式,以便与最真实的事物取得联系。伦理学是对规范性的一个过于狭隘的理解,它只关注应该做的事情,而没有涵盖试图使我们的思想尽可能真实,使我们的经验尽可能贴近美的一切。我们可以从婴儿学习抓握玩具的过程中,理解规范性的具体含义。伦理学是对规范性的一个快照,它将规范性以语义的形式再表达出来,使我们能够对其进行研究。动物行为中的规律性类似于人类社会中的规范性,它们是行为模式而不是规则,但当我们描述它们时,它们就变成了规则。我认为,规范性是一个更广泛的概念,它包括与真实事物联系的观念,而这种联系比我们的道德决定更基础。我们对真实性的判断是基于对比和比较,通过与更小世界进行比较,我们判断更大的世界更真实。真理不是我们可以不经过转变就能获得的,我们需要转变才能获得真理。我认为存在性良知是认识到现实既以可理解的方式闪耀,又以神秘的方式隐退。我认为奥古斯丁所说的基督教是希腊哲学的延续或完成,其核心在于有限的超越性。我认为,自我毁灭的根源在于自我欺骗。我认为,使我们具有适应能力的认知过程,也正是使我们容易产生自我欺骗的原因。我认为,大多数自我欺骗是由于洞察力的缺失,我们对自己可能已经有所察觉的洞察力产生抗拒。我认为,病态的良心在规范性上是不一致的,它不断地援引规范性,但却拒绝服从于它。我认为存在性良知是让我们不断地重新居住和认同于有限的超越性,即同时记住我们的有限性和超越性。我认为,在扩大社会网络的过程中,需要能够在不同世界之间移动并进行自我转变的人。我认为,仪式是一种游戏,它能够增强我们的认知灵活性,并促进不同群体之间的互动。我认为,仪式是一种想象性的活动,它让我们体验不同的身份和视角。我认为,好客是一种仪式,它让我们超越表面的差异,看到我们共同的人性。我认为,好客的仪式能够增强我们与超越性力量的联系,并促进社会和谐。我认为,好客是一种超越表面差异的行为,它让我们看到我们共同的人性,甚至是一种神圣的联系。 Jordan Hall: 我一直对现实的本质和什么是正确的事情都很好奇。我从小学四年级左右就开始注意到,我们所生活的这个世界毫无意义,并且倾向于产生更多的负面影响。我的人生旅程一直围绕着如何才能在世界上有所作为,让世界变得更好,以及什么是正确的方向。我意识到仅仅控制某个能带来慰藉或快乐的领域是无法解决问题的,我需要创造一个整体的世界,让所有我爱的东西都能拥有这种连续性。我小时候就意识到,我们文化中存在着欺骗,例如麦当劳快乐餐并不快乐,以及尼克松总统公开撒谎。我认为我小时候没有陷入绝望,是因为我的生活大部分仍然与基本的现实紧密相连。我坚实的基础使我能够判断什么是真理。异常是指那些与我价值观与目标相一致的体验相冲突的体验。 supporting_evidences John Vervaeke: 'I think the metanarrative isn't self-sacrifice. I think it's sacrifice in service of getting to what is most real.' Jordan Peterson: 'One of the things that might distinguish AI systems from human beings is this vertical dimension.' Jordan Peterson: 'I've been trying to figure out how conscience operates psychologically, and I think it is... the fact of conscience indicates something like a vertical hierarchy of value.' Jordan Hall: 'One of the things that I've noticed as I've accepted invitations over the past, gosh, 10 years, is that oftentimes I don't discover that the conversation was worthwhile until well after the conversation occurred.' Jordan Peterson: 'So the Sermon on the Mount... basically says the first thing you do is orient yourself to the highest possible good, right?' John Vervaeke: 'I think what you're talking about is there's three interlinked things. There's origin, orientation, and ostention.' John Vervaeke: 'When I'm sparring, I take a stance... The point of the stance is to get me sort of at this nexus place so that I got the best access to all the specific optimal grips.' John Vervaeke: 'You're looking for moments of resonance... the world also, as you said, is calling to you.' John Vervaeke: 'So what's happening here... you're transforming the nature of the superordinate goal and the relationship between the goal hierarchy as you proceed.' John Vervaeke: 'I think the meta narrative isn't self-sacrifice. I think it's sacrifice in service of getting to what is most real.' Jordan Peterson: 'Because it what as you said What you're doing is you're knowing yourself through a normative lens.' John Vervaeke: 'So John Keeks makes a distinction between goals... and ideals, which are constraints that you bind yourself to.' John Vervaeke: 'So what normativity is... I would argue with what is most real.' John Vervaeke: 'But the approximations of the ideal... It doesn't cover everything that's covered by trying to make your thoughts as true as possible.' John Vervaeke: 'I think we can ground it concretely... Just think about an infant that's learning how to pick up a pee.' John Vervaeke: 'Ethics takes a snapshot... It reproduces that in a semantic form that allows us to actually do things like look at it.' John Vervaeke: 'When ethologists go look at wolf packs... they're not rules, they're patterns.' John Vervaeke: 'The reason why I think of normativity as a broader notion... more foundational than our moral decisions.' John Vervaeke: 'Our judgments of realness are... Think about when you're waking up.' John Vervaeke: 'Ultimately, the truths are not truths... without having undergone transformation.' John Vervaeke: 'I think that, and this is my proposal... what I think existential conscience is.' John Vervaeke: 'I finally understood what Augustine meant... The correct comportment Plato talked about was finite transcendence.' John Vervaeke: 'I think Whitehead... the central thing of evil is self-destructiveness.' Jordan Hall: 'I was always very curious about both the nature of reality and what is right.' Jordan Hall: 'Somewhere around... making any sense whatsoever.' Jordan Hall: 'And so the journey that I went on... what does right leaving look like?' Jordan Peterson: 'To be an atheist... requires two things.' John Vervaeke: 'The point I was trying to make... refuses to submit itself to.' John Vervaeke: 'That finite transcendence... reciprocally remember and recognize my finitude and my transcendence.' John Vervaeke: 'I think at the heart of it... keeps us from the love of God.' John Vervaeke: 'that the very processes... Because we can lie.' Jordan Peterson: 'So it seemed to me... most self-deception looks to me like- Omission.' John Vervaeke: 'So think about the insight... makes me resistant to insight.' Jordan Peterson: 'So imagine that you engage... you've betrayed your capacity for transformation.' John Vervaeke: 'Before you transfigure... Entropy goes up first before you get the reduction.' John Vervaeke: 'I think humility is the virtue... a confidence that you can nevertheless address it.' Jordan Peterson: 'Like, if things aren't going right... causing this disjunction.' Jordan Peterson: 'There's no difference... are statistically inseparable.' Jordan Hall: 'I'll just make it very concrete... and then having my grandfather.' Jordan Peterson: 'So our culture is an alcoholic parent... they have to learn to play.' Jordan Peterson: 'Anytime a group of people... a downward spiral into chaos.' Jordan Peterson: 'that may be more than we can handle... has not actually been a solved problem.' Jordan Peterson: 'It's a whole integrated complex... has the inability to actually integrate people.' Jordan Peterson: 'This produces a certain generative capacity... is not able to actually go as high as the level of values.' Jordan Peterson: 'One of the logical reasons... structurally, fundamentally unstable as you said.' Jordan Peterson: 'partly what we're trying to do here... predicated on something other than that hedonic.' Jordan Peterson: 'There's an immense emphasis... a cardinal moral virtue.' John Vervaeke: 'How do you do that... willing to undergo significant self-transformation and move between worlds.' John Vervaeke: 'Now, here's the connection... a profound kind of play.' John Vervaeke: 'So Corbin's distinction... They're not picturing Superman.' John Vervaeke: 'So while it is the case... something divine underneath'

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the concept of the "vertical dimension" as a potential differentiator between AI and human consciousness. It examines the hierarchical structure of values and the role of conscience in guiding human behavior, contrasting it with the potential limitations of AI systems.
  • The vertical dimension in human consciousness involves a nested sequence of value structures striving towards a transcendent pinnacle.
  • Conscience is viewed as a voice from a higher-order goal, indicating when proximal actions violate higher-order values.
  • The interaction between conscience (negative emotion signaling deviation) and calling (positive emotion inviting path manifestation) guides behavior towards a higher goal, even if the goal is not concretely specified.

Shownotes Transcript

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down with John Vervaeke and Jordan Hall. They discuss the vertical dimension, proper orientation within the hierarchy of values, the normative versus the ethical, and what makes something more “real” in a pragmatic and philosophical sense.

 

John Vervaeke is an associate professor of psychology & cognitive science at the University of Toronto. John publishes and conducts research on the nature of intelligence, rationality, wisdom & meaning in life emphasizing relevance realization, non-propositional kinds of knowing & 4E cognitive science.

 

Jordan Hall, previously known as Jordan Greenhall, is an entrepreneur and systems thinker with a focus on the intersection of technology, culture, and governance. Hall co-founded DivX, Inc., a pioneer in digital video technology, where he served as CEO and Executive Chairman through its early growth and IPO. Prior to that, he was a key figure at MP3.com, helping to revolutionize the digital music space. His early career also includes a brief stint as a lawyer, having earned his law degree from Harvard before transitioning into technology leadership and investment.

 

This episode was filmed on December 27th, 2024.

 

 

| Links |

 

For Jordan Hall:

 

On X https://x.com/jgreenhall?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

 

On YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMzT-mdCqoyEv_-YZVtE7MQ

 

 

For John Vervaeke:

 

On X https://x.com/drjohnvervaeke?lang=en

 

On Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/johnvervaeke

 

Website https://johnvervaeke.com/

 

Find John Vervaeke on Lectern http://lectern.teachable.com/