#293 – Donald Hoffman: Reality is an Illusion – How Evolution Hid the Truth

About this episode

<p>Donald Hoffman is a cognitive scientist at UC Irvine and author of The Case Against Reality. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:<br /> &#8211; <b>Calm</b>: <a href="https://calm.com/lex">https://calm.com/lex</a> to get 40% off<br /> &#8211; <b>LMNT</b>: <a href="https://drinkLMNT.com/lex">https://drinkLMNT.com/lex</a> to get free sample pack<br /> &#8211; <b>InsideTracker</b>: <a href="https://insidetracker.com/lex">https://insidetracker.com/lex</a> to get 20% off<br /> &#8211; <b>MasterClass</b>: <a href="https://masterclass.com/lex">https://masterclass.com/lex</a> to get 15% off<br /> &#8211; <b>Indeed</b>: <a href="https://indeed.com/lex">https://indeed.com/lex</a> to get $75 credit</p> <p><b>EPISODE LINKS:</b><br /> Donald&#8217;s Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/donalddhoffman">https://twitter.com/donalddhoffman</a><br /> Donald&#8217;s Website: <a href="http://cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff/">http://cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff/</a><br /> Documents &#38; Articles:<br /> 1. Could a Neuroscientist Understand a Microprocessor?: <a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005268">https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005268</a><br /> 2. Conscious Agent Networks: <a href="https://chrisfieldsresearch.com/CA-circuits-CSR-rev2.pdf">https://chrisfieldsresearch.com/CA-circuits-CSR-rev2.pdf</a><br /> 3. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Argument in Quantum Theory: <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qt-epr/">https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qt-epr/</a><br /> Books:<br /> 1. The Case Against Reality: <a href="https://amzn.to/3MhW4Wt">https://amzn.to/3MhW4Wt</a><br /> 2. Vision: <a href="https://amzn.to/3Q4ibTm">https://amzn.to/3Q4ibTm</a></p> <p><b>PODCAST INFO:</b><br /> Podcast website: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/podcast">https://lexfridman.com/podcast</a><br /> Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://apple.co/2lwqZIr">https://apple.co/2lwqZIr</a><br /> Spotify: <a href="https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8">https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8</a><br /> RSS: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/">https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/</a><br /> YouTube Full Episodes: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexfridman">https://youtube.com/lexfridman</a><br /> YouTube Clips: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexclips">https://youtube.com/lexclips</a></p> <p><b>SUPPORT &#38; CONNECT:</b><br /> &#8211; Check out the sponsors above, it&#8217;s the best way to support this podcast<br /> &#8211; Support on Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman">https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman">https://twitter.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman">https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman">https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Medium: <a href="https://medium.com/@lexfridman">https://medium.com/@lexfridman</a></p> <p><b>OUTLINE:</b><br /> Here&#8217;s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.<br /> (00:00) &#8211; Introduction<br /> (08:04) &#8211; Case against reality<br /> (19:33) &#8211; Spacetime<br /> (43:57) &#8211; Reductionism<br /> (1:04:23) &#8211; Evolutionary game theory<br /> (1:32:46) &#8211; Consciousness<br /> (2:28:06) &#8211; Visualizing reality<br /> (2:43:23) &#8211; Ephemerality of life<br /> (2:51:48) &#8211; Simulation theory<br /> (2:57:30) &#8211; Difficult ideas<br /> (3:12:32) &#8211; Love<br /> (3:16:07) &#8211; Advice for young people<br /> (3:18:26) &#8211; Meaning of life</p>