Talking with Russians
Can we get a version of this podcast where instead of the translated audio we have the Russian language audio? The computer translation is very hard for me to follow along too and I understand Russian so that may help. I'm super interested in this one but something just not letting me get into it with the current translation. Likely my ADHD
The Psychology of Rock Climbing
First off, it's an honor to post my first question to you and thank you for making this premium account option. My question: I'd love to hear your take on the psychology behind rock climbing. Mostly for novelty purposes but an interesting topic regardless. I may suggest avoiding outlier circumstances such as 'free soloing'. Rather, there is massive growth in the sport; among the highest Olympic sports ratings last year's debut, collegiate teams growing, climbing gym industry is booming, ESPN coverage, movies, etc. Do you think climbing is becoming popular do to the advancement of safety equipment or is there something stirring in the zeitgeist that supports the sport; the duration of each climb might correlate to our neurological rewiring of the nucleus accumbens, reward system, to adjust for social media. There are many more intriguing topics I'd love to supply you with but will refrain for now due to thread space. Please feel free to contact me at AustinLokey7@gmail.com if you, or anyone, would care to discuss further.
“Divine Spark” compared to animals
How would you define the “divine spark,” or humans being made in GOD’s image? More specifically, what separates humans from animals? Some context below (pardon the length). So, GOD makes humans in GOD’s image in Genesis 1:26. This was after GOD created everything else, in gradually increasing complexity, and then GOD creates humans in GOD’s image. And then GOD says what He made was “very good” (as opposed to “just” good after the previous days’ creations). Incidentally, someone commented at one of your Biblical lectures about how GOD setting up the dominance hierarchy, with humans having dominion over the earth, is what GOD commented as “very good.” I don’t think it’s the dominance hierarchy that was “very good” - it was the image of GOD reflected in humans, which is not reflected in animals created just before humans, that was “very good.” Incidentally, I’m not against the dominance hierarchy, I’m just saying, if you’re going to call something “very good” and your two options are dominance hierarchy and image of GOD, I think image of GOD is the higher and better good. I think I remember hearing you say the Western legal system is entirely predicated on this idea. I assume you are getting this from Genesis 9:6 where GOD tells Noah after the flood, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” So what does it mean to be made in the image of GOD? And why should we not kill each other because of it? One way to define it may be to clarify what separates humans from animals. I’ve thought about this from time to time since I was a kid (I’m 40 now) and I’ve been taught or come up with three differences: 1. Humans have free will, animals are driven by instinct and survival. 2. Humans have feelings/emotions and a personality. 3. Humans have morals and are morally accountable. Animals are driven by instinct and survival. But I’m not so sure about these distinctions anymore. I think free will still holds water, because without free will, love is impossible, and I don’t think love is a figment of our imagination. But free will is under renewed debate with AI (and has been a debate for thousands of years). I’m less sure animals don’t have emotions. I’ve heard dog lovers claim their dogs have emotions. I’m not so sure. I am sure cats don’t have emotions. Or a soul :) Have advances in neuroscience enabled us to “define” emotions in the brain and have we identified those emotional pulses in animal brains? Is that even the right way to think about this? And I did think the morality argument held, but then I heard your lectures about rats playing and the big rat letting the little rat win. And about how the top chimp in the dominance hierarchy is not the strongest, but the one who reciprocates with other chimps…And it makes me wonder if these findings are indications of a moral code within animals… I struggle with evolution sometimes because I don’t see how “survival of the fittest” accounts for personality or morals…But perhaps that’s just natural selection and perhaps sexual selection accounts for morals and personality because morals and personality are…you know…sexy?