Exus the Podquest

Will Artificial Intelligence bring an end to evolution? Or will it be a necessary “next step” in the inexorable march to what Pierre Teilhard De Chardin called “The Omega Point” - the universe’s maximum state of development? We were thrilled - and honored - to spend a captivating hour talking about those questions with theologian, author, and professor, Ilia Delio, whose Center For Christogenesis (https://christogenesis.org/) works to bridge the gap between the passion of spirituality and the purpose of science. As always, strap in as we go everforward into the super cool world of everything “Omega!”

Do we really need to look for magic in the skies (UFOs), or in the pyramids, or in the myths from antiquity that have somehow survived into modernity? No, we don’t. There’s no actual magic there. To engage with real magic, we need only peer into the foundational depths of our cell phones, and our cars, and our clothing, and our … everything else. That’s where the true magic is. And it’s also in our origins, and our evolution, and the emergent laws and the constants of our “finely-tuned” and relativistic universe. It’s stitched into the edges of existence, yet inexplicably interwoven into the fabric of the cosmos as well — even if the pattern is almost impossible to see. It’s in the “blur” of reality. And that’s precisely where we’re going in this episode of Exus The Podquest. This is Part 1 of a series of shows about "The Magic That Already Is." Enjoy!

The vast majority of people believe in something - a religion or the like - when it comes to fundamental issues. But any way you slice the pie in that regard, more than half of them are wrong! How can that be? … Stay tuned till the end for a possible clue!

Could there be a fifth fundamental force in the universe? And could it be “life?” Could life itself be stitched into the very fabric of reality by “life particles?” Dr. Ian Walters believes that the answer to each of those questions is “yes,” and that he has the science to prove it! We were honored to have Dr. Walters on our show to discuss his extraordinary, potentially transformative ideas. If he’s right - and he most certainly presents a compelling case - everything in existence, even the cosmos itself, is powered by a universal life force. If so, then what? Stay tuned …

If A Tree Falls In The Forest And No One’s There To Observe It, Does It Make A Turkey Reuben Sandwich? Talk about covering a lot of territory! Author Larry Gottlieb joined us to examine the Observer Effect, Consciousness, the double-slit experiment, the double-door experiment, existence, illusions, and yes, trees falling in forests and turkey reuben sandwiches (stay with us on this one - it works)! So go ahead and click the start button … and the “like” button … and the “subscribe” button because you’re most certainly gonna want to go “full quantum ahead” with Larry Gottlieb as he delivers … the magic!

One hour with Sunim Hoden and Reverend Koshin wasn’t nearly enough! So, we continued our discussion of all things Zen for another 22 minutes. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below, and on our website - ExusThePodquest.com. Also, be sure to “like,” “share,” and (most of all) “subscribe” if you haven’t done so already!

We took a deep dive into the fascinating world of Zen Buddhism in our lively interview with two monks, (Venerable) Hoden Sunim and Rev. Koshin of the Dharma Gate Zen Center. Our discussion covered the nature of Zen, its guiding principles, and the awesome benefits of "zazen," or "sitting meditation." Zen Buddhism might not hold the answers to "life, the universe, and everything," but it most certainly offers powerful insight into the here, now, and every now of the "innerverse." Enjoy!

Are people inherently good or evil? How do we determine that? And what’s the proper standard for measuring morality in general? Those are the questions that we explore on today’s show, with an eye toward further developing the subject and formulating a theory of our own. To be clear, we don't focus on Hitler alone—Mother Teresa makes a cameo appearance to balance things out. So, settle in, but don’t settle back as we intrepidly cross the philosophical conundrum-line that separates good and evil!

According to mainstream science, “Dark Energy” dominates the universe. It makes up nearly 70% of … well, everything. But here’s the rub: Despite its position of prominence in the cosmos, and despite our decades of study and exploration, we still pretty much have no idea what it is. So, in light of that “vacuum,” we figured - why not have a little fun at the expense of everything that mystifies?!

Ethan Siegel discusses his new book on the story of the James Webb Space Telescope.