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Dr. John Vervaeke

Upfire Digital LLC
Cognitive Science
Meaning Crisis
Philosophy
Neoplatonism
Spirituality
Consciousness
Relationality
Internal Family Systems
Artificial Intelligence
Wisdom
Philosophical Silk Road
Predictive Processing
Relevance Realization
Agency
Psychotherapy
Transcendent Naturalism
Meditation
Chronic Pain
Meaning In Life
Zen Buddhism

The Official John Vervaeke Podcast Feed

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes244Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationScience

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Artwork for Dr. John Vervaeke

Latest Episodes

Can transcendence still make philosophical sense after modernity?

John Vervaeke speaks with philosopher William Desmond about Platonism as a living tradition, the meaning of strong transcendence, and Desmond's philosophy of the metaxu: the between.... more

Why is the modern world making us lose our "taste for the real," and can ancient practices like animal tracking and Socratic dialogue actually save our personhood from the "virtual matrix" of AI?

John Vervaeke, Guy Sengstock, and Kyle Koch announce... more

What if the question is not simply whether life has meaning, but how our capacity for meaning develops?

In this Lectern conversation, Ethan Hsieh speaks with Brendan Graham Dempsey about his upcoming course, Matters Over Time: How the Sacred and Si... more

What if flow, insight, and mystical experience are different scales of the same underlying process?

In this standalone Lectern episode, John Vervaeke speaks with Hüseyin and Daniel about their recently published paper on the cognitive continuum: a ... more

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Recent Guests

Hüseyin Beyköylü
Ph.D. candidate and co-author
Leiden University
Episode: From Flow to Mystical Experience
Daniel Meling
Co-author
Episode: From Flow to Mystical Experience
Taylor Barratt
Friend of the hosts and participant in the series
Episode: Who is Ethan Hsieh? | Teaching, Play & What TIAMAT is For
Ethan Hsieh
Guest discussing the relationship between theory and practice and pedagogical design
Episode: Who is Ethan Hsieh? | Teaching, Play & What TIAMAT is For
Edward Slingerland
Professor of Philosophy, University of British Columbia; Dartmouth College (half-time)
University of British Columbia; Dartmouth College
Episode: Silk Road Seminar: John Vervaeke with Edward Slingerland
David Schindler
Professor, discussed The Vision of the Soul and topics around noetic insight
Faith and Philosophy scholar (contextual in discussion)
Episode: Silk Road Seminar: John Vervaeke with James Matthew Wilson and D.C. Schindler
James Matthew Wilson
Author of The Vision of the Soul, contributor on noetic vision and beauty
Author/Scholar
Episode: Silk Road Seminar: John Vervaeke with James Matthew Wilson and D.C. Schindler
Adam Walker
English literature PhD; researcher and educator focusing on spiritual poetics and poetry as a practice
Harvard (former English PhD program)
Episode: Poetry as Spiritual Practice: Bridging the Chasm Between Academia and the Public | John Vervaeke & Adam Walker
William Desmond
Philosopher featured in the discussion
Professor Emeritus, Philosophy
Episode: Is Reality Incomplete? Desmond and Vervaeke on Meaning and Being

Host

John Vervaeke
Host with extensive involvement in philosophical, cognitive science, and educational discussions across multiple series.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 236 ratings
  • The ads are out of control

    You can’t even listen to the two minute trailer without listening to multiple ads first. The show isn’t much better. Rather ironic that he’s pushing mindfulness and pumping the show with as many unrelated distractions as possible. I get the need to monetize, but this is the worst offense I’ve encountered. It’s too bad because I’d otherwise listen regularly.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    It’s usually good!
    United States2 months ago
  • A gift

    That this Awakening From The Meaning Crisis lecture series is free for anyone to listen to, whenever they want, is a wonderful gift. Dr John Vervaeke is a truly learned man, full of wisdom, and (more importantly, in the context of this podcast series) a great teacher. Thank you 🙏

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Arvasie
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Thank you!

    Finally! The content is beyond superb. It was available only on YouTube for a good White. Finally it has arrived on Podcast, so that one can listen to it while on the run.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Umionius
    Germanya year ago
  • Excellent

    Worth listening to

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    macneilmacneil
    United Statesa year ago
  • Super-insightful and creative

    By far, the greatest lectures I've had the privilege to listen to. Thank you professor Vervaeke.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Taha Birben
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience values long-form, intellectually rigorous conversations that stay grounded in practical implications.
Guests are described as thoughtful and well-prepared, providing fresh perspectives.
Listeners praise the depth and breadth of topics, noting a rare blend of science and spirituality.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#122
Finland/Education
Apple Podcasts
#125
Israel/Education
Apple Podcasts
#193
Netherlands/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Silk Road Seminar: John Vervaeke with Edward Slingerland
Q: What about the risk of certain flow states (e.g., gaming) becoming anti-flow in real life? How should we think about balancing intrinsic enjoyment with real-world applicability?
If a flow activity fails to transfer to real-life outcomes or detracts from real-world responsibilities and relationships, it risks becoming anti-flow. The aim is to cultivate activities that enrich life broadly and improve virtue and social connectedness, not just generate isolated satisfaction.
Silk Road Seminar: John Vervaeke with Edward Slingerland
Q: I have a question along those lines about the relationship between individual flow experiences and broader social meaning. How do you see flow transferring beyond the individual to community or culture?
The transfer happens when flows are anchored in social practices, rituals, and shared values that connect individual actions to a larger context. Flow should inform and reshape how we live, not just what we do in isolation; meaningful life arises from how well these experiences are integrated into everyday social life.
Brendan Graham Dempsey: Matters Over Time
Q: What is the core aim of the Matters Over Time course?
to map how the sacred and significance evolve in self and society, using models of meaning-making, complexity, and development to reveal a pattern that connects individual lives to a larger cosmic process.
Lectern Live Q&A with Mark Miller (03.29.26)
Q: What practical exercises would you recommend to someone exploring these ideas?
Engage in mindful attention to bodily sensation, practice imaginal or guru yoga approaches to decenter fixed self-models, and perform metamodeling—actively evaluating which beliefs are driving behavior and how to sample new evidence to adjust the model.
Lectern Live Q&A with Mark Miller (03.29.26)
Q: How do you reconcile scientific modeling with traditional spiritual practice in a way that's useful for practitioners?
By treating contemplative practices as empirical experiments that can generate testable evidence about how attention, awareness, and belief formation influence experience. The framework emphasizes humility, open-mindedness, and metacognition, using practices to gather better evidence and update the internal model without discarding the value of traditional wisdom.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. John Vervaeke

What is Dr. John Vervaeke about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The conversations center on philosophy, cognitive science, and the meaning crisis, often weaving together ancient wisdom, contemporary psychology, and practical spirituality. Episodes frequently feature deep dives into topics like imagination, prophetic poetry, moral virtue, and the science of happiness, with guests ranging from philosophers and neuroscientists to educators and spiritual practitioners. The show differentiates itself by combining rigorous ideas with approachable, exploratory dialogue and practical implications for everyday life. Listeners can expect intellectually rich discussions that connect big questions to personal growth, community wisdom, and modern life challenges.

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Dr. John Vervaeke:

1. The Symbolic World
2. Hermitix
3. Within Reason
4. Deconstructing Yourself
5. Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

How many episodes of Dr. John Vervaeke are there?

Dr. John Vervaeke launched 3 years ago and published 244 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Dr. John Vervaeke?

Recent guests on Dr. John Vervaeke include:

1. Hüseyin Beyköylü
2. Daniel Meling
3. Taylor Barratt
4. Ethan Hsieh
5. Edward Slingerland
6. David Schindler
7. James Matthew Wilson
8. Adam Walker

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