emotional health

318: Jen Howk on Buddhism, Philosophy, The Matrix, Simulations, and Sentience

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Social scientist, Jen Howk, PhD discuss the following topics:

  1. I loved your last podcast about Buddhism and other perspectives in psychology. I’d love to hear more of your perspectives on spirituality such as how you would describe the personality profiles of popular gurus Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle. They both claim to have been in close to catatonic states of misery/depression, suicidal and then overnight, woke up enlightened. If it’s not enlightenment, what are they experiencing? I’d also like to hear your views on other personality profiles such as influencers who end up being con artist and other weird, modern day criminals.
  2. Can all personality types be equally happy if they apply diligent effort to worthwhile goals? ie all other things being equal, would a low conscientiousness individual be as happy as a high conscientiousness individual if they both applied their version of diligent effort and equally felt they hadn’t left ‘anything on the table’ (despite those levels of effort and results being very different)
  3. I am curious how you would define a “sentient” organism. Does sentience even exist? If we are simply a system of electrical signals that indicates our next action based on a pre-programmed reward/punishment function, then are we truly more “sentient” than the AI personalities currently being built by OpenAI and Google, etc? How and where do we draw the line between an organism or machine that is sentient and one that is not? Do you think this should any implications for the construction and ownership of AI personalities and computer-based neural networks?

     

     

    Copyright Beat Your Genes Podcast

    Host: Nathan Gershfeld                              

    Interviewee: Jen Howk, Ph.D.

    Podcast website:  http://www.BeatYourGenes.org

    True to Life seminars with Dr. Lisle and Dr. Howk : http://www.TrueToLife.us

     

    Intro & outro song: City of Happy Ones · Ferenc Hegedus

304: Information Overload, Do Humans procreate for help later in life?, How much does income/status matter for a woman?

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In today’s show, Dr. Lisle and Howk discuss the following questions:

1.  Has the team discussed how information overload impedes progress and making changes to one’s health? I’d assume one can overdo information gathering, whether it’s from podcasts, books, or blogs. As a clinician, how can we help clients get out of this stagnant, noncommittal place? Also, it seems to cause people a lot of stress and anxiety when they have too many thoughts going on in their heads. I have to imagine it gets to a point where it’s harmful?

2.  It was recently mentioned on the show that there isn’t any relationship that isnt a trade. I was hoping the doctors could discuss the trade aspect of a mother child relationship specifically from the mother’s perspective… as in what is she getting? I understand its the hormones that dictate the bond and that she is saving her genes.. is there more to it though like at some level is there also an awareness of gains from the children when they are adults in the future?

3.  How much does a woman’s income and occupational status matter to the typical man’s nervous system in regards to pair-bonding? I’ve seen men express desire for high-earning women with high-status careers but am not sure if it is because these traits inspire pair-bond “love” feelings in men or if they are just viewing potential long-term relationships in a utilitarian way.

For the upcoming True to Life seminar, visit:  http://www.TruetoLife.us

 

Copyright Beat Your Genes Podcast

Host: Nathan Gershfeld                              

Interviewees: Doug Lisle, Ph.D. and Jen Howk, PhD

http://www.BeatYourGenes.org

Intro & outro song: City of Happy Ones · Ferenc Hegedus

Awakening a Dormant Circuit, Social Climbing vs. Meaningful relationships

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In today’s episode, Dr. Lisle & Howk discuss the following questions:

 

1. Jordan Peterson mentioned briefly in a video that increasing oxytocin can increase agreeableness. He also gives advice that agreeable people can become more disagreeable by “waking the circuit up” if it’s laying dormant in you. He thinks we have a wide range of genetic propensities, some that are switched on and it’s possible to switch other propensities on. Is there evidence to support either of these theories?

 

2. Could the doctors talk about “social climbing”? I have family members who spend much of their free time and resources trying to networking with higher status people. They join different country clubs, go to fancy fundraisers, and will cancel plans with people they have known for years if an opportunity with a fancier new acquaintance arises. They often bring up income and status in conversation, which I find a bit off putting. I can’t decide if this is pseudo esteem seeking, personality cancer, or a legitimate way to make real connections that matter for extroverts. Can this pursuit lead to meaningful relationships?