Episode
The Conscious Universe: Panpsychism with Philip Goff
- Podcast
- Wonder Cabinet
- Published
- Aug 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2554
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Summary
What if consciousness isn't something that emerges from the brain—but is embedded in the fabric of reality itself? That's the provocative idea behind panpsychism— that consciousness goes all the way down to the fundamental building blocks of the cosmos. Philosopher Philip Goff, one of panpsychism’s leading advocates, argues that it offers the best solution to one of science's deepest mysteries: how consciousness arises at all. We also hear from novelist Philip Pullman, whose fantasy series His Dark Materials was partly inspired by panpsychism. Goff reflects on another surprising development in his own thinking: his recent turn toward the Eastern Orthodox Church and what he calls "heretical Christianity.” He also describes how a profound psychedelic experience shook him to the core—and may have revealed a deeper reality. The first interview with Goff was recorded at the Island of Knowledge think tank in Tuscany, a project supported by Dartmouth College and the John Templeton Foundation. The interview with Philip Pullman originally aired on Wisconsin Public Radio’s To The Best Of Our Knowledge . This Wonder Cabinet episode was not funded, endorsed or affiliated with Wisconsin Public Media or the University of Wisconsin-Madison. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:00 What Is Panpsychism? 00:17:30 Heretical Christianity 00:29:40 A Psychedelic Awakening 00:38:25 The Conscious Universe, Confirmed — Philip Goff’s website . Books Podcast: " Phillip Goff Philosophy " TTBOOK: " His Dark Materials' Author Philip Pullman On The Consciousness Of All Things " Wonder Cabinet is hosted by Anne Strainchamps and Steve Paulson. Find out more about the show at https://wondercabinetproductions.com, where you can subscribe to the podcast and our newsletter.