Purposes in Nature and Minds

One of the premises of modern science is that nature is devoid of
purposes. Instead, purposeless explanations for phenomena are
sought. And the strategy has proved hugely productive. Except
that allusions to purpose never quite fade from the scientific
imagination. In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues,
Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon explore the ways in which the
natural world is indeed full of purposes, both at the level of
the so-called inanimate, as well as in the living world, and the
reality we know most immediately and best, namely our own lives
and consciousness. The discussion ranges over a range of matters,
from the growth of embryos to the attractive nature of gravity
and the tendency towards order and beauty. An implication of the
presence of purpose in nature and minds is a need to rethink
phenomena such as matter and power. And there is an obvious
reason that purpose keeps reappearing in scientific accounts,
namely that purposes are present in all things. Mark’s discussion
of David Bentley Hart’s book, All Things Are Full Of Gods,
mentioned in the discussion can be found at his YouTube channel
here - https://youtu.be/pRhzg7c41sE.


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Dr Mark Vernon is a psychotherapist and writer with a rich
academic background in physics, theology, and philosophy. He
contributes to programmes on the radio, writes and reviews for
newspapers and magazines, gives talks and podcasts. His books
have covered themes including friendship and God, ancient Greek
philosophy and wellbeing. His new book, out August 2019, is "A
Secret History of Christianity: Jesus, the Last Inkling and the
Evolution of Consciousness". He has a PhD in ancient Greek
philosophy, and other degrees in physics and in theology, and
works as a psychotherapist in private practice. He used to be an
Anglican priest.

Mark's latest book is...
A Secret History of Christianity: Jesus, the Last Inkling, and
the Evolution of Consciousness
http://www.markvernon.com/books/a-secret-history-of-christianity?svd=91


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Dr Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, is a biologist and author best known
for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. At Cambridge University,
as a Fellow of Clare College, he was Director of Studies in
biochemistry and cell biology. As the Rosenheim Research Fellow
of the Royal Society, he carried out research on the development
of plants and the ageing of cells, and together with Philip
Rubery discovered the mechanism of polar auxin transport. In
India, he was Principal Plant Physiologist at the International
Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, where he
helped develop new cropping systems now widely used by farmers.
He is the author of more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed
journals and his research contributions have been widely
recognized by the academic community, earning him a notable
h-index for numerous citations.  On ResearchGate his
Research Interest Score puts him among the top 4% of
scientists.

https://www.sheldrake.org/about-rupert-sheldrake?svd=91