Love from Both Sides with therapist and neuroscientist Mark Solms

This is a bonus episode continuing on from Hidden Spring: Exploring the Depths of Love and Consciousness. This episode has been labeled Explicit because we talk about some sexual topics.

In this episode, Andrea and neuroscientist Mark Solms look into the complexities of human consciousness and its relationship to love. They discuss the hierarchical levels of consciousness, from raw feeling to abstract thought, and how it relates to romantic and various other forms of love. The conversation covers the integration of fundamental emotional drives, the concept of narcissism, object attachment, and the importance of vulnerability in loving relationships. Solms explains his stance as a dual aspect monist and emphasizes the importance of incorporating subjectivity into scientific exploration. The episode also touches upon Jonathan Lear's perspectives on love and Freud's contributions to understanding the human mind.

00:00 Understanding Consciousness and Feelings

02:47 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

05:28 Exploring the Concept of Love

06:43 Components of Romantic Love

08:14 Attachment and Care in Relationships

10:01 Balancing Emotions in Love

17:29 The Role of Fear and Anxiety in Love

22:58 The Fundamental Nature of Feelings

28:59 Exploring the Nature of Love

30:27 The Philosopher's Love for Knowledge

32:36 Freud's Concept of Narcissism

35:17 Integrating Lust and Attachment

42:11 The Science of Subjectivity

44:27 The Role of Consciousness in Neuroscience

51:22 Freud's Project and Its Modern Implications

56:59 Balancing Subjective and Objective Realities

01:00:03 Concluding Thoughts on Love and Consciousness

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Mark Solms is a professor in the Department of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town: "My early research focused on the brain mechanisms of sleep and dreaming led to an interest in consciousness, which is currently my major focus. My emphasis is on brainstem mechanisms of consciousness and the foundational role of affect, emotional affect in particular. This work has included applications to various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as anosognosia and confabulatory amnesia, and, more recently, depression and addiction."

Mark Solms
Hidden Spring
Love and Its Place in Nature

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This episode has an E for explicit.