In this conversation, Darren Iammarino shares his journey into process philosophy and theology, describing how he was first drawn to Whitehead’s ideas and how these concepts have shaped his teaching and spiritual practice. Darren and Jared then turn to questions at the intersection of AI and process metaphysics, considering whether artificial intelligences can truly be conscious, how parasocial relationships with AI complicate our notions of self and society, and what Whitehead’s philosophy might contribute to these debates. Finally, they delve into theological questions about novelty, divine creativity, and the role of eternal objects, envisioning a cosmos where creatures participate in the ongoing creation of new possibilities.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Darren's efforts to connect process thought with yoga communities and other non-Christian spiritual practices
• The challenges of making process ideas accessible beyond academic contexts
• Reflections on AI, consciousness, and the nature of relationships with inorganic agents
• Darren’s critiques of Whitehead’s notion that God eternally contains all possibilities
• A vision of novelty and creativity emerging from the interplay between God and creatures
• Speculation on the cosmological function of quantum randomness
• Connections between process thought, interfaith dialogue, and ecological civilization

What happens when the boundaries of the self dissolve? In this profound episode, theologian and Unitarian Universalist minister Thandeka joins hosts Jay McDaniel and Jared Morningstar for a vulnerable and wide-ranging conversation exploring spiritual experiences of no-self, the impact of trauma on identity, and the philosophical power of nothingness.

Through deeply personal stories and philosophical insights, the conversation weaves together:

Isaac Stern concerts and moments of ego dissolution

Islamic prayer, Buddhist emptiness, and Zen koans

The psychological legacy of childhood trauma

Whitehead’s process theology and Schleiermacher’s affective religious experience

The rise of small spiritual communities as healing spaces

Together, they ask: What is the role of community in reclaiming our whole selves? Can traditions like Buddhism, Islam, and process theology offer resources for healing in a fragmented world?

In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, philosopher Andrew M. Davis joins hosts Jay McDaniel and Jared Morningstar to explore how process philosophy, aesthetic values, and spiritual formation intersect across theology, science, and personal narrative.

Raised in an evangelical context, Davis shares how thinkers like Whitehead, Hartshorne, and Max Scheler helped him move beyond deconstruction toward a renewed vision of reality shaped by beauty, truth, and goodness.

This episode explores:

The aesthetic foundations of value and metaphysics

Whitehead’s vision of a universe in process and perpetual becoming

Evangelicalism, post-evangelicalism, and the "anatheistic" journey of returning to the sacred

Process views of teleology, eschatology, and the God of love

The evolving role of religious ideals, compassion, and purpose in a fluid cosmos