Show Notes
Season 3 Episode 4 ‘Pursuing the Inconceivable’
Today my guest is Peter Guy Jones. Peter has had a career as a musician, studio engineer and CEO of a music and media company. He has devoted two decades to the research that informs his new book, In Pursuit of the Inconceivable. Over time he’s developed the view that most philosophers approach their chosen subject in an ineffective way, failing to address global and foundational issues before moving on to a study of the endless details, becoming trapped in a maze of problems without resolution.
He believes this to be the consequence of not engaging with the world-theory endorsed by the writers of the Indian Upanishads, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Meister Eckhart and, many would say, Jesus and Muhammad. His mission is to persuade readers that when philosophy is approached in a naïve, open-minded and rigorous manner it may be rendered problem-free and comprehensible, and the world and human nature along with it. Join us for a provocative and hopefully enlightening dialogue!
Resources
Jones, P.G. (2025). In Pursuit of the Inconceivable: An Investigation of Metaphysics and Mysticism. Essentia Books.
My review of In Pursuit of the Inconceivable.
People/Topics Mentioned
Strange Loops! A classic strange loop in logic is Epimenides’ paradox. See also Escher’s waterfall, above.
There’s one in Doctor Who, from ‘Castrovalva’ (1982).
More Strange Loops in:
Hofstader, D.R. (1979). Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. Penguin.
Nagarjuna. (Peter’s pronunciation of his name in the interview is more accurate than mine!)
‘Middle Way’ Buddhist philosophy.
350+ theories of consciousness.
Dan Dennett’s book:
Dennett, D. (1991). Consciousness Explained. Allen Lane.
Bertrand Russell on mysticism:
Russell, B. (1917). Mysticism and Logic and other Essays. Taylor Garnett Evans & Co.
Media
“Forty-Two” as the answer the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything is from Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. (Radio show, TV series and books). Here is Deep Thought announcing the answer after seven and a half million years!
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Dir: Steven Spielberg, 1989). The leap of faith!
Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.
