Transcript: Jordan Peterson on Music as Language | Dec 10, 2006

[Theme music plays]The opening sequence rolls. The logo of "Big Ideas" featuring a lit lamp bulb appears against an animated green slate.Then, Andrew Moodie appears in the studio. The walls are decorated with screens featuring lit lamp bulbs, and two signs read "Big Ideas."Andrew is in his early forties, clean-shaven, with short curly black hair. He's wearing a light blue long-sleeved t-shirt.He says HELLO.I'M ANDREW MOODY.AND THIS IS BIG IDEAS.AND THIS...He shows a red and yellow stereogram and continuesIS A STEREOGRAM.YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THESEBEFORE, A COMPUTER-GENERATEDPICTURE THAT PRESENTS ATHREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE IFYOU'RE ABLE TO FOCUS YOUR EYESAT THE RIGHT POINT.TAKES A WHILE TO GET THE HANGOF IT.YOU HAVE TO RELAX AND FOCUS,JUST BEHIND THE PICTURE.THEN SLOWLY A THREE-DIMENSIONALIMAGE BEGINS FORM.BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK.AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE LEFTWONDERING IF THE 3-D IMAGE ISREALLY THERE AT ALL.ACCORDING TO JORDAN PETERSON, APSYCHOLOGIST WHO TEACHES AT THEUNIVERSITY OF TORONTO,STEREOGRAMS ARE ANALOGOUS OFTHE WAY WE EXPERIENCE REALITY.MUSIC IS ANOTHER.IT IS ALSO COMPOSED OF PATTERNSAND BECAUSE MUSIC CANNOT BEREDUCED TO WORDS IT CONVEYS AWORLD OF MEANING BEYOND REASON.PETERSON IS A PSYCHOLOGIST WITHA PHILOSOPHICAL BEND,INTERESTED IN HOW WE PERCEIVEOF THINGS AND WHAT WE GET FROM IT.AND HE TAKES US ON A TOUR DeFORCE THROUGH MUSIC, COMPUTERS,PAINTING AND CHESS.GET READY FOR A HEADY ANDCOMPLEX RIDE.A clip plays in which a slide reads "Music and the patterns of the mind and world. Jordan B. Peterson. Department of Psychology. University of Toronto. Royal Canadian Institute Lecture."Jordan Peterson stands on a stage and addresses an unseen audience. He's in his late thirties, with short wavy brown hair and a goatee. He's wearing a gray suit, white shirt, and brown tie.A caption appears on screen. It reads "Jordan Peterson. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto. J.J.R. Macleod Auditorium. November 5, 2006. Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science Lecture Series."Jordan says I THINK THAT MUSIC IS AGENUINE MYSTERY.IT'S ONE OF THE EXPERIENTIALPHENOMENA WE ALL HAVE ACCESS TO.IT'S LIKE LOOKING INTO THENIGHT SKY.OR AT THE GRAND CANYON.THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IT THATSEEMS TO SPEAK ABOUT THINGSTHAT ARE BEYOND THE MUNDANE.AND IT'S AN INTERESTING THINGTHAT MUSIC CAN DO THAT, BECAUSEALTHOUGH IT HAS THIS ARGUABLYTRAN SKEND ENTAL ELEMENT, IT'SRARE TO FIND SOMEONE WHODOESN'T LIKE MUSIC.SO IT'S TRAN SEND ENTAL ANDUNIVERSAL AT THE SAME TIME.IT ALSO SEEMS TO ME THAT MUSICRELIABLY SPEAKS TO PEOPLE OF MEANING.AND THAT THERE ARE... AND THATTHE REASON MUSIC PLAYS SUCH APOPULAR, POWERFUL ROLE IN OURCULTURE IS BECAUSE THE MEANINGTHAT MUSIC SPEAKS OF IS BEYONDRATIONAL CRITIQUE.AND WE'RE VERY RATIONAL, ANDWE'RE VERY INTELLIGENT.AND SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKEINTELLECTUAL HASH OUT OF MOSTOF THE THINGS THAT HADTRADITIONALLY OFFERED PEOPLE AGROUNDED SENSE OF MEANING.BUT BECAUSE MUSIC IS BEYONDRATIONAL CRITICISM, IT SEEMS TOHAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETAIN ITSEXPERIENTIAL CONNECTION WITHTRANSCENDENT MEANING DESPIEDTHE FACT OUR RATIONAL MINE HASDESTROYED EVERYTHING ELSETHAT'S TRANSCENDENTAL.PARLT OF THE REASON MUSIC CANDO THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S BEYONDVERBAL FORMULATION OR VERBALCRITICISM.SO IF YOU LISTEN TO A SONG,WHETHER IT HAS LYRICS OR NOT,YOU COULD PERHAPS ASSUME THATIT DUST DOESN'T, IT DOESSOMETHING TO YOU.AND IF SOMEONE, WHO HAD NEVERHEARD MUSIC, ASKED YOU WHAT ITDID, YOU COULDN'T TELL THEM INANY WAY THAT WAS A REASONABLEMMARY OF THE EXPERIENCEITLF.I SUPPOSE YOU COULD CONSIDERTHAT ANALOGOUS TO TRYING TODESCRIBE COLOUR TO SOMEONE WHOIS BLIND.WHATEVER MUSIC IS ABOUT, ISN'TTRANSLATABLE INTO LANGUAGNOW, WE CAUSE LANGUAGE TOAUGMENT OUR PLEASURE IN MUSIC.WE DO THAT WITH LYRICSCONSTANTLY.BUT WHATEVER IT IS THAT MUSICSPEAKS OF... IF IT SPEAKS OFSOMETHING... IS NOT SOMETHINGYOU CAN SPEAK OF IN WORDS.NOW, AS RATIONAL PEOPLE, WE'REALSO INCLINED TO PRESUME IFIT'S REAL YOU CAN SPEAK ABOUTIT IN WORDS.BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CULTURESSINCE THE DAWN OF HISTORYBELIEVE THAT THERE WERE CERTAINTHINGS THAT WERE NOT ONLYUNSPEAKABLE FROM A VERBALPERSPECTIVE, BUT WHOSE MEANINGWAS ACTUALLY DEMOLISHED, IF ITWAS PUT IN WORDS.I MEAN FOR EXAMPLE IN ANCIENTHEBREW SOCIETIES AND CURRENTISLAM SOCIETIES, IT'S HERETICALHERETICAL, IMPROPER TO MAKE ANIMAGE OF THE TRANSCENDENT.AND THE REASON FOR THAT, IT'SNOT MERELY AN ARBITRARY, MORALLAW, NONSENSICAL FROM ARATIONAL PERSPECTIVE.THE REASON FOR THAT IS SOMETHINGS LOSE THEIR MEANING ASSOON AS THEY ARE TRANSLATEDINTO SOMETHING THAT'S AS TINYAS A WORD.AND MUSIC IS ONE OF THOSETHINGS.NOW, I MADE THIS LITTLEPAINTING HERE.IT'S ABOUT SEVEN FEET ACROSS,ACTUALLY.WHEN I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENTABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, TRYING TOFIGURE OUT WHAT MEANING MEANTAND I DESIGNED THE PAINTING...I'LL SHOW YOU A BIGGER PICTURELATER, TO BE SOMETHING THATMOVED WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT, IFYOU MAKE A GEE MET CAL FIGURETHAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY COMPLEXWHEN YOUR BRAIN LOOKS AT ITTRIES ON DIFFERENT FITS ANDLOOKS AS IF IT'S MOVING.A REVERSING CUBE IS A SIMPLEEXAMPLE OF THAT.I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING HERETHAT MOVED AND DANCED VISUALLYLIKE A PIECE OF MUSIC MOVES ANDDANCES.SEEMS TO INTIMATE SOMETHINGBEYOND ITSELF.IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WITH THESTATIC SCULPTURE AND VISUALARTS IN GENERAL.WE DO SEEM TO APPROACH IT TOSOME DEGREE WITH THE DANCE.AND DANCE IS ANOTHER ART FORMTHAT SPEAKS OF THINGS BEYONDWORDS.THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT DANCE ISABOUT NOTHING.IT JUST MEANS THAT IT'S ABOUTSOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE EASILYPUT INTO WORDS.NOW, I ACTUALLY THINK YOU CANUNDERSTAND WHAT MUSIC MEANS.BUT THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM INDOING IT.AND THE PROBLEM INUNDERSTANDING WHAT MUSIC MEANSIS THAT IT'S ONLY SIMPLE IF YOUCHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK ATALMOST EVERYTHING.THE FUNNY THING IS THAT MUSICSPEAKS TO YOU OF MEANINGWHETHER YOU UNDERSTAND IT ORNOT.AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONSIT'S AN IMPERISHABLE ART.NOW, I THINK WHAT MUSIC SPEAKSTO YOU OF IS REAL.IN FACT I THINK IT'S MORE REALTHAN ANYTHING ELSE.BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT'S NOTNORMALLY HOW PEOPLE THINK.OK.SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART OFTHIS SPEEL.SO I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMEINTERESTING THINGS ABOUTPERCEPTION.NOW, THERE'S THIS PROBLEMTHAT'S COME UP IN THE LASTQUARTER OF THE 20TH CENTURYTHAT WAS FORMALLY DESCRIBED ASSOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PLAGUINGPEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTINGTO DESIGN MACHINES THAT CANACTUALLY OPERATE IN THE REAL WORLD.A slide reads "The frame problem. A finite set of objects can be categorized or in a large number of ways; Medin and Aguilar, 1999; M.I.T. Encyclopedia of Cognitive Sciences.A new, deep epistemological problem; Daniel Dennett, 1984; In Minds, machines and Evolution."Jordan continues EARLY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCERESEARCHERS WERE PRETTYOPTIMISTIC ABOUT BUILDINGTHINGS LIKE GENERAL PURPOSEROBOTS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVEDTHAT A ROBOT COULD... WELL,THEY BELIEVED FUNDMENTALLY THEWORLD LAID ITSELF OUT IN EASILYACCESSIBLE OBJECTS, AND THATTHOSE OBJECTS HAD SOME... SOMEREALITY BEYOND THEIR PERCEPTIONACTUAL APPARENT APPEARANCE.AND THAT THE PROBLEM WITHDEVELOPING A MACHINE THAT COULDOPERATE IN THE REAL WORLD WASONLY DETERMINING HOW IT SHOULDACT.BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT WASN'TRIGHT.IT TURNS OUT THAT IT'S VERY,VERY HARD TO MAKE A MACHINETHAT CAN PERCEIVE.IN FACT, IT'S SO HARD THAT ITSEEMS TECHNICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.AND THAT'S STRANGE.BECAUSE WE CAN PERCEIVE.BUT THE PROBLEM WE SOLVE WHILEWE PERCEIVE IS SO COMPLEX THATIN SOME WAYS IT APPEARSUNCOMPUTABLE, WHICH IS WHY, BYTHE WAY, ONE OF THE REASONS WEDON'T HAVE GENERAL PRPOSEROBOTS.IT'S ALSO WHY WE DON'T HAVECOMPUTERS THAT CAN ACCURATELYTRANSLATE SPEECH.YOU KNOW, WE'VE... YOU'RESUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO TALK TOYOUR COMPUTER.PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PROMISING THATFOR 30 YEARS.BUT YOU CAN'T TALK TO YOURCOMPUTER, BECAUSE A COMPUTERCAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RESAYING.THE REASON FOR THAT, IT'SDIFFICULT TO LISTEN TO WHATSOMEONE IS SAYING.THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE ALL OFTHE INFORMATION IS NOT ENCODEIN THE SOUNDS THAT THEY'REMAKING.SO FOR EXAMPLE, PART OF THEREASON YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHATI'M SAYING IS THAT YOU KNOWMORE OR LESS THAT THIS IS ALECTURE ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY, YOUKNOW IT HAS A SCIENTIFIC BASIS.YOU KNOW THERE ARE CERTAINTHINGS I'M NOT GOING TO TALKABOUT.THE ENTIRE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICHYOU SIT INFORMS YOURUNDERSTANDING OF MY SPEECH.AND EVERY WORD I SAY HELPSBUILD A FRAMEWORK FOR YOU THATINFORMS YOUR ABILITY TOUNDERSTAND EACH WORD.COMPUTER JUST CAN'T DO THAT.WELL, DENNE CALLED THIS THEFRAME PROBLEM.THE FRAME PROBLEM WAS PUT IN ASIMPLE WAY BY MEDINE IN THEM.I.T. ENCYCLOPEDIA.THEY POINTEDOUT THAT YOU CAN CATAGORIZE ARELATIVELY SMALL, FINITE NUMBEROF OBJECTS IN VIRTUALLYINFINITE NUMBER OF WAYS.AND YOU MIGHT THINK... WHATDOES THAT HAVE TO DO WHLOOKING AT THE WORLD?THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, WELL,PERCEPTION IS A FORM OF CATGOREIZATION.YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING, YOU KNOWWHAT THAT THING IS.YOUR VISUAL SYSTEM IS DOING ACLASSIFICATION.IT TURNS OUT THERE IS A VERYLARGE NUMBER OF WAYS TO LOOK ATTHINGS.SO FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW I'MLOOKING AT YOU AS IF YOU'RE ANAUDIENCE FULL OF PEOPLE.IF I WAS AN IMPRESSIONISTPAINTER I COULD BE LOOKING ATYOU AS IF YOU WERE SURFACESFROM WHICH CERTAIN COLOUREDLIGHTS WERE REFLECTING.AND YOU MIGHT THINK THAT THAT...I SUPPOSE IN SOME WAY ISOBVIOUS.BUT IT'S USEFUL TO REMEMBERTHAT WHEN THE IMPRESSIONISTSHAD THEIR FIRST SHOWS IN PARIS,BASING THEIR ARTISTICPRODUCTION ON THISTRANSFORMATION OF PERCEPTION,THEY CAUSED RIOTS.ALL RIGHT.SO PERCEPTION IS A VERYDIFFICULT PROCESS.AND ARTISTS ACTUALLY TEACH USHOW TO SEE.I DON'T MEAN THAT... AGAIN, IDON'T MEAN THAT IN SOMEIMPRACTICAL WAY.I MEAN THAT THE WAY WE USE OUREYES IS... HAS BEEN INFORMEDFROM... FOR HUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS OF YEARS, PERHAPS, BYTHE EXPERTS AMONG US WHO WEREABLE TO USE THEIR VISUALSYSTEMS BETTER THAN ANYONEELSE.AND WHO COULD COMMUNICATE THAT.IT'S HARD TO SEE THE WORLD.WELL, YOU CAN THINK OF THAT, IFYOU'RE PLAYING CHESS.YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO BUILD BIGCOMPUTERS TO BEAT GRAND MASTERSAT CHESS, AND THEY CAN BARELYDO THAT, AND THAT'S ALL THEYCAN DO.BIG BLUE PLAYS CHESS BUT CAN'TWALK DOWN THE STREET AND IS NOTGOOD AT RIDING A BICYCLE.IT'S A ONE-PURPOSE MACHINE.THE WAY IT PLAYS CHESS ISN'TTHE WAY PEOPLE PLAY CHESS.IT PLAYS CHESS BY DOING AREASONABLY EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH OFEVERY SINGLE COMBINATION.AND ON A CHESS BOARD, THERE'SAN UNBELIEVABLY LARGE NUMBER OFPOTENTIAL COMBINATIONS OFMOVES.IT'S IMMENSE.THE CHESS GAME IS A RATHERBOUNLDED WORLD, ALL THINGSCONSIDERED.THERE'S A FINITE NUMBER OF MEN,THEY HAVE FINITE RULES.NONETHELESS IT'S ANUNBELIEVABLY COMPLEXENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF ITSSPACE OF POSSIBILITIES.EXPERT CHESS PLAYERS APPEAR TOIDENTIFY CONFIGURATIONS OF MENTHAT HAVE SOME RELEVANCE.SO WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO ISTO LOOK AT THE BOARD ANDRAPIDLY DETERMINE WHAT THEYSHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO ANDWHAT THEY SHOULDN'T PAYATTENTION TO, AND THEY DEVELOPTHAT SKILL BY PRACTICING OVERTHOUSANDS OF GAMES AND STUDYINGCHESS GAMES AND SO FORTH AND SOON.WE DON'T DUPLICATE THAT WITH ACOMPUTER.SO WHAT YOU COULD SAY IS THATAN EXPERT CHESS PLAYER IS ANEXPERT AT BEING ABLE TO SEE ACHESS BOARD.AND THEY SEE EXTREMELY WELL,AND THEN ONCE THEY'VE SEEN,THEY CAN KIND OF PUTCONSTRAINTS AROUND THECOGNITIVE COMPLEXITY OF THEPROBLEM AND OPERATE WITHINTHAT.WELL, YOU GUYS ARE DOING THATALL THE TIME WHEN YOU LOOK ATTHE WORLD.BUT THERE'S SO MUCH OF YOURBRAIN DEVOTED TO IT AND YOU'RESO BLOODY GOOD AT IT, YOU DON'TEVEN KNOW IT'S HAPPENING.YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD, AND IT'SALL OBJECTIVE AND OBVIOUS.THERE'S THE OBJECTS, THEY HAVENOTHING TO DO WITH YOURPERCEPTION.BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THATCLEAR.AND IT'S NOT CLEAR FOR A LOT OFREASONS.I MEAN ONE IS THE FRAMEPROBLEM.THE OTHER IS THAT IT TURNS OUTTHAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEWORLD,YOU DON'T SEE OBJECTSAND THEN THINK ABOUT THEM ANDFIGURE OUT HOW TO ACT.YOUR EYES MAP ONTO ALL SORTS OFPARTS OF YOUR BODY.FOR EXAMPLE YOUR RETINA ISMAPPED RIGHT ONTO YOUR SPINALCORD.THAT MEANS YOUR EYES COULD MAKEYOUR BODY MOVE WITHOUT YOUTHINKING AND WITHOUT YOUSEEING.THAT'S A PRETTY WEIRD THING.IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND UNTILYOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT YOURRETINA IS DOING IS PICKING UPPATTERNS.BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A MATRIX,RIGHT?IT'S LIKE A TV SCREEN.IT PICKS UP PATTERNS FROM THEOUTSIDE WORLD.THEN IT TRANSLATES THEM INTOPATTERNS OF MOTOR OUTPUT.THERE IS NO INTERMEDIATE ATIONOF PERCEPTION WHATSOEVER IFYOU'RE MOVING VERY QUICKLY.THERE CAN'T BE.IT TAKES YOU TOO LONG TO SEEANYTHING TO BE FAST.THAT'S WHY BY THE WAY WHEN YOUDRIVE DOWN THE ROAD IN YOUR CARYOU DON'T LOOK RIGHT IN FRONTOF THE HOOD.WHAT GOOD IS THAT?IF YOU SEE IT IN FRONT OF THEHOOD YOU'VE ALREADY RUN OVERIT.YOU HAVE TO LOOK HALF A SECONDDOWN THE ROAD.BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT HAPPENSTO YOU CLOSER THAN THAT ISALREADY TOO LATE.SO YOU LOOK FAR ENOUGH DOWN THEROAD, SO THAT YOU CAN GET YOURBODY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT IT TODO AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HOWLONG IT TAKES YOU TO SEE THEWORLD.WHICH MAY BE UP TO HALF ASECOND.I MEAN THAT'S ONE ESTIMATE.I THINK THAT'S TOO LONG.BUT THAT'S THE STANDARDESTIMA AT THE TIME.HALF A SECOND IS A LONG TIME.YOU GO 40 FEET, A CAR GOING 60MILES AN HOUR IN HALF A SECOND.THE POINT I'M MAKING THERE ISTHAT WHEN YOU SEE THE OBJECT,THE SEEING PRODUCES THE ACTION.SO FOR EXAMPLE YOU HAVE ALITTLE MECHANISM IN YOUR MOTORSYSTEM THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GRABTHINGS.AND YOU PRACTICE THE HELL OUTOF THAT WHEN YOU WERE 2 YEARSOLD, RIGHT?YOU WERE GRABBING THINGS LEFT,RIGHT AND CENTRE UNTIL YOU GOTTHE GRIP MOTION DOWN TO ANAUTOMATED STATE.YOU LOOK AT THE CUP, THE ACT OFLOOKING AT THE CUP REDUCES THETHRESHOLD FOR ACTIVATION OF THEGRIP MECHANISM.THAT ISN'T BECAUSE YOU SEE THECUP AND THEN THINK, I'LL PICKIT UP.IT HAPPENS AS A CONSEQUENCE OFSEEING IT AND IT TURNS OUT WHENYOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WORLD,YOU DON'T SEE OBJECTS EXACTLY.WHAT YOU SEE IS THINGS THATIT'S USEFUL TO INTERACT WITH.THOSE THINGS ARE MORE LIKETOOLS.AND SO I WOULD SAY, WELL,YOU'RE LOOKING IN THIS ROOM.WHAT YOU SEE ARE THINGS TOINTERACT WITH.AND YOU THINK THOSE AREOBJECTIVE OBJECTS, BUT THEYREALLY ARE NOT... OR MAYBE THEYARE, BUT THEY ARE A VERY, VERYTINY SUBSET OF ALL THE OBJECTSYOU COULD SEE IN THIS ROOM.SOMEONE LIKE A SCHIZOPHRENICWHOSE PERCEPTIONS HAVE BEENSOMEWHAT FRAGMENTED, THEY HAVEA HARD TIME FOCUSING ON THEUNIVERSAL CLASS OF USEABLEOBJECTS THAT EVERYBODY LOOKSAT.SO A SKIT FREN IB AND SOMETIMESAN ARTIST, TOO, CAN GET LOST INCONTEMPLATION OF THE COMPLEXPATTERNS IN THE CARPET.OR THE SHADES OF COLOURS THATARE IN THE PERSON'S SHIRT NEXTTO YOU.OR ALL THESE COMPLEX THINGSTHAT YOU CAN SEE AROUND YOU BUTYOU PAY NO ATTENTION TOWHATSOEVER.HOW DO YOU IGNORE ALL THAT?YOU IGNORE ALMOST EVERYTHING.99.9 AND FAR MORE PERCENT OFEVERYTHING THAT'S AROUND YOU.YOU DON'T SEE.YOU SEE RELEVANT THINGS.WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DOIT.NOW, YOU KNOW ALREADY HOWCOMPLEX A CHESS GAME IS.HOW UNCOMPUTABLTHAT IS.YET YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH ANENVIRONMENT WHOSE COMPLEXITYLEAVES A CHESS GAME IN THEDUST.YOUR ENVIRONMENT IS COMPOSED OFAN INFINITE NUMBER OF HIREARCICALLY STACKED CHESS GAMES,YET YOU WANDER THROUGH ITWITHOUT A SECOND'S THOUGHTUNLESS SOMETHING GOES WRONG.TURNS OUT THAT PERCEPTION ISTHE HARD PART.NOW, ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWNTHIS, EH?YOU GET MODERN ARTISTS LIKE, IBELIEVE THAT'S MAGREET ON THERIGHT.HE'S TELLING YOU THAT THEAVERAGE PERSON IS BLINDED BYTHEIR PRESUPPOSITIONS, RIGHT?THAT'S WHAT THAT PAINTINGMEANS.AND THAT VISUAL ILLUSION ON THELEFT, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED BYPER SEPTEMBER ACTUAL SCIENTIST,SHOWS HOW WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THEVISUAL SYSTEM CAN YOU PLAYGAMES WITH IT.AND THE GAME THERE IS, WELL,WHAT IS THAT EXACTLY?IS IT LINES OR A SQUARE IN THEMIDDLE OF A DIAMOND?IT'S BOTH OF THOSE.WHAT IT IS TO YOU DEPENDS ONWHAT YOU WOULD DO WITH IT.YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THATEXCEPT LOOK AT IT.BUT YOUR VISUAL SYSTEM DOESN'TKNOW THAT.Two images show up on screen. They're both cubist paintings in tones of yellow and gray, depicting movement.Jordan continues NUDE DESCENDING A STAIRCASE.WELL, WHY IS THAT A NUDEDESCENDING A STAIRCASE?WELL, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE ITAND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT.BUT WHAT IT IS, IT'S THE GEOMETRIC FIGURE OF A HUMAN BEINGWITH THE FOURTH DIMENSIONAVERAGED ACROSS THE FOURTHDIMENSION.FOURTH DIMENSION IS TIME.WHAT YOU SEE IS THE NUDETRANSFORMED INTO A GEOMETRICFIGURE AT EACH POINT OF THEDESCENT DOWN THE STAIRCASE.YOU MIGHT SAY THAT'S NOT AREALIST PAINTING.I WOULD SAY WELL, DON'T BE SOSURE ABOUT THAT.OBSTRUCTION SOMETIMES IS MOREREAL THAN REALITY.OR DO YOU THINK THAT NUMBERSARE LESS REAL THAN THINGS?I TELL YOU, CAN YOU DO A LOT OFTHINGS WITH NUMBERS YOU CAN'TDO WITH THINGS.AND YOU COULD ARGUE THAT THENUMBERS ARE MORE REAL THAN THETHINGS.AND I COULD SAY, WELL, THAT'SMORE REAL THAN WHAT YOU SEE.BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE TIMEACROSS SEQUENCES.YOU ONLY SEE IT ACROSS SLICES.AND PICASSO ON THE LEFT.PART OF WHAT PICASSO IS DOINGAPART FROM PLAYING WITH TIMEAND ANGLE WAS TRYING TODETERMINE JUST HOW BADLY YOUCOULD MANGLE AND DECOMPOSE ANICONIC IMAGE AND STILL BE ABLETO RECOGNIZE IT AS AN IMAGE.IT TURNS OUT, WELL, THERE'S NOTA SINGLE THING IN THAT PAINTINGTHAT'S REMINISCENT OF A FACE.IT'S THE GESTALT THAT DOES IT.YOU HAVE A SPECIALIZED SYSTEMIN YOUR BRAIN THAT'S ATTACHEDTO YOUR EMOTIONAL SYSTEMS IN ANAREA CALLED THE AMYGDALA THATDEALS WITH FEAR.IT'S SO SPECIALIZED IF YOU TURNFACES UPSIDE DOWN IT LOSESABOUT 60 percent OR 70 percent OF ITS ABILITYTO DISCRIMINATE.IT'S REALLY SPECIALIZED.YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE AND THEIRFACES POP OUT.YOU THINK, MAN, THERE'S SO MUCHDIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACES.THERE'S NOT THAT MUCHDIFFERENCE AT ALL, OBJECTIVELYSPEAKING.IT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE FOR YOUTO HAVE A STROKE THAT WILLLEAVE YOU ALMOST ENTIRELYINTELLECTUALLY AND PERUNABLE TO TO TELL THEDIFFERENCE.ON THE LEFT IS A LITTLE GIRL.HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?Three paintings appear. One depicts a couple kissing, with their heads covered in cloth. Another is a cubist painting resembling a girl made of geometrical forms. The third is a suit and tie with a green apple hovering over it instead of a head.Jordan continues PARTLY BECAUSE PICASSO TAUGHTYOU TO SEE THINGS LIKE THAT,BUT ALSO BECAUSE YOUR VISUALSYSTEM IS UNBELIEVABLY GOOD ATPRODUCING RAPID ABSTRACTIONS.THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY... YOUKNOW THOSE SIMPLE DRAWINGS THATKIDS MAKE OF STICK FIGURES?THOSE AREN'T SIMPLE, RIGHT?BECAUSE A STICK FIGURE DOESN'TLOOK NOOIING ANYTHING LIKE APERSON.IN FACT IT LOOKS ABOUT UNLIKE APERSON AS ANYTHING POSSIBLYCOULD, AND STILL BE A PERSON.THE THING THAT'S SO INTERESTINGABOUT A KID'S STICK FIGURE ISIT GIVES YOU INSIGHT INTO THETREMENDOUS ABILITY OF THEM TOABSTRACT AWAY FROM REALITY,RIGHT?AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT IMAGESAT ALL.THEY ARE LIKE QUALIFY SIGHLINGUISTIC FIGURES.KIDS JUST GENERATE THOSENONSTOP.HOUSE.THIS IS A HOUSE.GOT SMOKE COMING OUT OF IT.YOU RECOGNIZE THAT HOUSE IN NOTIME FLAT.A KID 3, 4 YEARS OLD CAN SPINTHEM OFF IN NO TIME FLAT.THEIR PERCEPTUAL SYSTEMS AREAMAZING.IT'S DIFFICULT TO OVEREMPHASIZETHAT.A NUDE.TWO PEOPLE ON A BEACH.GRIEF.NOW, THAT'S A REALLYINTERESTING ONE, EH?YOU CAN JUST NAIL THAT AS GRIEFIN NO TIME FLAT.WHY?WELL, THE COLOUR.DEATH.GREEN AND PURPLE.THE... I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DIDWITH THE EYES.WHY HE MANAGES IT SO WELL.THIS IS A TEAR I THINK.THIS OF COURSE IS AHANDKERCHIEF.IT'S A STRIKING IMAGE.IT'S SO MAING MED THAT IT'SALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION.NONETHELESS, YOU CAN CATEGORIZEIT FROM AN EMOTIONALPERSPECTIVE IN NO TIME FLAT.An image made of brown dots on a white background appears.Jordan continues WHAT'S THAT?IT'S A DALMATIAN.THERE'S THE HEAD.DO YOU SEE IT?THERE'S THE LEG.THERE'S THE LEG.THERE'S THE BACK OF IT.EVERYBODY SEE THE DALMATIAN?HOW MANY PEOPLE SEE IT?IT'S THERE, RIGHT?HOW MANY PEOPLE DON'T SEE IT?WELL, IS IT THERE OR NOT?COLLAR, HEAD, SHADOW.LEAVES.BACKGROUND.SIDEWALK.ONCE YOU GET IT, YOU CAN'T NOTSEE IT.IF YOU DON'T GET IT, IF YOUDON'T GRIP IT AS GESTALT, WHATIS IT?YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH DOGS ANDLIVING THINGS.THAT'S AS MUCH OF A RANDOMPATTERN YOU CAN GENERATE,EXCEPT IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE ADOG.A new slide reads "We limit our vision."Jordan continues HOW DO WE SEE THINGS?THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.IT'S REALLY HARD TO ANSWER.PARTLY WE LIMIT OUR VISION.WE SEE THROUGH A LENS.AND IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE WHATTHIS LENS IS.IT'S THE LENS THAT ALLOWS US TOUSE OUR INTUITIONS ABOUT ASITUATION, TO SPECIFY THEMEANING OF THE CURRENT MOMENT.SO IMAGINE YOU'RE READING ABOOK.THEN YOU THINK... HOW DO YOUREAD THAT BOOK EXACTLY?DO YOU READ IT LETTER BYLETTER?WELL, LITTLE KIDS DO.BUT THEY DON'T LIKE TO READ.THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE TOREAD LETTER BY LETTER.YOU READ A BOOK LETTER BYLETTER AND SEE HOW MUCHENJOYMENT YOU GET OUT OF IT.RIGHT?SO GET THE LETTERS AUTOMATED,BUILD A LITTLE MACHINE IN THEBACK OF YOUR MIND THAT NAILSTHOSE LETTERS.THEN COMMON COMBINATIONS.THEN YOU CAN READ WORD BY WORDAND AUTO MATE THAT WITH SEVEA,000 HOURS OF PRACTICE, UNTILYOU LOOK AT A WORD YOU CAN'THELP BUT READ IT.JUST GOES OFF IN YOUR HEAD.LIKE THE WORD IS IN THE OUTSIDEWORLD.THEN IF YOU KEEP PRACTICING YOUSEE PHRASES.IF YOU'RE REALLY GOOD YOU STARTTO SEE SENTENCES.BUT YOU GET PRETTY SPEEDY ATTHAT POINT.OK.THEN THE QUESTION IS, WHENYOU'RE READING A BOOK, DO YOUREAD IT PHRASE BY PHRASE ORSENTENCE BY SENTENCE?THE ANSWER IS NO, NOT EXACTLY.YO READ IT... YOU READ THEWORD.YOU READ THE PHRASE.YOU READ THE SENTENCE.YOU READ THE PARAGRAPH.YOU READ THE CHAPTER.YOU READ THE BOOK.YOU KNOW THE COVER.YOU KNOW THE CULTURE.YOU KNOW THE INTENT OF THEAUTHOR.ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOINGON SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE YOU'RETRYING TO EXTRACT MEANING OUTOF THAT BOOK.SO IT'S AS IF YOU'RE LOOKING ATTHE WORD THROUGH A LENS MADE UPOF THESE SUCCESSIVE LAYERS OFKNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE THAT ALLOWYOU TO ZERO IN ON THE MEANINGOF WHAT IT IS THE AUTHOR ISATTEMPTING TO EXPLAIN.THEN YOU THINK... WELL... SOTHINK ABOUT HOW SOMEONETRANSLATES.CAN'T DO IT WORD BY WORD ORPHRASE BY PHRASE.LETTER BY LETTER, JUST FORGETIT.YOU CAN'T GET A COMPUTER TOTRANSLATE.WHY?WELL, IT'S BECAUSE WHEN YOUREAD SOMETHING YOU FIGURE OUTWHAT IT MEANS.THEN YOU TRANSLATE IT SO ITALSO MEANS THAT IN THE NEXTLANGUAGE.SO IT'S AS IF THE VERBAL LEVEL,VERBAL PORTRAYAL IS ONE MODE OFREALITY PERCEPTION.BUT IT TRANSLATES ONTO ANOTHERMODE.AND THAT MODE IS MEANING.AND THEN IT CAN BEBACK-TRANSLATED INTO ANOTHERLANGUAGE.THAT'S HOW A GOOD TRANSLATORDOES IT.THAT'S ALSO WHY TRANSLATION ISAN ART, RIGHT?I MEAN YOU GET THE MEANINGRIGHT?WHO KNOWS, IF IT'S APHILOSOPHER.PHILOSOPHERS MEAN A LOT OFTHINGS AT THE SAME TIME.QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE LEVELOF REALITY DOWN AT WHICH TO YOUTRANSLATE THE WORDS?IT SEEMS TO HAVE SOMETHING TODO WITH MOVEMENT AND ACTION ANDBEHAVIOURAL OUTPUT.IT SEEMS TO HAVE SOMETHING TODO WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ABODY.IT ISN'T A MERELY INTELLECTUALEXERCISE.WHEN YOU READ SOMETHING AND ITHAS MEANING, YOU THINK, I KNOWWHAT THAT MEANS.AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS HAVINGREAD THIS, I KNOW HOW TO DOSOMETHING DIFFERENTLY, OR IKNOW HOW TO CONCEPTUALIZESOMETHING DIFFERENTLY, SO THATMY ACTIONS WILL BE DIFFERENT INTHE FUTURE.THAT'S WHY WE GENERALLY SAY IFIT'S FICTION, IT HAS A MORAL.A BEHAVIOURAL CONSEQUENCE,THAT'S WHAT THE MEANING OF THESTORY IS.THAT'S THE POINT, YOU KNOW?GET THE POINT.THAT MEANS THAT... WELL, YOUEITHER DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLYOR YOU PERCEIVE.AND THEN ACT AGAINDIFFERENTLY.IF IT'S REALLY MEANINGFUL, YOUSAY, WELL, THAT CHANGED MYLIFE.WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?I NO LONGER SEE THINGS THE SAMEWAY.THAT'S AS CLOSE TO LITERALTRUTH AS YOU NEED.I NO LONGER THINK THE SAMETHINGS ARE IMPORTANT.WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT THINGS TOWHICH YOU DEVOTE YOUR ACTION.AND IF THE THING IS POWERFULLYMEANINGFUL, IT TRANSFORMS THEMANNER IN WHICH YOU ACT ANDAIMS TOWARD WHICH YOU ACT.THAT'S MEANINGFUL.HOUR LENSES HELP US SPECIFYMEANING.WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR LENSESGIVE YOU ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENTTAKES ON THE WORLD.YOU MIGHT THINK... WELL, ARETHOSE TAKES REAL?I WOULD SAY, WELL, HERE IS THEODD THING... THEY ARE REAL.BUT ANY VISUAL LANDSCAPE IS SOCOMPLEX, THAT YOU CAN DERIVE AVERY LARGE NUMBER OF REALREPRESENTATIONS OF IT.SO "COULD SAY, WELL, IS A LOWRESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPH REAL?IS IT MORE OR LESS REAL THAN AHIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPH?WHAT IF IT'S BLACK AND WHITE?IS THAT LESS OR MORE REAL THANCOLOUR?WHAT IF IT'S THREE-DIMENSIONAL?ABSTRACTED?ETC, ETC.YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MANYPHOTOGRAPHS OF A SINGLE OBJECTYOU COULD CONCEIVABLY TAKE.THEY ARE ALL SLICES OF WHATTHAT THING IS ORREPRESENTATIONAL SLICES OF OURCONCEPTION OF WHAT IT IS.THEY ARE ALL VALID.THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF VALIDINTERPRETATIONS.YOU KNOW, IT'S A FUNNY THING.BECAUSE THE HUMEITIES RAN INTOTHE FRAME PROBLEM, EH?THE HUMANITIES RUN INTO THEPROBLEM WITH POST MODERNISM.THE POST MODERNISTS STARTED TOBECOME AWARE OF THE FACT IF YOUTOOK A BOOK, THERE WAS NO ENDTO THE NUMBER OFINTERPRETATIONS YOU COULDDERIVE FROM IT.SO THE POST-MODERNIST THOUGHT,WELL, THEN ANYTHING GOES.NO TEXTS HAVE ANY INTRINSICMEANING.I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR AVARIETY OF REASONS.BUT IT'S AN APPROPRIATEINFERENCE GIVENWHAT THEY DISCOVERED.IF YOU CAN'T SPECIFY THEMEANING OF A TEXT, HOW CAN YOUBE SURE IT HAS MEANING AT ALL?VERY HARD QUESTION.As he speaks, Jordan changes the slides, which appear on a giant projection screen behind him. The screen is shown very briefly.He continues WELL, IT OURNS OUT THAT ATLEAST IN PART, MEANING ISDEPENDENT ON THE LENS.SO IMAGINE THIS IS WHAT THEWORLD IS LIKE.IT'S AN INFINITE HIERARCHALLANDSCAPE NOT OF OBJECTS BUT OFPATTERNS.SOME OF THOSE PATTERNS AREOBJECTS.PATTERNS THAT PERSIST, FOREXAMPLE.OR PATTERNS THAT PERSIST THATARE USEFUL.SO IF I SAY TO YOU... WELL,WHAT'S A CHAIR?AND YOU SAY, WELL, A CHAIR HASFOUR LEGS AND A SEAT AND A BACKAND I SAY, WELL, NO A STUMPDOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE.NEITHER DOES A BEAN BAG.BUT THEY ARE BOTH CHAIRS.AND SO THEN YOU SAY, WELL, IT'SA CHAIR IF YOU CAN SIT ON IT.I SAY, YOU CAN SIT ON A TABLE.AND IT TURNS OUT DEFINING WHATA CHAIR IS NO EASY THING THOUGHYOU KNOW ONE WHEN YOU SEE ONE.IMAGINE THIS.THE WORLD IS MADE OUT OFPATTERNS.THOSE PATTERNS CAN BEINTERPRETED IN A VERY LARGENUMBER OF WAYS.BUT IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THANTHAT.BECAUSE YOUR MIND IS MADE UP OFPATTERNS, TOO.AND WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR MIND INTHE PATTERNS THAT ARE IN YOURMIND AND YOU APPLY THEM TO THEWORLD, THEN WHAT YOU GET IS ANINTERACTION BETWEEN THEPATTERNS THAT THE WORLD AREMADE OUT OF... IS MADE OUT OF,AND THE PATTERN YOUR MIND AREMADE OUT OF.THAT'S AN EVEN MORE COMPLEXPATTERN.AND IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITHREALITY, AS SUCH.BUT IT ALSO HAS SOMETHING TO DOWITH YOU.AND THEN I WOULD SAY, WELL, THEREALITY IS ACTUALLY IN THEINTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWOSETS OF PATTERNS.AND I DON'T METAPHYSICALLY.WHEN I SAID, IF YOU WANT TOUNDERSTAND WHAT MUSIC MEANS YOUHAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOUTHINK ABOUT THINGS, WHAT I MEANIS THAT WHAT MUSIC SPEAKS OF ISA WAY OF UNDERSTANDING REALITYTHAT IS NOT LIKE THE WAY WEUNDERSTAND REALITY.AND YET IT'S A WAY... IT'S AWAY AT EVEN WHEN MERELY INATTHIS MAITD, WHICH IS WHAT MUSICDOES, IT GRIPS PEOPLEPOWERFULLY IN A WAY THAT CANNOTBE RATIONALLY CRITICIZED UNLESSSAY THE MEANING MUSIC SPEETIONOF IS NOT REAL.WELL, THEN I WOULD SAY... ITDEPENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION OFREALITY.YOU KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF WAYSTO PLAY THAT GAME.YOU CN DEFINE THING A OR THINGB AS REAL OR OUT OF REALITY INA VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS.WELL, YOU HAVE TO MAKE CHOICESABOUT WHAT YOU DECIDE IS REAL,RIGHT?THAT'S WHY PHILOSOPHERS SINCETIME IN MEMORIAL HAVE POINTEDOUT, LIKE IT OR NOT, YOUREXISTENCE IS GROUNDED IN FAITH.WHAT'S YOUR LENS LIKE?I CAN TELL YOU WHAT MY LENS ISLIKE.IMAGINE I'M WRITING A PAPER...WHICH I DO FAIRLY OFTEN.WHY DO I WRITE THE PAPER?WELL, LET'S MAKE IT SIMPLER.WHY DO I WRITE THE SENTENCE?WELL, I WRITE THE SENTENCE TOCONTRIBUTE TO THE PARAGRAPH.I WRITE THE PARAGRAPH TOCONTRIBUTE TO THE ESSAY.I WRITE THE ESSAY TO CONTRIBUTETO THE PAPER.AND I WRITE THE PAPER BECAUSEIT'S PART OF BEING A SCIENTISTAND I'M A SCIENTIST BECAUSEIT'S PART OF BEING A PROFESSOR.I'M A PROFESSOR BECAUSE IT'SPART OF, AT LEAST IN PRINCIPLE,BEING A GOOD CITIZEN, BEING AGOOD CITIZEN HAS A DEFINITIONIN A JUDEO CHRISTIAN CAPITALISTSOCIETY, BEING A GOOD CITIZENIS BEING A JUDEO CHRISTIANCAPITALIST FOR BETTER OR FORWORSE.HEY.AND SO EVEN WHEN I'M ENGAGED INSOMETHING AS POTENTIALLYTRIVIAL AS WRITING A SINGLESENTENCE IN AN ESSAY, ALL THOSESOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE BARE ON ITSIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THAT HELPSME SPECIFY ITS MEANING.YOU CAN'T SAY ANY ONE OF THOSELEVELS OF ANALYSIS IS MORE REALTHAN ANY OTHER.YOU CAN SAY IT'S MOREPRAGMATICALLY WORWHILE TOFOCUS ON A CERTAIN LEVEL AT ACERTAIN POINT IN TIME.BUT I'LL TELL YOU IF I... IF IGET A PAPER THAT'S REJECTEDBADLY ENOUGH... WHICH HAPPENSFAIRLY OFTEN... I DON'T STARTTHINKING... WELL, THE SENTENCEWAS WRONG.A slide shows a graph with concentric ovals, which reads "Write sentence: conduct internal argument; lack: sentence, desire: sentence."Outside of that oval, a larger one reads "Author manuscript: lack manuscript, desire manuscript."Jordan continues I START THINKING, I'M A PRETTYAWFUL SCIENTIST, AND THEREFOREI MUST NOT BE A VERY GOODPROFESSOR, AND THAT PUTS THEWHOLE PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN THINGIN DOUBT.AND YOU THINK HARD ABOUT THATFOR A BIT, YOU'LL UNDERSTANDREAL QUICK WHY PEOPLE DON'TLIKE OTHER PEOPLE WHO MESSAROUND WITH THEIRPRESUPPOSITIONS.RIGHT?IT GOES PRETTY QUICKLY UP THEOLD REALITY HIERARCHY FROM YOUHAVE A STUPID IDEA TO YOURMORAL GRIP ON YOUR PRIVILEGEDPOSITION IS UNJUSTIFIABLE.LET'S TAKE A SIMPLE LENS.OK.HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD?WELL, YOU'RE A MOTIVATEDCREATURE AND ALIVE AND ALWAYSDOING SOMETHING.FIDDLING AROUND WITH SOMETHING.YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD CREATIONMYTHS, THE GODDESS WHO LIVEDUNDER EVERYTHING WOULD COME UPIN A TERRIBLY DESTRUCTIVE ROAR,BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE RUNNINGAROUND ON THE PLANET DOINGTHINGS AND DISTURBING HER.WE STILL BELIEVE THAT RIGHT?BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IF WE MESSAROUND WITH THE ENVIRONMENTLONG ENOUGH, ALL HELL'S GOINGTO BREAK LOOSE.BUT WE A ARE ALWAYS RUNNINGAROUND MESSING THINGS UP.THAT'S WHAT WE DO, GOING POINTA TO POINT B.YOU HAVE A GOAL, YOU PURSUE IT.YOU GET THE GOAL.AS SOON AS YOU GET THE GOAL YOUHAVE ANOTHER GOAL AND PURSUETHAT.AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT.ROLL THE ROCK UP THE HILL,ROLLS DOWN THE HILL.ROLL IT UP THE HILL.ROLLS DOWN THE HILL.EVENTUALLY YOU GET TIREDTHAT AND DIE.[LAUGHTER]Jordan continues YOU'RE STUCK IN ONE OF THESEAND IT GIVES YOUR LIFE VALUE.TURNS OUT THE WAY YOUREMOTIONAL SYSTEMS WORK, THEYONLY WORK IF YOU HAVE A GOAL.YOU HAVE A GOAL, WHATEVER THATIS, AND ANYTHING THAT HAPPENSTO YOU THAT PUTS YOU CLOSER TOTHE GOAL, THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.THAT TURNS ON YOUR SYSTEMS THATMAKE YOU GO AHEAD, MOVEFORWARD, BE ATTRACTED TO.ANYTHING THAT GETS IN THE WAYOF YOUR GOAL DEPENDING ON ITSPOTENCY, PRODUCES NEGATIVEEMOTION.DISAPPOINTMENT, SHAME, GUILT,ANGER, STOPS YOU.OR MAKES YOU MOVE BACKWARDS.YOU'RE A PRETTY SIMPLE CREATUREIN SOME WAYS.YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE.IF THINGS ARE GOING WELL,YOU'RE HAPPY, BECAUSE HAPPYMEANS THINGS ARE GOING WELL INPROGRESSION TO A GOAL.AND IF THEY AREN'T, YOU'RE NOTHAPPY.FORWARD, STOP, REVERSE.FORWARD IS HAPPY, STOPPED ISANXIOUS, REVERSE ISFRUSTRATION, DISAPPOINTMENT,PAIN.WE ARE LINEAR CREATURES ALWAYSON THE MOVE.WE LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH AMOTIVATED LENS, RIGHT?THIS ISN'T SECONDARY.A slide reads "What is: the unbearable present. What should be: the ideal future."Between both elements, three sentences read "A planned sequence of behavior."Jordan continues IT'S NOT AFTER-PERCEPTION.IT INFORMS PERCEPTION ITSELF.WHICH MEANS REALLY THAT YOUCAN'T LOOK AT THE WORLD WITHOUTWANTING SOMETHING.AND WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT THEWAY THE WORLD LOOKS TO YOUDEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WANT.THAT'S A SCARY THOUGHT.WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU'RELOOKING AT THE WORLD?WELL, YOU SEE THE NOT-OBJECTS.THEY HAVE BEEN CALLEDAFFORDANCES.YOU SEE THINGS THAT HAVERELEVANCE TO YOU.WELL, A THING HAS TO PERSIST ABIT FOR IT TO BE RELEVANT TO YOU.SO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WESEE ARE OBJECTS.BUT NOT EVERYTHING.HERE IS AN AD HOC CATEGORY...FIREMEN CAN SEE THIS.BUT OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T.THINGS TO TAKE OUT OF YOURAPARTMENT WHILE IT'S BURNINGDOWN.OK.NOW THAT'S A CATEGORY, RIGHT?YOU CAN EVEN IMAGINE IT AS APER SEPTEMBER ACTUAL CATEGORY.THE THINGS IT SHARES SHARE NOOBJECTIVE FEATURES.PETS.SPOUSES, PROBABLY.Some people laugh.Jordan continues THINGS OF SENTIMENTAL VALUE.MONEY.WELL, THEN, MAYBE THE LIST GETSMORE DIFFICULT TO DEFINE.YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU SEE THATTHE GOAL THERE, WHICH IS TO GETOUT OF THE APARTMENT BEFORE YOUDIE WITH SOME THINGS OF VALUE,DEFINES WHAT YOU SEE.AND YOU MAY OBJECT, I WOULDN'TACTUALLY SEE THAT.AND I WOULD SAY, OH, YEAH, YOUWOULD.IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A BOWL OFFRUIT AND IT HAS THREE BANANASAND TWO APPLES AND AN ORANGE INIT AND I ASK YOU WHAT THAT IS,AND YOU SAY A BOWL OF FRUIT,WHAT YOU SEE IS FRUIT, NOT TWOAPPLES AND WHATEVER IMENTIONED, TWO BANANAS, APEACH.YOU SEE FRUIT.YOU SEE WHAT YOU CATEGORIZE.OR OPPOSITE.YOU CATEGORIZE WHEN YOU SEE.SO YOU'RE MOVING FROM WHERE YOUARE TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO ANDPARSE THE WORLD INTO USEFULTHINGS THAT GET YOU WHERE YOUWANT TO GO, AND ANNOYING THINGSTHAT DON'T.AND IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUTFINE, WELL, YOU GET HERE, THENYOU HAVE A NEW ONE OF THESE.BUT THERE'S A CATCH.NOW, HERE IS THE CATCH.WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD, YOUHARDLY SEE ANYTHING THAT'STHERE.YOU KNOW?YOU SIMPLIFY THINGS.BUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DON'TSEE IS STILL THERE.SO IMAGINE THAT YOU'REINHABITING THIS LITTLE SORT OFSIMPLIFIED AND SOMEWHATPERFECTED DOMAIN ALL THE TIME.IT'S WANDERING AROUND YOU.IT'S PART OF WHAT YOU INHABIT.BUT THE REAL WORLD... WHATEVERTHAT IS... IS OUT THERE.I OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT THE STORYOF... IN GENESIS, THE STORY OFADAM AND EVE IN THAT REGARD.WHEN YOU HAVE... THERE'S A KINDOF PARADISE WHERE EVERYTHING ISREALLY GOING WELL.AND YOU KNOW YOU'VE ALL LIVEDIN A PARADISE LIKE THAT THINGSWERE GOING REALLY WELL, RIGHT?THERE'S ALWAYS SNAKES IN THOSEPARADISES.THE REASON FOR THAT IS JUSTBECAUSE THINGS ARE GOING WELLDOESN'T MEAN YOU'VE ACCOUNTEDFOR EVERYTHING.AND YOU CAN'T ACCOUNT FOREVERYTHING.SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHINGLURKING AROUND FROM UNDERNEATHAND IF YOU GO AND MESS WITHTHAT THING, THEN... ALL HELLBREAKS LOOSE.YOU THINK, HAS THAT EVERHAPPENED TO YOU?SURE.HAPPENS TO YOU IF YOU HAVE ARELATIONSHIP AND THE PERSONYOU'RE HAVING A RELATIONSHIPWITH CHEATS ON YOU.THAT'S A SNAKE FOR SURE.IT HAPPENS TO YOU IF YOU'REWELL AND THEN YOU'RE NOT.IT HAPPENS TO YOU IF YOU'REDEPENDENT ON A FAMILY MEMBERAND THEY DIE.IT'S THE UNREVEALED COMPLEXITYOF THE WORLD THAT MANIFESTSITSELF SUDDENLY, THAT WREAKSHAVOC ON OUR LITTLE PARADISES.WELL, AND WE'RE SO DAMNCURIOUS, EH?WE JUST CAN'T LEAVE WELL ENOUGHALONE.THAT'S HUMAN BEINGS FOR SURE,RIGHT?JUST LIKE THE CATHOLICS SAY.HERITABLE SIN.YOU PUT PEOPLE IN A PARADISE,AND TELL THEM NOT TO DOSOMETHING, THAT'S THE FIRSTTHING THEY WILL DO.WE ARE CURIOUS, UNRAVELLINGSWEATERS AND LOOKING AT THINGSWE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOOK ATAND SO ON AND SO FORTH.YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT THING.WE LEARN A LOT.BUT WE PAY A BIG PRICE FOR IT.THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOULOOK AT WHEN YOU DON'T KNOWWHAT YOU SEE?WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE WHENYOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SEE?SO THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY...THIS IS A VERY, VERY HARD THINGTO UNDERSTAND.REMEMBER WHEN THE TOWERS FELL?WHAT DID YOU SEE?WELL, YOU SAY I SAW THE TOWERSFALL.I SAY NO, NO, NO.IF ALL YOU SAW WAS THAT THETOWERS FELL YOU WOULDN'T HAVELOOKED AT IT 50 TIMES.WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT50 TIMES?WELL, BECAUSE YOU COULDN'TBELIEVE IT.WHAT DID THAT MEAN?IT MEANT THAT THE EVENT WAS SOCOMPLEX THAT YOU COULDN'TPERCEIVE IT.WHAT FELL?THE MONETARY SYSTEM IN THE U.S.THE WESTERN ECONOMY.IT WAS THE TRANSFORMATION OFTHE COLD WAR.IT WAS A NEW PARADIGM.IT WAS A BATTLE BETWEEN GOODAND EVIL, THAT POPPED UP PRETTYQUICK, LIKE THE NEXT DAY PRETTYMUCH.YOU HAD TO LOOK AT IT OVER ANDOVER AND OVER, BECAUSE YOUDIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERESEEING.YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SEE WHATYOU WERE SEEING.YOU THINK, OK, I DON'T QUITEGET THAT.THEN I WOULD THINK, OK.WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING YOUR CARAND BREAKS DOWN, WHAT IS ITWHEN IT BREAKS DOWN?YOU MIGHT SAY IT'S A CAR.AND I WOULD SAY, IF YOU PERSISTON THINKING THAT THAT THINGTHAT ISN'T MOVING IS A CAR,YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE NOTHINGBUT FRUSTRATION.BECAUSE WHAT IT IS NOW IS AVERY COMPLEX ASSEMBLAGE OFPARTS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.ONE OF WHICH IS KEY TOTRANSFORMING IT BACK INTO ACAR.AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT ITREVEALS ITSELF SUDDENLY AS ACONSEQUENCE OF ITSNONCOMPLIANCE WITH YOUR WISHES,AS THE COMPLEX STRUCTUREDENTITY THAT IT ACTUALLY IS.YOU HAVE TO GO PAY A MECHANIC,BECAUSE THE MECHANIC KNOWS THEMAGIC SEQUENCE THAT WILL TURNTHIS INTRANSIGENT PIECE OFCOMPLEX JUNK BACK INTO THESIMPLE THING YOU CAN DRIVE TOWORK.YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT RIGHT?BECAUSE IT'S VALUABLE.BECAUSE FOR YOU TO GET THATTHING BACK TO BEING A CAR, TAKEYOU MAYBE 10 YEARS.BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU KNOW?YOU'RE LIKELY TO MAKE IT WORSE.THE MECHANIC WILL JUST GO...TAP.AND YOU'LL SAY, YOU CHARGED ME500 dollars FOR THAT.HE WILL SAY, WELL, IT'S ASAVINGS FOR YOU, RIGHT?YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TAP.IT'S A LONG TRIP.[LAUGHTER]Jordan continues WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU DON'TKNOW WHAT TO SEE?THAT'S WHAT I THINK MUSIC ISABOUT.NOW, I'LL TELL YOU WHY.SO WHAT MUSIC DOES... THINK OFBACH.WHAT HE DOES, HE TAKES THISTEMPORAL SPAN AND THEN HEBUILDS THESE COMPLEX PATTERNSACROSS IT, RIGHT?SOME OF THE PATTERNS GO LIKETHIS.AND SOME OF THEM GO LIKE THIS.SOME OF THEM GO LIKE THIS.He gestures around using his hands and then continuesAND THERE'S A PATTERN HERE ANDA PATTERN HERE AND A PATTERNHERE AND THERE, AND SOME OFTHEM ARE GOING BACKWARDS.THE GUY'S COMPLICATED, YOUKNOW?IT'S STUNNING, ACTUALLY.HE ACTUALLY WROTE A SONG YOUCAN PLAY UPSIDE DOWN ANDBACKWARDS AND IT'S THE SAMESONG.MAN, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.BACH WROTE SO MUCH MUSIC ITWOULD TAKE A TALENTED COPYIST...SOMEONE WHO JUST COPIESMUSIC... 40 YEARS OF EIGHT-HOURDAYS JUST TO TRANSCRIBE IT.ANYWAYS.BUT HE PRESENTS YOU WITH THISLANDSCAPE.IT'S AN BE A TRACTED LANDSCAPE.WHAT THE LANDSCAPE SAYS IS,LOOK AT ALL THE COOL PATTERNS.THERE'S JUST LAYERS AND LAYERSOF THEM.THEN HE ASKS YOUR PERPERCEPTUAL SYSTEM, FOCUS ONTHIS ONE.THIS INTERESTING THING ISHAPPENING, IT'S LIKE A COMPUTERCOME... IT HAS THIS EDGE OFNOVELTY ON.THE NOVELTY KEEPS YOU GRIPPED.YOU CAN PICK OUT PATTERNS.AT BACH YOU DO IT 10 LEVELS ATA TIME.IT'S AN ANALOGUE OF THE REALWORLD.AND YOU GET THAT AS SOON AS YOUSTOP THINKING OF THE REAL WORLDAS A SIMPLE PLACE OF OBJECTS.IT'S NOT.IT'S A COMPLEX PLACE OFPATTERNS.THOSE PATTERNS SHIFT AND CHANGEWITH DIFFERENT... IN DIFFERENTSITUATIONS AND WITH DIFFERENTTEMPORAL FRAMES OF REFERENCE.THAT'S WHAT MUSIC IS TELLINGYOU THAT HE IS WHY IT'S SODEEPLY MEANINGFUL.MUSIC SAYS TO YOU... THIS ISACTUALLY THE STRUCTURE OF THEWORLD, BEYOND YOUR SIMPLEPERCEPTIONS.THIS IS THE STRUCTURE OF THEWORLD.An abstract painting appears, with geometrical figures in a concentric pattern.Jordan continues WELL, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IFIGURED OUT WHEN I WAS MAKINGTHIS THING, YOU KNOW?I WANTED IT TO KIND OF ROTATE ABIT.I DON'T KNOW IF IT'SSUCCESSFUL.IT'S ACTUALLY A CUBE THAT'S SETON EDGE, SO THAT'S THE EDGE OFTHE CUBE THERE.AND SO YOU CAN SEE INTO THECUBE.IT'S A SPIRAL AT THE SAME TIME.AND IT'S A TUNNEL.IMAGINE A TUNNEL THAT'S GOINGBACK TO A POINT.AND IT'S FRAGMENTED INTO THESEFOUR THINGS HERE.SO IT'S LIKE THINGS AREBURSTING OUT OF THE MIDDLE OFTHIS TUNNEL.THAT'S WHAT MUSIC IS LIKE,RIGHT?THIS CONSTANT ONSLAUGHT OF NEW,COMPLEX PATTERN FORMS.I THOUGHT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?I THOUGHT, THIS MEANSSOMETHING.THIS MEANS SOMETHING.I CAN FEEL IT.LIKE I CAN EXPERIENCE IT.I SAY, WELL, IF YOU EXPERIENCEIT, IT'S REAL.YOU MIGHT THINK, THE MEANING OFMUSIC ISN'T REAL.WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOUMEAN, RIGHT?IT DEPENDS ON YOURPRESUPPOSITIONS.WHAT MEANS THINGS IS REAL.THIS IS A FUNNY TURN OF PHRASEBUT I LIKE IT.MATERIALIST S THINK THE WORLDIS MADE OUT OF MATTER.THIS PER SPECK SIV ISPREDICATED ON THE IDEA THATREALITY IS MADE OUT OF WHATMATTERS.AND MUSIC EXPRESSES WHATMATTERS.WELL, THEN YOU THINK... WELL,IS THERE ANY REASON TO THINKTHAT WAY?I WOULD SAY, WELL... TAKING APAGE... BEAUTY WILL SAVE THEWORLD.IT'S A FUNNY THING, EH?BECAUSE HE'S ACTUALLY ONE OFTHE PEOPLE WHO HELPED SAVE THEWORLD BECAUSE HIS TRUTH WAS ATLEAST IN PART RESPONSIBLE FORKNOCKING DOWN THE TYRANNY OFTHE SOVIET UNION.MAYBE HE'S SOMEONE WORTHLISTENING TO.WHAT'S MEANING WORTH?IF YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC, YOUKNOW.YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT MUSICDOES TO YOU.IT'S DIRECT.IT'S IN YOUR OWN EXPERIENCEFIELD.THE PROBLEM IS YOU CAN'TEXACTLY QUANTIFY OR QUALIFY ITBY REFERRING TO OTHER PEOPLEBECAUSE IT'S A PERSONALEXPERIENCE.BUT JUST BAUSE IT'S APERSONAL EXPERIENCE DOESN'TMEAN IT ISN'T REAL.PAIN IS REAL.OR ISN'T IT?I TELL YOU IF YOU'RE IN ENOUGHPAIN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BERATIONALLY ARGUING ABOUT THATPOINT.YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN IDEA INOUR CULTURE THAT IT'S WHAT WEKNOW THAT SAVES US, IN A WAY.THAT KEEPS US ABLE TO COPE WITHALL OF THE PRESSURES OF BEINGALIVE.THAT'S TRUE.YOU KNOW?WHAT WE KNOW IS VERY, VERYUSEFUL.BUT IT'S NOT USEFUL ENOUGH,BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOUKNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN PROBLEMSTHAT YOU STILL HAVE.AND THERE ARE ETERNAL PROBLEMS.THERE ARE THE PROBLEMS THATYOU'RE FRAGILE.IN ALL SORTS OF WAYS.MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY,EMOTIONALLY.YOU KNOW?YOU'RE NOT AS GOOD LOOKING ASYOU MIGHT BE, ETC, ETC.NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU KNOW,NONE OF THAT IS REALLY GOING TOCHANGE.SO YOU FIND COLD COMFORT INKNOWLEDGE.AND I'M NOT PUTTING DOWNKNOWLEDGE.KNOWLEDGE IS A GREAT THING.BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.SO THEN YOU THINK... WELL, WHATDO YOU HAVE EXCEPT WHAT YOUKNOW?AND THEN I WOULD SAY, YOU HAVEWHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.AND THERE'S A LOT OF THAT.RIGHT?YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO RUN OUTOF WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.AND THEN I WOULD SAY, WELL THENMAYBE WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCEBETWEEN HAVING A LIFE THAT ISACCEPTABLE AND APPROPRIATE ANDONE THAT'S RESENTFUL AND FULLOF HATRED IS WHAT SORT OFRELATIONSHIP YOU ESTABLISH WITHWHAT IT IS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW.THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TO LEARN.AND YOU SEE, IN FAIRY TALES ANDRELIGIOUS MYTHOLOGY, PEOPLE AREALWAYS EXHORTED TO BE HUMBLE.IT'S VERY ANNOYING THING TO BE,I WOULD SAY.BUT THERE'S A FUNNY... THERE ISA TWIST ON THAT.IT'S A VERY INTERESTING NOTION,BECAUSE THE HUMBLE PERSON ISN'TEXACTLY MEEK.THE HUMBLE PERSON IS SOMEONEWHO KNOWS THAT THE EXPANSE OFWHAT THEY DON'T KNOW SUPERSEDESTHE EXPANSE OF WHAT THEY DOKNOW.AND SO THAT IT'S IN THEENCOUNTER WITH WHAT'S NOT KNOWNTHAT ALL THE REAL INFORMATION...THAT'SA WHERE ALL THE ACTIONTAKES PLACE.YOU KNOW THAT.BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE INTERESTINGAND IT GRIPS YOU, YOU KNOWYOU'RE ON THE EDGE WHERE THEINFORMATION IS COMING.THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT EXCITING.YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL OFSOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOWAND IT GRIPS YOU.IT SHOULD GRIP YOU BECAUSETHAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GETTING ALLTHE NEW INFORMATION.WHAT MUSIC DOES AS FAR AS WHATI'M CONCERNED IT SPEAKS TO USABOUT WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.IT SAYS, LOOK, OUTSIDE OF OURPRESUPPOSITIONS THERE IS THISDOMAIN THAT IS CONSTANTLY PATPATTERNED AND.TIVE AND MEANINGFUL.IF YOU'RE OPEN TO IT IN THERIGHT WAY, TO WATCH WHAT YOU'REDOING IN MORE THAN A MERELYINTELLECTUAL SENSE, THAT THISUNKNOWN PAT EARNED EXPANSE ISRICHLY SUSTAINING, I THINKEVERY TIME YOU LISTEN TO APIECE OF MUSIC AND IT GRABSYOU, THAT'S WHAT IT'S TELLINGYOU.I THINK YOU KNOW THAT.YOU DON'T KNOW IT TO SAY IT.BUT THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS YOUDON'T KNOW TO SAY.YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO KEEP YOURHEART BEATING.YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO WALK.THE LIST OF THINGS YOU DON'TKNOW IS A VERY LONG LIST.AND THE MERE FACT THAT YOUDON'T KNOW IT DOESN'T MEAN ITISN'T TRUE.THEN YOU ASK YOURSELF WITHREGARDS TO YOUR RELATION SLIPWITH SOMETHING LIKE SOMETHINGLIKE MUSIC, IS WHAT IT SAYS REAL OR NOT?I WOULD SAY, LIKE PAIN, WHATMUSIC TELLS YOU IS SO REAL ITMAKES OTHER THINGS REAL PALE INCOMPARISON.I LIKE MUSIC A LOT.SO MAYBE THAT'S AN EXPERIENCETHAT'S IDIOSYNCRATIC TO ME.BUT THEN YOU EXPLAIN I SUPPOSE,WHY MUSIC HAS HAD SUCH APOWERFUL GRIP ON OUR CULTURE?IT'S FUNNY, EH?I READ A BOOK ON EVOLUTIONARYPSYCHOLOGY WRITTEN BY STEVENPICKER, THIS BIG, THICK BOOK.THERE WAS LIKE ONE LITTLE THINCHAPTER AT THE END DEVOTED TOAESTHETICS, MUSIC ANDRELIGION.I THOUGHT, THAT'S PRETTYINTERESTING.BECAUSE FOR SOME PEOPLE, LIKEAESTHETICS, RELIGION ANDPHILOSOPHY IS LIKE THIS MUCH OFTHE BOOK.BUT THE REST OF IT BEING THISMUCH.AND I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTEDIN DEBATING THAT.WHAT I AM INTERESTED MORE INSAYING IS THAT THERE'S A WAY TOUNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT OURAESTHETIC EXPERIENCES TELL US,BUT WHAT THEY TELL US ISN'T INTHE LANGUAGE THAT WE NORMALLYSPEAK.AND THE LANGUAGE THATAESTHETICS TALKS IN HASSOMETHING GENUINE TO OFFER US.IT'S NOT EPIPHENOMENAL, NOTSECONDARY, IT'S FUNDAMENTAL ANDPRIMARY.IT'S ABOUT WHAT THINGS MEAN ANDHOW TO ACT.FOR US THAT'S A BIG DEAL.BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TOACT.AND THE ARTS TELL US THAT.MUSIC TELLS US THAT IN THE MOSTSORT OF COMPREHENSIVE AND...THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ANDABSTRACT WAY.IT STILL GRIPS YOU THOUGH.IT GRIPS YOUR BODY AND MAKESYOU MOVE.IT'S ABSTRACT BUT CONCRETE ATTHE SAME TIME.YOU CAN'T ARGUE IT AWAY.IF YOU EXPERIENCE IT YOU CANSEE EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS.I THINK THAT WHEN YOU LISTEN TOMUSIC, WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE ISWHAT YOU SHOULD EXPERIENCE INRELATIONSHIP TO REALITY.I THINK IT'S THAT OBSERVATIONTHAT DOES FOR YOU WHAT IT ISTHAT MUSIC DOES FOR YOU.AND ALL GREAT ART DOES THAT ANDALL GREAT LITERATURE.AND I WOULD SAY, THERE'S NOREASON NOT TO ASSUME IT'S REAL.THAT'S IT.[Applause]The clip ends, and Andrew reappears in the studio with a caption that reads "Andrew Moodie."He says OH, IF MUSIC COULD BE THE FRUITOF LOVE, PLAY ON.ACCORDING TO PETERSON,EXISTENCE IS MADE UP OFINFINITE HIRE ARCUAL LANDSCAPESOF PATTERNS.ONLY THROUGH FOCUSING LENS OFYOUR PERCEPTION DO YOU MAKE ANYSENSE OF EXISTENCE AT ALL.THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THE WORLDGUIDED BY YOUR WANTS.THE WAY THE WORLD LOOKS AT YOUDEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WANT.PETERSON ASKS THE BIG QUESTIONTHAT WE ALL ASK AT SOME POINTIN OUR LIVES OR ANOTHER.WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT WHEN YOUDON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SEEK.IT'S HARD TO SEE THE WORLD ORYOUR PLACE IN IT IF YOU DON'TKNOW HOW TO FOCUS ON WHAT YOUWANT.BUT WE CAN HELP YOU TO FOCUSSOMEWHAT.Send us an email to bigideas@tvo.orgAnd we'll send you, every week, an emailTelling you what's on Big Ideas.I'm Andrew MoodieAnd I'll see you next time.[Theme music plays]The end credits roll.bigideas@tvo.org416-484-2746Big Ideas. Producer, Wodek Szemberg.Producers, Lara Hindle, Mike Miner, Gregg Thurlbeck.Logos: Unifor, Canadian Media Guild.A production of TVOntario. Copyright 2006, The Ontario Educational Communications Authority.

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