Historically, people relied on supernatural explanations for physical phenomena, attributing cause to gods or God. However, over the last 150 years, the scientific method has led to disenchantment, where people understand the underlying mechanics of events and prioritize scientific explanations over spiritual ones. In this episode of The Jewish Wisdom For Business and Life podcast, host Levi Brackman discusses transitioning from an enchanted world of magical thinking to a disenchanted world ...
Historically, people relied on supernatural explanations for physical phenomena, attributing cause to gods or God. However, over the last 150 years, the scientific method has led to disenchantment, where people understand the underlying mechanics of events and prioritize scientific explanations over spiritual ones.
In this episode of The Jewish Wisdom For Business and Life podcast, host Levi Brackman discusses transitioning from an enchanted world of magical thinking to a disenchanted world driven by scientific explanations.
Levi acknowledges that even religious individuals have experienced this shift towards disenchantment, with fewer people engaging in magical thinking. Despite this trend, he contends that enchantment and magical thinking have positive aspects, as they have been part of human existence for most of history. He explores the drawbacks of extreme disenchantment experienced in the Western world, which have led to a decline in spirituality and dismissal of anything that cannot be explained scientifically. On the other end of the spectrum, some still live an entirely enchanted life, attributing all phenomena to God.
The podcast encourages listeners to consider the benefits and drawbacks of both enchantment and disenchantment and the importance of finding a balance between the two extremes. Levi emphasizes the importance of recognizing what we know and what remains unknowable and suggests that embracing some enchantment can lead to a more fulfilling life. Disenchantment is relatively new, and the long-term effects of living in a disenchanted world are unknown. A life devoid of enchantment can make life seem meaningless, as everything is explained by empirical evidence. Believing in something greater than ourselves can provide a sense of purpose.
Individuals can cultivate a more meaningful existence by believing in the potential for a more significant impact and having humility about the limits of our knowledge. The podcast ultimately suggests that navigating the complexities of enchantment and disenchantment is crucial for leading an honest, fulfilling, and purposeful life.
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Levi Brackman is a rabbi, Ph.D. in psychology, best-selling author of Jewish Wisdom for Business Success, and founder of Invown, a platform for real estate fundraising and investing.
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