Top Psychologist & Scientist (Donald Hoffman): Science Has the Answer to Why Seeing True Reality Would Kill You!

Top Psychologist & Scientist (Donald Hoffman): Science Has the Answer to Why Seeing True Reality Would Kill You!

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett · 2025-07-31

WARNING: Nothing you see is real, and your brain evolved to hide the truth?! Top psychologist Donald Hoffman reveals the mathematical proof we’re living in a virtual illusion, how space-time is just a headset, and why consciousness is the real code.



Donald Hoffman is an award-winning cognitive scientist and professor at the University of California, Irvine. He is best known for his groundbreaking research into perception and consciousness, and is also the author of the book ‘The Case Against Reality’.



He explains:



Why seeing true reality would kill us




How evolution hides reality to help us survive




What’s really behind the space-time illusion




How your brain acts like a VR headset




How consciousness builds the universe




Why space, gravity, and nuclear forces don’t actually fit together






00:00 Intro

02:30 Do We Understand What We're Seeing?

02:35 Rhonda's Mission, Drive, and the Problems She Wants to Solve

03:03 Space-Time

05:39 Are We in a Virtual Reality World?

07:50 Darwin’s Theory Suggests Our World Isn’t Real

13:06 What Would Reality Be Without Our Senses?

18:07 Simulations That Prove This Isn’t Real

23:28 What This Means for Living a Better Life

33:43 Understand Who You Are

38:24 Simulation Theories

43:18 What’s the Meaning of Life in This Reality?

44:56 Did Someone or Something Create Consciousness?

46:59 Where Does God Fit in This Reality?

48:24 Was Jesus Divine Beyond Any of Us?

52:56 Near-Death Experience and What Happens When We Die

01:02:05 Grief and Love

01:05:14 Light and Tunnel in Near-Death Experiences

01:07:25 Why Do We Suffer?

01:18:49 What Is Your Theory of Consciousness Proving?

01:24:55 Biggest Discovery: We Can Engineer Time

01:28:59 The Consequences of Your Findings

01:38:26 Mental Health and Illusions

01:45:36 How This Reality Helps You Deal with Life

01:52:24 The Nature of Reality and AI

01:57:54 What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?



Follow Professor Donald:

X - https://bit.ly/4obiFIj

Instagram - https://bit.ly/478nUT3

UC Irvine - https://bit.ly/3ITwVFC



You can purchase Professor Donald’s book, ‘The Case Against Reality’, here: https://amzn.to/4ocB7k3



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The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett is a podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett, the CEO of the social media management company, Social Chain. The podcast features Bartlett's reflections on his experiences as a CEO, as well as interviews with other business leaders and entrepreneurs. The show provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of running a successful business, as well as the personal journeys of its guests. The Diary of a CEO is known for its honest and candid discussions on the realities of being a CEO, and is aimed at helping listeners understand the inner workings of successful businesses.

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Steven Bartlett is a British entrepreneur, investor, and author. He’s the founder of Flight Story – a media company – and Flight Fund, an investment fund backing the next generation of category-defining businesses.
He created The Diary Of A CEO to share the unfiltered pages of the personal diaries of the world’s most fascinating CEOs, experts, therapists, and leaders – with the hope that their lessons will help both you and him live better lives.
DOAC is a double acronym: Diary Of A CEO, but also Dreamers, Open-minded, Awareness, and Connection.This is your corner of the internet to dream boldly, think openly, expand your awareness, and feel more connected.

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