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In this conversation based on his new book, The Romance of Reality, cognitive neuroscientist Bobby Azarian explains how for centuries the question Why do we exist? was the sole province of religion and philosophy. According to the prevailing scientific paradigm, the universe tends toward randomness; it functions according to laws without purpose, and the emergence of life is an accident devoid of meaning. But Azarian argues that out of complexity science and the phenomenon known as emergence, a new cosmic narrative is taking shape: Nature\\u2019s simplest \\u201cparts\\u201d come together to form ever-greater \\u201cwholes\\u201d in a process that has no end in sight, and that life is moving toward increasing complexity and awareness. Carl Sagan was right when he said of humanity that \\u201cwe are a way for the cosmos to know itself.\\u201d

Shermer and Azarian discuss: laws of thermodynamics and directionality \\u2022 how complexity formed after the Big Bang \\u2022 laws of nature: discovered or created or both? \\u2022 Stephen Jay Gould and contingency vs. necessitating laws of nature \\u2022 convergent evolution and directionality in evolution \\u2022 the left wall of simplicity \\u2022 leading theories for the origin of life \\u2022 complexity theory and emergence \\u2022 consciousness, the self, and other minds \\u2022 free will, determinism, compatibilism, panpsychism \\u2022 Is there purpose in the cosmos?

Bobby Azarian is a cognitive neuroscientist (PhD, George Mason University) and a science journalist. He has written 100+ articles \\u2014 many reaching millions of views \\u2014 about science, technology, and philosophy for publications including The Atlantic, New York Times, BBC Future, Scientific American, Slate, Huffington Post, Quartz, Daily Beast, Aeon, among others. Azarian has authored numerous academic papers, published in peer-reviewed journals such as Human Brain Mapping, Cognition & Emotion, and Acta Psychologica. His blog \\u201cMind in the Machine,\\u201d hosted by Psychology Today, has received over 8 million views. Azarian worked with The Atlantic and Huffington Post to create viral videos, which he helped write the scripts for and narrated.