The Meaning-Making Animal

Why are human beings so good at finding patterns—and so bad at knowing when those patterns are real? In the first episode of Psychonautical, Mason explores the science of pattern recognition, pareidolia, apophenia, predictive processing, and the human need to create meaning from uncertainty. The episode follows the evolution of human thought from ancient omens, astrology, and alchemy to the development of modern scientific methods. Along the way, we examine Jung’s concept of synchronicity, the