PHILIP GOFF IN CONVERSATION WITH DESSY GAVRILOVA
SAMSTAG, 26.09.2026 / 17h00
AKADEMIE DER BILDENDEN KÜNSTE WIEN, SITZUNGSSAAL
Modern science has told us that the universe is a vast, accidental machine, and human consciousness is a mere byproduct of blind evolutionary chance. But what if the laws of physics themselves point toward a purpose? Investigating the bizarre “fine-tuning” of our physical laws, philosopher PHILIP GOFF argues that the universe is not a cosmic accident, but a system inherently driven toward value, life, and mind. In conversation with Vienna Humanities Festival co-founder DESSY GAVRILOVA, the author of Why? The Purpose of the Universe (Oxford University Press, 2023) will synthesize scientific evidence supporting the philosophical argument of the existence of cosmic meaning.
PHILIP GOFF is a philosopher of consciousness. He is best known for defending panpsychism, the view that consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe. Once ridiculed, panpsychism is now taken seriously in both science and philosophy, and Goff has been the leading figure in that resurgence. Goff has also written on connections between science and spirituality, exploring liberal and scientifically credible ways of engaging in spirituality.
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