Christopher Jonathan Ott - Official Site
Talks, books, essays, video channels and blogs of philosopher Chris Ott
Chris Ott is an American philosopher. His principal theory is called the evolution of perception. This site serves as a hub with links to all his relevant books, papers and videos.
EOP TRILOGY: The three original books on the evolution of perception concept (2025)
A collector's edition of the original three books on the concept of an evolution of perception. It includes The Evolution of Perception and the Cosmology of Substance (2004), Evolution of Perception Re-Explained (2021) and Further Reflections (2024).
In 2004 Christopher Ott introduced an extremely new approach to understanding the origin and formation of the Universe, one which addresses metaphysical conundrums that have stymied philosophers and theologians alike for millennia. Instead of positing a metaphysical causal entity – either a theoretical original substance or particle, or a theoretical personal deity, Ott explores the possibility of an evolution of perceptual schemas, modes of perceiving that we can readily observe operating in our experiential organisation every day. The idea is radical. Yet it resorts to neither the growing anti-God vitriol nor its accompanying cynical nihilism. A hopeful new paradigm for the future, supported by the previously enigmatic sayings of ancient sages as well as possibilities considered by numerous philosophers down through the ages. The idea is not for everyone, but for a few bold thinkers this might turn out to be the ‘third way’ they have been looking for.
$24.99
Published Books (Most recent first)
Further Reflections: A discussion of the concept of the evolution of perception with a deep dive into the subject of causation (2024 book)
(Free PDF Download) (Thinking that leads to the evolution of perception is explored. Published November 21, 2024)
Evolution of Perception Re-Explained: A Radical New View of Reality (2021 book)
(Free PDF Download) (A much more fleshed out explanation of the concept of the evolution of perception. Published February 25, 2021)
Intelligence Notebooks, by Meher Baba, edited by Chris Ott (2012 book)
(Free PDF Download) (A book by Meher Baba edited by Chris Ott from scans of the original handwritten fair copy discovered in India in 1969. Published free online on August 12, 2012)
The Evolution of Perception & the Cosmology of Substance: A Simpler Theory of Everything (2004 book)
(Free PDF Download) (The original book introducing the evolution of perception concept. Published June 24, 2004)
Video Playlists (Most recent first)
The Future of the Baba World (Ongoing series of talks started 5/21/25)
The God Dilemma (Series of 3 talks recorded from 9/23/24 to 12/4/24)
The Psychic Emergent Universe (Series of 5 talks recorded from 10/28/23 to 12/15/23)
Metaphysics (Series of 20 talks recorded from 6/1/23 to 10/3/23)
On Meher Baba (Series of 23 talks recorded from 2/14/23 to 5/29/23)
On Cause (Series of 11 talks recorded from 3/8/20 to 5/26/20)
Talks With Kerry (Series of 11 talks recorded from 10/29/19 to 12/17/19)
Baba and the Future (Series of 11 talks recorded from 1/1/18 to 4/16/18)
Essays, Papers, Collections (Most recent are at the bottom)
Refutations of Idealism (My Master's Thesis, May 2001)
Essentials of a Spiritual Metaphysics (A collection of essays, 2009)
Historical Fallacy (Written in 2009)
A Model of Perception (Written in 2010)
What Went Wrong With the New Physics (Written in 2010)
What Went Wrong With the New Physics Part II (Written in 2010)
The New Physics Part III (Written in 2010)
Sanskaras, Karma, Maya, & Consciousness (Written in 2010)
God Seeks Himself (Written May 24, 2011)
Here at the End of All Things (Written in 2011)
Matter Vs. Matter (Written March 8, 2011)
A God Speaks Interpretation of Lord of the Rings (Written in 2012) Another version
What I Think the Intelligence Notebooks Are
On Science and Spirituality (Written September 2011)
Diminution of Mind (Written May 23, 2011)
Spiritual Death and Spiritual Life
Where is Baba Now? (See also this video)
Infinite Intelligence Analogies
Meditations on becoming heart smart
Positive and Negative Skepticism
Yad Rakh Never Happened (Written April 9, 2014)
How Lord Meher Came About (Written June 24, 2014)
The Modern Western Myth About Reincarnation (Essay added 3/20/24)
12 Principles of EOP (Essay added 10/14/24)
Clarification Regarding "Further Reflections" (A short addendum to "Further Reflections," added 12/5/24)
Solving the Socratic Paradox (Essay added 12/8/24)
The Factor of Time (Essay added 2/1/25)
Questions Idealists Don’t Even Try to Answer (Essay added 2/11/25)
Why Materialism Doesn't Work (Essay added 4/30/25)
Who is Chris Ott and what is EOP all about? (Essay added 4/3/25)
Superstition Haunts Religions and Science Alike (Essay added 5/4/25)
What will the Professional Philosophers think of EOP? (Essay added 5/14/25)
How I think ideas are dispensed to the world (Essay added 5/18/25)
If Meher Baba’s Teachings Were Embraced (Essay added 5/19/25)
The Problem with Possibility and Why It Matters (Essay added 6/15/25)
Hippy Delusions (Essay added 6/16/25)
Language, Scientific Reasoning, Logic, and Sophistry (Essay added 6/21/25)
How EOP Helps Us Understand Baba's Teaching (Essay added 6/27/25)
Distinguishing EOP from Wrong Conceptions of It (Essay added 7/6/25)
Why Things Feel Solid (Written in 2009. Rewritten April 10, 2025. Further updated July 7, 2025)
Why Torture is Always Wrong (Essay uploaded 7/8/25)
Perceptual Algorithms (Essay uploaded 7/22/25)
Why I Follow Meher Baba (Essay added 7/22/25)
John Dewey’s 19th Century English (Essay added 8/5/25)
Full Summary (Essay added 8/15/25)
Why EOP Matters (Essay added 8/18/25)
Why EOP is the Only New Idea (Essay added 8/29/25)
Three senses of God over history (Essay added 9/2/25)
Notes
Notes on Philosophy (These notes collected and bound in 2001 constitute my thinking while in graduate school. 864 pages.)
Video Channels
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@Christopher-ott (Official Christopher Ott Channel)
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@meganalexandraott/videos (Backup Christopher Ott Channel)
BITCHUTE: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/chris-ott/
BRIGHTEON: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/cott12/home
BRIGHTEON: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/twilightrocks/home
RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/user/Cott12
VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/chrisott
GANJINGWORLD: https://www.ganjingworld.com/@Christopher-Ott-Philosopher
ODYSEE: https://odysee.com/@chrisott:7
Blogs & Sites
Chris Ott's Defunct Blog (This blog began as a Meher Baba trivia blog and morphed into a blog about the prodigy soprano Amira Willighagen and other young talents. If you scroll far enough down the right column you can still find the Baba posts near the bottom.)
Letters to the Living (My friends and I are getting old. The title of this blog implies posts I hope people in the future will read, even if there is little interest in them now. Hence the title, "Letters to the Living.")
Meher Baba and the Future (A blog I created as a follow-on for a talk series I gave in Myrtle Beach from Jan to April, 2018, titled "Baba and the Future.")
Evolution of Perception Further Reading (A Google site I created as a follow-on for "Evolution of Perception Re-Explained". The web address is also on page 254 of the 2021 book under the heading "Further Reading.")
Miscellaneous
Photos of Chris Ott (A selection of photos that show a bit of the history of my creative life)
Picture Biography (A very short pictorial biography)
The Main Works of Meher Baba (These are Baba's main works in downloadable PDF format)
Story of the Homosexuality Footnote in Lord Meher, Volume 6 (A letter from the editorial team of Lord Meher)
Letter Giving Ott Family Permission to Settle on the Meher Center (A letter from Meher Baba's secretary, 1966)
Chris Ott at Meher Baba's Life & Travels (A page made for me by Meher Baba historian Tony Zois on his website)
Mirror Site (A backup version of this site in case anything happens to this one)