Seb and I discussed the history and contemporary status of the natural sciences and their relationship to philosophy and metaphysics.
"The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." —Alfred North Whitehead
Footnotes2Plato 
Matt, you should watch this three video series that Stoa put up with Howard Bloom on YouTube. I know you’re aware of The Universe Story but he presents it in a way that I imagine is quite alien to you but which you might find instructive. He does misuse the concept of entropy for his own purposes and mangles the science regarding the creation of elements, but his perspective is worthwhile. I say this because he understands how nature works and why. It’s not that long if you omit the question and answer sessions.