JOURNAL OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL NETWORK ESTABLISHED 1973 Paradigm Explorer

INSIDE PAGE 3 Galileo Commission Launch and Articles

PAGE 9 Thinking the Unthinkable

PAGE 27 Annual Gathering Report

ISSN 1362-1211 | No 128 | 2018/3 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 2019 NETWORK CALENDAR

January 19-20 The Heart of the Rose – Sacred Mathematics and the Liberal Arts February 7, 7-9 pm Book launch with Dr Rupert Sheldrake, Ways to Go Beyond, King’s College, Strand, Lecture Theatre B5, London WC2R 2NS April 6-7 ​Mystics and Scientists 42 – Technology, Spirituality and Wellbeing, University of Greenwich July 6-7 Annual Meeting, Horsley Park – The Future of Consciousness Studies November 2-3 Beyond the Brain 2019, details tbc

LONDON - CLAUDIA NIELSEN – 0207 431 1177 or preferably email [email protected] We meet at 38 Denning Rd NW3 1SU at 7 for a 7:30pm start. Nearest tube station is Hampstead (Northern Line) or Hampstead Heath (Overground). Cost is £10 for members and £12 for guests. Please confirm attendance so I can anticipate numbers. Friends and non-members are always welcome. For more comprehensive information on presentations (to include synopsis and biographies) plus summaries of past ones, go to the London Group page of the SMN site at www.scimednet.org. Please note that sometimes talks have to be rescheduled and information is sent via email so even if you are not in London but would like to be kept informed of changes, please send me an email and I will put your address on the circulation list.

UPCOMING EVENTS Dr. Shantena Sabbadini – The I Ching, synchronicity and time on 21st January 2019 7:30 pm Dr. Mike King – Mountain Calls on 18th February 2019 7:30 pm Dr. Paul Marshall – The Shape of the Soul on 4th March 2019 7:30 pm Jeremy Naydler PhD – The Computer and the Psyche on 8th April 2019 7:30 pm Rupert Spira – The Nature of Consciousness on 13th May 2019 7:30 pm

THE FRENCHMAN’S COVE EXPERIENCE is unlike any other. It is a unique setting for a remarkable combination of conference and recreation in an unspoilt area near

Port Antonio Jamaica 22nd to 27th January 2019 Suggested travel from UK 21st and return 30th January Dr Oliver Robinson will present THE HARMONIES OF SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY

The event will be chaired by David Lorimer and hosted by Diana Clift Further details from Diana Clift - [email protected]

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Notice to Contributors All proposed contributions should be sent to the Editor by email as a Word CONTENTS and/or PDF file. For further guidelines please email: [email protected]

PARADIGM EXPLORER is published EDITORIAL three times a year by the Scientific & What a Fantastic Year! Paul Filmore, 2 Medical Network, generally in April, August and December. Chairman Editor: David Lorimer 2 Chemin de la Chaussee, ARTICLES 11230 St Colombe sur l’Hers, France Galileo Commission 3 E-mail: [email protected] Report of the Galileo Commission Project Harald Walach 5 Web Site: www.scimednet.org Thinking the Unthinkable: Dr Natalie Tobert 11 Ancestral Memories and Consciousness (Members may apply to the SMN Office for password to access the Members A Galileo Moment Emilios Bouratinos, 15 Only area of the web site). Richard Grant & Editorial Board: Vasileios Basios John Clarke, Paul Kieniewicz

Shifting the Paradigm around Consciousness Mark Gober 19 Printed by: and why it is essential Kingfisher Print & Design Ltd, Devon Galileo Commission Correspondence 22 The opinions expressed in Network are those of individual authors and After-Death Communications (ADCs) Evelyn Elsaesser 25 not necessarily statements of general Network views. The Network is in no way liable for views published herein. REPORTS The Scientific and Medical Network Paradigm Explorer Annual Gathering 2018 Hardin Tibbs 27 Registered office: 151 Talgarth Road, Mystics and Scientists 41 John Clarke 29 London W14 9DA Tel: 0203 468 2034. CORREPONDENCE Email: [email protected] Memories of Henryk Skolimowski Peter Reason 31 Company limited by guarantee, registered No. 4544694 England Registered charity No. 1101171 UK NETWORK NEWS

Network and Members’ News 33 JOURNAL OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL NETWORK ESTABLISHED 1973 News and Notices 36 Paradigm Members’ Articles 37 Explorer

INSIDE BOOK REVIEW SECTION PAGE 3 Galileo Commission Launch and Articles

PAGE 9 Science/Philosophy of Science 38 Thinking the Unthinkable

PAGE 27 Annual Gathering Medicine/Health 42 Report Philosophy/Spirituality 45 Psychology/Consciousness Studies 50 Ecology/Futures Studies 55 General 57 ISSN 1362-1211 | No 128 | 2018/3 Books in Brief 60 Cover: Northern Lights

www.scimednet.org 1 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 What a Fantastic Year! From Dr Paul Filmore, Chairman [email protected] Forum: Editorial (Please comment via the members’ website)

I cannot remember being so moved to Olly Robinson, David Lorimer, Chiara was that over 200 people, many new to write ‘what a fantastic year’ before, but Reghellin, Michele Robinson, Tuvi the SMN, came to hear such apparently I find myself very clear on this point. Orbach and Dave King to thank. To divergent professionals talking on It is not just our events (more later) get a feel of the atmosphere, search for different aspects of spirituality, under but our outreach growing stronger ‘Beyond the Brain 2018’ on YouTube, the guise of harmony. I believe this could through the quality of all our activities. and click on the 7 mins video. I be a recipe for future engagement with Here I also include recent grants from should also mention that we hosted the general public. our trustees to fund a number of this year’s event in partnership with educational projects for ‘young people’ two other organisations active in the Perhaps the most exciting event has been and from the Salvia Foundation for our field; The Alef Trust, with whom we the launch of Prof Dr Harald Walach’s Galileo Commission project. With this collaborate on the MSc in Transpersonal Galileo Commission Report. The full outreach growing, we are attracting Psychology & Consciousness Studies, report is 125 pages, with 450 references! new members and additional funding and The Monroe Institute, who develop You will see that this edition is much to further our work. New members consciousness technologies and run devoted to the report. A summary are always welcome as they bring consciousness-development retreats. booklet has been produced (www. new ideas, new energy and thus new galileocommission.org) and distributed A smaller but very worthwhile event at the Beyond the Brain conference. opportunities. They also introduce was our packed Continental meeting further new members with their new ‘Catalysing a Paradigm Shift’ in Bagni di Perhaps our biggest challenge is to ideas etc. A powerful synergy! Lucca, with the Laszlo Institute of New now to convey the implications of the report to different sections of the public; You may have read in our eNews Paradigm Research. Over 40 people attended from as far away as the US. As specifically to scientific journalists, that over 250 delegates attended the scientists and science students. If you thirteenth Beyond the Brain: Further with the Beyond the Brain conference, working with other organisations to have thoughts on this, then please do Reaches of Consciousness Research contact us. conference in November. What an put on an event has become a powerful achievement to bring to the fore approach. Not only do we learn from With all this activity and growth, new research on whether and how the other organisations, but the cross- we are much in need of further help consciousness and mind extend beyond fertilisation leads to much learning and to maximise our potential. We are the physical brain and body. This year’s deeper insights all round. particularly in need of help with our event covered the power of intention, I also have to mention the Prince of video editing and web archiving, transpersonal psychology, consciousness Wales 70th birthday event: ‘The Quest finance, developing more academic in relation to the brain and the universe, for Harmony: A unifying principle in contacts, office & storage space, and lucid dreaming and out-of-body spirituality, science, sustainability and supporting our student initiatives. If experiences. We have in particular healthcare’. For me the exciting issue you can help, then please let us know.

David Lorimer writes: the articles in this issue, with the exception of the one on after death communication, all relate to the work of the Galileo Commission. This project relates to what I see as one of the basic purposes of the Network, namely to expand science and medicine beyond the constrictions of a materialistic worldview. In a document about aims and ways forward, 1972 to 1982, written by George Blaker, he writes about: ‘A commitment to advancing human perceptive abilities and understanding, encouraging science and medicine to adopt more sensitive and comprehensive approaches to human problems, embracing intuitive and spiritual insights.’ ‘A search for a more spiritual mode of thinking and being that is compatible with science… Freedom to seek alternative and wider views, particularly from mind/brain relations, new biological disciplines and advances in fundamental physics.’ ‘The aim is to win wide acceptance of man’s spiritual essence, as consistent with science, hastening a widening of horizons by research, encouraging recognition that the world’s ills can be cured only by an improved attitude of mind.’ These formulations still resonate today, and in the next phase of the Galileo Commission we will work out how best to promote what one might call a consciousness or metaphysical revolution embodied in a spiritually informed and post- materialist science, using a rational and evidence-based approach while also drawing on intuitive insight, which, along with rational analysis, was highlighted in the one sheet description of the Network which I received in the summer of 1983. I encourage you to read the Report for yourselves. It will be available in print and online by the end of the year. I join Paul in wishing you all the best of the festive season.

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This refusal to look through the telescope from the office for £6.50 including In a letter to Kepler, has striking parallels today. In the 17th UK postage. The full report will be century, the infallibility of Scripture and available during December. Galileo wrote: Aristotle were at stake, while today it is “Here at Padua is the the infallibility of scientific materialism. Summary of Argument For example, many scientists are unwilling 1. No human intellectual principal professor of to look at the evidence for consciousness activity, including science, beyond the brain because they have an can escape the fact that it has philosophy, whom I have unshakeable belief that consciousness is to make assumptions that repeatedly and urgently generated in and by the brain. cannot be proven using its Building on previous work beginning with own methodology (‘absolute requested to look at the Edwin Burtt’s 1925 book Metaphysical presuppositions’). moon and the planets Foundations of Modern Science and Robin 2. The prevalent underlying Collingwood’s Essay on Metaphysics assumptions, or world model, through my glass, which (1940) as well as subsequent work by of the majority of modern Willis Harman and the Institute of Noetic scientists are narrowly naturalist he pertinaciously refuses Sciences in the 1990s and the more recent in metaphysics, materialist in by Marie Beauregard on a Manifesto ontology and reductionist- to do.” Galileo continues for a Post-Materialist Science (www. empiricist in methodology. opensciences.org) we established the that this professor Galileo Commission, represented by a 3. This results in the belief that laboured before the Grand distinguished panel of advisers affiliated to consciousness is nothing but 30 universities worldwide. As you will see a consequence of complex below, we commissioned Prof Dr Harald arrangement of matter, or an Duke with logical emergent phenomenon of Walach to write a report. arguments based on the brain activity. The purpose of the Galileo Commission 4. This belief is neither proven, Report is to open public discourse and to authority of Aristotle. nor warranted. find ways to expand the presuppositions of He adds that Aristotle science, so that it is no longer constrained 5. In fact, there are well by an outdated view of the nature of documented empirical himself as an empiricist reality and consciousness, and so that it phenomena that contradict this would surely have changed can accommodate and explore significant belief. Among them are human experiences and questions that a. Veridical reports of near science, in its present form, is unable to his mind on the basis of death experiences (NDEs) new evidence and accommodate for philosophical reasons. with complex intuitions, We anticipate that expanding science will perceptions, cognitions observations. involve some new basic assumptions (an and emotions during well expanded ontology), additional ways of documented absence of knowing and new rules of evidence (an brain activity. expanded epistemology), as well as new methodologies flowing from these. b. Veridical reports of non- local perception that were The Summary Report is available confirmed independently online at www.galileocommission. during such near-death-states org and can be ordered in hard copy of absent brain activity.

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c. The large data-base of reality that are irreducible 13. Integrating an enlarged parapsychology and and simultaneously occurring view of consciousness into anomalous cognition perspectives of an underlying science will also yield a new research shows in a series reality to which we otherwise methodology that will have to of meta-analyses that such have no direct access. be developed: the methodology non-local perceptions are of radical introspection or inner indeed possible. 9. If that is granted, we experience. can immediately see that d. The large data-base of consciousness can have its 14. In view of the widespread children who remember own direct access to reality, not perception that a narrow previous lives, some of only through sense perception, materialist world view is whom have corresponding as in classical empiricism, but often uncritically passed on to deformities. also through inner perception young scientists by mainstream or radical introspection. authorities as an adequate 6. An increasing number of explanation of reality and as a open-minded scientists are 10. As a result, there may be a pre-conditon for a successful already researching these different and valid access scientific career, we call for an frontier areas using existing route to reality, through open exploration of this topic scientific methods, and are consciousness, in addition to the and we encourage the scientific reaching empirically grounded classical one science is offering. community to become more conclusions that challenge the critically self-reflective of the mainstream majority view. 11. This might include direct access, under certain conditions, to absolute presuppositions on 7. They therefore argue that we deeper structures of reality, which their activities are based need a model of consciousness which may provide important and to consider expanding that is non-reductive and insights into ethics, meaning, their scope. allows consciousness its own and values. ontological status. 12. Indeed, insights from NDEs 8. A minimum-consensus and other transformative model is a dual aspect or experiences suggest that we are complementarity model, all embedded within a larger in which matter and mind, field of consciousness, with consciousness and its physical profound implications for ethics substrate, are two aspects of in an interconnected world.

Iain McGilchrist on Wikipedia Thanks for sending me Rupert’s piece on Wikiskeptics (https://www. www.sheldrake.org) . You may be interested, as may Rupert, in a recent experience of mine. I could not find this exchange on Wikiquote for Max Planck: ‘Do you think that consciousness can be explained [email protected] (18.11.2017.), info@ in terms of matter and its laws?” “No. I regard wikiquote.org (21.11.2017.), and having regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as to the answer from donate@wikimedia org derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind (20.11.2017), I decided to carry out the removal consciousness. Everything that we talk about, of this false citation and also its replacement with everything that we regard as existing, postulates other ones. The file I attached to my letters contains consciousness.”’ a detailed reasoning.’ I found a page called https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/ So I looked it up myself and found it was verbatim Talk:Max_Planck, which explained: correct, and present exactly where the editor had claimed it was not. I said so, and reinstated the ‘I have removed the following citation “I regard quote in Plank’s Wikiquote page. I await consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as developments … derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, December 10, 2018 everything that we regard as existing, postulates Just checked, and the quote is still up on Planck’s consciousness.” Rationale: I checked this citation Wikiquote page, and no-one has responded to my in its source – that is, on page 17. in the January 25, statement about why it should be restored on Talk: 1931 issue of the newspaper The Observer in the wikiquote. So I guess they have had to back down. article entitled „Interviews with Great Scientists – They probably didn’t think anyone would go to the VI. – Max Planck”, in the digital archive of lengths involved in checking, and that it would soon The Guardian and Observer, and this citation be written out of the literature as ‘proved false’ … has proved to be false. So, in accordance with just shows its worth checking some of the other my letters on this subject (my letter’s subject: inconvenient quotes that have been said to be false a request regarding a Max Planck’s quote) sent – I have already discovered that some attributed to to [email protected] (18.11.2017.), Einstein, that are said to be ‘baseless’, are in fact [email protected](18.11.2017.), copper-bottomed.

4 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 Report of the Galileo Commission Project

Harald Walach

The idea is to help create a wider, The Argument The remit of the Galileo more encompassing and relevant Commission Project of the science. In order to do this, it is What is Wrong? first necessary to criticise what we The argument sets out with a brief Scientific and Medical perceive to be obstacles and to analysis of what is currently amiss. point out where we think science Science has been very successful. Network is to open up is actually hemming itself in and We have made huge progress in public debate for an doing itself a disfavour by either many fields, especially regarding the way it is done or the underlying the insights of our natural sciences approach within science presuppositions it is using. and the engineering approaches As a first starting point, I created derived from it, starting with modern that transcends current an Executive Summary of the mobility and amenities of daily limitations and makes generic argument to be pursued. living and ending with medical This is available as a document achievements. There is no doubt science more capable of from the Galileo Project Website. whatsoever that the history of science As a second step this argument was so far is a history of success. But this dealing with the important circulated and feedback sought should not blind us to the fact that and incorporated as much as this progress has come at a price questions of our time. feasible. As a third step I fleshed and has produced problems as well. It is an approach that is out the argument, using more text, Some would say that these problems examples, empirical data and the are minor and marginal and can be supposed to foster a respective references. This is the solved with more scientific effort long version of the report which (Pinker, 2018). We think that the healthier, socially and will be made available soon, as problems are partially endemic and ecologically more relevant soon as the final editing round is follow from the working mode of finished that will incorporate as science and its presuppositions. science that takes human much feedback as possible. As a Among the problems that have been further move we envisage to start a identified by others as well are, to experiences seriously and public discourse, using the material name but a few: that is less influenced by at hand, publishing the long version ■ The global ecological crisis, with as an academic book, producing climate change and the loss of an implicit materialist- articles and a resource website biological diversity and arable that is already available and in the land as its prime indicators making. We hope that university reductionist approach. It ■ The social crisis with the absurd summer courses, finally curricula fact that, although we have is very important to stress and specialised methods courses will enough knowledge and wealth be made available, and we hope to that this enterprise is on this planet, we have not help launch this process and support it as much as possible. succeeded in abolishing poverty; neither pessimistic nor on the contrary, greed, wars negative about science, but This article gives a brief overview around power and resources over the generic argument and and criminal activities to gain optimistic and positive. further processes. riches illicitly are still rampant

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■ A threatening economic crisis and experiences, and perpetuates matter constitutes molecules; which has already raised its an outdated scientific world-view. these make up complex organic head in 2007/8 and is lurking In order to understand this better, structures such as macromolecules, around every corner since; this I have introduced the distinction peptides, cell organelles, cells, is threatening the welfare of between Science 1 and Science 2. organs, organism. And now all that the richer nations and will not remains to be done is understand “Science 1” I call the practice of spare the poorer ones, once it how this huge complex machinery science. It is what scientists do is going viral works in terms of physical and and publish, the methods they use, chemical forces and we will have ■ The crisis of health, visible in the the questions the try to answer, understood life and consciousness. fact that mortality figures are on the debates they are having, the Because, so the implicit assumption the rise for the first time since inventions they make, etc. It is goes, consciousness is only a more than 50 years in the US science as everyday business. There is result of neuronal activity, i.e. and the fact that the incidence of a great variety here and also a great some important marker diseases variety of underlying theoretical derived from material reality such as diabetes, coronary artery models. This is like a huge market and interaction (Dennett, 1991). disease, cancer are increasing; where you can buy mushrooms as The same analysis holds in other currently we can contain them well as pumpkin, wine as well as areas. Granted: the old simplistic with ever more invasive and also cutlery and you have all kinds of ways of thinking have long been more expensive treatments but it stalls there. superseded by very sophisticated is only a question of time when complex systems models, systems the densely populated countries But underlying this are implicit biological approaches etc (Capra in Asia will follow suit and it is assumptions that are rarely even & Luisi, 2014). But the underlying a question whether our medical discussed. It is like the unwritten assumption still is: it is ultimately model will be sustainable rules of the market place. It is what material reality that will help us I call “Science 2”. It is the seminal understand and explain how such ■ The crisis of science itself: insight of the philosopher Robin complex reality as consciousness is various scientific disciplines are G. Collingwood who discovered being brought about. in severe crisis. The physical that every scientific endeavour, in sciences are at a loss when it fact every human activity, has to The methodological stance behind comes to explaining where make some assumptions that cannot all this is reductionist. In the same about 95% of all the energy be proven or argued for with the way, as we understood lightning not and matter in the universe are, very methods it is supposed to to be an expression of the wrath which has instigated severe facilitate (Collingwood, 1998, orig. of a god we will understand how doubt about the reliability of 1940). He called them “absolute consciousness will be explainable current theorising (Hands, presuppositions”. Sometimes we by neuronal activity. This is what 2015). In the medical sciences call this a philosophical foundation, we call a reductionist explanation. it is pretty clear that our sometimes a world-view. Thomas And nothing is wrong with it, as knowledge is at best cursory S. Kuhn, who is better known than long as the reductionist explanation and shaky, because of some very Collingwood called these absolute both works and does justice to the questionable research practices presuppositions “paradigms” phenomena in question. (Horton, 2015; Ioannidis, (Kuhn, 1962): ways how science Now the argument that I am 2005). In psychology a is done, what generic ideas are replication crisis has shown that advancing states that this is not only being followed, what questions are a heuristic of science, i.e. a tentative at least half of all purportedly being pursued, what methods are scientifically sound knowledge way of trying out whether this is being employed, and consequently, a good road to insight, but it has is not replicable (Open Science what type of findings one is hoping Collaboration, 2015). become an entrenched belief system. to make. As a corollary this also Materialism is not just a useful While some of the problems can be defines what is implicitly left stance, it has become a religion for fixed by a better implementation out, not studied and not found many of those active in science, of already extant knowledge and worthwhile. The paradigm defines and thus Science 2, not always but methods, some of the problems, I what is our “figure”, what we look often, subscribes to what has been hold, are germane to the way we at, and what is “ground”, what dubbed the “scientific worldview” or approach science. And this is, where we neglect. Now, importantly, the “scientism” (Williams & Robinson, the argument of the Report starts. absolute presuppositions of a lot 2016). By this shorthand notation of what is done in science follow we normally mean that we assume And Why Is It Wrong? an implicit materialist ontology that materialism is not just one and a reductionist methodology or potential way of looking at the It is one thing to complain. It is more epistemology. complicated to give a diagnosis. world but the dominant and correct It is quite another matter to find a By materialist ontology I mean viewpoint, which nevertheless is remedy. The complaint is ubiquitous that we assume the final elements a belief system, and not science and easy. The analysis of the in the universe are of a material as such. The ensuing reductionist underlying causes is more difficult. nature, and everything that appears methodology leads to the fact that We think that one of the major issues to be non-material, forces, for many phenomena are not being is with the underlying assumptions instance, thoughts, consciousness dealt with adequately: they are of what is done in science and in general terms, will turn out either denied, ridiculed, sidelined probably even more so with what to be analysable in terms of or explained inadequately. Among is left out. This creates a mindset those material entities. That, for them are consciousness and some that is closed to some important instance, is the current approach of important experiences that are aspects, such as spiritual aspects neuroscience and much of biology: difficult to explain (see below).

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How Do We Know It Is Wrong? independently. A recent collection conductor or another principle. We Our analysis states that the critical of more than 100 cases documents have examples how neuronal nets state science is in derives from the such instances (Rivas, Dirven, & are able to learn pattern recognition fact that it not only subscribes Smit, 2016). Even if one or more and similar things. But we have no to the underlying assumptions of of these cases were to be revealed evidence of conscious activity (Noë, Science 2, but that this is implicitly as fake cases, it seems very unlikely 2009; Searle, 1992). Granted, there regarded as the best and the only that all of them are fabricated or might be such a theory in the future. “scientific” way of looking at due to an illusion. But the observation is still true that the horizon for the fulfilment things. This is most obvious in the One might also bring in the of the promise of such a theory is way phenomena that do not fit with long tradition of research into constantly moving into the future this world view are treated. reincarnation types of reports in – this is what Sir John Eccles called I describe and discuss various such small children. Ian Stevenson started such a research programme at the ‘promissory materialism’ (Eccles, categories. One type of phenomena 1980). Hence it is rational and are anomalous cognition University of Virginia and compiled many cases (Stevenson, 1997a, permissible to doubt that proof phenomena, such as telepathy, will ever be forthcoming. precognition and clairvoyance. If 1997b), while others, such as the empirical database is looked Erlendur Haraldsson have followed at dispassionately we see very suit (Haraldsson & Matlock, 2016). What Should Be Different? strong empirical evidence for all The gist of this field work is that We therefore propose offering a of those, which a recent review there are every now and again, in few different approaches, not as a in American Psychologist brings all kind of cultures, children who replacement, but as a complement together and discusses (Cardeña, report memories of previous lives. or extension to existing science. 2018). The point is: we are never Usually such spontaneous reports This is the constructive part of dispassionate observers, as the ideal happen at the age of around 3 the report. This has two elements: type of science and the scientist and 4, and as a rule without any one is the suggestion of a different suggests. We are all Bayesians: we prompting and often within families approach to consciousness - a have certain preconceived opinions where there is a big resistance kind of minimum consensus model. about the world and view the against this type of view. Some of Another element is the proposal of empirical evidence in the light of these children have birthmarks a generalised mode of entanglement our prior opinions. And because the that point to the previous type of correlations that could account for “scientific world view” of Science 2 death. In some children archival non-locality, without assuming any does not allow for such phenomena, reports could be unearthed that special forces, fields, or particles. supported the statements. Many they are normally neglected, The model of consciousness disregarded or explained away. cases remain “unsolved”, i.e. some of the information can be proposed is a minimum consensus However, if we take these results supported, some seems to be wrong. model (Walach & Römer, 2000, seriously we must conclude that the But again the empirical fact remains 2011). It will not be satisfactory to materialist world-view is deficient. that at least in some cases many many in the spiritual community It would at least need to allow of the statements can be verified. who opt for an idealist view, for non-local connections, that is Such a phenomenon is very difficult in which consciousness is the connections between elements of to reconciliate with a materialist- primary entity in the world out of the universe that are not spatially localist view of the world. which matter and everything else or temporally connected by causal emerges. This view that is germane signals. Whether this is only The final argument is that any to Advaita Vedanta, but also to a possible through a model that materialist ontology of the world classical Western idealist philosophy allows for consciousness as a real has to be articulated through a as in Schelling, Hegel and others and causally active entity would conscious mind that makes this seems to have the same problem have to be discussed separately. statement in the first place. Another as the materialist view. It needs to But taking anomalous cognition way of putting this is: it is only explain how material entities arise seriously precludes a simple, valid if the materialist world-view out of the purely idealistic substrate Newtonian local view of the can develop a concise theory of how of consciousness or spirit. This world. The minimum requirement neurons and the brain produces idealist stance was the mainstream for an enlarged view would be consciousness, including such opinion among educated people in the stipulation of a model that insights. And exactly this is lacking. Europe, England and the US once allows for non-locality (Walach & When analysing such models more in the 18th and 19th century. It fell Schmidt, 2005). often than not such a causal chain out of favour exactly for this reason is simply assumed to hold true. that it cannot really provide us with A second class of phenomena But most working scientists would a sufficiently rich notion of matter. that are very challenging for a admit that we currently do not have materialist ontology are all those such a model that explains how Hence we feel that a better option cases of near-death experience that neurons do that. We have analogous more conducive to consensus would contain both a clear documentation examples how complex systems be a dual aspect theory, which of absence of higher brain activity have produced something that postulates a neutral substrate or a and at the same time documentation single elements of a system can’t. substrate of the world which we of some cognitive insight, For instance, an orchestra, as a do not know, but which presents sometimes of a non-local character. complex system, can produce music itself in two complementary ways: Such phenomena are clairvoyant that each single musician will not as matter and consciousness. The instances of knowledge gained be able to produce and all together underlying unity explains the very during a near-death state without would not be able to produce if high, in fact perfect, correlation of brain activity that has been verified they were not coordinated by a the two.

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Such a model had been championed formalism applies. In physics the might be useful outside physics, by Spinoza and in a variant by way to deal with this situation is and it was precisely for this Leibniz. It was used by Feigl, to introduce an algebra of non- reason that we created it. It may Jung and Pauli and has been commuting operations, because in be interesting to note at this more recently proposed by Max algebraic terms the fact that the point that new approaches in Velmans, one of our advisors, measurement changes the measured quantum cognition follow exactly and ourselves (Atmanspacher & object shows as a difference in this trail and have produced the Primas, 2006; Velmans, 2007, orig. measurement outcomes depending first positive experimental results 1993, 2009). The benefit of this on the sequence of measurements. that vindicate such an approach model is that it does not reduce This is visible in the non- (Busemeyer & Bruza, 2012; consciousness, allows it its own commutativity of the measurements Pothos & Busemeyer, 2013). causal role, both in respect to the and their observables. In other It is a consequence of this body and in the world. Nor does it words: this shows in the fact that formalism that it predicts non- remove causal efficacy and reality the sequence of measurements local correlations where such a from matter, as an idealist model makes a difference. The formalisation is applicable. What does. Hence we feel it might be the observables or variables associated makes the formalism a quantum best minimum consensus model with such measurements that formalism is the fact that it deals that has the potential to open up are non-commutative are called with incompatible observables a treadable middle ground. incompatible or complementary. that describe such non-commuting Finally, we feel we need an In a classical system, this is not the operations or operations explanatory model for these case. If I measure the height of a necessary to formalise situations paranormal and other experiences person first and then the weight, where measurement impacts the that does justice to the phenomena the results will be identical to measured object and changes it. and is rooted in our scientific measurements in reverse order, Whenever such incompatible or discourse. We have proposed a weight first, and height second. non-commuting observables are model of generalised entanglement Formally this is expressed as AB present and such a formalism derived from a generalised = BA. We know this from our is applicable, it predicts, as in quantum theory (Atmanspacher, Abelian algebra, where multiplying the physical case, entanglement Römer, & Walach, 2002; Walach 2 by 3 yields the same result as correlations between elements of & von Stillfried, 2011). This multiplying 3 by 2, namely 6. In the system. More specifically, and theory, it is very important to a quantum formalism this is not abstractly speaking, the conditions understand, is not a physical the case, because the impact of for such non-local entanglement theory, but a systemic, general the measurement on the measured correlations to occur are the theory. It is applicable to all kinds object is revealed by the fact that following: of systems, not only material ones, the sequence of the operations is ■ There is a system that can be and to systems of all sizes. It is relevant and a measurement in separated from its environment more general than quantum theory. reverse order gives different results. and is distinguishable as such. That is also the reason why it is less It is as if the height of a person Such a system could be naturally precise, but applicable over a more were different, if it is measured occurring or could be created general spectrum of phenomena. after the weight, which is of by a ritual. course silly in this example, but The decisive element of this theory demonstrates the point. Formally ■ Within the system there are is the following. It stipulates that this is expressed as AB # BA. subsystems. situations characteristic of physical quantum systems arise also in other Now the important point is the ■ There are observables or types of systems. More precisely, following: we hold that there descriptions that pertain to what distinguishes a quantum are various situations, in other the system as a whole and system from a classical system is cirumstances, where this is exactly observables or descriptions the fact that in a classical system the case - where the measurement that pertain to the parts of the measurement does not change impacts the measured object. We the system. the state of the measured object. suspect that everything that has to ■ These descriptions are In a quantum system, however, do with consciousness is somehow incompatible with each other. the measurement changes the affected. Consciousness is a prime state of whatever is measured. example: whenever we are trying In such a case we would expect The prototypical example is the introspectively to ascertain the state entanglement correlations between measurement of the momentum of of our mind, this very observation these elements of the system, an electron, which precludes the process, or “measurement”, because entanglement is just a precise knowledge of its position, technically speaking, changes it. specific case of incompatibility because the measurement of the or complementarity, namely the Once we discover, for instance, momentum changes the position incompatibility or complementarity what is bothering us, the affective of the electron. of global and local observables. state of our mind changes. This is Now, the generalised formalism an example of how measurement This theoretical formalism can be of Generalised Quantum changes the measured object used to understand anomalous Theory assumes that this kind outside the strictly physical cognition (Lucadou, Römer, of relationship will also be realm. And we could go on & Walach, 2007; Walach, von relevant for other than physical and demonstrate this by other Ludacou, & Römer, 2014), micro systems. Whenever the examples. This may suffice to make or various phenomena in measurement changes the state it plausible: such a generalised complementary medicine (Walach, of a measured object, such a quantum theoretical formalism 2003, 2005). It could be used

8 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 to construct a completely new new scientific background model The Road Ahead approach to coordination beyond current Science 2 into a Now the next step would be to phenomena, both within the body future Science 3 model. propagate these ideas and generate as well as without, with others, There are also other models, such a discussion and a broad public groups and people non-locally in discourse. We have set up a as field models, that postulate space and in time. The exploration web-site that collects resources, new kinds of fields or particles. is certainly complex enough and and may perhaps offer training probably also worthwhile, but They are certainly also possible. programmes for students and we leave it with those hints. I Whether they are easier to young researchers, ideally summer am not saying that it is true or reconcile with current science schools at universities, and finally a the only option. I am just saying: on a theoretical level remains to curriculum. Another way forward here is one way of scientifically be seen. We have adopted this would be a dedicated series of looking at these phenomena and stance because it seems to be conferences that target opinion this perspective yields a rational most parsimonious and more leaders in science to discuss these understanding that can be closely aligned with current issues and make the process aligned with current approaches mainstream ideas about physics. publicly available. And a further in science. It would, however, In any event, the purpose of this important element would be to prompt us to give up a materialist exercise is only to show that it is address journalists and the media ontology and a reductionist necessary, possible and feasible to challenge outdated views about epistemology as the only to construct other models that science, where Science 1 is still legitimate scientific approaches. then allow for a much broader equated with Science 2 or scientism But it would pave the way for a outlook. If the Galileo Project illicitly and implicitly. The new scientific method, a kind of has achieved this, it has achieved webpresence of the Galileo Project Science 1* that might lead into a what it was set up for. is a first useful starting point.

Professor Harald Walach is a researcher at the interface between medicine, psychology and consciousness studies. Currently he is affiliated as a professor with Poznan Medical University in Poznan, Poland, and as a visiting professor with the University Witten- Herdecke’s psychology department in Germany. He is founding director of the Change Health Science Institute in Berlin. He is author of more than 170 peer reviewed papers, 14 books, and 100 book chapters. Contact: Prof. Harald Walach, [email protected]

Harald Walach speaking at the Galileo Commission Report launch at the Oxford and Cambridge Club

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References Atmanspacher, H., & Primas, H. (2006). Pauli’s ideas on mind and matter in the context of contemporary science. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 13(3), 5-50. Atmanspacher, H., Römer, H., & Walach, H. (2002). Weak quantum theory: Complementarity and entanglement in physics and beyond. Foundations of Physics, 32, 379-406. Busemeyer, J. R., & Bruza, P. D. (2012). Quantum Models of Cognition and Decision. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Capra, F., & Luisi, P. L. (2014). The Systems View of Life. A Unifying Vision. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cardeña, E. (2018). The experimental evidence for parapsychological phenomena: A review. American Psychologist, online first. Collingwood, R. G. (1998, orig. 1940). An Essay on Metaphysics (revised ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. Dennett, D. C. (1991). Consciousess Explained. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. Eccles, J. C. (1980). The human psyche. Berlin: Springer. Hands, J. (2015). Cosmo Sapiens. Human Evolution from the Origin of the Universe. London: Duckworth. Haraldsson, E., & Matlock, J. G. (2016). I Saw a Light and Came Here: Children’s Experiences of Reincarnation. Hove, UK: White Crow Books. Horton, R. (2015). Offline: What is medicine’s 5 sigma? Lancet, 385, 1380. Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2005). Why most published research findings are false. PLoS Medicine, 2(8), e124. Kuhn, T. (1962). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Lucadou, W. v., Römer, H., & Walach, H. (2007). Synchronistic Phenomena as Entanglement Correlations in Generalized Quantum Theory. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 14(4), 50-74. Noë, A. (2009). Out of Our Heads: Why You are Not your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness. New York: Hill & Wang. Open Science Collaboration. (2015). Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science. Science, 349(6251), aac4716. Pinker, S. (2018). Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. London: Penguin. Pothos, E. M., & Busemeyer, J. R. (2013). Can quantum probability provide a new direction for cognitive modeling. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36, 255-327. Rivas, T., Dirven, A., & Smit, R. H. (2016). The Self Does Not Die. Verified Paranormal Phenomena from Near-Death Experiences. Durham, NC: International Association of Near Death Studies. Searle, J. R. (1992). The Rediscovery of the Mind. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press. Stevenson, I. (1997a). Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birhtmarks and Birth Defects. Wesport, CT: Praeger. Stevenson, I. (1997b). Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect. Wesport, CT: Praeger. Velmans, M. (2007, orig. 1993). A Reflexive Science of Consciousness. In G. R. Bock & J. Marsh (Eds.), Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Consciousness (pp. 81-99). Chichester: Wiley. Velmans, M. (2009). Understanding Consiousness. London: Routledge. Walach, H. (2003). Entanglement model of homeopathy as an example of generalizsed entanglement predicted by Weak Quantum Theory. Forschende Komplementärmedizin und Klassische Naturheilkunde, 10, 192-200. Walach, H. (2005). Generalized Entanglement: A new theoretical model for understanding the effects of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11, 549-559. Walach, H., & Römer, H. (2000). Complementarity is a useful concept for consciousness studies. A reminder. Neuroendocrinology Letters, 21, 221-232. Walach, H., & Römer, H. (2011). Generalized entanglement - A nonreductive option for a phenomenologically dualist and ontologically monist view of consciousness. In H. Walach, S. Schmidt & W. B. Jonas (Eds.), Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality (pp. 81-95). Dordrecht: Springer. Walach, H., & Schmidt, S. (2005). Repairing Plato’s life boat with Ockham’s razor: The Important Function of Research in Anomalies for Mainstream Science. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 12(2), 52-70. Walach, H., von Ludacou, W., & Römer, H. (2014). Parapsychological phenomena as examples of generalized non-local correlations - A theoretical framework. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 28, 605-631. Walach, H., & von Stillfried, N. (2011). Generalised Quantum Theory—Basic idea and general intuition: A background story and overview. Axiomathes, 21, 185-209. Williams, R. N., & Robinson, D. N. (Eds.). (2016). Scientism: The New Orthodoxy. London: Bloomsbury.

10 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 Thinking the Unthinkable: Ancestral Memories and Consciousness

Dr Natalie Tobert

Throughout my young life, I’d heard I stayed in Kraków for several days My grandfather was born about Nazis and concentration before flying home to London. I camps but I never read, listened to found the town so sophisticated: in Poland and carried to or watched anything. My mother fabulous religious and secular always said: “there is no such architecture, the medieval barbican, England in his mother’s thing as god, as he wouldn’t have marvellous flourishing markets, arms as a baby in 1900. allowed Nazis”. Both my parents concerts every night, fine restaurants. were Jewish, but somehow I wasn’t The town was so elegant, so civilised. His parents left Kraków touched by faith. However, I thought the unthinkable: after Russian pogroms in I recently returned from a trip to Poland, where I facilitated a retreat the 1890’s. Due to shifting on ancestral memories: participants explored the effects of unspoken political boundaries, my histories around memories, and beliefs on death, dying and beyond. grandfather didn’t know We discussed cultural knowledge around survival beyond death if he was of Russian or and its influence on spirituality, mental health, and extreme inner Polish origin. He was experiences. Then on the last days naturalised as British at we addressed dilemmas around understanding mental illness. We 46 years old. My parents, were extremely grateful for the hospitality of our hosts at the Sichów my sister and I were Educational Foundation. brought up as British: I wondered about consciousness, mental well being, and the unspoken we had nothing to do history of that place. There were thousands of tourists with Poland. No food, wandering around garden walkways no language, no customs, surrounding the Old Town and the Main Square. Information no history. We were boards helpfully set out the history of place. And as I walked around British. We had a silent I couldn’t help but wonder, how invisible ancestral history. could it be that the population of

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Krakow were so sophisticated to Throughout these ‘memories’ which create these fabulous gardens, the I was gifted over ten years in my magnificent Cloth Market, the 20s and 30s, I knew who I was, as Basilicas, and this architecture? Natalie, and I could distinguish who that person there in the medical Thinking the Unthinkable experimentation camp was. I could Again I thought the unthinkable: witness both what happened to them how could the Polish people (an aspect of myself?), and when we have witnessed the extermination were led to the showers, for the final and expulsion of their 100,000+ solution, I knew what was going to Jewish population and Catholic happen. I died angry at such a waste dissidents? I didn’t understand of shortened lives. how it could be that people were forced by Occupation, to tolerate Options for interpretation this. I realised on reading Beata How might we interpret my Bishop’s ‘novel’ about life in Nazi During our retreat in Poland at experiences? Were they ancestral occupied Hungary1, that there was Sichow Duzy, our hosts Paul and memories from a real (but unknown) profound resistance, and silent Amber Kieniewicz kindly took us family history? Were they ancestral housing protection of Jewish friends to visit the memorial at Chmielnik: memories from a past life of mine, and neighbours. Also in Poland a reconstructed synagogue with a or from someone else’s past life, our host’s family had housed Jews, glass Bimah (an elevated platform which I had somehow tuned into? questioned Nazi practices, and for reading the Torah). This was Did I have a series of experiences severely paid for it. In Poland built of glass so the souls of the of extra-ordinary empathy, or around 3 million people (mostly deceased would light it up. Before profound focused clairvoyance? Jews plus around 75,000 others 1939, the town’s population was Did I tune in remotely to another including Catholic intelligentsia) made up of 80% Jewish people. person’s traumatic experiences? were sent to concentration camps, Today there are none. Our hosts Did I access the Akashic realms, or including Auschwitz-Birkenau, also suggested we visit the Kielce some other field of consciousness, in an unsolicited manner? Did I Majdanek, and Treblinka I (to name memorial. just a few). I wondered how the experience spirit attachment or silence about this history affected Personal Memories possession, or over those ten years today’s populations of Krakow May I explain why this journey to was the whole series of memories, and the wider area of Poland. I Poland was so important to me and my spiritual imagination? wondered how Diaspora people of what relevance it was to mental Where did the data of this remote behaved, when they had a history of health and expanded consciousness perception come from? Did I have expulsion and extermination, how in general? When I was in my 20’s, false memory syndrome, or not? did they behave towards others? I myself appeared to tune into I thought it could not have been someone’s life who was held in epigenetics, as all my biological a concentration camp in Dachau ancestors were in UK before Bavaria, during the Nazi Holocaust. Nazi practices, though they had I remembered many details in experienced Russian pogroms. technicolour: running away Some people claimed it was through the forests, being saved, cryptomnesia: a memory which housed then betrayed, trapped appeared to be new, but was recalled and imprisoned, being medically from TV, book or radio. That investigated and raped in a hospital, interpretation didn’t fit my own and then exterminated in the gas understanding. However, these chambers just two days before the experiences made me ask myself Nazi Concentration camps around Europe2 US army went in to free people. whether I was born free, or did I

12 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 enter this Natalie existence as a life consciousness now, and that Such perspectives and cultural new born with a package of old life then. Perhaps they became understandings are not accepted experiences to address? anxious and distressed? Perhaps universally: beliefs considered they got labelled with mental illness normal in parts of China, Africa, Other Peoples’ Memories or schizophrenia? I am wondering Australia, Americas or India, may I discovered I was not alone: many how many readers find feasible be considered delusional in the people had what appeared to be past the interpretation of ‘remote life west. This conflict of interpretation life memories of Nazi concentration memory’. In every society those in mattered because it influenced how camps, and I present a handful authority define what is accepted people were treated when they below. In the UK the SMN member / acceptable common consensus had disturbing inner experiences and psychotherapist Elise Wardle about this interpretation of lived or remote perception. Particularly had recurrent dreams, and a fear as a experience. Who amongst us has the people who were new migrants or child of using her school’s communal power to define what is delusional refugees may be pathologised. showers3. In Israel the author Yael and what is not? These issues affect Shahah experienced nightly terrors, so many people’s well being, that I Health, Cultural Perspectives and had memories of working as feel it is important for each of us to and Beliefs a guard at Birkenau concentration stay aware about the kinds of beliefs 4 Our beliefs are critically important camp . She felt as if she lived in we are comfortable with. two realities at once. when it comes to mental health Spiritist Perspectives interpretation and treatment. The German peace activist Rabbi While our group was in Poland we Research from Yale University 10 Gershom interviewed 250 people watched a video of the Tibetan Book USA found clinicians treated who claimed they had reincarnated of the Dead7: we saw that Tibetans conditions differently: their beliefs from Nazi Holocaust times, and assumed clear consciousness had implications about effectiveness wrote that the majority of his of psychotherapy or medication, and 5 continued after death, when it clients were not Jewish . However, separated from the body. The therefore their choice of treatment there was Canadian writer Alison deceased had perception and could options for patients. The sociologist Pick, who was brought up as a view their relatives, and so prayers Carpenter and his colleague Raj11 Christian. She had a spiritual crisis, were said to ensure they did not cling suggested there was “a grudging and discovered her father had not to the human present. For many recognition that mental health been told that he was Jewish and days the chants of a priest escorted services have too often acted in his family had perished in the Nazi 6 the deceased away from their body oppressive ways, particularly Holocaust . She wrote: “I came to towards the light. Indigenous to groups facing other forms of understand it on a bodily level, deep American people also believed it was discrimination on the basis of in my cells below my rational mind… possible to communicate with spirits gender, ‘race’, religion, age, ethnicity The unfelt grief had been passed of the dead: rituals upon death were and sexuality”. from my grandmother to my father to ensure the spirit reached its home to me, like an heirloom”. “..the in the afterlife. Reincarnation beliefs Today we now acknowledge our depression I suffer from has always were common8. ways of understanding health, illness felt pre-formed, ancient, like it was and disease form part of our belief given to me in its entirety at birth.” One perspective of those who held systems, which vary with ethnicity Alison had been born Christian, spiritist beliefs was that at the and religion. Thus people interpret was not told about the manner of time when people were killed or their symptoms of distress, then her grandparent’s demise, but faced exterminated suddenly, they may not select healing strategies that conform unknown trauma in her body. know they were dead. Those who to their theories of illness causation. were suddenly killed or who died in Medical anthropologist Byron Proposition an accident may not be aware their Good12 noted in the past we used the I am aware some people chose to body had died: an aspect of their word ‘belief’ in a pejorative manner, discover information about their consciousness may wander around assuming it to be culture bound, past lives through using specific earth’s planes, overshadowing erroneous and mistaken. In contrast practices and rituals. I did not do living people who expressed similar western knowledge was assumed that. Based on details above, my emotions that they recognised. This to be objective and correct. Non- assumption is: may be an awkward issue for us western perspectives around mental ■ Those people mentioned above to discuss regarding global mental well being were discussed in detail in spontaneously tuned into a re- health in today’s world. my latest book13. mote life, and became aware I wondered, could it be that our of it in their minds and at a bod- mental health in the West has Multiple Narratives Around Belief ily level. become more severe, both as a Western trained psychoanalysts or psychiatrists might claim ■ Myself, I spontaneously tuned in result of present trauma, but also as a result of traumatic events such examples of indigenous to a remote life, in my mind and people illustrated primitive or with cellular memory. It felt like a which resulted in sudden death? Is it possible those people who are delusional beliefs. Transpersonal kind of remote perception across psychotherapists might suggest there time and space. labelled with schizophrenia, may unwittingly have had the unquiet were other ways of understanding What is the point of discussing this? dead invade their body / mind? This divine consciousness. Spiritists My proposition is that thousands might be considered a kind of spirit might claim from their own of other people also tune into possession9? Or might they have direct cognition that they accept remote lives (unsolicited), but experienced unsolicited profound indigenous people shine a clear light they may not be able to witness or empathy with an ancient or living of understanding on consciousness distinguish between this present person’s experience? after death.

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In our society the beliefs of whoever enabled us to examine psychosis (which with distress was usually had authority or was in power though a range of materialist labelled psychosis). This included were taken to be agreed common and metaphysical contexts. He remote viewing which may be consensus. explored the historical ebb and deliberate and intentional, or which flow of beliefs around psychosis, may be confusional caused by Remote Perception: How Do then suggested western psychiatry distress of unsolicited experiences. We Move Forward? limited our scope for understanding There are people labelled with I hope it is possible to further psychospiritual experiences. mental health problems and schizophrenia, who may tune into discuss the discourse around As well as acknowledging insights other lives but not be aware: they mental wellbeing and remote by western scholars, Spittles also may be mislabelled, over medicated, perception within the SMN’s Galileo presented metaphysical perspectives and misrepresented by academics Commission project: to explore from indigenous peoples and who study religious /spiritual consciousness beyond the brain, eastern Buddhist philosophies. He experiences. and ways it influences people who invited a paradigm shift within are deemed by materialist ways psychiatry, similar to examples in There was a silent history around of understanding, to have ‘mental Brazil where mainstream doctors my grandfather’s place of birth, health problems’ or schizophrenia. have worked together with and in examples I have given, a Let us meet together with all traditional healers for the last 50 deliberate suppression of ancestral stakeholders around the same years. Change is occurring: in memories. Migrants and refugees table, compare the phenomenology UK a new group British Spiritist may carry more trauma being of experiences (with or without Medical Association was recently expelled from the country of distress), and discuss any outmoded set up by Brazilian scholars to their birth, or seeing relatives basic assumptions around human include doctors, psychiatrists and exterminated. There is also silent experiences. Let us have an open health care practitioners, with Peter invisible trauma of people resident ended inquiry around human inner Fenwick as Chair. in a country where acts of war took experiences towards an expanded place, but were not acknowledged science, beyond a materialist What About Silent Ancestral or healed: “I would like to tell worldview. Histories? you about my country and that A recent PhD awarded to Brian I raised issues around psychism and emptiness I have been exploring or Spittles by Murdoch University clairvoyance, remote perception that has been drawing me in for so in Australia14 made a significant and non-local consciousness, where many years15.” I feel we need to contribution towards a better people were able to tune in to other find some way of acknowledging understanding of psychosis. The existences, other times and spaces. past exterminations and expulsions. author provided us with systematic The experiences mentioned above I’d like to see us honour multiple substantive arguments as to raised awareness of the differences narratives for understanding why radical change is required. between deliberate psychism and consciousness and interpreting He gathered evidence which spontaneous unsolicited psychism human inner experiences.

Dr Natalie Tobert is a medical anthropologist, who offers collaborative training on cultural diversity, specialising in mental well being, She conducted original research in Africa, India and London, and has had four books published. Natalie plans another retreat in Poland, autumn 2019. Contact: [email protected]

References 1 Bishop B 1960, One Spoilt Spring, Faber and Faber, London 2 Nazi Concentration camps around Europe https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?ll=54.033586%2C15.776366999999937&spn=11.631 921%2C19.775391&hl=en&gl=us&oe=UTF8&msa=0&z=5&source=embed&ie=UTF8&mid=1Yqt_cbT5G86GG_BCYBvcaGXmgE4 3 Wardle E 2015 Memories of the Holocaust and Questions of Past Lives . J Psychiatry 18:220 4 Shahah Y Ovadya Ben Malka 2015, A Damaged Mirror: A story of memory and redemption, Kasva Press 5 Gershom Y 1996, From Ashes to Healing: Mystical Encounters with the Holocaust, A.R.E. Press 6 Pick A 2015, Between Gods, Tinder Press 7 Tibetan Book Of The Dead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CIVvJsQPvk 8 https://www.funeralzone.co.uk/blog/death-around-world-native-american-beliefs 9 Palmer T 2015 The Science of Spirit Possession, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle 10 Woo-kyoung A, Proctor C, Flanagan E, 2009. Mental Health Clinicians’ Beliefs About Biological, Psychological, and Environmental Bases of Mental Disorders, Cognitive Science, Vol 33, no 2, 147–182 11 Carpenter M and Raj T. 2012 Editorial introduction : towards a paradigm shift from community care to community development in mental health. Community Development Journal, Vol.47 (No.4). pp. 457-472 12 Good B 1994, Medicine, Rationality and Experience, Cambridge U P 13 Tobert N 2017, Cultural Perceptions on Mental Wellbeing: Spiritual Interpretations of Symptoms in Medical Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers 14 Spittles B 2018, Better Understanding Psychosis: A Psychospiritual Challenge to Medical Psychiatry, Murdoch University, Australia 15 Personal communication, Lucja Nowak October 2018

14 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 A Galileo Moment Emilios Bouratinos, Richard Grant & Vasileios Basios

Why an expanded science? The model presented by these figures In his final gift to science and has become less influential and mankind, Stephen Hawking has modern people tend to be polarised postulated that the universal origin into one group to the exclusion of story does not require God because the other. Once this happens, well science can answer all the questions known psychological and sociological about the big bang and what forces of group dynamics take existed prior to the big bang. hold and members tend to support Hawking says that at the beginning group positions that they might not of time, the singularity that support on their own. This tendency comprised the entire universe existed to advocate group opinion is both as a homogeneous particle without genetically and historically encoded in the concept of time. And that virtually all complex animal groups, without time, nothing, not even God, but reaches its height in human existed. An increasingly recalcitrant beings. As we peer nervously over Roger Penrose has put forth the idea the fence at the “others”, we are that the universe has had an untold driven to adopt more and more number of big bangs and evidence extreme positions at the risk of of prior abrupt expansions are visible being cast out of our own group. in the present universe. And so, there are two groups, one Imagine a universe that reaches believing only in sense-mediated the final stages of its accelerating facts and the other only in faith of expansion, when even atoms have underlying guiding forces. There been pulled apart into a quark and is a component of human activity gluon stew. A universe where gravity that is required to live a life of any and space-time have been stripped, kind of sanity: what science would allowing information to exceed call objectivity – and religion faith. light speed – and consciousness, And while both groups lay claim to seeking complexity, collapses objectivity on the one hand and faith what it can into a singularity that on the other, both groups express explodes into space-time and an objectivity and faith. We must expanding universe accelerated by have conscious confidence that our the dark, detached remnants of what observations about air and breathing could not be collapsed in the prior confirm our unconscious faith that This is the first part of an universe. In essence, a universal our next breath will contain the air reincarnation story. we need to breath. Confidence is essay written for the launch useless without faith that gravity is Science and religion have often been universal and we won’t float off into of the Galileo Commission at odds with one another. In fact, space or have our planet crash into science can trace its origins to alchemy the sun. We must have faith that our Report – the second part whose practitioners were mostly beliefs are in fact true. A faith that proposes some practical mystics and astrologers. Far from says “my group is on the right path.” an adherence to a code or method, Even though it is at the root of so steps in the light of what early science was the study of how many problems, we cannot simply to bring god like powers to the say that faith is itself wrong, it fills follows. Please email me if individual. Throughout history, there the balloon of purpose with the very you would like the full essay. are figures who were able to navigate air it needs to rise above the seeming the shifting ground of what science indifference, and all too often cruelty, It is based on the final offered and what religion offered of life. But faith is what science without becoming dogmatic about attempts to excise from all that it chapter of Emilios’ book either – Sir Isaac Newton and Galileo expresses – if there is no sense based Science, Objectivity and Galilei come to mind (although proof, then whatever it is, it simply neither had smooth relations with does not exist. Nature and reality Consciousness. authority figures in either realm). don’t work that way.

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The problem with faith arises when non-objectifiable reality breaking though on the one hand they use we don’t accept the premise of through to a reality dominated by consciousness to explore elements something on faith, and instead, self-locking objectifications. And of their field of study, and on the force a premise onto something to be clear, this non-objectifiable other, consciousness is both the to match our faith. In science, reality as expressed by quantum cause and result of the things they this practice is called self-locking mechanics does not say that some are studying. We are today no closer objectification, and unfolds in exotic particles are exhibiting non- to understanding the origin of five stages. In the first stage, the local, non-temporal behaviour in human consciousness than we were scientist picks out those elements a particle accelerator – no – it says a thousand years ago. from his perceptions that serve the that the fundamental nature of idea he has of himself and what he every object everywhere is based on Informing an expanded science is researching. In the second stage, the probability of results. It seems Science is limited by self-locking these elements are turned into hard, that the only thing in the universe objectifications, and increasing immovable ideas and rules. In the that treats things in the universe as specialisation of the people third stage, the scientist abstracts hard objects are modern scientists! doing the science. As a result, these hardened elements from their there is a profound need for an natural embeddedness in reality. In In our book, Science, Objectivity, and Consciousness, we acknowledge expanded science that draws on the fourth stage, he locks mentally insights from other fields. Science, not just into his abstraction of scientists’ and in particular physicists’ attraction to a theory Objectivity, and Consciousness the elements, but into their most calls an expanded science, a science obvious conceptual implications. of everything, and propose that a toward the limits. Inspired by And finally, the scientist projects theory of everything is impossible William James’ radical empiricism, those abstractions both onto all he without a rigorous examination of a science toward the limits would perceives subsequently and on how the role consciousness plays in the allow us to explore the things he makes sense of his observations. complexification of the universe we continue to sweep under a He can not see the world as it is, or -- a process that started with the Cartesian rug since the discovery of even as his senses dictate, and now Big Bang and led to atoms, stars, non-locality and non-temporality constructs the world out of what his planets, life and eventually the in quantum physics. But there self-locking points of view dictate. human mind. Much is made of the requirement that the basic constants can be no evolution of a science When confronted with experimental of the observable universe be as they toward the limits until we develop results from early experiments on are to either prove a guiding divinity ways to stimulate cross discipline sub-atomic particles using criteria or the presence of a multiverse communication and intuitive borrowed from the operation of where some universes don’t result breakthroughs. And most critically, elements or molecules, Werner in life, but ours is one of the there can be no further meaningful Heisenberg wondered: “Can nature special ones that does. In Science, advancement of our understanding possibly be so absurd as it seemed Objectivity, and Consciousness, of the physical world until we to us in these … experiments?” we propose that neither is required have exhausted research into the Quantum theory was created when when consciousness, in the form consciousness that informs it. physicists realised that their results of a unifying whole stimulating Before we can proceed toward from sub-atomic experiments could and responding to a fragmented an expanded science, we must not be classified as “experimental”, base attracting simpler things to reacquire a technique that offers at least not in the way they had form more complex things, is both been using the term for other guidance and a yardstick to measure the guide and result of nature and the effectiveness of our approach. types of experiments. What they the cosmos. were seeing were not results, but The best method for our object probabilities of results. As we step The universe’s basic constants of dominant society is to tap into the back from such a concept, can gravity, strong and weak forces, reality at hand and its interwoven we really consider that recording light speed are as they are because wholeness through interpersonal the probability of a result is a real they evolve from consciousness’ dialogue as currently expressed thing? As in, is it something that requirement for further in the various forms of Bohmian one can say constitutes an object complexification. Without a limit to Dialogue, gathering individuals that can be grasped, understood, the speed of light, there could be no from relevant disciplines to discuss manipulated, interpreted? A time, or separation of information the requirements, direction, and probability has no “thingyness” from a receiving and sending entity. epistemology of an expanded as we understand things with Without gravitational constants, science will inform the process our sense-based reasoning. It is a gases could not collapse into stars with the wisdom present in the description of something that might that explode to create even more collective unconscious. But even exist, or might not – depending on complex materials that ultimately before we can start having guided the prevailing winds. lead to life itself. The universe is discussions, we need to investigate exactly as it needs to be because how interpersonal dialogue works And yet, there is meaning in the that is what is required for it to be in tribal societies, how it worked not-quite-thingness of quantum as it is. The particular details that in ancient times, and how it theory. A chance to gain a deeper enforce the nature of the universe works today through the work insight into the form actually are intricately tied to the general of proponents like Parker Palmer, taken by nature. If we suppose expression of the consciousness William Isaacs and Patricia Shaw. that physicists have locked into that underlies it. The insights should be collected, a particular point of view, we cross-referenced and composed can wonder if what a physicist But consciousness is not even on the into a single method for obtaining conceives as probabilities on the radar of cosmologists, physicists, collective wisdom. It is anticipated quantum level is no more than chemists, or biologists. Even that the composite method may

16 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 lead to other, currently unknown understanding. The willingness the observers need a different techniques that will facilitate (and ability) of the dialoguing epistemological base to prevent self- rapid adaptation as what we learn individuals to keep their ego out locking objectification. We simply changes what we question. of the exchange, will lead to this cannot continue to treat numbers, without effort. fields, tendencies, dimensions or The following ideas outline how indirect influences using the light of We call the unconscious collective interpersonal dialogue could be our understanding of how strictly used to address the many challenges wisdom accessed by these delineated objects behave and that face an expanded science. techniques a new Delphic oracle. how they relate in linear time or Each time there is a major problem, During ancient times, the oracle at container space. Vision-mediated challenge or opportunity open to Delphi advised cities and individuals comprehension (and its offshoot debate, a core of humble, well- through the collective wit of priests, object-mediated reason) limit the informed and dedicated individuals who made sense of the inchoate interpretation of the data. Nor will establish a knowledge field pronouncements of the entranced can we expect to jump from a ship through interpersonal dialogue to Pythia. Herodotus mentions that of fragments isolated from the discuss the issue. Members will something similar occurred in an whole and each other, to a sea of be chosen based on the exact mix oracle dedicated to Amon-Ra in appreciation of the oneness of being required to examine the issue at Egypt. Priests there divined the will and becoming that will be so crucial hand and its dynamics. Hopefully, of God by interpreting together to confront objectification. We will organisers of the event will not the movements of children playing literally need to become different only consider specialists, but also freely in the temple precinct. If people. People capable of using consider non-specialists based on we are to proceed on the path to both hemispheres of the brain to the wholeness component of the faithfully representing nature as she simultaneously experience oneness topic to be discussed. A few of the really is, we need to use the tools and multiplicity. In order to advance chosen members, preferably one nature provides us to find the truth a science of consciousness that or more specialists and non- and understand its relationship to culminates in an expanded science, specialists, will have had some other truths. there will be the urgent need for wholeness training to assist in understanding the oneness of being the focused development of the Intermediate steps and becoming, just as in order to group’s discussion. Now that we have a new Delphic cultivate an understanding of the Once the group has been convened, oracle to find truth and confirm oneness of being and becoming an attempt will be made to the efficacy of its relationship to there will be an urgent need for an articulate the questions to be nature’s non-objectifiable form, effective science of consciousness. discussed. Although the subject is we need a means to use it to Our suggested science of known in advance, no attempt to transform our existing science into consciousness needs something clarify it should be made before an expanded science. We can’t just else. Scientists cannot specialise the group begins discussion. The apply all of our objective techniques in a science of everything, and definition of the exact area to be to represent a reality that neither that is exactly what would be covered is the ongoing business wants nor offers an approach to required to specialise in a science of of those dealing with it, not of do so. Quantum mechanics and consciousness. We must complete the organisers of the meeting. cracks in other disciplines like It is often the case that as one biology and chemistry show that an interdisciplinary overview of exchanges ideas about something, to be untenable. Besides which, theoretical physics, theoretical other aspects come to view that the quality of our answers from biology, social and physical hitherto had been ignored. After the our new oracle, as it relates to anthropology, epistemology, group has marked out its direction, representing nature in her true history of civilisation, psychology, participants will contribute their form, will in large part depend on philosophy of mathematics, and – most significant information on the the quality of our questions. How yes – comparative religions. Data subject using dialogue punctuated can we know what questions to ask from these sources will help us by silence. As others do the same, if we are so firmly locked into our restore wholeness to our vision. But their most thoughtful insights will objectifications that we can’t even by sources, we don’t intend to limit be offered about the subject while see or explain the dark energy and the overview. Instead, we mean such allowing the shifting perception of dark matter that comprise the bulk natural and mental components what the subject is to evolve with of the universe? as the properties of fields, the the discussion. successive levels of organisation, We are going to need a stepping informed intuition, information Exchanges between participants stone that gets us beyond our self- coming through non-local and will be pursued with one sole locking objectification, through the non-temporal conduits, and indirect door of wholeness integrated with purpose – that of obtaining the best interdependencies. The data fragmentation and onto the shore answer possible to the question from such a broad list of sources of a universal sea filled with the debated. There must be a firm can weave a multilayered, trans- consciousness now attempting to understanding of this coupled with informational, inter-conceptual, understand itself. What we propose a firm intention of participants to inter-functional and cross-rational to bridge the gap between science persevere. As long as these are held, web of understanding, that together and an expanded science is the wholeness itself will articulate its will make far better sense of both creation of a new field of study, relevance to the present moment consciousness and the world a self-reflective interdisciplinary and the present interests by bringing science of consciousness. than the present object mediated to the foreground some of the rational. Like the parable of hidden aspects that will prove Our new field of study needs the blind men and the elephant, critical to new insights and new to be self-reflective because we consciousness is not something that

www.scimednet.org 17 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 can be described by the established There always comes a moment, special challenge to mind-science use of language, the technical as you follow a path, when you because all brains and all mental inquiries of philosophy, elaborate realise that you have taken the illnesses differ in significant ways.” mathematical theory, the physical wrong turn. But this realisation sciences, or the laboratory tests presupposes that you have walked The third goal is an offshoot of in medicine, neuroscience and long enough on the wrong path to the second. Though reductionism cognitive psychology. In order to realise that it is wrong. It takes as will always remain a useful tool for form a complete picture of the much patience to find where you’ve certain measurable jobs in science, elephant, the blind men must use made a mistake as it takes to find it no longer can be seen as the only their knowledge of their sensory where you’ve made the right choice. valid tool for investigating nature, fragments to transcend what they As Erwin Schrödinger points out, particularly living nature. There cannot see by finding among we cannot evict consciousness is need to introduce an alternative themselves a new way of seeing. from the scientific arena and then tool, and that is wholeness. This claim triumphantly that we haven’t will prove useful particularly in What is the meaning of found it by applying the scientific biology and neuroscience. At the consciousness that we are seeking method! You cannot find what same time, a sense of wholeness to research when we talk about you are not disposed (or able) to can help neuroscience discover a science of consciousness? By look for, and a very important step the reality and usefulness of non- consciousness we do not mean a will have been taken by scientists measurables like intuition, aesthetic synonym for mind or awareness. when they begin to incorporate this satisfaction, empathy or remote Still less do we mean that which realisation into their work. A self- cognition, which reflect important appears with humans, the birth of reflective interdisciplinary science of functions of consciousness. the critical faculty, the invention of consciousness will be as much about Furthermore, a sense of wholeness language, or even the appearance finding out about reality as it will will help neuroscience to jump the of life. Consciousness plays “the” be about finding out what it is that conceptual barrier separating non- key role in the creation of physical prevents us from so doing. measurables from measurables. reality itself – a fifth force added to the other four making up To function on a deeper level, a self- Fourth, and finally, a sense of nature according to the standard reflective interdisciplinary science of wholeness will help neuroscience see Copenhagen interpretation of consciousness will have to push for that if it would fathom the role of quantum mechanics. It acts as the four specific goals. The first is a new quantity in consciousness research, unifying agent pulling together the version of reductionism. Writing it must first develop a taste for, weak nuclear force, the strong, about neuroscience’s explanatory and an ability to access, qualitative electromagnetism and gravity, gap, John Horgan notes: “Like a understanding. Accurate description thus giving them form, structure, precocious eight-year old tinkering of what happens in the brain cannot cohesion and drive. Consciousness with a radio, mind scientists excel be held up as a sample of quality. is a “contextually emergent at taking the brain apart, but they The technique created to promote property (Jordan and Ghin)” of have no idea how to put it back this kind of investigation must the great self-organising system together again.” Horgan’s insight remain conscious not only of the that keeps the universe evolving suggests that the new brand of kind of discipline it is developing in and through time and space. In reductionism here suggested needs into, but of how the said discipline the beginning, this self-organising to push the analytical process all may continue to develop without system just brings things together. It the way down to the wholeness that getting stuck on what it discovers extracts quality from quantity and holds the reducible parts together, in the present. Consciousness order from chaos. It reflects what qualitatively as well as structurally. investigators will thus empower the etymology of the ancient Greek themselves to constantly translate word for intelligence (euphyia) The second goal that a self- their findings into new premises, suggests: “to grow well.” The end reflective interdisciplinary science of theories and methodologies as a product of the exercise is homo consciousness will have to pursue matter of course. sapiens itself. is to stop considering repeatability a necessary condition for validating How we proceed to expand science A self-reflective interdisciplinary experiments. There is already a to realise a “science toward the science of consciousness will plethora of indications that, even in limits” is bound to our willingness probably consider useless any chemistry, some experiments are not to engage in an interim course of further research into the physical literally repeatable. Environmental action to remove the obstacles put origins of human consciousness components differ, often in up by self-locking objectification in the brain. Nevertheless, it unpredictable ways. As John while diving into the wholistic should continue trying to find the Horgan points out, “the putative experience of the universe in physical mechanism through which cornerstone of science is the ability the form of a self-reflective consciousness interacts with the to replicate experiments and thus interdisciplinary science brain and the rest of the body. results. But replicability poses a of consciousness.

Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. John Kenneth Galbraith 1908-2006

18 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 Shifting the Paradigm around Consciousness and why it is essential Mark Gober

If you had asked me about We can send people to the moon, consciousness over two years ago, we have developed complex I would have said it is a product computing devices, we’ve learned of complex chemical reactions how to modify genes, and much that occur in the brain. That’s more. However, we still don’t know what mainstream science teaches. the basis of something as basic as I studied psychology at Princeton our own consciousness. This fact One fact is certain: University and have spent the last continues to shock me. ten years working in finance and In An End to Upside Down given that you are reading business strategy, so I’ve been Thinking, I argue that we are this article, you have entrenched in mainstream thinking. asking the wrong question. Science magazine’s question presumes consciousness — a Questioning paradigms that there is a biological basis of But in August 2016, I first heard consciousness. But what if our subjective, inner experience podcasts that made me question biology (i.e., our brain) does not mainstream perspectives. After produce consciousness at all? or awareness of being then researching extensively for a What if the brain instead acts alive. Your consciousness year, I wrote the recently published more like a filtering mechanism An End to Upside Down Thinking for a consciousness that is not is not a physical thing (Waterside Publishing, October localised to or produced by the 2018). The book compiles scientific body? In other words, what if our that you can touch, but it evidence that challenges the view consciousness exists beyond the that consciousness comes from physical body? These questions have is unquestionably present the brain. massive implications for how we think about human potential and at this very moment as In the course of my research I even life and death. In my view, the you read these words. was stunned to learn that Science accumulation of strong scientific magazine listed consciousness evidence in a diverse set of domains We all have it. But what second in its list of the biggest suggests that, indeed, consciousness mysteries remaining in science is not a product of the brain. And does science know about (“What is the biological basis of furthermore, a single, underlying consciousness?”). As a society we consciousness which connects us all its origin? have achieved incredible feats. is the basis of the physical world.

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Quantum reality who stated in his March 2018 the official peer-reviewed One such domain is quantum paper: “A post hoc combination of academic journal of the American mechanics. Its findings led Nobel the formal experiments’ scores… Psychological Association. Prize-winner, Max Planck, to state provided statistically significant Dr. Cardeña’s findings are clear: in 1931: “I regard consciousness results favoring the existence of “The evidence provides cumulative as fundamental. I regard matter as anomalous interactions between support for the reality of [psychic derivative from consciousness. We conscious agents and a physical phenomena]. … The evidence…is cannot get behind consciousness. system. Further studies are comparable to that for established Everything we talk about, warranted to formally test the post phenomena in psychology and other everything that we regard as hoc hypothesis.” disciplines.” The fact that such a existing, postulates consciousness.” mainstream journal published these findings is hugely significant. A phenomenon known as the Non-local, “psychic” abilities “observer effect” in quantum If consciousness is not a product mechanics points in this direction, of the brain and is instead more Surviving bodily death as demonstrated by a study called fundamental than physical matter, If consciousness transcends the the double slit laser experiment. In then “psychic” phenomena become brain and body, then we would this study, a particle behaves like a possible. As the basis of reality, expect consciousness to continue particle only when it is observed. consciousness can be thought of when the physical body dies. There When it is not being observed, it as existing beyond all space and is indeed evidence that points in this behaves like a wave of probability time. Therefore, it is conceivable direction. For example, the study of (i.e., it doesn’t have a definite that a person could access near-death experiences suggests that location). So the studies suggest information that is not localised a lucid consciousness exists even that the observer is affecting the to his or her body. when the brain is highly impaired behavior of physical matter simply There is in fact evidence for many or even fully “off.” Cardiologist by observing it. This notion is psychic phenomena. For example, Dr. Pim van Lommel studied the totally counterintuitive but has been the U.S. government ran a more experiences of patients in cardiac shown over and over to be true. than 20-year program in which arrest, during which blood is known it used psychic spies for national to stop flowing to the brain. Yet The big question is: what is causing in 18% of cardiac arrest survivors this effect? Is there some physical security. In 1995, the United States Congress and the CIA asked Dr. studied by Dr. van Lommel, lucid mechanism that can explain the memories were reported. The findings, or is the consciousness Jessica Utts to examine whether psychic phenomena were proven. findings are difficult to explain of the observer steering physical under conventional models of reality? Physicists have debated In fact, Dr. Utts is a reputable statistician who was named the the brain, which predict that a these topics for decades, but some significant amount of brain activity have stated that consciousness 2016 president of the American Statistics Association. In her would be needed to produce such might be playing a role. For lucid experiences. And yet a non- example, Nobel Prize-winning publicly available report she stated: “Using the standards applied to any trivial number of survivors reported physicist Eugene Wigner said, clear memories in spite of having “It is the entering of an impression other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been a dysfunctional brain. The results into our consciousness which alters were published in 2001 in the the wave function,” adding, well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are prominent peer-reviewed medical “it is at this point that the journal, The Lancet. consciousness enters the theory far beyond what is expected by unavoidably and unalterably.” chance. Arguments that these In a similar study conducted by results could be due to Dr. Sam Parnia and his colleagues, In the last several years, this idea methodological flaws in the a cardiac arrest survivor reported has been explored further. Dr. experiments are soundly refuted.” specific, accurate details of what Dean Radin, Chief Scientist at the happened in his hospital room. His Institute of Noetic Sciences, ran 17 Similarly, the CIA recently declassified documents from this recollections occurred during the studies over an eight-year period program. One such document time of cardiac arrest in which his in which he and his colleagues discusses a psychic ability known brain should have been completely asked people to focus their as “remote viewing,” which is nonfunctional. As Dr. Parnia puts mental attention on a double slit the ability to perceive something it: “In this case, consciousness apparatus. His hypothesis was that from far away, without seeing and awareness appeared to occur if consciousness is indeed playing it with one’s eyes (sometimes during a three-minute period a role, then the particle’s behavior called “clairvoyance”). The when there was no heartbeat. should be altered. Sure enough, declassified document states This is paradoxical, since the Dr. Radin’s studies showed strong that remote viewing is “a real brain typically ceases functioning statistical effects which suggest phenomenon,” that the “evidence within 20-30 seconds of the heart that consciousness is steering the [is] too impressive to dismiss as stopping and doesn’t resume behavior of physical matter. His mere coincidence,” and that the again until the heart has been findings (which unfortunately “implications are revolutionary.” restarted. Furthermore, the detailed have not garnered the attention recollections of visual awareness they deserve) were published in Additionally, in May 2018, Lund in this case were consistent with Physics Essays (2012 and 2013) University professor Dr. Etzel verified events.” and Quantum Biosciences (2015). Cardeña’s findings on the scientific These remarkable results have since evidence for psychic abilities Additionally, at the University of been replicated by Gabriel Guerrer were released. The results were Virginia’s Division of Perceptual at the University of São Paulo, published in American Psychologist, Studies, Drs. Ian Stevenson and

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Jim Tucker have examined more what original research they have another under this new paradigm. than 2,500 cases over fifty years read, and they mostly admit that What the research collectively in which young children describe they haven’t read any!” points to is the notion that we details of a previous life. The This dynamic is eerily similar to are all fundamentally connected children are typically between the as part of the same underlying ages of two and five years old, and what Galileo faced when certain members of the clergy refused consciousness. So even though their memories are sometimes so we appear to be separate, at the specific that the researchers are to look in his telescope. History has shown over and over that deepest level of consciousness we unable to devise a conventional are the same. Under this paradigm, explanation. In some cases, the paradigm shifts are resisted. it becomes irrational to do harm to children have birthmarks and Perhaps the looming consciousness physical defects that match how revolution is one that future another: in harming another, one they described dying in the previous historians will add to their list. would be harming one’s “self” as life. The most compelling cases part of the same consciousness. are ones in which the researchers World-changing implications The world today is in obvious were able to find medical or other When taken together, the disarray. I would argue that most, historical records verifying that such accumulated evidence points if not all, of the problems we see individuals in fact existed. toward a new picture of are tied to a belief that we are consciousness. Consciousness fundamentally separate. But what if Why isn’t this generally doesn’t come from the brain; that idea is scientifically incorrect? rather, the brain (and our entire What if consciousness doesn’t come accepted yet? physical reality), is an experience I often find myself wondering why within consciousness itself. This from the brain and is instead the these findings aren’t more regularly idea argues for a rethinking of fabric of reality, connecting us all? discussed in mainstream circles. Dr. what it means to be human. As Nobel Prize–winning physicist Utts comments on this topic: “Most Furthermore, by acknowledging Erwin Schrödinger concluded: scientists reject the possible reality the primacy of consciousness “In truth, there is only one mind.” of [psychic] abilities without ever we might see major advances in looking at data!…I have asked the To me, the study of consciousness science, medicine, technology, isn’t just an intellectual exercise. debunkers if there is any amount of and beyond. data that could convince them, and It’s much bigger than that. It might they generally have responded by But to me, the biggest implications be necessary for world peace and saying, ‘probably not.’ I ask them are around how we might treat one even the survival of our species.

Mark Gober is an author, a Partner at Sherpa Technology Group in Silicon Valley, a former investment banker with UBS in New York, and former captain of the Princeton tennis team. His worldview was turned upside down in late 2016 when he was exposed to world-changing science which suggested that, contrary to mainstream assumptions, consciousness is not produced by the brain. After researching extensively, he wrote An End to Upside Down Thinking to introduce the general public to these cutting-edge ideas – all in an effort to encourage a much-needed global shift in scientific and existential thinking. Mark also serves as director of corporate relations for Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Ervin Laszlo’s Institute of New Paradigm Research. For more information, see www.markgober.com.

References 1 “125th Anniversary Issue.” Science magazine website. http://www.sciencemag.org/site/feature/misc/webfeat/125th/. 2 “Interview with Max Planck.” The Observer, January 25, 1931. 3 Wigner, Eugene Paul. “Remarks on the Mind-Body Problem.” In The Scientist Speculates, edited by I. J. Good, pp. 284–302. London: Heinemann, 1961. 4 Wigner, Eugene Paul. “The Place of Consciousness in Modern Physics.” In Philosophical Reflections and Syntheses, edited by Eugene Paul Wigner and Jagdish Mehra. Berlin: Springer, 1997. 5 Radin, Dean, et al. “Consciousness and the Double-Slit Interference Pattern: Six Experiments.” Physics Essays 25, no. 2 (2012): 157–71 and Radin, Dean, et al. “Psychophysical Interactions With a Double-Slit Interference Pattern.” Physics Essays 26, no. 4 (2013): 553–66. 6 Radin, Dean, et al. “Psychophysical Interactions with a Single-Photon Double-Slit Optical System.” Quantum Biosystems 6, no. 1 (2015): 82–98. 7 Guerrer, Gabriel. “Consciousness-Related Interactions in a Double-Slit Optical System.” Open Science Framework (March 9, 2018). doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/QDKVX. 8 Utts, Jessica. “An Assessment of the Evidence for Psychic Functioning.” Division of Statistics, University of California, Davis, 1995. http://www.ics.uci.edu/~jutts/air.pdf 9 “Project Sun Streak.” Unpublished CIA report, approved for release August 8, 2008. Available for download at www.cia.gov. 10 Cardeña, E. “The Experimental Evidence for Parapsychological Phenomena: A Review.” American Psychologist (May 24, 2018). Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/amp0000236. 11 van Lommel, Pim, et al. “Near-Death Experience in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective Study in the Netherlands.” The Lancet 9298 (2001): 2039–45. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673601071008/fulltext. 12 Parnia, Sam et al. “AWARE—Awareness during Resuscitation—A prospective study.” Resuscitation (2014), Volume 85, Issue 12, 1799 – 1805. 13 International Association for Near Death Studies. “AWARE Study Initial Results Are Published!” IANDS webpage, July 18, 2017. https://iands.org/resources/media-resources/front-page-news/1060-aware-study-initial-results-are-published.html. 14 Utts, Jessica. “Appreciating Statistics.” Journal of the American Statistical Association 111 (2016): 1373–80. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01621459.2016.1250592. 15 Schrödinger, Erwin. What Is Life? With Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches. London: Cambridge University Press, 1969.

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Circulation of the Galileo Commission Report generated a large volume of correspondence from over 30 advisers, resulting in a revision of the summary argument printed above and also in this interesting exchange:

(many were clergy). They were true be acknowledged, or we frighten scientists, because they asked the the horses before we can get in important big questions and kept the saddle. Much as Newtonian their minds open. mechanics is mistaken, it is very helpful in very many situations. Nowadays science is an industry, The problem is the narrow view. practised factory-fashion, with huge empires, awards, egos at Organisms are not in the least like stake, and dependent on vastly mechanisms, but mechanism is a expensive machinery. No young perfectly useful way of looking at scientist now dares step out of tiny details in a complex picture. line if he or she wants a career, The problem is thinking that and the more established ones the same thinking will help you have everything to lose by doing understand the whole, which it can’t. so. As a result, true science is So we want, in the words of the practised less and less. It takes huge better US title of Rupert [Sheldrake’s] moral commitment and courage “The Science Delusion”, “Science Set to think less narrowly, but without Free”. We are the liberators, not the thinking differently no great besiegers, of science. We can afford From Dr Iain McGilchrist discoveries are made. In the second to be magnanimous, but that does Dear colleagues and friends, place, broadcasters and journalists not stop us making powerful points. are afraid of appearing foolish by For example, it is not that, taking the First, thank you so very much to all giving any credence to anything narrow view, agribusiness does not who put in such a great effort to get other than scientism (and are also work: it’s that in the broader view it this together. And apologies that now locked into huge, inflexible is disastrous, because we don’t see I come late to the party, and that I bureaucratic systems); and the what it is we are missing. cannot be at the meeting. humanities have lost their nerve, for a host of reasons, and just want How do you come to see what it Joan [Walton] asks ‘given that to ape what they see as ‘science’, is your narrow vision by definition many of us have understood that but which is in fact scientism. excludes you from seeing? In this science could be pursued within situation some people, perhaps most, an expanded worldview for many Why does this matter? Because if cannot be helped: they will never decades, why have the efforts of we are to get through, we must not look down the telescope. But there all those on this listing, and the be seen to disparage science, which will always be some who will, and powerful writings of many, not is in enough trouble already for the need our encouragement. What made more impact on mainstream above reasons. We must not only makes current science particularly society generally, and on our public be, but be seen to be, inclusive, uncomfortable is any breath institutions such as universities more not exclusive. We all need healthy of inconsistency (a sure sign of specifically?’ I think the main reason science – without it we are all lost, moribundity), which has the perverse is fear. In the first place, most of at least if any argument is to have effect of discouraging any shifts in the great discoveries of science of purchase; and it is not as if the the paradigm. the past were made by independent current science paradigm, deeply individuals working with only mistaken as I believe it to be, has But what needs to be emphasised basic equipment and often alone met with no success. That must is that current science makes

22 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 unscientific assumptions, because nineteenth century science has still keep them in separate silos. that is an inconsistency that must been on a roll, to do away with One author started by talking about be addressed by the mainstream, anything that smacks of religion the Big Bang, then ended with who merely assume that they make and spirituality. To be fair, many the biblical creation story. There no assumptions. To take one of the edifices built on Aristotelian was no attempt at reconciliation. example, there is no single shred and Thomist principles needed I think it is time to try to change of evidence that matter gives rise demolishing --- the Earth-centred that narrative --- even though the to consciousness, and some reason universe, the age of the Earth, task is daunting. we are dealing from contemporary physics to the origins of species - the entire with centuries of historical baggage, believe that consciousness is prior narrative of how life began end religious prejudices that are unlikely to matter. And, of course, as has evolved, the human soul --- Freud to change. Will it be well received, been pointed out, the demand that was determined to banish the idea say among philosophers of science, science accept only what can be of a soul. Later he and Jung came or other university departments? empirically demonstrated is itself to blows on this one. Vitalism was I sure hope so. not an empirically grounded or also a target. demonstrable demand. Once one gets into this territory, we become The march of science during the the ones to ask the difficult, scientific nineteenth century was one of questions, putting the bureaucrats taking down whatever religion who speak for science on the back had built, breaking free from the constraints of religion. Instead of foot, rather than being on the back divine intervention “blind chance” foot always ourselves. And we can became a favourite agency. It did show them what it is they may be away with the need for teleology and missing by being too narrow in spirituality. This doesn’t mean that their assumptions. scientists were atheists. Many were So, in brief, I think our claim must religious people, but they maintained be not that there is something wrong a strict separation between truths with science, but that what passes based in spirituality, and those of for science nowadays is not scientific science. I am quite sure that many enough, and that as a result we are scientists’ prejudice today against missing great potential discoveries the paranormal is rooted in this and stultifying the human mind. historical conflict. Various scientists I have tried to From Dr Alan Wallace: dialogue about the paranormal dismissed the subject, because of As has happened countless times the association with spirituality in the past, the situation here is --- which for various reasons they one of a David & Goliath face-off. rejected. Open the door a crack, and Beginning in the 1860s, Thomas God might just sneak in! Curiously, Huxley (David) sought to overthrow many religious people are also the authority of the Church of hostile to studying the paranormal. England (Goliath) in his promotion Martin Gardner, the mathematician of materialism by sending out the and arch debunker, was a devout message that this worldview alone Catholic. The hostility of some was compatible with science; and religious people to the paranormal his ideal of global domination of seems to be because paranormal scientific materialism has proven phenomena might lessen the need remarkably successful. for faith --- for belief in the absence But now, 150 years later, of evidence. Such evidence could materialism, rooted in a 19th- also conceivably make faith less century, mechanistic view of the necessary. Either way, paranormal universe, has been discredited by From Paul Kieniewicz: phenomena are seen as a threat to cutting-edge physics, it has failed Dear Iain religious dogma. Many Christians to make any progress in solving are very disturbed by news of NDEs the mind-body problem, and its I think that you express very well where the Buddha, and not Christ is domination of mental health has some of the reasons why scientism the presence that is observed. resulted in a plethora of psycho- is the ruling ethos today when it pharmaceutical drugs that treat comes to scientific research. Yes, The Galileo report is courageous because it crosses over from the only the symptoms of mental there is fear, fear of no funding, disease, without ever healing religious to the scientific. The main reputation and so on. But what is even one. Mental diseases are argument is that were the role of behind it all? Why did things come increasing exponentially, even as science expanded, both the spiritual to this pass? Could things have scientific understanding of the and religious could coexist under evolved in a different direction? brain and the proliferation of one umbrella. Very few initiatives psycho-pharmaceutical drugs One issue that needs some discussion have tried this. The Copernicus increase exponentially. is the centuries-old campaign to Project in Krakow, for example, exorcise the ghost of religion. often has lectures of religion and Intellectually, materialism is Beginning with the Enlightenment, science, but most speakers --- while bankrupt and can no longer be but certainly throughout the acknowledging the validity of both, deemed “scientific.” Pragmatically,

www.scimednet.org 23 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 the effect of the deeply interrelated groups with whom we share a by the media, academia, and the triad of materialism-hedonism- common vision of non-reductionist scientific community), only to see it consumerism is proving catastrophic views of the universe, the role of vanish into thin air. for the ecosphere and for the consciousness in the natural world, preservation of human civilization. and human nature. PS As the only aphorism goes, the truth will prevail. We just need On rational and empirical grounds, This seems to me to be the real one might assume that materialism to be patient, persevering, and challenge. Non-materialists actually absolutely committed to overcoming would be on the swift decline, but outnumber materialists worldwide, the tyranny of materialism. Just instead its influences continues to but they control the popular and increase. Why? Those promoting it scientific media, sources of scientific to be clear, I’m a firm advocate of are well organized and control vast funding, academia, and government everyone, including materialists of resources of money, influence, and policy. I think this is where the real course, having the rights of freedom prestige. They are the new Goliath, brainstorming needs to take place, of belief and of expression. But and if we of the Resistance (David) rather than tossing another non- people don’t have the right to lie, are to overcome them, then we reductionist manifesto into the wind and the notion that there is anything need to organize internationally (and I’ve thrown quite a few myself, scientific about materialism in the and cross-culturally with diverse only to find them widely ignored 21st century is a lie.

From: Prof Neil Grossman I have been using the terms “science” and “scientific” in its epistemological sense. Science is a methodological process of discovering truths about reality. Insofar as science is an objective process of discovery, it is, and must be, metaphysically neutral. Insofar as science is not metaphysically neutral, but instead weds itself to a particular metaphysical theory, such as materialism, it cannot be an objective process for discovery. There is much confusion on this point, because many people equate science with materialist metaphysics, and phenomena which fall outside the scope of such metaphysics, and hence cannot be explained in physical terms, are called “unscientific”. This is a most unfortunate usage of the term. For if souls and spirits are in fact a part of reality, and science is conceived epistemologically as a systematic investigation of reality, then there is no reason why science cannot devise appropriate methods to investigate souls and spirits. But if science is defined in terms of materialist metaphysics, then, if souls and spirits are real, science, thus defined, will not be able to deal with them. But this would be, not because souls and spirits are unreal, but rather because this definition of science (in terms of materialist metaphysics) has semantically excluded nonphysical realities from it scope.

24 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 After-Death Communications (ADCs)

Evelyn Elsaesser

Introduction perceived ADCs; emotions and Here Evelyn presents a A spontaneous After-Death sense of reality associated with two-year SMN research Communication (ADC) occurs the experience; and potential when a mourner unexpectedly differences between countries. project – an investigation perceives a deceased person through The second objective is to analyse the senses of sight, hearing, smell, or the impact of perceived ADCs on of the phenomenology touch. Very commonly, persons who experients. The following questions experience an ADC (experients) will be examined: What is the and impact of perceived solely “feel the presence” of impact of perceived ADCs on spontaneous and the deceased person or perceive experients? Are there implications a contact or a communication for the grieving process? Do these direct After-Death during sleep or hypnagogic states. experiences change experients’ Perceived ADCs occur frequently, conception of death and their belief Communications (ADCs). with an estimated 25-50% of system? Does the national and mourners having experienced social context influence individuals’ one or more spontaneous ADCs. experiences and their impact? Testimonies collected in different countries and since the last century The third objective will consist suggest this phenomenon to be in disseminating the research universal and timeless. Despite their results as widely as possible to widespread occurrence, perceived the scientific community and ADCs, paradoxically, have been the general public. By collecting little researched and are absent from information about how perceived the media and public discourse. ADCs occur and unfold, and As a consequence, experients by analysing their impact on usually have no frame of reference individuals’ lives, we aim at in terms of which to understand, making these results accessible integrate and fully benefit from this to people who face the death experience which doesn’t match of a close relative, partner or mainstream conceptions of reality. friend, and to the general public. Whatever the ontological status Following an applied research of perceived ADCs might be, they orientation, we will emphasise are perceived as real by a great in our conclusions the relevance number of persons and therefore of our results for the public, certainly deserve their place on the and highlight possible policy consciousness research agenda. implications. The research project will contribute to raising awareness Research objectives about perceived ADCs and have a The first objective is to describe practical impact on a large number the phenomenology of perceived of persons. ADCs. The data collected are expected to provide insights into Data and methodology the profile of the experients; the This international 2-year research profile of the deceased person project which started on 1st of supposedly initiating the contact February 2018 is led in several (including cause of death); the European countries and the United circumstances of occurrence; the States. The collection, analysis type, unfolding and message of and comparison of data of 200

www.scimednet.org 25 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 participants will provide insight into Catalunya, Spain). The Scientific from them, but to internalise their the supposedly universal nature of Committee comprises Prof. Kim essential insights and make them this phenomenon, making this the Penberthy (University of Virginia, their own”1 . We believe the same first comparative ADC research. USA), Prof. Peter Fenwick (UK), psychological mechanism will hold Prof. Kenneth Ring (USA), and true for information dissemination Participants will be invited to David Lorimer (SMN). on ADCs. complete an online survey about the perceived ADC they experienced Furthermore, we will address and about some key socioeconomic Impact of the research study groups of the population more characteristics. On the basis of Following an applied research immediately concerned with ADCs this specially designed online orientation, we will emphasise in like individuals dealing with the questionnaire – available in English, our conclusions the relevance of grief of bereavement (in the context French and Spanish – data will be our results for the general public. of bereavement associations) and collected in Switzerland, France, We aim at bridging science and those facing death (in palliative Great Britain and Spain. This data spirituality by shedding light on this care centers). ADCs could also be will allow us, using descriptive major social phenomenon which is discussed in advanced school classes statistics, to depict the main currently hidden since it challenges in order to allow undergraduates characteristics about our sample mainstream concept of reality. to think and talk about death, and the different profiles of For the purpose of information rather than making the subject ADC experients. dissemination and knowledge taboo and generating anxiety which transfer to the public, we will is as unfounded as it is harmful. The online questionnaire will be publish a short and accessible available as of 1st August 2018, Professor Allan Kellehear has had version of the results of the study, very encouraging results which at https://www.evelyn-elsaesser.com/ explaining the ADC phenomenon, 2 research/ what he calls “death education” its impact on experients, and the by addressing the phenomena Finally, for participants who broader implications of these around death, spreading the will have previously agreed to experiences (possible survival of word in community settings and the anonymised publication of consciousness after bodily death). encouraging discussions. their testimonies, the collected A more in-depth analysis of the data will be archived in a multi- research findings, illustrated with Our research findings and lingual, international, open access testimonies, will be published as hypotheses will also be presented database, hosted and up-dated by a monograph. to the scientific community the University of Northampton. by means of presentations Professor Kenneth Ring has at conferences in the field of This database will eventually be conducted a research identifying available on a dedicated website to consciousness research and by the effects of information about publication of papers in scientific the scientific community for further near-death experiences (NDEs) on analysis and to the general public, journals. Considering the lack individuals who have never had of research and knowledge on in order to make the perceived ADC such an experience themselves. phenomenon more visible in society. ADCs, we expect the results of What he labeled the “benign this exploratory research to open virus hypothesis” shows that up further questions. Hence the Project team exposure to NDE material – and project could also enable us to The project team, led by the in particular if the persons could specify new research hypotheses Swiss expert on experiences listen to and exchange with NDE which may be pursued in the around death Evelyn Elsaesser, is experiencers – has a strong and future in the frame of a large scale composed of Prof. Chris Roe (PI) lasting effect on those individuals. research, involving research teams and Dr. Cal Cooper (University “Through these testimonies, we in different countries. of Northampton, UK), and Prof. can see how it is not only possible Lluis Pastor (Universitat Oberta de for persons open to NDEs to learn

Evelyn Elsaesser is an expert on death-related experiences, notably Near-death experiences (NDEs) and perceived spontaneous and direct After-death communications (ADCs). She is the author of numerous books, articles and book chapters on these topics, includ- ing Lessons from the Light, co-authored with Kenneth Ring, On the Other Side of Life, and Talking with Angel about Illness, Death and Survival. Her latest book Quand les défunts viennent à nous is dedicated to perceived spontaneous and direct ADCs. Evelyn Elsaesser is co-founder and member of the Executive Committee of Swiss IANDS (International Association for Near-Death Studies) and coordinator for Europe of IANDS. She has served for many years as coordinator of the Swiss branch of the Scientific and Medi- cal Network (SMN). https://www.evelyn-elsaesser.com/

1. Ring, Kenneth, Elsaesser, Evelyn (Repr. 2006) Lessons from the Light: What we can learn from the near-death experience. – Moment Point Press, p. 213 2. Kellehear, Allan (2015) Death Education as a Public Health Issue. IN: Death, Dying and Bereavement: Contemporary Perspectives, Institutions, and Practices, ed. Judith M. Stillion and Thomas Attig. – New York: Springer

26 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 The Scientific and Medical Network Annual Gathering 2018 Evolving towards a Wise and Flourishing Future Hardin Tibbs

Chris Bache His sessions went progressively The Network’s annual deeper, through repeated stages The first event, after dinner on of intense suffering and cleansing, gathering took place this year Friday, was a video talk by followed by initiation into higher Professor Chris Bache titled: or deeper levels of existence, and at Horsley Park in Surrey Diamonds from Heaven: A 20- successively wider and deeper year Psychedelic Journey. This visionary revelations. In what during the first weekend in talk was recorded at the he called the higher archetypal International Transpersonal level he encountered vast, ancient July. The gathering began on Conference in Prague in September galaxy-like creator beings. At the 2017. It was an account of his lower archetypal level he saw that the Friday evening with a 20-year journey to discover the humanity is a single organism, and nature of reality using 73 high experienced the intelligence of our dose LSD sessions conducted collective psyche. welcome and introduction between 1979-1999. He described this remarkable psychedelic He saw that we are coming to a by Dr Paul Filmore and journey as the “philosophical time of collective awakening and adventure of a lifetime”. the birth of a future human, in Dr Peter Fenwick. which we will share a collective Chris is a professor of philosophy psychic oneness. He was shown and religion and approached the that there is an infinite succession The programme was journey in a rigorously disciplined of increasing depths of numinous way. He made 400 pages of notes, reality, but came to see that the concerned with the future, and even kept a record of the spiritual task ultimately lies “back prevailing astrological transits, here” in everyday reality. He also focusing on such topics as using astrology to fix the times came to understand that humanity of his sessions. He described is built for accelerated evolution. the cultivation of effective moving far beyond personal His work is a remarkable testament reality, and being in contact future consciousness and the with an infinite intelligence to the acceleration of collective that spoke to him from many evolution that is more and more factors required for the different levels of reality. apparent in the world today, and a confirmation of the importance of creation of a good future. the work of the SMN.

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Tom Lombardo presentation was comprehensively An important consequence of the materialist assumption is that any On Saturday morning, the keynote detailed and elegantly argued – attempt to take consciousness presentation was delivered by as is his book – and represents seriously as a reality in its own Professor Tom Lombardo, who a significant landmark in our right is currently excluded spoke on the topic of what he understanding of how to face the future constructively. from mainstream scientific calls future consciousness, which discourse. Although there is is also the subject of his book Harald Walach much pioneering research into Future Consciousness: The Path fields such as spirituality and to Purposeful Evolution. In an After lunch on Saturday, Professor Harald Walach presented a preview anomalous cognition, they are expertly crafted and densely persistently resisted by the scientific informative three-hour presentation of the report he has written for the SMN’s Galileo Commission. This establishment, which regards – thankfully there was a break consciousness as nothing but the midway for coffee – he addressed report, called Science Beyond a Materialist Worldview, is intended subjective experience of brain the question: how do we create a functioning. good future? This, he said, is the to stimulate debate about the central challenge of human life. underlying worldview of science The aim of the report is to uncover and its effect on the scope of science the underlying assumptions of The most distinctive and in the future. science and show that they are in empowering feature of the fact open questions, and as such human mind is the capacity to The current practice of science is largely based on underlying they should not be used to restrict have emotions, desires, and goals science to its currently unnecessarily about the future. We consciously assumptions that most scientists are taught to take for granted. narrow scope. Harald has a double imagine, think about, and evaluate PhD in clinical psychology and in the envisioned futures, and intentionally Unfortunately these assumptions are increasingly and unnecessarily history and theory of science and has and methodically pursue preferable done a skilful job, walking a fine line futures. This multi-faceted restricting the advance of science itself. through a complex and potentially psychological ability is what he calls controversial topic. “future consciousness.” He believes Harald identified the main it has enabled our conscious problematic assumptions as He also takes a philosophically minds to achieve an “evolution in being: matter regarded as the sole sophisticated ontological position evolution” – a jump to purposefully constituent of reality (as opposed – what he describes as “a kind directed evolution. to simply being the objective of of monistically neutral but science); reductionism, the idea phenomenologically rich dual Our task now, through the aspect theory in which material and heightening of future consciousness, that complex wholes can be fully understood by being reduced mental or conscious phenomena are is to flourish in the flow of both irreducible”. This technically purposeful evolution and create a to their constituent parts; the independence of observation, valid formulation is advantageous good future for ourselves, human because it keeps open the question of society, and the planet. This can the idea that observation and experience are independent of whether or not mental phenomena be done, Tom said, through the arise from material phenomena or development of character virtues guiding theoretical frameworks; the either-or binary logic of theoretical arise independently, showing that in all the major dimensions of the scientists can legitimately keep human mind, including emotion, analysis; and the adequacy of the so-called Golden Rule – which is an open mind on this point while motivation, purposeful behaviour, remaining rigourous. learning and memory, knowledge to act towards others as we would have them act towards us – as an and understanding, thinking Erik Øverland and imagination, creativity, and adequate basis for governing the self-evolution. ethical practice of science. The second presentation on Saturday afternoon was given by He identified wisdom as the highest Perhaps the most problematic Dr Erik Øverland, President of the expression of future consciousness of these is the fact that many or World Futures Studies Federation and said it should serve as a guiding even most scientists subscribe to in Berlin, who spoke about the light for our own personal evolution a “materialist ontology” – the relationship between futures research and the future of human society. belief that nothing but material and transcendental philosophy. A key practical step towards this substance exists. Science is widely HIs objective was to establish a is the creation of ideal future regarded as having proved the philosophical foundation for Futures narratives. We should aspire toward materialist ontology, while in Research. He drew on a reading of living “wisdom narratives” as fact, as traditionally practiced, it Immanuel Kant, as seen in the light pathways to a good future and has simply assumed a materialist of the more recent philosophy of the creation of a “wise society”. ontology. The question of ontology Bruno Latour. (the fundamental nature of what Finally, he argued that science exists) is metaphysical, meaning At the outset he highlighted fiction often serves as an expression that it is not something that can be two significant challenges faced of future consciousness, providing proved scientifically – materialism by Futures Research: first, that awareness and imaginative is simply an axiom of classical statements about the future are inspiration for the ongoing physics. Unfortunately, as Harald constructions in the present, not purposeful evolution of humanity, put it, axioms cannot be proved the present of future situations, and a theme he has taken up in his by the methods they prescribe and second, that they are impossible to next book, Science Fiction: support. Yet the received idea of the falsify. This renders problematic any The Evolutionary Mythology scientific worldview is synonymous ambition Futures Research may have of the Future. In summary, this with the materialist worldview. of scientific knowledge building.

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Turning to Kant’s transcendental Barry Mapp In short, Barry argued persuasively philosophy, he pointed out that The third presentation on Saturday that improvement of our future Kant’s concern had been precisely afternoon was given by Barry Mapp, depends on improvement the question of how any sustained who suggested that the creation of knowledge, which Deming’s system scientific knowledge building a good future depended on more gives us. is possible (given the radical than simply the core set of character scepticism of Hume). Kant referred virtues that Tom Lombardo John Kapp to fundamental questions about argued were the means for holistic The fourth presentation on Saturday the knowability of the world as enhancement of our capacity for afternoon was given by John antinomies, since they could be future consciousness. In addition, Kapp, who talked about the future given convincing and opposed Barry proposed W Edwards of the National Health Service. answers by pure reason. Kant’s Deming’s “system of profound His diagnosis of NHS ills centred response to this impasse, Erik said, knowledge” as a set of essential skills around the overprescription of was to turn “the ontological and for enhancing future consciousness drugs, particularly for depression, epistemological question upside and creating a good future. and the related resignations of down”. Instead of trying to show General Practitioners (GPs). how subjects and objects are Deming was an American statistician connected, Kant asked instead how and management efficiency guru GPs are leaving the NHS in droves a sustained dichotomy between who launched the Total Quality – England is now more than 3,000 them is possible in general. What Management movement in the short. He said that being a doctor made it possible to see nature 1980s. Deming’s principles were used to be a high-status profession, continuously as object, as other, widely adopted, particularly in but surveys of GPs show that most so that it could be studied by Japan where they were closely are planning to retire early in the science over time? associated with the rise of Japanese next few years, and nobody wants manufacturing after the Second to replace them. Part of the reason Here, Erik made a link with the World War. Ironically his ideas were is that up to half their case load is constructivist philosophy of Bruno taken less seriously in his home now depression and addiction for Latour. According to Latour, reality country, which contributed to the which they can only prescribe drugs is constructed and Erik proposed coincident decline of American (such as antidepressants) which do that it is this continual process of manufacturing. not even claim to heal or cure and construction that maintains the have harmful side effects. dichotomy between the human as Barry explained that Deming’s subject and nature as object. system of profound knowledge GPs now write over 65 million consisted of four types of antidepressant prescriptions a Tom Lombardo, in his earlier improvement knowledge: first, year for 6.5 million patients – one talk, quoted Julian Huxley who knowledge of the system that is in ten of the population – which had said, “Man is nothing but being improved; second, knowledge is ten times the number being evolution become conscious of of variation – the application of successfully treated with talking itself.” Erik said he would add, fundamental statistical principles therapies. Each year half a million “…made possible by our continuous to achieve product quality; third, more patients are being prescribed construction of what we are not”. knowledge of knowledge – an antidepressants. This adds to the Latour also argued that not only understanding of the theory of epidemic of depression and leads is there a continual construction knowledge and its limits; and patients to keep coming back, of this distinction, but that in fourth, knowledge of psychology, in overwhelming surgeries and A&E modernity the resulting scientific particular abandoning the practice departments. knowledge leads to the creation of rewarding or punishing workers of hybrid combinations of nature This form of treatment goes to improve quality, since their and culture. against NICE guidelines, and performance depends on quality recent evidence shows that most Erik suggested there was a direct variation arising from the structure antidepressants do not work, parallel between all this and the of the system. with only Prozac being marginally construction of knowledge in futures Barry described a number of better than placebo. A Public studies. The act of anticipating technical aspects of Deming’s Health study in 2008 found that possible futures contributes to system: the funnel experiment the British nation was healthiest in contemporary reality – it constructs which demonstrates the essentials 1944, when mental disorders were the aspect of reality that arises as a of statistical quality variation; the rare – with an incidence of less than result of our ambition to know the combination of the null hypothesis 1 in 1,000. Since then, John said, future. We are constructing what and the Fisher statistic, which allows doctors’ once honourable profession we anticipate will be the distinction the testing of statistical significance has been reduced to the soul- between the human and the non- when sample sizes are small; the destroying job of being pill pushers human in the future – and the importance of distinguishing signal for drug companies, generally imagined future distinctions lead from noise in statistical data; the doing more harm than good by to imagined hybrids of science and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, getting people addicted. nature that shape our conception a learning and improvement cycle of future culture. The Health and Social Care Act based on the scientific method; and 2012 (HSCA) was intended to (Note: this description is a best effort (recalling Tom Lombardo’s remarks give GPs power over clinical attempt to convey the content of about wisdom) seeing wisdom as commissioning, allowing them to Erik’s presentation, made challenging the source of the initial probability commission talking therapies and by the difficult language of social estimation when using Bayes’ decommission antidepressants. constructionism combined with Theorem for identifying the source 66% of the NHS England budget translation from his native German.) of quality defects. is devolved to Local Authority

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Clinical Commissioning Groups but it would also help restore the are linked. The process cell idea (CCGs) and Health and Wellbeing mental health of their patients to describes a Universe that is infinite Boards (HWBs). its 1944 level, ten years before in both time and space. It recycles antidepressants were invented. itself without beginning or end. To decommission drugs, John said, doctors on the CCGs need the Peter Scarisbrick In his hypothesis every quantum support of elected local politicians stretch has intrinsic awareness, The final presentation on Saturday on the HWBs to take on the vested which arises from the reactivity interests of the status quo such afternoon was given by Peter Scarisbrick, who put forward his of the process cell at its boundary as drug companies. This political personal hypothesis about the of expansion. So every level of support has not been forthcoming, nature of physical reality. Drawing holon has a corresponding level of which may be why so many doctors on a variety of scientific and awareness. Atom-level holons have are voting with their feet. philosophical ideas, he suggested very primitive awareness limited Before 2012, various health that reality consists of cells built to knowing their location. When authorities were nominally from units of quantum process, holons reach the level of complexity responsible for getting the best forming an aware physical universe. of, say, an amoeba they have enough combined awareness to be classed value from this 66% of the health Bringing together Whitehead’s budget – currently £80bn a year – as living. Higher-level holons form concept of process, Koestler’s plants and animals. Human-level but now, he said, local councils holons, and the quantum field idea, are not even acknowledging in holons give us memory and a level he proposed that the universe does of self-awareness that we recognise their budgets that they receive not consist of particles and space, as human consciousness. Human this money. but is formed from a process he society is an even higher level holon. The good news is that the solution calls quantum stretch. This dynamic quantum process forms cells, with In the limit, a holon of infinite size is already available, if doctors has the properties that are attributed and local councillors would work the limit of the oscillating stretch forming the boundary. to God. The process cell idea also together. CCG policy could then provides an explanation for extra- be changed from “medication The process cells combine into sensory perception and the nature to meditation”, allowing GPs holons which build up into the of spirituality. to commission drug-free talking structure of the physical universe. therapies for depression and He claimed that the quantum Peter has developed a mathematical addiction, such as the NICE stretch process accounts for mass description of his ideas, which he has recommended Mindfulness Based and electric charge, and explains set out in his book There is No Such Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Not the nature of light without wave- Thing as Nothing. In summary, he only would this empower GPs to particle duality. It also explains, said, his hypothesis offers a radically heal themselves and their profession he said, how gravity and the different view of the universe and – stemming the mass exodus – apparent expansion of the Universe our place in it.

Entertainment On Saturday evening the attendees created their own entertainment in good Victorian fashion. The highlight was a stand-up comedy routine by Janine Edge, who took as her theme the set of character virtues extolled by Tom Lombardo in his talk as being essential for “flourishing in the flow” of evolution. She reviewed them one by one to determine whether or not it would be virtuous to drink a glass of gin and tonic she placed temptingly in front of her. The gin and tonic gained approval by a whisker, and possibly just a little wishful thinking!

The AGM On Sunday, the gathering continued with the formal Annual General Meeting of the Scientific and Medical Network.

Members Forum Following the AGM, there was a Members’ Forum in which participants reviewed and discussed the vision statement of the Network in relation to its various audiences or constituencies. Each of these “market segments” would potentially require a different marketing message, to be reached by different communication channels. In addition to the existing channels used by the Network, the use of social media such as Medium.com and experiential retreats were suggested. Finally, it was proposed that the vision statement (or statements) should perhaps be redrafted by a smaller number of people to keep the message tightly focused and appealing. The Scientific and Medical Network Annual Gathering concluded after lunch on Sunday.

Hardin Tibbs is a professional consultant who helps client organizations gain strategic insight into the future. His projects are wide ranging, including ‘the future of’: hybrid car technology for Nissan, software production for CSC, online education for the Open University, and cyberpower for the UK government. He lives in Cambridge, UK.

30 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 Memories of Henryk Skolimowski

Peter Reason

What fascinated me most was the to engage with our chosen thing; to In the mid 1980s, as part of argument that just as we in the meditate on its form and presence; West are trained through normal to relive its past and its present in my research to articulate a socialisation, and even more our imaginations. He asked us to through scientific education, to explore what forms of dialogue were participatory worldview, develop an objective mind, so too possible. And whether we could find which I was developing as we could be trained to develop a a feeling of identification. At the end participatory mind. he instructed us to disengage, giving a philosophical support for thanks for whatever we had received. As well as setting out his philosophical the practice of participatory arguments, Henryk wrote how he To a Northern European it might had shared his ideas with a theatre seem more than a little eccentric, to be action research, I came across director who surprised him by asking, invited to talk to trees (the Prince of ‘What kind of exercises will your use?’, Wales has never lived it down). But this a paper from a Polish leading Henryk to realise that training sense of being part of a living world philosopher whose name the participatory mind would need is deeply rooted in other cultures. participatory exercises. I was very My colleague Donna Ladkin wrote was at the time unfamiliar: excited about this, and was able to about the walks in the woods near invited Henryk to hold a seminar at the Washington she took as a child with The Interactive Mind in the University of Bath. As I wrote in my her Grandfather, a man of Black and 1 book Spindrift: Native American ancestry who she Participatory Universe. called Pepere. On these walks Pepere Among the influences on my group of taught her to talk with trees; not only It was a paper I pored over colleagues at the University of Bath talk, but to listen to them as well. He many times, for it was one was the Polish philosopher Henryk would tell her to walk quietly, and say, Skolimowski, who was developing “See if you can hear the trees talkin’ to of the first clear articulations the idea of the ‘participatory mind’. one another.”2 We invited him to a seminar with our of a philosophy of graduate students. Before he arrived This participatory exercise was one he sent an unusual stipulation: that that I have used many times with participation I had come the room we worked in should be one students, most recently with doctoral from which we could have access to students on the transformative across. rocks, trees, water. This was strange, studies programme at California even to me. In the abstract world of Institute for Integral Studies. It was university seminars, participation set out clearly a few years later in was still what one did with other Chapter Five of Henryk’s book The people. It had nothing to do with the Participatory Mind.3 natural world. I was fortunate that my association Henryk wanted us to develop a with Henryk did not stop with one sense of deep participation with encounter. He generously agreed to the natural world. He invited us to examine my student Angela Brew’s go out into the University grounds doctoral thesis (Angela is now, I and identify something with which believe, Professorial Fellow Emerita we wished to engage: a tree or a in the Learning and Teaching Centre rock, a natural pool or stream of at Macquarrie University, Australia). water, a leaf or a flower. He asked Later, through his recommendation, us to calm our minds by sitting David Skrbina registered for a PhD quietly, and then to ask permission under my supervision in collaboration

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Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 with Henryk and the late Brian Goodwin. David went on to be one of the leading authorities on panpsychic philosophy and recently published on the metaphysics of technology.4

It is so encouraging to see how these early intuitions and tentative teachings toward a participatory worldview have blossomed in many different ways. It is now far more common for people to remark, in the context of climate change and the ecological catastrophe, that humans are, after all, part of the world: Bruno Latour, for example, speaks of humans as Earthbound creatures.5 Researchers in Britain have conducted ATTENTION participatory research with the more than human world, and not only that, have received formal funding for it and MEMBERS published their findings. 6 The panpsychic worldview, which I see as close to and extending the ideas of participation, has PERSONAL NUMBERS been articulated by writers such as Freya Mathews and David AND OFFICE Skrbina7, and is slowly seeping into general consciousness. Others, such as the German biologist and philosopher Andreas PROCEDURES Weber articulate and erotic ecology in which matter and life Please help your administration 8 express their mutual attraction through poetic expression. office to run smoothly and so help you efficiently: These different expressions of a participatory worldview may not derive directly from Henryk’s original work; and his own ■■ when your details change later work took a rather different direction, focused on the (address, telephone number, metaphysics of light as a unifying cosmic principle. But his email address etc.) please make place as one of the founding figures of a worldview that moves sure we know humanity into a new sense of being part of a co-created whole is indisputable. ■■ use your membership number whenever you contact us, and write it onto all correspondence, 1 Skolimowski, Henryk. “The Interactive Mind in the Participatory conference booking slips, Universe.” The World and I February 1986 (1986): 453-70. subscription forms and orders 2 Reason, Peter. Spindrift: A Wilderness Pilgrimage at Sea. Bristol: for books, services etc. Jessica Kingsley Publishers (originally published by Vala Publishing Cooperative), 2014, p.71; ■■ book early for conferences - Ladkin, Donna. “Talking with Trees: Remembering the Language of it helps you get a place Home.” ReVision 23, no. 4 (2001): 40-43. ■■ ensure cheques are made out 3 Skolimowski, Henryk. The Participatory Mind. London: Arkana, 1994. correctly to Scientific & Medical 4 http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/metaphysics-technology- Network; for conferences and panpsychism/ orders: always add (legibly!) details of what it’s for and 5 Latour, Bruno. Facing Gaia: Eight Lectures on the New Climatic Regime. Translated by Catherine Porter. London: Polity Press, 2017. membership number on back, even when accompanied by a 6 Bastian, Michelle, Owain Jones, Emma Roe, and Michael Buser, booking form eds. Participatory Research in More-Than-Human Worlds London: Routledge, 2016. ■■ remember we’re a network, and it often takes time for all 7 Mathews, Freya. For Love of Matter: A Contemporary Panpsychism. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2003. Skrbina, David. Panpsychism in the relevant people to be contacted West. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2005. so when making requests give us time to respond helpfully (and 8 Weber, Andreas. Matter and Desire: An Erotic Ecology. Translated by always remember to tell us who Rory Bradley. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, you are - we sometimes get forms 2017. Reviewed at http://www.peterreason.eu/Reviews/ Matter%20&%20Desire%20Review.pdf back with no name at all!) ■■ help us save money; whenever possible pay in £ sterling and remember to gift aid when you make a payment (subscription, conference fees, etc..) - it maximises funds available for more important things. Office hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm Monday - Thursday. Please leave a message if no one is available to take your call. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

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Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 Network News

NETWORK BOOK PRIZE There was a very strong field of books this year, stronger than for many years, so it was a difficult decision to award the 2018 Network Book Prize to Emilios Bouratinos for his book Science, Objectivity and Consciousness, reviewed in this issue. In old prize parlance, five books come into the very highly commended or ‘prox acc’ category (listed alphabetically): The Visionary Spirit, by Mick Collins, reviewed in this issue, Real Magic, by Dean Radin, reviewed in this issue, Paths between Head and Heart, by Oliver Robinson, reviewed in the previous issue, Science and Spiritual Practices, by Rupert Sheldrake, reviewed in the April issue and finally Spiritual Science, by Steve Taylor, also reviewed in this issue.

MEMBERS’ NEWS HONORARY MEMBER, DR MARY MIDGLEY (1919-2018): THE OWL OF MINERVA John Clarke writes: The sad news of the death of Mary Midgley led me back to her autobiography The Owl of Minerva, a title taken from a famous quotation of Hegel who held that wisdom comes with the experience of time and age. Her own philosophical oeuvre emerged in mid-life with the publication of Beast and Man, followed by a wealth of writing, broadcasting, and public lectures. This book, which challenged the simplistic binary division between human and natural worlds, led to her enthusiasm for environmental issues, to support for the Gaia hypothesis, and to a passion for “reviving our reverence for the earth”; it was “the trunk out of which my various later ideas have branched”. This was followed with brilliant analyses of a whole range of the major myths of our age, many of them central SMN concerns. These myths, elaborated in The Myths We Live By, display various forms of reductionism, for example extreme kinds of individualism in politics and sociology as well as in Existentialism. Concerning science in general she wrote with great insight into the ideologies and myths that can lurk within it, including the reduction of mind and life to machinery, and the dangers of scientism which turns science into an exclusive and dehumanised worldview. While an admirer of Darwin, she vigorously disputed some of his reductionist acolytes such as Richard Dawkins and the sociobiologist E.O. Wilson. Though for some years a lecturer in philosophy at Newcastle, her writings avoided the abstractions of logic and philosophical analysis, but eloquently addressed a plural readership and a plural world with open-minded passion and wisdom.

DEATH OF NEIL MAY MBE Neil May, whose meaningful. Buildings are manifestations of the values article on health and of our society and if we want to have more beautiful, wholeness appeared sustainable and creative buildings then we have to in the last issue, died address our core values first. during an operation last month. He was a The following paragraph gives a good account of the senior research fellow scope of his work: at the UCL Institute for In 2005, Neil brought together a group of natural Environmental Design building developers to campaign against the poor and Engineering, and a standard of performance of new homes in the UK. fulsome tribute appears This was the start of a long collaboration with the on the UCL website. Sustainable Development Foundation, which resulted in This gives a good the creation of the Good Homes Alliance, the Passivhaus account of the amazing Trust, the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products scope of and the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance, Neil’s activities focused around better buildings, ‘not each of which campaigned to change practice relating just better functionally or architecturally but also to performance problems that Neil had identified. Neil socially, culturally, ecologically and philosophically.’ was instrumental in establishing and nurturing all these The tribute quotes Neil himself as saying: organisations, before moving on to sort out the next What are buildings for? And that leads to the problem on his list! As a colleague remarked “Neil question: what are human beings for? What is our had the wonderful gift of bringing people together into purpose? We need to think deeply about that if we communities of interest, creating what at first seemed are to create a future that is sustainable as well as to be niche groups but ended up becoming hugely influential for change at a national level.”

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JOE ST CLAIR - WSDF-UK In October 2017 Joe St Clair was appointed UK Director other global WSDF offices, is to raise public awareness of the “World Sustainability Development Forum” with of the key world threatening issues identified by the 17 responsibility for setting up the first office of the WSDF Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and the carbon in the United Kingdom (WSDF-UK) Joe is now working emission targets defined by the ‘Paris Agreement’ and closely with the WSDF HQ in Washington DC and the to work with the UK Government to ensure all agreed Global President of the WSDF (former Chairman of targets are met by 2030. the IPCC) Dr. Rajendra Pachauri. The prime objectives For more information, contact Joe St Clair, WSDF-UK of the WSDF-UK, working in close association with Director – [email protected]

LONDON GROUP REPORT itself. The second step, the first computation, creates trinity, in computer terms data, the processor and the program. Step three creates diversity represented LONDON in 3D. Individual consciousness (as in pantheistic principles) is part of ultimate consciousness, and GROUP CLAUDIA consciousness is the hardware in which the software NIELSEN – of reality operates. For further information, see http:// 0207 431 1177, www.metacomputics.com. Time in this model is a [email protected] progression of the pixels as they become created. The To read reports from present moment is when the computation occurs and other meetings, go space is the 3D display of the computation. to the REPORTS page of the London This model allows for the idea of multiverses, as each Group page of the time Ultimate Consciousness creates a duality, a new Network’s website. universe is formed. Many levels of reality can also be If you don’t live in formed in this model and psychic phenomena occur London but wish to be advised of London events, when mind enters a different level of reality. The please drop me an email and I shall add your computation in this model is done at the level of a e-address to the circulation list. platonic computer and reality is a projection on a 3D screen. The phenomenon of entanglement is therefore ■ explained by the participation in the same 3D screen ■ AUGUST of the elements entangled, whether two particles, the Our August meeting slipped into the last days in July coordinated flock of birds or school of fish. Simon’s because our speaker DR SIMON DUAN had to travel speculation is that we may be living in a computer during August. Simon came to the UK from China in simulation, an idea which has been expressed by the 1980s to study and was awarded a PhD in Materials scientists in the past and more recently suggested in Sciences by Cambridge University. He has worked for the film The Matrix. The model leaves a few questions many years in research and development, technology unanswered, such as what of free will, where/when commercialisations and management consultancy both does the “programmer” emerge in the process, and in China and the UK. He has a longstanding interest in Simon has promised to come back to explore these parapsychology and is currently Vice President of the questions at a future occasion. Chinese Parapsychology Association. In addition, he is the founder of Metacomputics Labs which researches a new theoretical framework that unifies consciousness, ■■ SEPTEMBER mind and matter. This research was the topic of this This month we welcomed DR. OLIVER ROBINSON, evening’s presentation, which he entitled Digital principal lecturer in Psychology at the University Consciousness and Platonic Computation- Unification of Greenwich, who describes himself as an amateur of Consciousness, Mind and Matter by Metacomputics. philosopher and a committed spiritual explorer. He Simon began his study of consciousness following a is also the author of various books, including his psychic experience in China, when a damaged wisdom latest, Paths Between Head and Heart. This evening tooth was released from the jaw by a simple slap from he explained one aspect of his book, the Typology of an unconventional practitioner. Other extraordinary Spiritual Feelings, the title of his talk. Olly started by phenomena followed. As a scientist he is intrigued by telling us about one of the differences between the what cannot be explained using physics so, he told us, approaches of science and spirituality, science resting he gave up physics. In explaining his model he uses the on the cultivation of a particular kind of thinking, computer as metaphor, acknowledging that humanity analytical, deductive, critical etc and spirituality has historically used the technology of the moment emphasising feelings. This difference is also reflected in to understand the world around it. The model is to the different kind of trainings, scientific and spiritual be understood as a map, not the territory. It identifies which relies on practice. The feelings experienced in Ultimate Consciousness as being empty of properties, spiritual practice facilitate a deep knowing which is timeless, nondual, dimensionless, formless, infinite, epistemic in nature and also moral. It cultivates virtue. boundless etc. and can only be described by what it is not, rather than by what it is, an idea familiar to This evening Olly developed four types of feelings mystical religions. It is potentiality. associated with spiritual experiences: positive, ecstatic, aesthetic, and sublime. Positivity is what he called, Simon uses the terminology of pixels which helps make a spiritual playground, and is developed through the concept graphic. Ultimate consciousness is a grey mindfulness, breath work, generally practices that pixel. As it creates duality, it creates a white pixel and induce a positive state of mind and joyful living. a grey pixel, a mirror in which consciousness can see Laughter is a manifestation of positive feelings and

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Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 we were asked to talk in gibberish to one another in Even without language, as per some of her research order to experience laughter. Ecstatic feelings are those subjects, or without memory, those children are still beyond the range of normal emotions and are often human, because they have whatever it is that energises associated with trance phenomena, such as shamanic the human brain to do the job of being human. Faraneh experiences, orgasms, dance, music etc. They are went on to give us an interesting overview of evolution infrequent and sometimes engender a depressive mood through various stages and transitions and noted that after. Aesthetic feelings are associated with the sense of at one point in the process, a particular gene became the beautiful, nature, visual arts, music etc, and Olly inactive in order to allow the jaw to recede and the pointed out that the opposite of aesthetic is anaesthetic, skull to grow to accommodate a larger brain, which which colloquially relates to loss of consciousness. And came to include the all important frontal lobes. The the last on, the sublime is a deeply paradoxical state, jaw became able to articulate sounds which then a mixture of pleasure, pain and fear, the concept of developed into language. Our hand also evolved to awe encapsulating the phenomena. It shatters the ego allow the thumb and forefinger to touch, which our and moves us close to the mystery which is life. It is ape ancestors could not do. experienced sometime in nature, in powerful natural Archaeology shows that around 25,000 years ago phenomena, at times in childbirth and other such unique burials became elaborate affairs and included artefacts experiences. He mentioned the work of Rudolph Otto designed to help the individual in the afterlife. who coined the word numinous and encapsulated the Discoveries don’t tell us how metaphysical experiences sublime with the word Mysterium Tremendum. came about but they indicate that they did. The belief in an afterlife indicates that those beings felt a connection with the transcendental, which is, as far ■■ OCTOBER as we know, specifically human. Faraneh then read PROF FARANEH VARGA-KHADEM was our speaker from some beautiful Baha’i texts, addressing the this month. She is Prof of Developmental Cognitive harmony between science and religion. Science is Neuroscience and Head of Section on Cognitive important but if it stops the interface with spirit, it Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry at the UCL Institute will not serve humanity. The brain is regarded as the of Child Health. She is also the clinical-academic lead for oxygen of the infinite, as a facilitator, not the originator the Department of Clinical Neuropsychology at Great of consciousness. Ormond Street Hospital for Children. She conducts research on the effects of brain injury on neural circuits ■■ NOVEMBER serving memory and learning, speech and language, Senior scientist at the Artificial Intelligence Research special navigation and movement organisation. She is also Institute of the Spanish National Research Council a member of the Baha’i faith and this evening she gave us (CSIC) DR. MARCO SCHORLEMMER was our an overview of her work and Baha’i spiritual principles speaker this month. Marco has a broad interest in and how they inform each other. Computational Concepts Systems, i.e. modelling those Faraneh started by explaining what she felt when her systems of conceptual entities that we continuously daughter started to speak at around age 2, it felt like create and adapt to apprehend and describe the world magic! She became motivated to understand how the we live in and interact with. The talk was entitled brain allows this to happen and went on to study Science Technology and Contemplative Inquiry and the brain. Her studies led to the understanding that he addressed the discrepancy which currently exists memory and language go together in the mind and between the core values of scientific enquiry and are a particularly human attribute. Her research with practice. amnesiac children who have impaired memory due to Marco started by pointing out the principles of scientific oxygen deprivation in the brain as a result of birthing inquiry as being: difficulties, illness or injury, show that although these children can learn to speak, read and write, they have ■ Vocational, permeated by an attitude of awe and no memory which means they live exclusively in the wonder relying on open communication, sharing present. They cannot remember the past or plan for and trust. the future. They listen but cannot remember. They also ■ It creates community cannot use their imagination. ■ It cannot be rushed into, it is gratuitous and loving Another set of children Faraneh researches are those who have no language. She told us about a family ■ It is transformational, freeing our experience from which presented some 25 years ago with difficulties mythical understandings of reality in speaking. Studying this extended family, she found that within three generations of this family some could ■ Encourages humility speak normally and others could not, due to physical That is a contemplative attitude. However, the reality of difficulties in jaw articulation. Her research identified scientific practice today is very different. It: a gene mutation as responsible for this condition. So based on these two sets of patients, no memory and ■ Explores fashionable research lines with short-term no language and the science behind these conditions, objectives and pragmatic applications. Faraneh went on to explore What Makes Us Humans ■ The teams are opportunistic to attract funding, they – the title of the presentation. What is it that energises are competitive, wary of sharing ideas, set into rigid the brain to do the job of being human? Is it something power hierarchies we don’t see, science cannot physically find in the brain, such as memory or muscles that move the jaws? ■ There are constant interruptions, ideas are often Mind, memory and language are the elements that in half-baked but must get published or the research particular, differentiate us from animals. perishes.

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■ Research is supported by big business leading The danger however is that we forget that we are to power and enhancement of egos, wary of using metaphors and endow the models with an challenging orthodox theories as it may affect ontological reality leading to an over reliance on the credibility and scientific careers. system. An example is the algorithmic trading which ■ And there is a certain arrogance behind the can potentially tip markets into free fall. Marco says objectivity, evidence, proof, rationality, ... that rather than idolising productivity, technology should be measured against its ability to enable us These are the values of the social economic model to devote time to creative freedom, the freedom which arose from Modernity. The overarching aim of of creation. Scientific inquiry is naturally dualistic investors in scientific research is to increase productivity yet considering the non-dual nature of the ultimate and that of the scientists themselves is to sell their nature of reality, true science should be able to help work. In Marco’s own field of Artificial Intelligence, us transcend our attachment to duality if conducted this paradigm may bring with it certain dangers. He according to its true principles. To this effect, finding explained AI as an endeavour which aims to design himself in the mid of his scientific career, Marco seeks autonomous systems that will produce best outcomes out other scientists and organisations which share based on “memories” of what he called “vicarious his motivations. He mentioned a few which included perceptions” the system has of an environment. the SMN in the UK, The Slow Science Academy in So, in the light of its “memories” of past recorded Germany, the Association of Contemplative Minds in “perceptions”, an AI system will produce autonomously, Higher Education in the US, L’Atelier des Chercheurs the best possible outcome in response to the demands of in Belgium and the World Community of Christian a current environment. Meditation in the UK. NEWS AND NOTICES WORLD WIDE WAVE OF WISDOM • WWW.WWWOW.NET A wave is a phenomenon of nature, driven by the contributing to a better world for our loved ones wind and deep undercurrents, powerful hidden forces. and future generations?’ Our gift of this website is The World Wide Wave of Wisdom is similar. While the first result of that meeting. its origins remain unseen, its valuable influence can readily be detected by those attuned to it. The World Wide Wave of Wisdom is intended as a natural movement, rather than a campaign. We are Wisdom is universal but hard to define. It guides not setting up a new organisation. In a sense, such us on how to be and behave for the best for all a wave has existed for millennia, since the birth of concerned in any given situation. Homo sapiens, always conjuring up its own energy Find out more from this new website about Wisdom, and momentum. Arguably, though, this wave has and about joining the Wave. Learn why this is declined in force in recent times. We would like to important, and how to maximise your contribution see it massively re-invigorated, and are therefore towards a cleaner, safer, happier world. recommending it to people as a movement to join in, augment and share widely. Three enthusiastic people, not young but still lively, met recently to ask ‘How might we continue Please take a look.

SOME IDEAS DESERVE TO BE BOOKS. . . Zoe King writes: Founded in 1919 by Audrey Heath and May Drake, two women who challenged the conventions of publishing, we are a London literary agency still very much driven by a passion to help writers who want to shift, shape or enrich the wider cultural conversation, and provide irresistible entertainment. Championing our clients’ writing remains at the heart of what we do. As well as a century of experience, we bring energy and ambition, and a close focus on the details of our work. I work exclusively with non-fiction authors and I am always looking out for original ideas combined with great quality writing. If you are looking for representation please visit our submissions page at www.amheath.com or contact me directly at [email protected]

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MEMBERS’ ARTICLES AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST Available through the editor or through links – [email protected]

GALILEO COMMISSION GENERAL Steve Taylor Ursula King ■■ Beyond Belief: When Science Becomes a Religion ■■ Love – A Higher Form of Human Energy in the (A response to Lane and Visser, see full discussion on Work of Teilhard de Chardin and Sorokin www.integral.net) 12 pp. (27 pp., from Zygon 39/1, 2004) Pim van Lommel Oliver Robinson et al ■■ Beyond the Brain 2018 presentation – ■■ Age and Cultural Gender Equality as Moderators of a comprehensive and powerful statement (19 pp.) the Gender Difference in the Importance of Religion and Spirituality: Comparing the United Kingdom, Larry Dossey France, and Germany – 8 pp., from the Journal for ■■ The One Mind – 14 pp, from Tikkun the Scientific Study of Religion. This articles derives John Kapp from the SMN Survey conducted by Ipsos MORI – see article from April 2017. ■■ The Brain is a Filter for Consciousness – 7 pp. Jonathan Glaisman SCIENCE ■■ The Devout Sceptic: a creed for those of little faith – Fritjof Capra 6 pp. ■■ The Web of Life – Schroedinger Lecture, 1997 – 9 pp. Nicholas Hagger Alan Rayner ■■ Global Unity through a World State and a World ■■ Natural Inclusion: Nature’s Perception of Nature – 7 pp. Constitution – 2 pp. Jeremy Lent ■■ We Need an Ecological Civilization Before It’s Too Late – 17 pp with links. ONLINE ARTICLES FROM Timothy Newman ANTHONY JUDGE ■■ Water is a Molecular Liquid – 2 pp., from Physical ■ Systematic Humanitarian Blackmail via Biology 2014 Aquarius? Timothy Newman Confronting Europe with a Humanitarian Trojan Horse ■■ Biology is Simple – 5 pp., from Physical Biology 2015 www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs10s/ blackhum.php MEDICINE/HEALTH ■ Time for Provocative Mnemonic Aids to Gary Greenberg Systemic Connectivity? ■■ What if the Placebo Response is not a Trick? (14 pp.) Possibilities of reconciling the “headless Paul Kieniewicz hearts” to the “heartless heads” ■■ 5G – A Dangerous Health Experiment – 2 pp. www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs10s/ also on the website. Additional material (3 pp.) from blackhux.php Ingrid Dickenson. ■ Prohibition of Reference to Overpopulation of the Planet CONSCIOUSNESS STUDIES Draft Proposal for an International Mark Fox Convention ■■ A Tricky Threshold and a New Paradigm: www.laetusinpraesens.org/musings/ Where Next for Near-Death Studies? opopcon.php (14 pp. from the Christian Parapsychologist). ■ Post-Apocalyptic Renaissance of Global An interesting take bringing in the Trickster figure. Civilization Multi-author study on NDEs and DMT Engaging with Otherness Otherwise? (my copy has no author names) – 35 pp. www.laetusinpraesens.org/musings/ commrena.php Graeme Vivers ■ Global Compact Enabling Complicity in ■■ Searching for Consciousness – using Reason and the Ultimate Crime against Humanity Logic – 15 pp. Institutionalizing global myopia in anticipation of excessive population growth www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs10s/ unmigrat.php

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Books in this section can be ”organisation” of organ systems SCIENCE-PHILOSOPHY (explained below), but he also purchased via the Network web OF SCIENCE shows how this organisation is site (www.scimednet.org) from evolutionary and deeply woven into IMPERFECT the very fabric of nature, in every Amazon.co.uk and the Network STEPS TOWARDS individual family, order, class and will receive a 10% commission. ecosystem. Schad warmly engages EVOLUTIONARY us in practically every aspect of In addition, the Network receives PERFECTION mammalian biology, from sensory a 5% commission on all sales if Martin Lockley perception to respiration, digestion, reproduction, embryology, you log on through our web site! ■■ UNDERSTANDING locomotion, coloration, physiology, MAMMALS: life span, evolution, behaviour THREEFOLDESS AND and psychology. His insights into the history, philosophy, strengths DIVERSITY and weaknesses of evolutionary Wolfgang Schad biology are both masterful and Adonis Press 1,320 pp., revolutionary in scope and (2 vols), $125, h/b - simplicity. They reflect a biological ISBN 978-0-932776-63-1 genius honed by a lifetime of loving and dedicated nature observation, When I read Wolfgang Schad’s and an emancipated scientific book, Man and Mammals: Toward outlook free of preconceptions, a Biology of Form (Waldorf Press, dogma and convention. 1977), some 20 years ago, I had a threefold reaction. First, “why Threefoldness needs introduction doesn’t everyone teach biology for those unfamiliar with Goethean- this way?” second, the book sheds Anthroposophical traditions in sharp light on incongruities in biology. No organism can exist conventional biological wisdom, without both open and closed realigning them to show us nature’s attributes (functioning): open for inherent organic coherence, the intake of sensory information, wisdom and order, and third, I air and food, but closed enough to must meet this man. So, I went to ward off infections, and the myriad his doorstep. Anyone with even a impacts, ”slings and arrows” posed modest inclination towards holistic by the environment and other thinking, and a basic grasp of organisms. We, like all mammals, biology, will likely experience a use our more-open “sense-nerve” similar intuitive sense of organic pole, centred around our nervous wisdom and wholeness in reading system, to remain alert to the airy, Understanding Mammals, a wide- long-range world of light, sound, ranging, much-extended revision smell, etc., and cannot disengage of Man and Mammals, with an from sensory input while awake. appropriately updated title. The opposite, more-closed pole is the digestive-limb (or metabolic- To call it a tour de force is perhaps limb) system, which is emancipated glib hyperbole; rather, let’s say from the environment insofar as it Schad has shown us, again, how ingests (transforms, in darkness) the deeply he understands mammal food it takes in, and literally pushes organisation, and the implications back, as limbs do, in immediate such organic appreciation has short range contact, against the for our place in the mammalian physical environment. [We digest world. Not only does he show us while limbs thrash and even how we as individual humans, like sleepwalk in the dark of night]. all mammals and other species, are ”made up” or ”function as” A plant analogy of this polarity a highly integrated, threefold would be the difference between

38 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 the light, airy, photosynthetic, quest to bring our encounters with dominated by powerful limbs and transpiring leaves, swaying in the outer world into a satisfying elaborate digestive systems. The the breeze, while the roots, like harmony with what constitutes carnivores mediate between these powerful limbs, heave in the soil, our emotional, intellectual and poles and actually regulate rodent disintegrating minerals, physically spiritual inner being. This can only and ungulate populations. But breaking and ingesting the very happen through achieving dynamic within each group, these polarities bedrock. Between this twofold resonance and equilibrium, at and associated 3-foldness reiterate polarity, the middle respiratory- all levels of organisation. This is in a recognisable orderly way. So circulatory system, in mammals, what Schad and Anthroposophical there are large digestive rodents and vertebrates generally, provides Science have to offer. (beavers) and small, skittish the third and mediating component. ungulates (contrast small gazelles Neither open or closed, it is in a Examples inform better than words. with buffalo). Psychologically, the constant rhythmic cycle between Consider the parallels between 400 nervous rodent is over-reactive to inhalation and exhalation, and million years of vertebrate evolution the environment (un-emancipated, opening and closing of heart valves. (phylogeny) and the development of and too objective) while the large [Like the mammal, even the tree each human (mammal) individual ungulate is placid and ruminative has a trunk, which mediates the (ontogeny). Vertebrates, as fish, (subjective and emancipated from rhythmic in-out circulation of first internalised (emancipated) the its surroundings). xylem and phloem]. brain (central nervous system CNS), then amphibians internalised the Such psychological diversity is This threefoldness is far more than lungs, next reptiles, including some more subtly manifest in human a cataloging of organ functions. dinosaurs and close bird relatives, constitutional types, and ethnic To recognise the middle system at internalised the thermoregulatory groups, but due to our unique the literal ”heart” of the threefold circulatory system. Mammals self-awareness we recognise much organism is to see dynamic internalised the reproductive greater nuanced and subtle human organic wholeness “as it really is,” systems and humans freed their differences than we might in simultaneously the same, and with limbs (especially hands) from regarding all lions, tigers, or pandas subtle variation, in every one of us, the environment. (In contrast as essentially very similar. In the and in shades of kind and degree in “the ape’s limbs…come under human species the balance between all our mammal cousins. As Schad the influence of their arboreal aforementioned polar, animal writes “The relational organism environment”). The long-term extremes led Goethe to describe the illustrates one of the first principles head-to-toe developmental wave “extraordinary perfection” of the of life, namely that the whole is recapitulates, in short order, in our human organism achieved through present, albeit in a modified way, in own individual development. “developmental restraint,” that is, each of the parts.” [A holographic being unspecialised. principle]. Since its inception, The anterior CNS (head) is modern biology has talked about disproportionally much enlarged Schad recognises that each species order, organisms and organisation through fetal development and early organs and whole body “represents without fully understanding its own infancy, meaning it has matured the completion of a stage in the quest for a conceptual coherence, or (accelerated development) relatively evolutionary process,” not an ”order,” which remains unsatisfied early (analogous to the early start ”incomplete” transitional stage in and incomplete until the threefold it got in evolution). The infant first development between an ancestral reality of organic dynamism is lifts the head at 3 months, sits up and future species, which is implied “seen” and appreciated, as the at 6 months and stands between by the Darwinian “line of descent” beating heart of nature. 9 and 12 months. Maturation of paradigm. You cannot “propagate the limbs and reproductive system a pear tree from an apple tree.” Just as fish are unaware of the follow later in the last of three Moreover, the discovery of “lateral watery reality in which they seven-year (1-7-14-21) cycles, gene transfer”(coalescence) leads swim, so, thus far, biology, for also expressed in digestion- and to the conclusion that “Darwin’s all its fine achievements, has limb-related tooth development. principle of divergence has thus failed to appreciate fully the Thus, development of posterior been complemented by that ”structure” and ”dynamism” of organs is held back, rendering of coalescence.” [His italics]. the organic reality of which we, each individual a 3-fold blend of Others have also rightly pointed its component biologist-observers, organs that have mostly completed out that evolution involves are both an essential ”part” and, early, accelerated development, cooperation or symbiosis as well at the same time, a coherent developed on an intermediate as competition. Schad’s holistic representation of the whole, schedule, and those that have held conclusions are revolutionary in ”natural” organisation. [The very back (retarded) development until their ”ordered” sequential, dare I human quest to ”know ourselves” later. Differences in the degree to say ”evolutionarily progressive,” is more than psychological curiosity. which these organ systems develop implications: “The sequence As every discipline from Darwinism is pronounced in different species, of …emancipation process[es] to genetics informs us, it is a families and orders, but more subtle reveals a striking principle,” the manifestation of and inherent search in individuals of the same species. “accelerating tendency [of] the for meaningful understanding of But, in all cases, they correspond to sense and nervous systems led what we intuit–that organic nature differences in anatomy, physiology, the way; the emancipation of the is a dynamic coherent whole, and behavior and other attributes. metabolism…reproductive system, we an integral part]. Whether and …limbs came only later … turning to science, spirituality or Rodents, for example, are small in the higher animals. But only Anthroposophy (a happy blend and dominated by their relatively when these systems had gained of both), we prove our own, and over developed nervous systems, their autonomy did the …most nature’s, wisdom in the dynamic whereas ungulates are large and evolved organism become possible.”

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Thus “our personal freedom and A HUMANE APPROACH to the richness of the human person. Steane then develops his own independence have not evolved David Lorimer recently but have accrued over the metaphor in the next chapter of whole course of this evolutionary ■■ SCIENCE AND the ‘eager’ rather than the selfish journey” …they have been HUMANITY gene and questions the equivalence imperfect steps towards towards an of impersonal and merciless in extraordinary perfection. Andrew Steane describing the process of life. Oxford, 2018, 289 pp., £25, Such imperfect steps are also how h/b – ISBN 978-0-19-882458-9 The second part on value and science proceeds. SMN members meaning analyses the limits of The author of this brilliant and may lament that mainstream science and its place in a larger wide-ranging book on science, framework of human explanation scientific paradigms are imperfect, philosophy and meaning is a and ask, as I did, when first and understanding: abstract model professor of physics at Oxford making cannot answer legitimate reading Schad’s work “why don’t specialising in experimental and they teach biology like this” or questions about value and meaning. theoretical quantum computing. A section on the history of science better? Well, teachers like Schad It questions the popular and have dedicated lifetimes to doing a contains an interesting discussion hegemonic presentation of of the Galileo case within this better job. He is both ahead of his science as the be-all and end-all time, and an excavator of ancient, context, followed by an analysis of knowledge purporting to give of completeness and cogency, insightful and nuanced Goethean a complete account of the nature and Anthroposophical wisdom. In where the author cautions that the of human life and reconfiguring putative completeness of the atheist order to transcend certain deficient the whole human outlook in and overly reductive modes in description is not a guarantor of mechanistic terms. The first its correctness - however, ‘nor science, we may consider his work part addresses the structure of is the completeness of any other to represent one of many multiple science as a network of mutually description’ (p. 136). Moving on to working paradigms, albeit an interacting and informing ideas values and moral judgement, Steane extraordinarily holistic one, that a rather than a bottom-up ladder makes a convincing case that the more mature biology will need to (p.17) – the author illustrates this tools of logic on their own cannot adopt, explore further, and refine, with a discussion of symmetry show us what is valuable or good as his colleagues have done to and thermodynamics. He then - values must be embraced rather various degrees. introduces his embodiment principle than derived; nor can the existence Schad inspired me to apply his whereby ‘the lower level and higher of ‘that which deserves the deepest paradigm to dinosaurs and I was level principles are in a reciprocal allegiance of all free agents’ be gratified that he appreciated that relationship of mutual consistency either proved or disproved: faith my results helped him understand in which each illuminates the entails trust in God as foundational other’ (p. 42). Philosophically, the dinosaurs ‘better.’ Our colleague reality rather than the somewhat notions of explanation, insight Mark Reigner, who wrote the primitive concept set up as a straw and understanding represent forward to Understanding man by public atheists. For Steane, different discourses and a two-way Mammals, has applied Schadian the spiritual path is one of discovery interaction, rather than postulating paradigm thinking to birds, with and response – at the end of the a so-called fundamental level on chapter there is a striking poetic most fruitful results. We have which everything else is built. also coopted other researchers representation of nonviolence as in the field of heterochrony The next chapter on logic and a principle near the heart of all genuine spirituality; and the book (timing of development) with knowledge introduces the author’s itself contains many of the author’s synergistic results, and in fact ‘Babel Fallacy’ - defined as the claim to know the complete truth about poems and even a short story as a “we” colleagues, having convened different form of articulation. at a few conferences, are poised to the physical nature of anything. follow Understanding Mammals For instance, the behaviour of a An important chapter is entitled with a broader treatise on monkey cannot be understood from A Farewell to Hume and deals vertebrates. We have learned that its molecular components, hence with an argument put forward without Schad as a mentor and ‘low-level explanations do not do by Aquinas to the effect that the guide our scientific quests have all the explanatory work in science’ natural world may be self-contained led to incomplete and imperfect (p. 57) - nor is an arch explained and that theistic religious claims results. The Schadian paradigm by its stones. There is an excellent are unwarranted and superfluous. may not be the last word in discussion on the difference between The argument is subsequently extraordinary perfection, but it cause (owing to what?) and purpose restated by Richard Dawkins in is extraordinary and has what (in order that what?) - Steane shows terms of lack of explanatory power lyrical scientists like to call that these notions are logically (LEP) where God is represented elegance. Such awareness of unrelated, rightly asserting that goals as a complex thing regarded elegance speaks to the perennial and ends are associated with thought as improbable or in need of quest for shaking off imperfections and intention. He then applies this explanation. For Steane, the fallacy and aspiring to new, more perfect reasoning to the selfish gene of is that God does not fall into the paradigms. Richard Dawkins, demonstrating class of things, and that a much how the gene is misrepresented subtler language and approach is as having agency and that he is required. Here he presents four Professor Martin Lockley is conflating cause and purpose. witnesses embodying a deeper Emeritus Professor of Paleontology Moreover, his idea of the human approach: Jesus himself from the and Consciousness Studies at the being as a robot blindly programmed Gospels stating that human beings University of Denver. to preserve genes does scant justice are in need of forgiveness and

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‘a fresh ability to live better lives’; FROM SUBSTANCE TO his foreword. Waddington crops up then Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the desert in quite a number of papers. Other fathers and the poet RS Thomas PROCESS influences include the systems (elsewhere he brings in Mozart and David Lorimer theory of Ludwig von Bertalanffy Bach) - all these represent human ■■ EVERYTHING FLOWS and Paul Weiss. experience and effort rather than academic talk. Edited by Daniel J. Nicholson and The editors develop the case for a John Dupre dynamic process approach, also The final chapters draw the threads Oxford, 2018, 386 pp., £55, drawing on quantum field theory together by restating that God h/b – ISBN 978-0-19-877963-6 and ecological interdependence. is not an explanatory scientific There are detailed critiques of hypothesis but rather ‘provides This significant volume is one of essentialism, reductionism and the very concept of explanation, the main outcomes from a five- mechanicism as natural correlates an intelligible universe, and the year research project funded by of substance thought, especially urge to explain’ (p. 213) - indeed the European Research Council the last with its persistent influence science itself emerged historically on process philosophy of biology. within biology. Interestingly, they from theology. This leads on to a Process philosophy is associated point out that the reason why discussion of whether the universe with Alfred North Whitehead mechanistic explanations provide suggests design, purpose, goodness and more indirectly with his insights is that ‘the components of or concern or is a place of pitiless contemporary Henri Bergson - the mechanisms being described indifference as proposed by Russell I read Whitehead’s Process and are sufficiently stable on the and Dawkins. The impersonal Reality in Leipzig in 1983, having timescale of the phenomena under forces of nature do indeed exhibit previously read his Science and the investigation’ (p. 29). Mechanisms pitiless indifference, which is their Modern World, a brilliant history are in fact ‘manifestations of specific very nature. However, this is not of science. In fact, the editors of this patterns of stability of different all since humans experience an book seek to distance themselves processes unfold concurrently inwardness and purpose moving from Whitehead, mainly I think in living systems’. This process towards, in the author’s words, for philosophical reasons since and implicitly relational view a more complete expression of Whitehead was a panpsychist has implications for physiology, goodness, beauty and truth where and the authors argue for a genetics, evolution and medicine. the natural world ‘is also the vehicle naturalistic metaphysics, which In their conclusion, the editors of transformative and transcendent leads them to remark that they do rightly observed that scientists ‘are experiences’ (p. 235). not want to associate themselves inevitably committed to certain with ‘undesirable philosophical metaphysical views, regardless of In this wider context, science is baggage’ - though it has to be said whether they are aware of them or part of the humane philosophy that everyone has to make basic not’ (p. 38), as we have also noted underpinned by ‘faith expressing philosophical assumptions, and that in our Galileo Commission Report. itself through love’ in the practice one person’s philosophy is another of both science and religion, a person’s baggage. Dan Nicolson writes about love that transfigures analysis as a re-conceptualising the organism – fuller expression of our humanity The volume is a major statement from complex machine to flowing representing both below and above of process biology, covering stream. As far back as 1988, our in partnership, responding with metaphysics, organisms, May Dialogue was entitled ‘From trust. For the author, the context is development and evolution, and Mechanism to Organism’ featuring Jesus and his impact on the world, with the final section on implications Brian Goodwin and Richard but more generally the idea ‘that and applications. Much of this is Dawkins, who regards the gene reality extends beyond the ordinary technical and aimed at biologists as the basic biological component processes of the natural world’ and philosophers of biology, but the rather than the organism. One (p. 265), which we as whole persons general reader can gain a great deal or two contributors take the can grasp as we try to close the gap from the introductory manifesto – view that organisms are between the world as it is and as it I will concentrate on this, then metaphysically secondary to or could be if modelled on trust and Daniel Nicolson’s essay on abstract manifestations of the reciprocal giving. The journey of mechanism and organism, and processes that constitute and reading this profound book brings a finally on an interesting processual sustain them. Dan goes back to deeply humane encounter with perspective on cancer. Going back the mechanisation of the Western a dedicated scientific and to the Greeks, the archetypal worldview in the 17th century, spiritual seeker. representatives of noting that the machine metaphor process and substance has collapsed in physics but are Heraclitus and survives in biology as the machine Parmenides. Following conception of the organism Whitehead, there (MCO). He argues that organisms developed a school of are intrinsically purposive while organicists including machines are only extrinsically Edward Stuart Russell purposive; also that organisms and Joseph Henry are necessarily open systems Woodger; then, the later exchanging energy and matter stage CH Waddington, in order to maintain themselves who in turn had a great in dynamic stability far from influence on Brian thermodynamic equilibrium, while Goodwin, mentioned machines exist in equilibrium or by Johannes Jaeger in near-equilibrium conditions.

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He then develops his process THE MATRIX OF LIFE the compatibility of the Christian Stream of Life conception (SLC), David Lorimer matrix with the biological world, drawing on historical precedents beginning with a memorable quote and articulating three ontological ■■ IS THERE PURPOSE IN from Jonathan Sacks: ‘Science lessons from this approach: activity BIOLOGY? takes things apart to see how they as a necessary condition for Denis Alexander work. Religion puts them together existence, persistence and identity to see what they mean.’ Alexander grounded in continuous and Monarch 2018, 287 pp., reminds us that Darwin’s thinking dynamic self maintenance of form, £9.99, p/b. came out of a Christian background and the proposition that order does Denis Alexander is one of the including natural theology along not entail design – organisms and foremost scholars in the science and with natural history and natural machines are both highly ordered, religion field as former chair of the philosophy. For him, creation is but only the machine is designed. molecular immunology programme about ontology, origins, meaning When the case is put so clearly, it is at the Babraham Institute in and the intelligibility that renders hard to understand why one would Cambridge and founding director science possible. He argues that the cling on to a mechanistic approach of The Faraday Institute for Science historically articulated Trinitarian to organisms. and Religion - his excellent Genes, God is immanent in the created Determinism and God was reviewed order, metaphorically as both The essay on a process perspective in these pages last year. He tackles the musical composer and conductor on cancer starts from the point central issue of purpose in biology, of the symphony of creation. that ‘for a thing the default arguing that life is not necessarily He proposes three purposes for is persistence, for a process purposeless as so frequently assumed biology: diversity, the emergence of it is persistence that requires in the public domain. The book humanity with a capacity for free explanation - and in the case of begins with a very well informed will, moral choice and response the organism persistence ‘requires discussion of the historical roots to the divine in terms of love, and an exquisite balance between cell of purpose in biology, highlighting finally the prospect of a new heaven division, cell differentiation, and the crucial shift from a symbolic to and a new earth transcending cell death.’ In the sense that cancer a literal interpretation of the Bible, the present. This matrix is then develops over time (the latency leading to a loss of a critical level of considered relation to death, pain period), it is obviously a process understanding and followed by the and suffering as consequences operating at a cellular level, but the rise of the mechanistic metaphor; of carbon-based life with ‘nomic tumour is conventionally regarded then the influence of Darwin on regularity’ – the ‘cost of existence’, as a thing. One implication of a the argument from design, while which he considers worthwhile, process view is the influence of also noting the overall Christian illustrating this with his own lifestyle over a period of time, and context in which the arguments experience of cancer surgery, also, the concomitant implication that were conducted. as he sees it a means of working out changes in lifestyle should be part divine purpose in individual lives. The next three chapters provide the of treatment and recovery. The While not all readers will accept substance of the argument, drawing authors characterise cancer as ‘a the theological picture painted here, on strands within biology itself progressive disorganisation of a they cannot but respect the author’s such as the increase of complexity, variety of organisational levels’, depth of analysis both in relation to laws, convergence, cooperation, quoting Plankar et al to the effect biology and theology as he tackles and molecular constraints - for that this is a ‘global impairment perennial existential issues. A very instance in relation to the genetic of energy and information flow valuable contribution to the field. through the system’ (p. 326). code and protein evolution. The They highlight a possible role for fourth chapter examines in detail the disruption in morphogenetic fields notions of randomness, chance and MEDICINE-HEALTH as part of the pathological process, purpose, pointing out that chance with disruption of the coherent can only have agency in a strictly WE MAY BE OUR OWN dynamics at a specific level. This metaphorical sense - a critique that WORST ENEMIES essay is an excellent example can also be applied to Richard Gunnel Minett of how a process approach can Dawkins. An important more contribute to clinical analysis. general observation is that biologists ■■ THE impose their own metaphysical I hope the book is widely read narrative on the field, which is NEUROPSYCHOLOGY and discussed, as part of a no less true of Monod than of OF THE UNCONSCIOUS necessary shift towards Alexander himself. In my view, - INTEGRATING a dynamic he successfully makes the case BRAIN AND MIND IN process that the details of biology and philosophy evolution do not lead inexorably PSYCHOTHERAPY of biology. to a nihilistic conclusion and are Efrat Ginot compatible with his Christian (foreword by Allan N. Schore), matrix. In this respect, he W.W. Norton & Company, New distinguishes between purpose York, London, 2015, 336 pp, £25, defined in terms of biology, h/b - ISBN 978-0-393-70901-8 and a larger metaphysical Purpose that cannot in fact To understand why a person may be read out of it. suffer from psychological problems, why they occur and what can done This leads on to his more about it is the essence of all forms of detailed explanation of psychotherapy. For this to happen it

42 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 is necessary to understand how the balance), such as hunger, sweating, In her words: “Unconscious brain and mind work. Before Freud shivering, etc.., we have a similar processes are vast and ever- introduced his mapping of the mind system for maintaining a mental present, and they are characterised we had little understanding about state of homeostasis. This can by learned and reinforced what causes some people to suffer consist of strategies (often developed neuropsychological patterns that from mental, internal struggles that very early in life) to adjust to the essentially form the foundation for sometimes take over and ruin their environment, which is absolutely our conscious existence.” (p. 229) lives for no obvious reason. Since vital for the child to develop into then psychology and psychotherapy a fully functioning adult. This It is only by understanding these has been through a journey can be learning early on to be processes and their influence that a trying to understand the causes of pleasing to a demanding parent, person can be helped to change in psychological problems and how to to ‘shut down system’ to prevent a more permanent way. She writes: best treat them. We now know that bad experiences from entering into “Although specific therapeutic many of our adult problems begin in awareness or to develop habits approaches may greatly differ, all childhood. But we are still not clear aimed finding the best solution for therapists try to help patients achieve exactly how and why. To begin with, us in a particular situation. greater affect regulation, a sense of personal fulfilment and well-being. the focus was more on the conscious The problems with these than the unconscious mind. The Undoubtedly, a neuropsychological unconscious strategies to help understanding of the unconscious latter was dismissed as ‘basement us through life is that they may storage’ for unwanted thoughts, can provide us with more nuanced become rigid and difficult to change approaches to the nature of change emotions and behaviour, that needed or get rid of when we no longer to be cleared out. and to its underlying factors, the need or want them. This is where potential impediments to enduring psychotherapy comes in. To help shifts, and conversely the therapeutic With today’s advances in to change what was once a useful neuropsychology we are now getting processes that may contribute to strategy for a certain period of positive changes. ( p. 163) a more nuanced picture of the role our lives, but which in present the unconscious plays throughout time may be causing psychological This is particularly important our lives. As a consequence, problems and preventing us from in psychotherapies that focus psychotherapists are beginning to having a positive experience of on accessing the unconscious be able to work with their clients life. Ginot writes: “The process (such as body oriented therapies, in more sophisticated ways to help of developing unconscious and hypnotherapy, dream work etc.). them understand and confront automatic defensive systems is Unless the therapist has a good the reactions and control of the closely intertwined with implicit and understanding of how and why unconscious, and thereby minimise explicit learning processes. Learning our unconscious influences us and the negative and/or unwanted occurs when specific behaviours, can assist the patient to a positive influence, which is causing their emotional reactions, comforting change, the risk is that unconscious psychological problems. thoughts, or soothing internal or remains a mystery (following an In this book Efrat Ginot explains external responses, from simple old view of the unconscious) with how the unconscious is an essential avoidance to complex cognitive no or little real change for the and valuable part of our brain machinations such as the tendency patient. Ginot writes: “Only on that helps us towards a form of toward grandiose self-soothing, recognising and becoming aware mental homeostasis - for instance, take hold in the face of an immense of the nature of our emotional and by reacting in certain ways, blow to the self. Learning is also behavioural neural patterns, the such as detecting patterns in the crucial when a very negative and childhood necessity for an array environment and reacting with a faulty self-evaluation develops; a of defences, the emotional and tendency to favour repetition. Such child has no choice but to internalise interpersonal learning that took reactions go a long way back in our as his own impatience, criticism, place unconsciously and without evolutionary history. They enable neglect, or lack of acceptance. our conscious will or participation, the brain to create ‘building blocks’ These communications become our helplessness as children to affect that help us deal with each new the dominant measure of his self- through the course of events, can we situation. This helps us find the best worth.” (p150) start and attempt to connect with possible solution and strategy in painful self-systems.” (p. 125) situations where we otherwise could It can be a big challenge for suffer irreparable damage, i.e. when a psychotherapist to deal with With this book Efrat we’re exposed to life-threatening the unconscious since Ginot is taking a big situations, or suffering from mental it may involve and step to close the gap or emotional ‘overload’. trigger unconscious between neuroscience patterns in both and psychology. It is Because of the importance of client and therapist. an essential process our brain power (as a species) In her book Ginot if we are to develop it is important that we are able highlights some of the best possible to maintain a certain level of these difficulties, such strategies for helping positivity as a driving force in as the lasting power people to move away life. (A newborn baby that is not of anxiety, therapeutic from having the getting enough attention from the enactment, aspects of unconscious as their environment even runs the risk affective dysregulation, own worst enemy, of dying from the neglect.) So repetition and to being fully in just like the signalling from the resistance and charge of their lives body’s systems for maintaining intergenerational in a positive way. physiological homeostasis (or inner enactment of trauma.

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HOW TOO MUCH the numbers requiring admission 3 Diabetes. A low carbohydrate MEDICINE IS for adverse drug reactions. And diet resulted in substantial weight polypharmacy can also be fatal, loss in all patients and brought ENDANGERING OUR almost certainly a contributory about normalisation of blood HEALTH factor to the recently observed glucose. Seven patients were John Kapp decline in life expectancy – 600 able to come off medication. more people dying every week in (see also below) ■■ TOO MANY PILLS 2015 compared to previous years.’ 4 Osteoporosis. Drug treatment can Dr James le Fanu (p. 210) ‘it makes no sense at all achieve at best a marginal reduction Little, Brown, 2018, 303 pp., to take a drug intended to prevent in hip fractures, at the cost of £13.99, p/b – some medical condition in the serious medical adverse effects ISBN 978-1-4087-0977-1 future, if it is causing you problems and forgone opportunities to have Personal testimonies to this London now.’ Yet the pharmaceutical a great impact on the health of GP tell of: (back cover) ‘being industry had other ideas. (p. 24) older people. coerced into taking drugs which ‘the future prosperity entailed 5. Cardiac cocktail. It is important they do not need, debilitated by moving beyond the development of to challenge the assumption that their adverse effects – and their drugs to combat disease, by creating the efficacy and safety of drugs almost miraculous recovery a market where they could sell to given in the relatively short term on discontinuing them.’ He everyone – targeting the hundreds recommends patients to ask much of millions of the apparently well remain the same over the long more searching questions about the and healthy, persuading them term.’ (p. 250) ‘And then there is benefits and risks of the medicines (and indeed their doctors) that the possibility, illustrated by Prof they are taking’. they had some medical condition Julian’s near-death experiences, that warranting treatment. The most beta blockers previously tolerated, The author writes (p. 1) ‘In obvious way this might be achieved can become with time dramatically just fifteen years the number of was to re-designate previously less so, producing a potentially prescriptions issued by family ‘normal’ physiologically variables fatal slowing of the heart rate, and doctors in Britain has increased as ‘abnormal’, widening the net of a precipitous fall in blood pressure three-fold. (This increases at 7%pa those requiring lifelong medication on exertion.’ (pp. 130,131) ‘the compound, and 1.1 bn monthly with blood pressure and cholesterol defining feature of their illness prescriptions were written in 2017, lowering drugs.’ (diabetes) being carbohydrate so now 2 drugs are being prescribed intolerance. And so it has been continuously for every man, woman For example, the old rule of thumb ever since that those with diabetes, and child in the country) Everyone for high blood pressure recognised encouraged to include starch agrees that this is too many – a that it naturally increases with carbohydrate foods (bread, pasta, regular topic of conversation down age, so was: (p. 197) ‘100 plus potatoes, noodles, rice and cereals) at the pub, on the golf course the patient’s age - which for at each meal, have struggled to and the bowling green. Some are someone aged 80 was a seemingly lose weight and lower their levels apprehensive about even visiting alarming 180. However, in the of blood sugar, relying instead, the surgery lest they be burdened early 1990s this rule of thumb as those experts recommended by taking yet more drugs. Dutiful was rudely overturned……..to the thirty years ago, on drugs to do children visiting their parents are current threshold of 150/80. He so. This…. accounts for the four aghast at the six, eight or ten also exposes the damning verdict fold increase in type II diabetes different types of pill cluttering up of meta studies of the 5 pillars of over the past twenty five years - the bathroom cabinet’. (now costing polypharmacy (p. 208): an iatrogenic catastrophe of epic us taxpayers nearly £20 bn pa) proportions.’ Wikipedia says that ‘1 Hypertension: This review ‘Doctors themselves recognise the 8.3% of the world’s population had found that compared to a placebo, it in 2015, and 90% have type II, problem with nine out of ten GPs an antihypertensive drug did not in a straw poll acknowledging that for which: ‘the most common cause reduce any outcome including they prescribe ‘too many pills’….. is excessive weight, and insufficient total mortality, (p. 2) ‘There is no drug intended to exercise… total cardiovascular do good that does not do harm in Prevention some. And the more that are taken events, coronary and treatment the greater the chances of harm. heart disease or involve Over the past 10 years, thousands stroke. maintaining a of readers of my weekly medical 2. ‘Raised healthy diet, and column have written to tell me of Cholesterol. regular physical the misery of the muscular aches Statin therapy in exercise, a and pains, lethargy, insomnia, those at low risk normal body impaired concentration, gut does not reduce weight, and disturbance and general decrepitude overall mortality avoiding use of caused by their drugs – and the or serious illness, tobacco.’ almost miraculous recovery on with an increased This courageous discontinuing them’. risk of causing book exposes ‘The adverse consequences of poly side effects the scandalous pharmacy (literally many pills) are from minor way that drug vastly greater than is commonly and reversible companies have appreciated, being responsible to serious and betrayed the trust for a remarkable 75% increase in irreversible. of doctors in

44 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 prescribing fake remedies, and have In his book, Edward Bruce Bynum PHILOSOPHY- conned governments to finance presents a comprehensive and them at us taxpayers’ expense. I integrated view of traditional dream SPIRITUALITY am also inspired by the patients analysis and family psychology both James quotes who recovered their from a clinical science approach, LOOKING BEYOND previous good health with the but also drawing on old traditions REDUCTIONISM courage to take themselves off from Africa, China and India and John Clarke pills scaremongeringly prescribed, from parapsychology. He explains which reminded me of the line: and illustrates with numerous ■■ WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY ‘keep tight hold of nurse, for fear examples how our individual FOR? of finding something worse.’ unconscious is part of a larger Mary Midgley (late SMN) collective or family unconsciousness John Kapp, johnkapp@btinternet. and how dreams can express this. Bloomsbury Academic, 2018, com, www.reginaldkapp.org. 223 pp., £16.99, p/b - (my emphasis) One of the really positive aspects ISBN 978-1-3500-5107-2 of the book is that it approaches To reach the age of ninety-nine years our interest in dreams both from ..LIFE IS BUT A DREAM with all one’s mental faculties intact is a current and historical angle: quite an achievement even in this time Gunnel Minett it points to the way we lived in of increasing life-span. But to write (extended) family groups and the ■■ THE DREAMLIFE a book on philosophy, one which role dreams played there. This makes the reader sit up and think OF FAMILIES - THE ancient way of life may often be deeply about modern culture and its PSYCHOSPIRITUAL dismissed as superstition based on future, is a singular personal triumph. ignorance (‘now we know better’). The key word in the title of this book CONNECTION But, as the author points out, Edward Bruce Bynum, PhD is ‘for’. This indicates straight away even if we now live more isolated that this not another broad-ranging Inner Traditions, 2017, 275 pp., lives, and have more individual introduction to the various problems £14.99, p/b - ISBN freedom, the extended family can and fields of philosophy, but a Although we still have a lot to often have a positive effect on our spirited polemic which, as announced learn about dreams, why we inner wellbeing. We seem to have on the first page, addresses the have them and what they mean, a need to get so close to others question: ‘What is the aim, the proper we can conclude that they play that we can share both their object of philosophising? What are a big part in our lives. As this conscious and unconscious life in we trying to do?’ Her answer is in book points out, they often the form of dreams. effect a summary of a life engaged in represent a true expression of our However, going back to closer the practice of philosophy, a scholarly innermost thoughts, a version that family ties doesn’t necessarily yet engaging confrontation with some is uncensored by the conscious mean returning to the biological of the important intellectual issues mind. They can also express our family. Such a return to closer of our day. connection with others, family and family ties would probably demand friends, past and present in ways What comes through very an impossible amount of change powerfully in this book, as indeed we normally would not perceive in our modern societies. But an them. Dreams can also solve in all Mary Midgley’s writings, is ‘extended family’ does not have a passionate belief that philosophy problems of all kinds both past, to be biological. As Steve Minett present and future ones. is not just one academic subject describes in his book Gazing at amongst others, and certainly not From perhaps a somewhat the Stars, well managed family a kind of science, nor is its role a unexpected environment, I constellations aimed at providing sort of pontifical authority ruling can give a personal example the optimal environment for child over other academic subjects, but everyday ‘problem solving’ care can be a very good solution for has a central place in our lives, ‘a via dreams from my own past adults as well as children. continuous necessary background history when I worked in a Bynum’s book is full of recorded activity…[which] profoundly bank. Despite an otherwise very dreams that reflect both major shapes our inner life’ (p. 81). It conservative environment, we had and minor events in our lives has an almost therapeutic role (not a well establish method of solving such as illness, birth and death her term) in sorting, examining, mistakes we had made during and medical emergencies, that comparing and assessing the the day, which usually meant the all seem to have a special effect varieties of myths and worldviews embarrassing situation of giving on our dreamlife. These dreams which underpin our contemporary customers too much or too little can also be simultaneous shared ideas, values and institutions. In money. When we could not find dreams, telepathic or precognitive more down-to-earth terms she where we had made the mistake, dreams. Regardless of the fact found impish delight in referring we were told to go that these types of dreams may to her philosophical approach as home and sleep on not have an explanation within akin to plumbing, not just because it. Mostly this had our current scientific paradigm, it services some of the basic needs the effect that the they most certainly appear often of daily life but because it can at person in question and strongly enough to be taken times go badly wrong and lead came back the next seriously, which is exactly what to domestic upset and anguish morning having this book is doing. and needs sorting out. In this ‘remembered’ in a way philosophy can ‘service’ the dream where they had hidden intellectual structures of our made the mistake. lives, the hidden assumptions and

www.scimednet.org 45 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 contradictions of our as the only pluralism, and to illustrate the world-views. Our own possible need for philosophy to take a times, she believed, are alternative to broad and inclusive rather than a particularly needful in a supposedly narrowly specialised view of life. this regard. unthinking, The first of these is the positivist moralistic and approach of the Vienna Circle This intellectual religious….. which became in the middle years plumbing is no mere orthodoxy’ of the twentieth century a kind academic exercise. (p. 190). By of universal solvent that claimed Though for some contrast with to absorb all epistemological years she lectured this univocal certainty and to eliminate all else as in philosophy view, her meaningless - ‘scientistic puritanism’ at Newcastle approach could as she calls it – and which sought University, she had be described to disinfect modern culture of gods little time for what as one of and souls. Midgley is no advocate she describes as ‘the methodological of religious dogma, but sees in modern logical and pluralism, so for this approach an intellectual and analytical style of example: ‘Pure cultural impoverishment leading philosophising’ reductionism will to a kind of barren materialism (p. 10), with its not work, precisely which effectively eliminates human rather detached, because it does not freedom and individuality. a-historical approach and an analyse the kind increasing emphasis on research of complexity organisms display’ A similar treatment is offered for rather than teaching which, (p. 26). We are faced with many a related and an equally influential she argues, was an important puzzles in life, she argues; ‘scientific, twentieth century myth, namely factor in leading to the closure historical, practical, poetical, moral, behaviourism, still influential in of eight British departments of social, logical, political or religious’ some quarters, which she accuses philosophy in the Thatcher years. (p. 193), and philosophy is not a of eliminating its main object, the By contrast, Midgley approached matter of simply trying to solve human subject itself. By focusing her subject with passion and these puzzles or formulating a total, exclusively on external, observable moral commitment, and with a final world-view that encompasses behaviour it manages to deny the full awareness of its place and them, but involves exploring the possibility of talking meaningfully importance within historical and many particular, often diverse, about the whole range of problems cultural contexts, and within the ways of thinking, of world-views, concerning human life, especially our exercise of our imaginative faculties. that will be most helpful as we try ‘natural sociability, and our ‘constant to explore the constantly changing need to deal with our own and each This final book reaches back to other’s inner conflicts’ (p. 173). her first major work, Beast and world. And it is one in which Man (1978), where she sought to ‘philosophical thoughts are never Midgley’s most acerbic critique of bridge the dangerous gap, opened final’ (p. 6). reductionism is reserved for one up in many areas of modern It follows from this that while of its more recent manifestations, thought, between the human and it is important to search out the the singularity associated with natural worlds, and which led to sometimes hidden interconnections the supposedly inexorable march her enthusiasm for environmental between these world-views – like of artificial intelligence, the issues, to support for the Gaia we would if we had a plumbing moment at which the world will be hypothesis, and to a passion for problem - it would be a serious transformed - in 2045 according ‘reviving our reverence for the mistake to the attempt to reduce to Ray Kurzweil. She points out earth’. This led in turn to an abiding them to a single method, namely that this recent development is an concern with the place of the that of the physical sciences. intellectual descendant of the well current scientific worldview within This clearly is not an attack on established ‘myth’ – ‘mechanolatry’, the formation of contemporary science itself about which she a ‘new oracle’ - , dating from values and goals, and with the demonstrates profound respect Descartes and the scientific deep influence of the myths which and considerable understanding, revolution, that the universe as a have been constructed around and but rather a recognition that whole is a machine, and that even beneath the natural sciences. These the world is too complex, too living beings, and perhaps even myths constitute various forms of inescapably plural, to be reduced minds of living beings are part of scientism which treat science, not to a single set of theories, and is in the same ‘dazzling image’. This new as one among many sources of danger of forestalling investigation and potent myth ‘has somehow information about the world, but into key elements of life such as worked its way into our thinking… as the exclusively valid source of all purpose, meaning, mind, freedom by its own dramatic force’. What knowledge, and hence the object of and responsibility. Our world, was formerly attributed to God almost religious reverence. she points out, is complex and is now credited to machines. variegated, requiring many different Computers and related technologies Midgley takes a completely ‘thought patterns’ and perspectives. have given this myth new life, and opposing view. She sums up her Even the natural sciences themselves now we face the prospect of being own approach in this book as one lose their individual significance and bypassed and taken over by the of ‘exasperation against the whole validity if pressed into the single myth of transhumanism. reductive, scientistic, mechanistic, mould of physics. fantasy-ridden creed which still Much mythology, she points constantly distorts the world-view Several mythmaking excursions are out, has been absorbed into this of our age….[which] is revered used to elaborate her argument for particular piece of technological

46 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 wizardry, some bordering on A RICH SPIRITUAL criticised by some members of her pure fiction, some the product community. Hence, readers have of wild futuristic speculation. TREASURE to approach the Gospel with open Here the ‘exceptionally eminent’ David Lorimer minds and decide for themselves in astrophysicist Martin Rees is singled the light of the text itself and the out for special attention, accused ■■ THE GOSPEL OF translator’s comparative critical of inventing ‘new superstitions’, THE BELOVED analysis with other canonical and and making outlandish and COMPANION Gnostic Gospels. The Gospel is frightening claims without the set out in 44 chapters with verses, support of adequate evidence Translation and Commentary by but the translator also explains or argument. One recalls here Jehanne de Quillan that there is no punctuation in the her earlier irritable debates with Editions Athara, 2010, 265 pp., original, and a version like this is another eminent proto-reductionist, available on Amazon, p/b – presented later in the book. Richard Dawkins, who gets only a ISBN 978-1-4528-1072 The narrative is simple and brief mention here, though she is Over the summer, I received an still adamant that his approach to powerful, and conveys vividly for enthusiastic email from Anne me the non-dual state from which genetics leads via scientism to an Baring urging me to buy this book, unacceptable form of reductionism. Yeshua spoke and taught: “Have I which I ordered immediately. Along not told you that I am in the Spirit Towards the end of the book she with I’m sure many other readers, as the Spirit is in me? It is man who confronts the issue which lurks I have an enduring interest in the sees only poverty, for he sees with beneath many of the problems she Gnostic Gospels, having read the the eyes of the master of the world. has grappled with in this book and book by Elaine Pagels in the early But where man sees poverty, the in her professional life, namely the 1980s and many other texts besides. Spirit sees only abundance. What question – the myth - of mind- I now live in the Cathar area, where the Spirit sees I see, and what I body dualism. Part of the problem the story of Mary Magdalene is see the Spirit sees. And what the here, she speculates, is that we very present, both historically and Spirit sees is. (6:8)” I find this an have tended to assume that ‘matter archetypally. I am reminded of incredibly powerful statement, is inert, dead, and inevitably we an occasion when I was leading a and many passages are preceded become deeply puzzled as to how seminar some 30 years ago during by the phrase ‘only from the such an active phenomenon as which we went to the cave at Sainte truth’, corresponding to the New conscious mind can be in any way Baume, where Mary is reputed Testament translation, ‘verily’. In connected with it. Returning once to have spent her later years. A 21:2 we read “You do not know me again to her earlier concerns with sensitive among us put out the or know where I am from. I have evolution, she points out that question about the historical reality not come of myself, but the One matter has within it the potential of her presence, to which the reply who sent me is true; that One is for forming the vast variety that was that it did not matter whether the One whom you do not know. I constitute the natural world, and or not she had been there physically know the Spirit because I am of the that matter therefore cannot be if her spirit was now present. Spirit and the Spirit sent me.” the inert, inactive, neutral stuff of This book is the first translation dualist theory. She goes on to say Then again in 27:3: “I have told into English of what purports to you, and you do not believe. The ‘We surely need to look for a fresh be the complete Gospel of Mary start’, but she has now alas laid works that I do in the name of the Magdalene. As such, this is a Spirit, these testify about me. But down her pen and it is up to us to momentous publication. The editor take up her challenge. you do not believe, because you explains that the manuscript was cannot hear my voice. Those that This book is not only a lively, reputedly brought from Alexandria hear my words and follow them, to witty and beautifully written work to the Languedoc in the early to them I give eternal life. They will but is an important defense of middle part of the first century never perish. The Spirit, who has philosophy which places it once and was translated into Occitan sent them to me, is greater than again at the centre of our cultural in the early 12th century. The all. The Spirit and I are one.” At and intellectual life, not only by manuscript has been preserved this point, the Pharisees take up demonstrating its importance in within a spiritual community stones again to challenging many of the myths of since that time and stone him, and our age but also by its capacity this translation is he answers: “I to take an embracing overview of from the original have shown you human concerns without resorting Alexandrian Greek. the many good to simplifying dogma or fantasy. Of course, scholars works from the What is Philosophy For? the last would love to Spirit. For which of a dozen books and many have access to the of those works articles and public lectures, is a manuscript, but the do you stone fitting tribute to a woman who translator does not me?” Quite a gave much to philosophy, and to feel she can break retort! In 35:12, the world beyond. The SMN, faith with those who Yeshua states of which she was an honorary have sacrificed so in response to member, will remember her with much to preserve it a question by love and gratitude. for over a millennium Thomas that so that its message they do not could one day be know where released back into the he is going so public arena, an action how can they

www.scimednet.org 47 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 know the way: “My words are the not understand what she had said Vatican recently promoted Mary Way, the Truth, and the Life. For and grumbled against her among to the status of The Apostle to the my words are given of the Spirit, themselves about these ‘strange Apostles, and some of you may and no one comes to the Kingdom and complicated ideas’. Simon have seen the corresponding film except through Her teachings. If Peter resents her exclusive access, that came out this year. This Gospel you had known and understood while Levi defends her, remarking goes a great deal further, stressing my teachings, then you would that “surely as his companion, the importance of entering into have known and understood the Yeshua knew her better than all the silence. One who sent me also.” (did you others. That is why he loved her notice Her….?) more than us.” I mentioned above the parallels with the Gospel of Thomas, so I will The most potent and seminal Readers may have caught the tone finish this review with this passage passage in this Gospel comes of the Gospel of John from these referring to stillness and silence towards the end, when the disciples extracts, but there are also passages (30:10): “If you bring forth what is come together after the crucifixion that parallel the Gnostic insights within you, what you have within in the house at Bethany, and Mary of the Gospel of Thomas. In the you will save you. If you do not tells them about her experience in second part, the translator analyses find that within you that is from the the garden of the tomb. They are some of these parallels, using Spirit, what you do not find within worried about exposing themselves original Greek papyrus manuscripts you will be your death. There is to danger by going out and for comparative purposes (the light within a person of light, and it preaching. Mary stands up, raises Greek is quoted in many instances). shines on the whole world. If it does her right hand and tells them not to Using close textual analysis, she not shine, it is dark. Only from the grieve and to be resolute as Grace makes the case that this Gospel truth I tell you, be still and know will protect them: “Let us praise may even have been a source for that I AM. Those with ears, let his greatness, for he has prepared the Gospel of John in terms of them hear.” It is often said in this us and made us truly human.” As a dating. There are also verses such as area that, following the massacre result of this statement, ‘she turned the famous passage about making of 225 Cathars at Montsegur on their hearts to the good’ and Simon the two into one that parallel the March 16th 1244, after 700 years Peter says to her: “Sister, we know Gospel of Thomas (see below), the Vine will once again turn green. that he loved you more than any with the significant difference that This beautiful and inspiring gospel other among women. Tell us the the passage in the Gospel of the is surely the fruit of this Vine. words of the Rabbi, which you Beloved Companion is set within remember, which you know and a coherent narrative framework, understand, but we do not, nor whereas, in the Gospel of Thomas ASK WHAT YOU CAN have we heard them.” it is just a fragment. Then in the DO ‘JUST RIGHT’ Gospel of Mary, there are whole Martin Lockley What follows is beyond measure, chapters missing, and the Gospel of a priceless spiritual treasure so the Beloved Companion illuminates ■■ THE MONARCHY precious that it may well be, as these and other extant passages. Anne suggested to me, the real OF FEAR: The translator’s commentary A PHILOSOPHER treasure of the Cathars. I read also sheds further light on key it first while having a morning passages from the Gospel. She sets LOOKS AT OUR coffee in Lisbon, a moment I will the burial rites surrounding Jesus POLITICAL CRISIS never forget. She says that she (only explained in John) within the Martha C. Nussbaum will proclaim what is hidden from cultural context of the time, where them, and that Yeshua had said to only the immediate family would Simon and Schuster, 2018, her, “Miryam, you came into being have been involved, with the wife 249 pp., $25.99, h/b – before coming into being (think or sister playing the leading role. ISBN 978-1-5011-7249-6 about the significance of this!), This reinforces the message that I recently had the chance to see and whose eyes are set upon the Mary Magdalene was indeed the Martha Nussbaum speak on her Kingdom, who from the beginning Beloved Companion. new book, The Monarchy of has understood and followed my Fear, and learn that she is widely teachings.” He then shows her in a The Gospel of John was beloved to acclaimed as a prolific author, vision a great tree whose roots are the Cathars, and was laid on the philosopher and advocate for in the earth, ‘which is your body’. head of candidates as they were the arts, humanities and human The trunk extends upward through initiated as a Parfait or Parfaite. rights. As she divulges, her heroes the five regions of humanity to the This is the mystical canonical include Martin Luther King, Nelson Crown, which is the Kingdom of Gospel, which, ironically, contains Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, a few the Spirit. There are eight boughs the words used by fundamentalist thoughtful Greek philosophers and on the tree and each bears its own evangelicals to insist on the various contemporary psychologists fruit, which must be eaten in all exclusive divinity of Christ, when including women, who are mostly its fullness; between each bough they should be interpreted absent from the former categories. there is a gate with a guardian symbolically. Indeed, the Beloved All have fought non-violently who challenges the unworthy who Companion passage about the way, against fear, violence and bigotry, try to pass. She then describes the the truth and the life quoted above obviously in many cases at great levels of initiation, the ascent from makes a lot more sense to me. So, personal cost. darkness to light. You will have dear reader, as the translator herself to buy the book yourself in order suggests, you will have to make up I have always been a believer in to appreciate the sheer symbolic your own mind about the status the biological, developmental and power of this vision. At the end, we of this Gospel by reading it for evolutionary notion that ontogeny read that many of the disciples did yourself. It is significant that the recapitulates phylogeny in a myriad

48 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 subtle and varied ways. Put another child’s world by knowing what’s Christian principles, and untainted way we reap what we sow. If we good to help balance the democratic by calls for violence retribution. teach our children well (nurture order: i.e., both for the developing One may pay a stiff price for such good ontogeny), and avoid undue child and the developed adult. forward-looking vision. fear, repression and bigotry, they will grow to contribute to the Thinking in terms of Jean The book’s ontogeny follows a evolution (phylogeny) of a society Gebser’s consciousness structures similar trajectory, dealing first with where such destructive forces are (especially the magic, mythical and fear and anger and their infantile less likely to rear their ugly heads. mental-rational) discussed in his psychological roots, then with Speaking of ugly heads Nussbaum seminal The Ever Present Origin, [adolescent?] fear-driven disgust takes us back to Homer, and and elaborated by Ken Wilber and exclusion, then [secular- the heyday of Greek philosophy and others, we are reminded, materialist?] envy, sexism and to remind us of the dangers of that even in a modern world, misogyny, but at last we end with unrestrained fear and anger (the “thought” to be infused with a [wisdom?] chapter on “love, latter being the first word in the “thoughtful” rationality, ever hope and vision.” Nussbaum Iliad) and also the “child of fear” as present consciousness structures, asks what are the “basic human Nussbaum and others have put it. ostensibly characteristic of a former, entitlements…that all humans must historical or ‘other’ phylogenetic have… if …society…is to count The Greeks had a visceral sense of “structure” can “erupt” as even minimally just.” [These the ugliness of anger in their sense unpredictably. Such eruptions rights may of course change as our of the ‘Furies,’ repulsive, horrifying, give the rational, “progressive” social consciousness evolves]. Since disgusting creatures belonging mind the sense of retrograde steps, “entitlements” is a controversial says Apollo “in some barbarian taking us back in time to a world word, especially in the USA, where tyranny where cruelty reigns.” They where more uncontrolled, petulant, it can imply some sort of un- “make animal noises, moaning and infantile, primitive or “furious” earned, financial, material or status whining.” All this is portrayed consciousness structures prevailed. reward, Nussbaum uses the term in ‘Oresteia,’ the famous tragedy Such rational perceptions may “capability,” implying, I think, of Aeschylus (458 BCE) which be understandable to like minds that these are rights we are capable “explores the curse of retribution” but perhaps not to all other of providing all citizens, perhaps arising from “unbridled consciousness structure eruptions. not without some reform and resentment.” The Greeks dealt with enlightened education, so as to avail these dark forces in two ways. First Having pointed out that there ourselves of a just and capable by Athena’s “recognition that the is nothing much new under society. [I am not quite sure why the legal system must incorporate… the sun, as Apollo no doubt term rights would not suffice]. [one might say ‘tame’]… and noticed, the connection between honour retributive passions.” The fear and Nussbaum’s subtitle Her list of 10 ‘capabilities’ [rights?] second way is more transformative, reference to “our political crisis” begins with “Life,” “Bodily and needs to do more than putting is rather obvious, but none the Health” and “Bodily Integrity” the Furies in a cage. Athens must less timely and necessary. It is (meaning freedom of movement, be “liberated from the scourge of entirely in keeping with another safe from violent assault), followed vindictive anger.” Lucretius, for much-reported book, Fear, by by “Senses, Imagination and example, “says that all political celebrated Watergate journalist thought,” “Emotions,” “Practical anger is only an outgrowth of fear.” Bob Woodward. But to point Reason” and “Affiliation,” all The transformative element came the finger at fear-mongers is a freedom of choice capabilities, and, in the efforts the Greeks, and later form of lesser, and avoidable fear lastly, “Other Species,” “Play” and the Romans, made in a “cultural mongering, especially if something “Control over one’s Environment.” struggle” against what they saw transformative and “forward- This seems rather a mixed bag of as anger’s destructive power and looking” does not follow. capabilities, for the average citizen the danger it posed to “democratic to recall as an intellectual check list, Nussbaum avoids, as best one can, but Nussbaum explains her focus is institutions” which require naming and pointing fingers at “forward-looking“ justice. “on capabilities rather than actual others who are fear-mongering and functioning because the theory gives What does all this cultural history not thinking forwardly. great importance to choice.” (phylogeny) and powerful, As transformative She argues emotional passion [mythology?] examples she cites King, that these have to do with ontogeny? [My Mandela and Gandhi, capabilities question]. It surely deals with the but especially King, provide “a parallel development of “infantile as an American who good basis for helplessness and its adult cousin railed against prejudice constitutional the fear of death.” The young and injustice as crisis- principles” child is in a sense a “monarch” generating, socio- and as an with “no way of surviving except political problems, but activist by making slaves of others.” in the end dreamed philosopher The infant lives in a purely or with a forward-looking it is perhaps predominantly emotional world vision of a transformed natural for in which the external universe world where black and her to incline is so often an uncontrolled and white children could towards uncontrollable source of potential live as brothers and constitutional fear, only mitigated by the constant sisters. His vision was “theory.” She reassurances of adults who know passionate, hopeful, admits “many how to bring ‘just’ order to the based on the best of Americans right

www.scimednet.org 49 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 now don’t agree with my view, “… among philosophers, ‘magician’ the present disenchanted age. The which they will see as resembling then means a wise man who has the history narrated here can convince European-style social democracy.” power to act.” even the most die-hard skeptic [America may be in the throes of that what was once considered – Giordano Bruno, “On Magic” proving there are worse fates]! She natural-magic by the ancients is a then suggests “all Americans… Magic! When this word is uttered scientific fact for us, the moderns; [need] … to figure out what they it brings to mind a wide array or as Arthur C. Clarke famously really do think about such matters, of images, from dark vaults and put it “any sufficiently advanced prior to entering a contentious evil spirits to angels and heavenly technology is indistinguishable from political debate.” Fair point, but rainbows. It is definitely the magic magic”. Can we say the same for no doubt too little too late for some of J.S. Bach’s music (or Fred what science cannot understand segments of the population, at least Mercury’s, your pick) and also presently and refuse to study? Are ‘right now.’ the magic of that delicious dessert phenomena such as the placebo/ we had the other day. But what is nocebo effects, premonition, Nussbaum ends with a call for “Real Magic”? Dean Radin, the precognition, telepathy, telekinesis, “National Service” which she sees chief scientist of the Institute of clairvoyance, extra-sensory as “imperative” to address the Noetic Sciences and a noted best perception, spontaneous healing political crisis and the “problem selling author, brilliantly defends and near-death experiences just that Americans lack a sense of the the thesis that magic is “a natural ‘magical’ that await a future science common good” and are unable aspect of reality”. That’s real magic for explanation? Oh, no. In the eyes to think “outside their economic and with a real tour de force in of the prevailing scientism within or racial group.” I think she his book Dr. Dean Radin offers us the contemporary mainstream may mean “too many,” not all, the connection of real magic with scientific establishment all these Americans. She makes it clear that ancient wisdom and modern science are generally considered just this would be “civil service” and, as well as a guide to the secrets fluffy-thinking, ill-posed evidence, perhaps controversially, suggests powers of the universe, exactly as quackery or just wishful thinking a German model, Zivildienst, an its subtitle affirms. and downright impossible. alternative to military service, which ended in 2011. Here again A Magus, an old Persian/Median Dr. Dean Radin’s take on the above Nussbaum is no doubt well aware word of proto-Indo-European enigmas is amazingly interesting her proposals are controversial. But origin adopted in Greek means and equally amazingly informed. perhaps tough times call for stern the one who is: able to, to help; His readers will benefit greatly from measures, and Americans surely has power, a sorcerer. Magus is the well organised bibliography resonated deeply with JFK’s “ask the wise, the seer, the interpreter and clear exposition of the many not what your country can do for of dreams and in its bad sense interrelated subjects, the evidence you” speech. As Apollo shines the enchanter, the trickster, the and references he provides and also a perennial light on America’s impostor, the charlatan. Surprisingly from all the pointers to his own political crisis, Nussbaum is asking, enough the word “machine” brilliant and seminal work over again, what Plato and Socrates derives from the same root as the years. Dean Radin’s presence asked long ago: what makes for magic (~mech/mach). Originally in conferences, workshops, public a civil society where individuals a machine, a mechanism, signified debates, seminars and ‘webinars’ are just and forward-looking in a device stemming from the mind is abundant, well documented and how they examine themselves and that empowers us by doing things easily accessible to the wider public. their fellow citizens? I sometimes for us. Yet, today it has inverted The book offers a great incentive ruminate on the phrase “just right.” its meaning; mechanical means a to follow up these as well as the It is indeed a delicate balance. mindless repetitive operation. And creative unfolding of his thought according to mainstream modern and work. scientific meta-paradigm, we live in PSYCHOLOGY- a mechanistic universe born out of Knowledge is power. So, evidently randomness and devoid of purpose. power loves to utilise knowledge. CONSCIOUSNESS Given the fact that not even a single The magicians and seers of the STUDIES machine was ever built without past – from the court in Persepolis, a purpose we Hermes Trismegistus and the Pharaoh, Aristander DEAN RADIN’S NEW arrive at an oxymoron! of Telmessos and LUMINOUS SIGILLUM How did Alexander the Great, Vasileios Basios this happen? Merlin and King Arthur, Zhuge Liang ■■ REAL MAGIC: Where the magic has and Liu Bei, to John ANCIENT WISDOM gone? Dee and Elizabeth I of England, as well as the MODERN SCIENCE Dean Radin whole academy of them AND A GUIDE TO THE in his book at Rudolf II’s imperial SECRET POWERS OF “Real court– have become THE UNIVERSE Magic” legendary in the esoteric succinctly lore and folklore alike. Dean Radin (SMN) and brightly But as Renaissance science Harmony Books, 2018, narrates gave way to the scientific 258 pp., $16, p/b - ISBN-13: this course revolution the influence of 978-1524 758820; available at of events magic and the magicians “www.deanradin.org” that led to diminished. They either

50 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 went underground or vanished titled “Scientific evidence” and Bruno; the ‘fearless one’. The altogether. The book narrates this “Towards a Science of Magic”. For subsequent persecution and strict story well and vividly. Dr. Dean almost four decades Dean Radin censorship of Galileo Galilei Radin is renowned, also from his has been designing and running and all their followers followed previous best selling books, for his experiments to demonstrate the this decisive bleak moment of participation to the top secret US so called ‘anomalous’ phenomena western civilisation and real magic government “psychic espionage of mind-matter interaction. Of disappeared from the established program” named Stargate. So, course anomaly is defined only institutions of learning. The when he discuses this aspect of with respect to what is considered scientific revolution had begun. This the collusion between knowledge, normal and normality within the transition is narrated at large, also power and magic he does so from materialistic meta-paradigm dictates so well, in the book at hand. the vantage point of an erudite that ‘mind is secreted from the brain Nowadays, after four long centuries scholar as well as an honest person as bile is secreted from the liver’, to reigned by the disenchanted with actual work experience on this borrow Peter Fenwicks’s favourite and disenchanting scientific subject. So, his exposition is both innuendo. Quoting Radin: “How and industrial revolutions the accurate and greatly fascinating. is it possible for a hunk of warm, wet tissue to not only describe itself humanity on this planet is on the Obviously, the materialistic, in exquisite detail but also describe brick of collapse, in spite of our empiricist meta-paradigm of exotic realms that the human body acquired power over nature and modernity could not accommodate and brain cannot access through unfortunately just because of it. magic as a real, “natural aspect its ordinary senses, and that must Obviously clinging to what ‘just of reality” as Dean Radin asserts. have been around for billions of worked’ in these past four centuries But did the influence of magic years before we developed methods might finally destroy us. With the also disappear? Not so, says of detecting them. And do all this advent of the so called meta-modern Dean Radin. “Real Magic” offers with mind-boggling accuracy? That ‘information revolution’, which throughout its chapters a very puzzling question suggests that sweeps physics too, the commonly eloquent presentation of the maybe the brain didn’t dream up held view of the universe as a giant influence of magical thinking, either these ideas after all. Rather, the clockwork seems to morph to that consciously or subconsciously ideas dreamed up the brain. If that’s of a giant supercomputer. But if the in various form of our modern the case, then, as magic proposes, universe is made up by information civilisation. It describes the bad we really do shape the world based who is getting informed? To arrive and the good, the mundane and on our expectations.” This point of to a consistent answer to this the extraordinary magic around. his really hits the nail on its head! question the universe does not only In other words, it makes the need to have meaning or to be made reader see the magical dimension As he discusses further in the book, of meaning, the universe has to be of things considered normal and information’s fundamental role the meaning of itself. “...because ordinary by offering a different in physics is a resurrecting trend. thinking and being are the same” clearer perspective on the workings The critical issue thought is that (“to gar auto noein estin te kai of magic. Specifically, I found the information theory, as we know it, einai”) as Parmenides put it when chapter with the title “Magical is deprived of purpose. Its founder magic was real. Potpourri”, just delightful. It Claude Shannon was wise and ‘Real Magic’ arrives to that same starts: “When you are studying careful enough to highlight and conclusion above and he is in the history and practice of magic, warn us that his general theory line with the pioneers of modern the first thing you discover is that of information is general only to physics, Planck, Wigner and Penrose everyone throughout history has the extend that is concerned with among others. The universe has been fascinated by this topic. And the syntactic level. The pragmatic to be considered now as a noetic, it seems that half of them have level was left to the technologists living and thinking being. Four written at least one book about and most importantly the semantic centuries ago, Galileo had posited it. The scope and magnitude of level was consciously excluded as that “the book of nature is written the literature are mind-boggling”. a “hard problem” since semantics in the language of mathematics” but Yet, Dr. Dean Radin masters his (the meaning) fundamentally the formal mathematics developed enormous sources on the material rests on the subjective side of the ever since has discovered, and very well… magically well! He information currency. very accurately so, just the syntax articulates his insightful remarks of the language that the book of on the vast literature and covers Shannon was well aware that nature is written. As Kurt Goedel the societal, both subjective and science, presently, can only deal proved, already in 1931, no formal objective realms, admirably. with the syntactic, objective, system can capture in its proofs the The range of his analysis is and experimentally verifiable whole truth. Meaning (semantics) extraordinary, from Harry Potter aspect of reality. The semantic, cannot be fully formalised. So, a to psychiatry, from witch-hunt subjective, rationally or noumenally new language, a new living dialectic to theurgy and from the mental (noetically) assertible part had ‘mathesis* universalis’, is waiting focus of athletes to the powers of already been delegated to religion, to be unfolded and be learned by intuition in artists and scientists; theology and to, an alas ailing, us. Dean Radin heralds the quest a real pleasure to read. philosophy. The schism was not new, René Descartes formally for such a new language for science Actually, all the chapters are announced it but it had been and he is asking us to join him in equally thrilling. But what really imposed, with the most brutal way, expanding our horizons towards a fascinated me, and I must confess on western intellectual life by the science beyond a materialistic world here that it is due to my own burning of the last magus of the view. As one might suspect, Dean professional bias as a physicist, renaissance, the neo-Pythagorean Radin’s actually acts as a magus is the discussion in the chapters philosopher and mystic Giordano of our times and offers us his new

www.scimednet.org 51 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 luminous sigillum: this very book at science towards the limits; there if it is necessary that wholeness hand and its empowering message. is a good deal of overlap between incorporate consciousness, That’s real magic. … “Let’s deal the sections as the fundamental should it not be equally with it.!” as he puts it. issues can be approached from a necessary that consciousness number of different angles. Two incorporate wholeness? The book argues in its conclusion: of his key original and connected “Compared to the lofty goals insights relate to what Emilios calls Both right and left hemisphere of enlightenment, magic is more pre-epistemology and self-locking thinking are required to understand commonly associated with the objectification. these formulations, and the analysis acquisition of egotistical power. here is informed by the equally But that’s just a stereotype. Magic If epistemology is how we know subtle thinking of Iain McGilchrist. can also be used for healing, things, then pre-epistemology In one chapter, consciousness is counselling, enhancing survival, and ‘is concerned with how we defined as the fifth force, wholeness reducing suffering. The range of isolate, objectify and lock into in action on its parts, the process possibilities spanning the spiritual- our fundamental perceptions whereby physical reality wraps material axis is vast.” Let me and conceptions’ (p. 31). We itself into form and is thought into close by continuing copying the easily mistake reality for the existence. This in turn is related quotation that he has chosen for the representations we make of to qualitative thinking, and there concluding chapter; it is by Eden it, taking an object-mediated is an extraordinary 17-page chart Phillpotts: “The universe is full of approach for granted. Emilios of bullet points articulating the magical things patiently waiting for recommends that we cultivate an unfolding consciousness and the our wits to grow sharper”. Reading awareness of this objectification patterns we use to understand “Real Magic” surely helps us to process, which is where the self- ourselves and the world. Language is accomplish that sharpening and is a reflective process comes in. He also very important, all the more so great philosophical delight too! points out that ‘conception is in its evocative and even ambiguous not possible without perception, function. At one point, Emilios (* ‘mathesis’= deep knowledge, the perception is not possible without quotes a translation of the first word ‘mathematics’ derives from it) representation, and representation verse of the Tao Te Ching, which is Dr Vasilieios Basios is a senior is not possible without usually rendered as ‘the Tao which researcher at the Physics of objectification’ (p. 205). One could can be spoken of is not the real Tao; Complex Systems Department add the necessary metaphorical however, this translation is based on of the University of Brussels, nature of the thought process to the either/or logic of the West, and conducting interdisciplinary this observation. Fundamentally, a Chinese person from the classical research on self-organisation and the investigating consciousness period would understand the emergence in complex matter as needs to investigate itself. sentence as follows: ‘the Tao which well as aspects of the foundation of Readers will find their minds can be spoken of may, or may not, complex systems. reformatted by many formulations be the real Tao’ (p. 116) Another in this profound discourse. Here are related strand is both/and rather RECOVERING some examples of Emilios’ reflexive than this exclusive either/or. Emilios bootstrap observations, which are points out that nature ‘equally WHOLENESS AND like linguistic equations: uses wholeness and fragmentation, QUALITY structure and process, linearity there can be no examination and nonlinearity, consistency and David Lorimer of consciousness without a spontaneity. (p. 67). ■ consciousness informing that ■ SCIENCE, examination Pointers to a self-reflective OBJECTIVITY AND the subtlety of understanding interdisciplinary science of CONSCIOUSNESS depends on the understanding of consciousness can be found in Emilios Bouratinos (SMN) subtlety ‘relativity, quantum mechanics, Bohr’s complementarity, ICRL Press, 2018, science can help us to better Heisenberg’s uncertainty, 268 pp., $19.95, p/b – understand consciousness, but Goedel’s meta-theorem, Chew’s ISBN 978-1-936033-29-4 only to the extent bootstrapping, complexity This long-awaited and seminal that consciousness theory and book arguing for a self-reflective helps us first to fuzzy logic’, all and interdisciplinary science of better understand of which ‘cry consciousness goes back to the science out for a new epistemological roots of Western you define in terms understanding thought and culture to articulate of what you think of the physical a new and subtle relationship you know and you world that is between science and philosophy. know in terms of dependent on The author’s deep thinking and what you think self reflection, extensive knowledge challenges you can define multiform tea, the reader to re-approach consciousness can direct experience perennial questions with a holistic be understood and profound mindset and in a new and self- in terms of facts intuition’ (p. 164) critical light. The 16 chapters only to the extent These scientific are grouped into three parts: the that facts can breakthroughs argument from quality thinking, be understood ‘point way beyond a self-reflective, interdisciplinary in terms of its conceptual science of consciousness, and a consciousness framework’,

52 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 still largely based on mechanism and scientific tour de force - the panspiritism. Using this approach, and reductionism, frequently fruit of a lifetime’s reflection and Steve addresses the whole articulated in a scientism that conversation - and it is sure to range of phenomena involving is quite oblivious to its own count among the most defining and consciousness, mind and brain, philosophical underpinnings; and significant books of the decade. including the hard problem, the there is considerable resistance to placebo effect, neuroplasticity, findings that suggest the inadequacy THE EXPLANATORY self-healing, near death experiences, of scientific materialism as an telepathy, precognition, approach. Emilios comments that POWER OF psychokinesis, children who ‘they honestly believe that they PANSPIRITISM remember previous lives, mystical are not philosophising when they David Lorimer experience and remote viewing. stipulate that “only” the tangible He reviews the evidence and is real, “only” measurements can ■■ SPIRITUAL SCIENCE shows how panspiritism can assess it, and “only” facts can Steve Taylor (SMN) provide a more coherent and describe it (p. 171). Later, he likens Watkins, 2018, 264 pp., £12.99, adequate explanation of these modern cognitive scientists and p/b – ISBN 978-1-78678-158-1 well attested phenomena. neurophysiologists to mediaeval schoolmen in their unquestioning When asked about this book, the He discusses the nature of belief: ‘cognitive science and author stated that it was an attempt evolution, criticising orthodox neo- neurophysiology query everything to write a more popular version Darwinism and discussing recent - except their own fundamental of Irreducible Mind. In this lucid views put forward by Thomas assumptions’, which are and wide-ranging discussion, Steve Nagel. He postulates that evolution contextualised not only in terms of demonstrates that the explanatory is ‘driven by the innate tendency our thought processes but also more power of scientific materialism of consciousness to expand and generally in cultural, philosophical, is severely limited when it comes intensify itself’, citing parallels with political and educational terms. to explaining consciousness, psi other thinkers such as Teilhard de and mystical experiences. As Chardin and emphasising the inner The last chapter is devoted to readers of this journal will be aspect of the process. He highlights suggestions for a way forward aware, materialism is the academic the mutual and co-operative nature regarding the development of a orthodoxy, for psychologists, of evolution, referring to Darwin’s self-reflective interdisciplinary philosophers and neuroscientists, ‘web of complex relations’ and science of consciousness. How do based on the belief that human the mutualism of Kropotkin. He we train ourselves in wholeness and consciousness is produced by concludes that all living beings transform our own sensibilities? the brain, and ends with death. are interconnected as expressions One important method is a As Steve observes, scientism or of the same spiritual force and Bohmian type of silence-punctuated scientific materialism has become that ‘to believe that the process of dialogue in which presuppositions so intertwined with science that evolution is accidental is as illogical and assumptions are suspended most scientists do not know the as interpreting human development and egos kept out of the exchange. difference, and conflate the two, from embryo to adulthood as a This will allow wholeness and new thus creating an equation between random process’ (p. 191). He then insights to emerge spontaneously rational, scientific and material, a moves on to discuss the ‘puzzle from the collective intelligence. You process championed by TH Huxley of altruism’ for proponents of the can read more detail on this in the in the 19th century. Those who selfish gene, arguing that altruism article beginning on page 15. The question this assumption are liable and cooperation are in fact more next step cannot be taken starting to be excommunicated in terms of innate than competition and from where we currently are: finding their career options, grant aggression and that empathy is ‘using a closed science to investigate funding and publication possibilities the root of pure altruism. a restricted consciousness will restricted. Here, both psychology Here he might have mentioned not help us use consciousness to and sociology play a part in my own concept of ‘empathetic open up that closed science’ (p. the politics of knowledge. Steve resonance’ developed in my book 254). Rather, we need what he explains how this situation has Whole in One, recently calls a pattern approach focusing come about historically, culturally on complex interactions, realising and psychologically. He also that ‘the quality and level of our spells out 10 tenets of materialism conceptual apparatus influences in the first chapter. the scope of our insights…we are as we perceive’ (p. 170) The Instead of this view, Steve implications of the approach proposes a post-materialist recommended could not be more philosophy of panspiritism, far-reaching as they probe the very whereby consciousness is a basis of our thinking as it has been fundamental feature of the translated into the world we live universe. This spiritual force can in, and anticipated results will also be understood as a universal be de-artificialising intelligence, consciousness in which we all rehumanising technology, and participate, a oneness implying re-personalising society so that interconnectedness, empathy and we can ask ourselves what is real altruism rather than separation quality in life. associated with exploitation and domination of the natural world Readers will be richly rewarded by (p. 53). Later in the book, he spells careful study of this philosophical out the corresponding tenets of

www.scimednet.org 53 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 republished as Resonant Mind. approach that ‘helps us transcend current physics rules out ESP for I also postulate that empathy our sense of separateness so that we ever and Lawrence Krauss claims is rooted in the oneness of life can experience our connectedness that there is no scientific evidence and consciousness and the with nature and other living beings’ for extrasensory perception. capacity we have to enter into the (p. 232). He has written a brilliant Against this, Mark quotes Dean subjective experience of others, and eloquent book that is essential Radin’s recent book where he from which I derive an ethic of reading for our times. shows that experiments on remote interconnectedness. I agree viewing, telepathy, precognition entirely with his argument that LOOKING THROUGH and psychokinesis have achieved altruism is the basis of empathy six sigma statistical results under and that we are expressions of the THE TELESCOPE controlled experimental conditions same consciousness, sharing the David Lorimer - so the odds against chance are same essence. ■■ AN END TO UPSIDE over 1 billion to one. Against this, it is clear that Carroll and Krauss The following chapter investigates DOWN THINKING are simply ignorant and prejudiced, the implications of quantum Mark Gober however distinguished as scientists. physics for the interpretation of (www.markgober.com) psi phenomena. As many people The next two chapters analyse have also remarked, including Waterside Press, 2018, the unproven assumption that the Rupert Sheldrake, quantum physics 314 pp., $19.95, p/b – brain creates consciousness and undermined the basic principles of ISBN 978-1-947637-85-6 the proven and accepted science materialism 80 years ago, but this Speaking about this book at our of quantum physics that defies does not seem to have registered, meeting in Italy, Mark gave a common sense. The third part especially with biologists. Dean riveting talk summarising his reviews the scientific evidence Radin has argued in a number thesis that the idea that the brain for remote viewing, telepathy, of books that psi represents produces consciousness is in fact precognition, psychic abilities in macroscopic entanglement, and a myth, and our thinking about animals and psychokinesis, covering Steve quotes late Network Member mind and body needs to inverted, some of the same ground as Steve Count Olivier Costa de Beauregard hence the title. Mark’s background Taylor above. He includes findings as saying that “relativistic is in fact investment banking, from the CIA Stargate project quantum mechanics is a conceptual and he tells the story of how he released in 2017. He then moves scheme where phenomena such became interested in consciousness on to near death experiences, as psychokinesis or telepathy, far and began in the summer of 2016 communications with the deceased, from being irrational, should, on listening to podcasts and reading and children’s memories of previous the contrary, be expected as very literature on psi. This contradicted lives as evidence for survival and rational” (p. 163). In spite of this, everything he thought and had reincarnation. Much of this will many scientists repeat the mantra learned, but he was struck by the be familiar to seasoned readers, that the existence of psi threatens fact that individuals he studied but it is covered very clearly and to undermine the basis of science; were independently arriving at thoroughly, with excellent chapter what is undermined is not so similar conclusions, suggesting summaries at the end. much science as scientism as a that consciousness is much more belief system. fundamental than generally In the final part, Mark asks how recognised in scientific circles. It can this be, and what does it mean As readers can see in this current gradually dawned on him that – could mainstream science actually issue, the Network has just materialism is in fact an unverifiable be so wrong? Here he uses a simple published the Galileo Commission belief system. His book is exactly question and answer format, Report, Towards a Post-Materialist how he describes it, namely a summarising the previous chapters Science. The reason we chose comprehensive summary of the field and characterising the brain as a Galileo was because he invited his written for a general audience. self-localisation of consciousness. contemporaries to look through the telescope, but Aristotelians Mark invites readers to consider and some Church dignitaries were two contrasting frameworks reluctant to do so as it undermined or perspectives, where the first their existing worldview. Steve is based on matter, and the rightly observes that there are second on consciousness, which parallels with our time, and he illustrates in corresponding that the more fundamentalist diagrams. He asks why sceptics materialists react to evidence for should not be sceptical about their psi unscientifically with closed- own belief system, and points out mindedness and hostility; heretics that the basic tenet of materialism are punished (Rupert Sheldrake is is an inference or leap of faith. a classic example) and unwelcome He introduces the reader to a evidence is ignored, explained summary of his findings and also away or suppressed. However, this to the nature of resistance to these evidence will not go away, and same findings. I think that a lot the philosophy of materialism is of this resistance has to do with in the process of being superseded perceived internal self-consistency on rational and evidence-based or consilience based on materialistic grounds. Steve makes a convincing premises. He summarises this case for the intellectual and moral debate in a two-column table where superiority of his panspiritist sceptics like Sean Carroll state that

54 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3

Moreover, and counterintuitively ECOLOGY-FUTURES concerns, for instance assisted from a materialistic perspective, dying, now legal in some European ‘when the brain is less active, the STUDIES countries, in the light of expensive filter is less strong, which allows for technology able to keep people alive a broader spectrum of consciousness RESPONSIBLE with almost zero quality of life. to be received’, including in cases of INNOVATION Rees is well aware that our terminal lucidity (p. 217). He rightly David Lorimer systems and focus on short-term asserts that conclusions should thinking and results limit our be based on evidence rather than ■■ ON THE FUTURE capacity to address our collective belief and suggests four possibilities Martin Rees challenges for the benefit of future with respect to the research he has Princeton, 2018, 256 pp., £14.99, generations. He quotes Jean- been covering: either the scientists h/b –ISBN 978-0-691-18044-1 Claude Juncker as saying that are lying, delusional, using poor “We all know what to do; we just scientific or statistical methods, or EF Schumacher famously remarked that humanity is now too clever don’t know how to get re-elected they are correct. If one is to uphold after we’ve done it.” (p. 28) any of the first three possibilities, to survive without wisdom, an observation I am sure Martin Rees Although this remark was made then evidence needs to be produced in relation to the financial crisis, it to back such accusations. would agree with in the light of his concise, measured and balanced applies a fortiori to environmental Comprehensive reviews such as challenges, leading Rees to observe those by Dr Jessica Utts, President of assessment of our future prospects. Some readers will be familiar with that there is a depressing gap the American Statistical Association, between what could be done and conclude that such robust effects his earlier book Our Final Century? published about 15 years ago, what actually happens; as in other would no longer be questioned in around the time I first met him. As areas of life, the important is mainstream domains. Even Nobel Astronomer Royal and a former trumped by the urgent. Hence laureates like Brian Josephson come President of the Royal Society, Rees the need for fundamental reform under attack - he was actually writes as a scientist, but also as a of governance structures, but disinvited from a conference owing citizen ‘and as a worried member again the inertia of our existing to his research interest in ESP. of the human species’ Space-Ship systems and attitudes militates This is a good example of an Earth: ‘its passengers are anxious against this. Rees rightly notes observation quoted from Bernard and fractious. The life-support that regulations can help will Haisch that ‘facts can be overturned system is vulnerable to disruption not gain traction until the public by evidence, whereas dogma is and breakdowns. But there is too mind set changes. One hopeful impervious to evidence.’ little planning, too little horizon possibility is that developing The last chapter discusses the scanning, too little awareness nations may in some respects implications of this new view of long-term risks. It would be bypass the high-energy high for everyday life. As I also argue shameful if we bequeathed to consumption stage through which in my own books, this extended future generations a depleted and Europe and the US have passed. understanding of consciousness hazardous world’ (p. 227). A discussion of machine intelligence indicates a deeper meaning to The book ranges over all the opens up a whole other range of life and either the primacy of main scientific, technological and issues referred to in my review consciousness or a theory whereby planetary issues and challenges of The AI Delusion below. There mind and matter emerge from that we face collectively. In all is a danger of slipping from the a deeper implicate order. This is fields covered - nuclear threats, metaphorical into the literal when not panpsychism, an increasingly eco-threats, climate change, clean using terms such as intelligence and popular option, whereby matter has energy, biotech, cyber technology, learning. Rees is aware of this when consciousness. Mark quotes insights robotics, AI, space travel, cryonics he writes that it is difficult to instil from David Hawkins, Rupert and others - the key is how to common sense and understanding Spira, Anita Moorjani, Nassim balance technological advances with into AI, and that autonomous Haramein and Eben Alexander, wise applications underpinned by robots might have competence inviting the reader to conduct a values, which science itself cannot without comprehension: ‘being able thought experiment in relation to provide. Rees gives many examples to compute something is not the consciousness and our experience of of areas where a lone same as having an insightful space and time. He concludes that rogue could wreak comprehension ‘I’ is unlimited, self-aware, infinite havoc, for instance of it’ (p. 192). and eternal, the one universal mind with an engineered However, he expressing itself through many virus. Humans immediately centres, as New Thought thinkers are such that a goes on to write were formulating 100 years ago. combination of greed about machines Mark reaches the same conclusion and curiosity is likely surpassing as Steve, namely the primacy of to mean that ethical human oneness and interconnectedness boundaries will be intelligence over finiteness and separateness, crossed by someone in such a way a belief that he identifies as the somewhere. This that they could core symptom of virtually every also highlights the design and contemporary problem. This is a importance of an assemble a new highly informative, well-argued informed public generation of even and engaging read, a valuable and corresponding more intelligent contribution to the emerging post- widespread debate machines. One materialist worldview. on key ethical has to ask in this

www.scimednet.org 55 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 context exactly what is meant by Stevenson on children remember the redemptive quest, and deals with intelligence, which seems to me previous lives; Stevenson was the global crisis in relation to the closer to left hemisphere analysis scrupulous in drawing cautious unexamined shadow as well as more than right hemisphere intuitive conclusions from his data and only generally with the nature of evil (we understanding of wholeness and spoke of a balance of probability see the shadow every day on the connections. Rees goes on to with respect to various possible news); also the thought experiment speculate that a combination of interpretations. that we are all future ancestors, and genetic modification and cyborg working with the daimon – like Overall, this is a wise and humane technology might mark a transition Jung - towards a life of eudaemonia. overview of the challenges we all to ‘fully inorganic intelligences’, The third part - the emancipatory face, with much practical guidance partly driven by space travel, edge - investigates the significance about how best to tackle these in and that it is likely that these of the life review in the near death terms of responsible scientific and ‘inorganics’ will eventually gain experience, Jung’s active imagination technological innovation related to dominance. He envisages a post- in relation to imaginative action, the deeper human values. Perhaps the human or transhumanist future (an interaction between what he calls most important implication is the expression he does not use) with a need to prioritise the future instead daimonic fate and angelic destiny, long-term future line with electronic of the immediate present, with and finally ‘the spiritual art of wu rather than organic ‘life’, which is a cabinet level Minister in every wu’ - this is a nice transformation not life as we know it or humans national government responsible of the generic scientistic dismissal as we define them. for bringing this longer term ‘woo woo’ to a new version of the perspective. There is in fact plenty traditional Chinese concept of wu This in raises the question of the wei representing work with least very nature of the human being of good thinking already going on to draw on. effort. Wu wu ‘leads to a dynamic and in turn the nature of reality. equilibrium between stillness and He writes that ‘our current concept movement, where we are connected of physical reality could be as ON THE in wholeness to our ways of doing- constricted, in relation to the whole, being’ (p. 243) as the perspective of the Earth EVOLUTIONARY available to a plankton whose EDGE OF THE We often need to reach a crisis universe is a spoonful of water.’ TRANSFORMOCENE point before we ask more profound (p. 184) He then asks if our brains questions. The speed of modern life David Lorimer are matched to an understanding uproots us from the inner depths of of all key features of reality. Here ■■ THE VISIONARY the soul, distracting us with endless his own perspective is basically SPIRIT trivial diversions, so that we do not naturalistic. He does not believe in often hear life speaking to us from God, describing himself culturally Mick Collins (SMN) within and in synchronicities, of as an unbelieving Christian, and Permanent Publications, 2018, which Mick gives many personal in this respect he is critical of the 256 pp., £18.95, p/b – examples, including some from his new atheist concentration formed ISBN 978-1-85623-315-6 clients. Perhaps none is more telling religious dogma. The deeper This is the sequel to the author’s than the synchronicity between a question relates to ways of knowing The Unselfish Spirit of 2014 and is parade in Berlin for Mussolini and and the exploration of inner rather subtitled ‘awakening to the imaginal a lecture by Jung on the same day, than outer space. Mystics of all ages realm in the Transformocene Age’ - especially given the theme of the and traditions insist that there is an apposite neologism for the times shadow. The din of the procession a spiritual reality transcending the in which we live and proposing was so great that Jung was obliged physical and that our true purpose an existential mutation of the to stop speaking. When he could is union with the divine; this can Anthropocene. The book itself is once again make himself heard, he be known and experienced through a transformational tour de force remarked that ‘world history and gnosis rather than reason or sensory inviting readers to expand their ways just passed beneath the window’. means. They also speak of the of knowing beyond hyper-rationalist Mick also describes a very special intelligence of the heart manifest in scientism and reconnect with the synchronicity on a visit to Jung’s love and empathy. neglected and hidden imaginal Bollingen Tower on the shore of Lake Zürich. The final chapter brings the realm through dreams, visions threads together and contains and synchronicity. This is all more Mick gives readers the tools, not important, since our predominant some useful observations on the only through his paradigm has repressed other scientific approach, which Rees says exposition but ways of knowing embodied in the cannot be identified as a distinctive also in practical mythic, the sacred feminine and in procedure, asserting that ‘it would reflections indigenous traditions. be truer to say that scientists and exercises follow the same rational style of The book is very clearly structured (especially pp. reasoning as lawyers or detectives in three parts: the imginal lineage, 259-60), to in categorising phenomena and covering a critique of hyper-rational make a personal assessing evidence’ (p. 202). He and epistemologically arrogant contribution to also comments that scientists pay scientism, the mythic journey this redemptive too little regard to philosophy, but including the story of Parmenides, quest by taking reincarnation as his example the sacred feminine, also in relation engaging in of a ‘theory that can be adjusted to to the Earth, and what he calls eco- shadow work, fit any eventuality’ is unfortunate, imaginal energies embodied in the recognising as he is clearly unfamiliar with relational worldview of indigenous human the painstaking research by Ian cultures. The second part is entitled moral evil in

56 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 ecocide, and accessing the daimon (p. 53) and puts one in mind of the key incident within in order to move beyond the bumper sticker stating ‘Be kind to was the cult of individual satisfaction to a America, or else we will bring you sinking ‘more profound culture of collective freedom and democracy.’ The of the awakening’ (p. 253). His work is starting point is the self-image of Lusitania, one of re-imagination, deepening the US as exceptional, moral and and Griffin’s and sacralising our relationship a force for good, unlike previous analysis to nature. Importantly, he empires. This rhetoric is still shows that recognises the need to integrate the asserted within the political the ship was transpersonal with the transhuman mainstream, for instance by deliberately in technologies of transformation President Obama (responsible endangered that go beyond the robotic to a deep for an extension of illegal US and was soul connection. This theme will drone attacks) when he stated carrying become increasingly important, as that “I believe in American highly Martin Rees also highlights in his exceptionalism with every fibre explosive recent book reviewed on this issue. It of my being.” However, Griffin material, probes the very nature of the human also reports an interview by so that being and reality, and the contrast President Trump talking about when it was hit by a German between the terms transpersonal Putin when he asks, “What, you U-boat, it sank in 18 minutes, and transhuman highlights this. think our country is so innocent?” resulting in 128 American deaths; Manipulative instrumentalism must provoking a rebuke from the New ‘a flame of indignation’ swept the be kept in check by ethical review York Times for ‘drawing a moral country (c.f. 9/11) and enabled and deep reflection on human values. equivalency between the United Wilson to argue that Germany had States and Russia.’ forced America to enter the war It is clear that our overall human (there is further fascinating material challenges are unprecedented and Replete with historical examples, on the detailed policies calculated that our institutions are inadequate Griffin shows the gap between to provoke Germany). and unfit for purpose. As Mick moral rhetoric and practical politics inspiringly suggests, it is possible for and the indissoluble link between Roosevelt engaged in a similar each of us to exercise our visionary militarism and imperialism – deceptive strategy during World and redemptive capacities in the America has 700 bases throughout War II. He engineered a strategy to necessary passage through the birth the world. The overall thrust of put Japan in the wrong, using the canal from the Anthropocene to the argument is that the trajectory US fleet in Hawaii as bait to tempt the Transformocene, an intense of American foreign policy ‘has them to act. When the attack on process of rebirth. Here we can been more malign than benign, Pearl Harbour occurred, it was not become rainbow warriors: ‘we can more demonic than divine’ (p. 31). a surprise to the US administration, all play our part in a vision quest Beginning with an analysis of the but the officers in charge, Admiral that awakens our visionary energies elimination of Native Americans Kimmel and Captain Short, knew and connects us to a visionary spirit. (whose population by 1890 had nothing in advance; and when ‘on This is the mythic actuality that been reduced by 95% from 10 December 7 Washington received gives birth to the Transformocene million to 228,000) he proceeds the information about the exact Age, which is ours to co-create. It to describe interventions in the minute of the attack several hours starts right here, right now as love Philippines, Cuba and Hawaii, in advance, General Marshall sent in action’ (p. 261). This means being brutal invasions that are portrayed this information to Hawaii in such aware of the collective dimension of to the public as benevolent a way that it would arrive only our individual lives and actions in assimilation. The original ideals of after the attack had begun’ (p. 146). this overall process of co-creation freedom, self-determination and Perhaps the most disgraceful aspect through more conscious, soulful and democracy are ignored when there of this incident is the deliberate relational living. is a conflict between liberty and cover-up and the discrediting the profit or self-interest, the latter officers, much of whose testimony always prevailing, while the former was omitted from the official GENERAL continue to be used rhetorically for report. Worse still, they were propaganda purposes. In practical inundated with hate mail and called FREEDOM TO political terms this is encapsulated traitors, while other witnesses were DOMINATE in the so-called Monroe Doctrine intimidated into reversing their where the US arrogates to itself a testimony, with one even thrown David Lorimer natural right to control the Western into a psychiatric ward and being ■■ THE AMERICAN hemisphere and, through an ‘open told that “his testimony had better TRAJECTORY – door’ policy, to promote its own change or he’d be in the ward political and economic advantage. for the rest of his life” (p. 148). DIVINE OR DEMONIC? So it is obvious that the US David Ray Griffin There are striking and interesting administration of the time simply parallels between US policy in Clarity Press Inc, 2018, lied for political purposes. World Wars I and II, between The officers were eventually 409 pp., $29.95, p/b – Wilson and Roosevelt. Griffin ISBN 978-0-998694-795 exonerated (but only long after explains how Wilson, aided and their deaths). This penetrating analysis constitutes abetted by Churchill, deceived the background or ‘prequel’ to the US people by claiming that he The chapter on Hiroshima and David’s book Bush and Cheney: wanted to keep America out of Nagasaki shows how the decision How they Ruined America and the the war ‘while doing everything to drop the atomic bomb was World, reviewed in No 126 in April possible to get into the war.’ The political-diplomatic rather than

www.scimednet.org 57 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 military. Already by 1943, the “will create a greatly improved security.’ This international government had decided that the climate for private investment” government would be the guardian bomb would be used on Japan (p. 229), thus revealing the of the freedom of all national rather than Germany, having underlying motive. The net result governments. In the cases of learned that the Germans had was that this March 31 Revolution, both the LN and the UN, the given up their attempt to create ‘said to be necessary to prevent great powers wanted to preserve one. Roosevelt was told that if a possible left-wing dictatorship, the right, as Rousseau had put the bombs were not produced ushered in an actual right-wing it, ‘of being unjust when they and used, the Manhattan Project military dictatorship that, besides please’, perpetuating a system ‘would be subjected to relentless lasting for two decades, was of international anarchy based investigation and criticism’. Its real especially brutal.’ on national self-interest. Then military purpose was to subdue the U.S. Senate did not allow the the Soviets, but the result was the Further chapters detail coups, country to join the League. The campaigns, false flag operations nuclear arms race. Truman knew UN is often accused of being and wars in Greece, Italy, Korea, that the Japanese would never ineffective, but Griffin shows that the Philippines, Guatemala, agree to surrender unconditionally, ‘it is ineffective primarily because the Dominican Republic, Iraq, whereby the Emperor would be it was intended to be so by its Indonesia and of course Vietnam, removed and tried for war crimes. architects, the primary architect to which a whole chapter is As one historian put it, Truman having been United States itself’, devoted. This was ultimately about needed Japan’s refusal to justify which naturally wanted to preserve US potency and credibility while the use of the atom bomb. The its right to intervene for reasons also avoiding a domino effect fact that dropping the bomb was of self-interest in the affairs of in south-east Asia. One memo not militarily essential makes other countries, whether overtly from John McNaughton at the its use morally indefensible or covertly. Hence a historian’s Department for Defence (elsewhere as a brazen demonstration of conclusion quoted in the book referred to as the Department for power, and even George Kennan that ‘the protection of their own Projecting Power!) stated that regarded this as ‘an indignity of sovereignty and freedom of action 70% of the aim was to avoid a monstrous proportions.’ Griffin seemed more important to them humiliating US defeat affecting asks rhetorically if America can than permanent peace.’ This is still their reputation as a guarantor, still regard itself as ‘exceptionally the case, and one wonders when 20% to keep South Vietnam moral’ after such an incident. humanity will reach a sufficient territory from Chinese hands, and degree of collective maturity to only 10% to permit the people of The CIA was created in 1947 reorganise international affairs South Vietnam to enjoy a better, to ‘promote freedom’ through for the good of the planet and freer way of life - these figures covert operations, of which many the whole body politic. In this speak for themselves, and there is examples are given, for instance respect, please refer to my review an additional aim ‘to emerge from in Iran, installing the Shah in a of Nicholas Hagger’s books in crisis without unacceptable taint military coup against popular will the last issue. and propping up a dictatorial and from the methods used.’ This aim repressive regime. This historical was certainly not achieved, with The penultimate chapter analyses background explains a great deal the dropping of 100 million tonnes the US drive for global hegemony, about the attitudes of Iran towards of herbicides and countless tons of even in terms of what is known the US. It turns out that, in the napalm bombs, all resulting in up as Full Spectrum Dominance, name of resisting communism to 4 million Vietnamese casualties implying the weaponisation of (defined as totalitarian) the US along with 700,000 Cambodians space currently ongoing. Policy government lent support to and 58,000 American troops. documents supporting this drive authoritarian governments opposed Senator Wayne Morse remarked have been developed since the to communism, but who also in 1967 that the US was going to 1992 Pentagon publication entitled oppressed their people. George become guilty of being the greatest Defence Planning Guidance where, Humphrey is quoted as saying threat to the peace of the world. according to Paul Wolfowitz ‘calculations of power and self- (p. 223) that the National Security I will select one final theme among interest rather than altruism and Council should stop talking so many others that might be raised: ideals provide the proper basis for much about democracy and instead the failure of the League of Nations framing strategy’ (p. 364). These “support dictatorships of the right and the United Nations to achieve thoughts were further developed by if their policies are pro-American”. the stated aims. In 1883, my the Project for the New American In both Cuba and Brazil, a great-grandfather James Lorimer, Century (PNAC), whose members policy of neutral nationalism was a Scottish legal philosopher and thought to be threatening to US Professor of international law at recommended the removal of commercial interests, and, in the Edinburgh published his magnum Saddam Hussein as early as 1998. case of Cuba, this drove Castro opus: The Institutes of the Law The implementation of their foreign into communism. In Brazil in 1961, of Nations. policy recommendations required a the CIA spent millions of dollars New Pearl Harbour, which occurred supporting candidates opposing I have his copy with the printer’s on September 11, 2001, and which President Goulart and engineered bill still inside. Griffin devotes is the subject of many other books his removal in a coup, after a page to his work where he by Griffin, previously reviewed in which the American ambassador proposed that ‘disarmament these pages. The 2002 National remarked that it was “the single would not occur without the Security Strategy dangerously most important victory for freedom prior creation of an international recommends pre-emptive action in the hemisphere in recent years”; government with the necessary against emerging threats before the CIA clarified that the change military forces to provide they are fully formed.

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I have only been able to include unsettled, unusual and lonely life I saw it I was engulfed by such a proportion of the evidence working indigo in Bengal, coffee in an overwhelming depth of feeling adduced in this study, but sufficient Kerala and bullock transport in the that I found myself sobbing to indicate the upholding of interior, as well as travelling solo up uncontrollably. It’s hard to describe Griffin’s thesis that American the Indus to the Northwest Frontier but the emotion seemed to come exceptionalism in the sense that and joining – as the only foreigner the US is morally superior to – Arab merchants taking cargo by from somewhere else, as if my other countries is conclusively dhow from Calcutta to Suez. reaction on seeing that house – proved false. This does not excuse almost ‘returning’ to it – wasn’t in any way similar behaviour by Machell, an observer and outsider, mine. It was much more than a other countries, but the book is a watched the Raj as if from a sensation of sadness, it was an distance, as if part of it, but not major and necessary corrective to overpowering sense of loss such as a self-righteous and ill-informed part of it. He didn’t regard it as a blessing. He didn’t take the I have never experienced in my own interpretation of US history and lifetime.’ When she saw the façade foreign policy. It is much better view, which was in part at least of the house for the first time, ‘I explained in terms of naked engendered by the Enlightenment, political and commercial self- that western culture was inherently pointed to the upper right-hand interest than by the accompanying superior. In his opinion, ‘The white window and out of my mouth came rhetoric of noble altruism in the man is not the regenerator but the words, “That was Thomas’s name of freedom and democracy. the annihilator of the uncivilized bedroom – he climbed out of that races, he brings no blessings to window when he ran away.”’ the savage.’ He was sympathetic TRACING A to the natives. He became fluent There is much more of this FORGOTTEN EXPLORER in Arabic, Hindi and Bengali ‘remembering’ throughout the Michael Tobert and often dressed as the locals book. Balfour Paul follows Machell dressed, all of which makes him through thick and thin and her ■■ DEEPER THAN sympathetic to modern eyes INDIGO and something of a throwback adventures, both before and after to the earlier days of the East discovering the journals, – getting Jenny Balfour Paul India Company when a degree of herself smuggled into Oman, being Medina Publishing, 2015, assimilation was not considered shot at in Yemen, travelling beyond 320 pp., £9.95, p/b – exceptional. where few researchers would dare ISBN 978-1909339-56-9 Jenny Balfour Paul came across to go – are an absorbing read in Deeper than Indigo is two Machell through his writings in the their own right. Coincidences stories. Primarily it’s the story British Library and fell for him. She between her life and Machell’s of Thomas Machell, an indigo begins the book; ‘I first met Thomas abound. She undertakes a past- planter (among other things), who at the very end of the 20th century. kicked around India (among other life regression in which Machell The attraction was instant, and talks to her and she to him, a places) between1824 and 1862. when I parted from him in London, Secondarily, it’s the story of Jenny conversation that continues even I felt physically sick.’ When she when she’s not lying in a dark Balfour Paul, the author and an visited his family home in 2000, she expert on indigo, who is still very wrote, ‘As I began to walk slowly room at the back of a tea-planter’s much with us. The particular up the drive this morning, I felt house in India’s Malabar Hills interest for members of the strangely choked up. The house where her regression sessions Scientific and Medical Network, was still hidden behind trees. Then take place. She fills in missing and the reason for this review, is suddenly I glimpsed it through a parts of his chronicles with her the connection between Thomas gap in the trees and, absolutely and Jenny, and specifically whether own intuition, parts of which are unexpectedly, the very moment subsequently confirmed by her own their connection goes beyond the usual and natural connection research. And so the book winds between a researcher and and weaves between the two of her subject. them as they share history, travels, Thomas Machell was nothing if not anecdotes and past experience. restless. At 12, he climbed out of Does this all add up to evidence the bedroom window of his family of a reincarnated spirit? Balfour house in Beverley, Yorkshire, with his younger brother in tow, and Paul herself plays this down but made it as far as Brighton. At 16, the connection between the two of he worked his passage out to India them centuries apart – whatever and then to China where he played may be the precise nature of that a minor part in the First Opium connection – is real enough. It’s War, witnessing the signing of the a rollicking read and, for those Treaty of Nanking. From there he who like their intimations of sailed around Cape Horn on a ship immortality off the beaten track, carrying coal to the Marquesas not to be missed. Islands in the South Seas, where he fell in love with the daughter of a Michael Tobert is author of Karna’s Chief. Happiness seemed, for the Wheel and Cryptogram – only time in his life, a possibility but he chose instead to live an see www.michaeltobertbooks.com

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Does this elegant formulation SCIENCE- demystify consciousness? Well, PHILOSOPHY OF within its scope it makes a valuable contribution, but no mention is SCIENCE made of evidence for consciousness ■ beyond the brain or non-locality ■ Consciousness Demystified that might require an extension of Todd E. Feinberg and Jon M. Mallat their naturalism or a consideration David Lorimer Princeton 2018, 199 pp., £20, h/b. of the fundamental nature of mind Note: many of these books are After Consciousness Explained or consciousness – ‘top down’ as now available in downloadable comes Consciousness Demystified well as bottom up. And here Tim electronic form based on a model of neurobiological Freke’s ideas on the evolution of the naturalism related to the ideas of soul might be germane in seeking John Searle but based in evolution consistency within an account of the and neuroscience and asserting evolution of consciousness and its that there is no need to invoke any expressions towards greater depth new, unknown forces to account and complexity. for the way the brain creates ■ consciousness. The book presents a ■ The AI Delusion sophisticated analysis using the three Gary Smith principles of life, neural features Oxford 2018, 249 pp., £20, h/b. and a natural explanation of the This refreshing, amusing and frank subject-object barrier. The authors book dispels many myths about distinguish and define three forms of the nature of AI when compared subjective awareness: exteroceptive, with human intelligence, with a interoceptive and affective, each stimulating range of examples. The with multiple explanatory gaps introduction shows how Barack which they in turn categorise into Obama successfully used data four neuro-ontologically subjective mining in his 2008 presidential features – referral, mental unity, campaign, while Hillary Clinton’s mental causation and qualia. They approach failed in 2016, partly by then run through the evolutionary not applying common sense and development of mental images and trusting the selective findings of affects in a variety of vertebrate an algorithm with notable blind consciousness, all of which makes spots. As the cover states upfront: fascinating reading and affirms the ‘while computers are very good at adaptive function of consciousness. discovering patterns in data, they The final chapter addresses the are useless at judging how best to naturalisation of subjectivity, which apply them in the real world because is the crunch of the argument and they lack human wisdom and highlights special neurological common sense.’ They are obedient features unique to conscious brains. rather than intelligent and do not The authors then address the four understand meaning. The author gaps referred to above, asserting draws a revealing parallel between that ‘qualia cannot be dissociated computer functioning and the feat of from life processes in general (p. Nigel Richards who memorised the 112). They formulate two forms 386,000 words of French Scrabble of irreducibility – auto-ontological and won the French language from the subjective pole and Scrabble World Championship allo-ontological for the outside despite not understanding a word observer. Qualia are therefore of French! So computers are more both neurobiologically unique and useful than intelligent, despite well- exclusively first person so there publicised examples of beating world are two aspects that should not be champion board game players. As collapsed into one as in standard the author points out, ‘computers do discussions of the hard problem. not know what words mean because

60 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 computers do not experience the doesn’t seem to realise that 2012 figures indicate that 20.4 world the way we do… they do not experiments are already underway, million people were practising have the common sense or wisdom although systematically denied by yoga, while the 2016 figure was 36 that humans accumulate by living every government (see www. million. At the same time, Western life.’ (p. 236) geoengineeringwatch.com). societies face unprecedented levels The suggestion mooted by Kurt of mental health challenges, to A further crucial point also Vonnegut to appoint a Secretary for which yoga can evidently make illustrated with many telling the Future is an excellent one as a an effective and economical examples concerns the limits of counterweight to our current contribution. While the book is data mining in view of the fact that short-term obsession. primarily aimed at mental health when statistical models analyse large professionals interested in yoga number of potential explanatory ■■ Theology and the Scientific interventions, it can profitably variables, the number of possible Imagination be read by those more generally relationships not only becomes interested in yoga and its evolving Amos Funkenstein astonishingly large, but, invariably, integrative approach. The editors some random combinations will be Princeton 2018 (first edition 1986), point out in their introduction correlated with what we are trying 421 pp., £35, p/b. that yoga has its very basis in to predict, thus tempting analysts This dense book covers the mental health in the widest sense, into seeing real rather than artificial transition period between the incidentally promoting well-being patterns. In one case, the author mediaeval world of theology to the while also a path to Enlightenment. manufactured a blood pressure study modern world of science and the Research indicates many beneficial based on random variables, which continuities maintained between effects, for instance on the nervous still showed up significant patterns the two in terms of secular theology system, but also in the practice – of course, these also apply to relating particularly to God’s of mindfulness during postures. real-world studies, so one should be omnipresence, Divine omnipotence There are specific chapters on cautious about drawing conclusions and laws of nature, and Divine anxiety, depression, ADHD, or mistaking coincidence and providence and the course of history. insomnia, trauma, eating disorders, correlation for causation. The same The author analyses the reworking schizophrenia, and children and applies to forecasting stock-market of these themes where ‘science, adolescents, followed by a final performance. Algorithms are philosophy and theology are almost consideration of future directions. frequently used in the process of job one and the same occupation’ – an Each individual chapter contains applications but again, real human interesting connection was first an overview, potential approaches, judgement has to have the last word. made in the 1930s by the Catholic research studies, the rationale Overall, the book is a cautionary tale philosopher Etienne Gilson in for using yoga in relation to delimiting the strengths and tracing the origins of modern the particular condition, and limitations of computer analysis. scientism to mediaeval nominalism, recommendations for practice. Some and one can see how scientism is ■ chapters also have very useful tables ■ Timefulness in fact a modern form of secular Marcia Bjornerud describing potential interventions. theology. Protestantism contributed There is then a comprehensive list Princeton 2018, 208 pp., £20, h/b. to this process of secularisation of references at the end of each through the disenchantment of The title of this thoughtful book chapter – here again, there was a nature that accompanied the rise of indicates the necessity of an threefold increase in yoga research mechanistic philosophy. In addition, awareness of the Earth’s temporal from 2004 to 2013, but much still we see the birth of ‘the ideal of a rhythms for our planetary survival remains to be done. This is surely a system of our entire knowledge – thinking about time like a landmark volume in the field. geologist. A key insight is the founded on one method’ with its overlapping rates of change – think accompanying monocausality, which ■■ Core Light Healing of mountain building as in millions would have been a methodological of years compared with the rhythms sin for Aristotle. The sheer amount Barbara Ann Brennan of the oceans and the atmosphere. of detail in the book makes it Hay House 2017, 204 pp., The Anthropocene era recognises more suitable for historians and (large format), £20, p/b. the human impact on the biosphere philosophers of science, although Some readers may be familiar with - the last time CO2 levels were over general readers interested in the field Barbara Ann’s previous books, 400 ppm was 4 million years ago. will gain considerable insight from and I think this one is the most The author encourages us to give this classic work. comprehensive and impressive, up the illusion that we are outside updating as it does her previous nature when in reality we are entirely MEDICINE-HEALTH work. Although she is best known embedded ‘in a much older, more as a healer, Brennan began as a powerful world whose constancy ■■ Yoga for Mental Health physicist and meteorologist working we take for granted.’ As others Edited by Heather Mason and at NASA until she realised that she have also observed, the rate of Kelly Birch was more interested in inner than technological progress creates a outer space and trained in body wisdom gap, ‘and we lack both the Handspring Publishing 2018, 214 pp., psychotherapy while developing appetite and political economic £35, p/b. her own high sense perception so infrastructure for intergenerational This is a timely and very well- as to observe the energy field or action. (p. 167). It is tempting to informed volume building on the consciousness system of her clients. think that we can geo-engineer our increased use of yoga for mental From there she has developed her way out of global warming but, as and physical health as well as its own extensive system described in the author indicates, this is fraught considerable growth in popularity this book. She describes the creative with danger (p. 155), and she over the last few years – in the US, process originating in ‘the black

www.scimednet.org 61 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 velvet void of undifferentiated our responsibility in terms of what suggests that a good starting point life within us’ which can be catches our eye as the next logical is our threefold relationship with shaped and manifested through thing to do, and, importantly, to ourselves, others and the universe intention. There are extensive complete, as we understand the or God, which he illustrates with quotations from an intelligence connection between light, vision useful diagrams. He highlights the called Heyoan channelling through and consciousness. paradox of material abundance Barbara exhibiting, in my view, an extraordinary wisdom: ‘the divine The chapters describe different and increasing ill-health – including universe is a reciprocating universe. aspects of Jacob’s work, with mental – encouraging us to call upon It is benign. It responds to your some fascinating case histories the inner physician, who already flowing creative current by becoming and healing stories. On one knows how to heal. Imagination is a a co-creator with you’ - so we are occasion he feels a sharp pain in key faculty, as is the healing power responsible for directing this source his heart while taking a shower of love and looking for light in the and immediately knows that his energy through its various phases. darkness as well as a strong sense of mentor Elliot has died, so he rings The book describes various ways to through straight away to find out autonomy and authenticity. We also heal blocked creative energies and that this has indeed just occurred. need to learn how to trust, handle untangle your life before moving Besides the sun and outer light, negative feelings, find meaning in on to ‘fourth level reality’. Here I Jacob also discusses the inner life our illness and overcome inner found her description of the physics of dreams and consciousness as resistance as we navigate our unique of this realm quite remarkable, pure awareness, reflecting that healing path. A highly recommended with 27 major aspects highlighted in an important sense we do not source of guidance and inspiration that mature spiritual seekers will live life, life lives us and we feel based on long clinical experience. immediately apprehend. The lower in alignment, in a state of flow, worlds are characterised by extreme in the zone. This is due to the duality, and Barbara gives advice fact that ‘the navigational system PHILOSOPHY- on how to handle these dimensions within us is inseparable from that SPIRITUALITY and negative intentions, as well as which animates everything in the discussing past life healing, dying universe’ (p. 87). Jacob gives some ■■ How to be Free and life after death. She gives a useful practical exercises involving Epictetus, translated by A.A. Long number of examples from her own breath and visualisation, which I experience, including around the have already tried out. He suggests Princeton 2018, 173 pp., £13.99, h/b. death of her father and how she that we can learn from how the The Stoic philosopher Epictetus lived saw him come into the room shortly roots of trees deal with obstacles from 55 to 135 A.D. and began afterwards accompanied by his by inserting and embracing them, life as a slave. One can therefore sister and mother. The final chapter thus ultimately strengthening appreciate his central tenet that consists of inspiring and illuminating their foundation. At the end, he concepts from the Heyoan mental freedom based on control of returns to the practice of presence the mind is the highest good, as also intelligence on world peace, healing, – attending to whatever enters our noted by Victor Frankl in Auschwitz. evolution and transformation awareness and taking care of things through alignment with our deep as soon as we can: ‘do what you By not only accepting but welcoming purpose. There is much to meditate love, love what you do and the every event, one can achieve peace on and work with here. world will come to you (p. 175). We of mind. Epictetus distinguishes ■■ Luminous Life can acquire a sense of knowing that carefully between what is up to us, is also a surrender to not knowing namely our attitude, and the events Jacob Israel Liberman with Gina and ‘which allows true wisdom to reveal and circumstances independent of Erik Liberman itself’, as readers of this fine and us. He recommends turning inwards New World Library 2018, 214 pp., literally illuminating book will and asking ourselves what resources $15.95, p/b. discover for themselves. we have to deal with circumstances Jacob Liberman spoke at our ■■ Unlocking your Self-Healing as they arise, advising people to Mystics and Scientists conference behave as you would at a banquet, on light in 1992 – this is his latest Potential taking a portion and allowing the articulation of his life’s work Josef Ulrich dish to pass on. Surprisingly, he with light, beginning with his career as an optometrist. His most Floris Books 2018, 272 pp., £12.99, p/b advocates temperance, not only in important concept is presence, as Subtitled ‘a journey back to health appetites, but also in conversation. we understand how light guides through creativity, authenticity And if someone speaks ill of you, our lives. In a technical sense, and self-determination’, this wise, you should think that there are Jacob explains that it is not about compassionate and beautifully many things besides what they thinking or trying to be here now, illustrated book gives readers say that they do not know about but ‘a naturally occurring state that physical, psychological and spiritual you - moreover, this is just their arises when our eyes and mind, resources to face the challenges opinion. To be free is to be self- triggered by light, focus on the same of illness, especially cancer. He sufficient in his view, so a person place at the same time…. in an recognises the insight of Sir William making progress is characterised by intricate dance of aiming, focusing, Osler in commenting that it is as tracking and teaming’ - note the important to know what kind of ‘criticising nobody, praising nobody, congruence here of eyes and mind. patient has the disease as what blaming nobody, accusing nobody, He writes that the intelligence kind of disease the patient has, as and saying nothing about oneself to of life is constantly directing us each of us is different, especially indicate being someone or knowing towards presence and indicating in our attitudes. The author something.’

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■■ How to be a Friend Parmenides, Empedocles and always comes back to the central Heraclitus, as well as the importance of love and wisdom Marcus Tullius Cicero, translated by development of the idea of the working together so that we can Philip Freeman soul and its many interpretations. move forward in truth - this is an Princeton 2018, 188 pp., £13.99, h/b. In every case, progress is made inspiring compilation. Originally written in 44 BC, the by critical thinking questioning advice in this book is as timely as traditional viewpoints, which is still ■■ Art and Spiritual Experience ever, perhaps even more so in view true today. David Greenwood of the changing nature of friendship Gracewing 2018, 246 pp., £14.99, p/b. to include the online dimension. We ■■ Lights along the Path of Life are advised to choose our friends Beinsa Douno David Greenwood is an engineer with care, to make new friends and theologian who has been Evera Books 2018, 117 pp., $19.95, involved in the Alister Hardy Trust but keep the old, and that without p/b from Amazon. friends, life is not worth living - researching religious and spiritual friendship is a necessity of life. I like ■■ Woman – The Source of Life experience, especially in relation to art – here he explores how works to remember the advice of Samuel Beinsa Douno Johnson who said that we should of art and particularly landscapes in keep our friendships in constant Bialo Bratsvo, 2010, 79 pp., p/b, the romantic period can trigger an repair. The busyness of modern life no price given. awareness of the transcendental. He makes this all the more relevant. As many readers will know, I have begins with an interesting analysis Cicero reminds us never to ask a been following the teachings of of the development of aesthetics friend to do anything shameful and Beinsa Douno (Peter Deunov) for in Germany with Kant, Schiller, never to do anything shameful if over 30 years, and my introduction Hegel and Schelling, moving on to asked. However, we should be able to his work Prophet for our the less well-known but important to give and receive criticism in a Times was republished in 2015. figures of Runge and Carus. He gracious manner. He observes that The first book has been compiled uses a framework developed by true friendships are rare among and translated by Antoaneta Michael Podro, especially his those holding political office and Krushevska and Maria Braikova criterion that the artist ‘engages takes the view that we should love and consists of 99 inspiring stories with the state of mind of the viewer after we have judged rather than and parables, which I have been to achieve an elevated state or judging after we have loved. One reading in the mornings for a few heightened emotional response of the last sections – 102 – reflects: weeks. I have extracted one or to the work of art which may ‘since human affairs are fragile and two as fillers in this issue. They suggest a transcendence that lies fleeting, we should always be seeking are arranged according to the nine behind the objects depicted’ (p. 7) someone to love and be loved by in archetypal colour rays discussed in Goethe’s science of participation and return. For if affection and goodwill his Testament of the Colour Rays of contemplation is mentioned in this disappear from life, so does all joy.’ Light, which compiles biblical verses respect but arguably deserves more to correspond with colours and extensive treatment. In addition to ■■ The Beginnings of Philosophy qualities, and which I use every day art, the author refers to significant – today is Thursday, and the colour music, including that of Bach, and in Greece is blue corresponding to truth. As I can endorse his suggestion that Maria Michela Sassi the editors observe, these stories elevated states can be touched here, Princeton 2018, 209 pp., £24, h/b. offer practical advice and gems of recalling Bach’s Passacaglia in King’s College Chapel and his Dorian fugue One of my treasured books is wisdom verified in life, and as such in Notre Dame de Paris. Early Greek Philosophy, by John I can’t recommend them highly Burnet, which I bought in 1974 enough as lights along the path, as After a discussion of the ideas of - it was inscribed in Latin by the the title suggests. Rudolf Otto, William James and author, who was Professor of Greek The second book is truly prophetic others, the author embarks on his at St Andrews University in the in terms of the emerging role of main task of examining the life, 1890s. It is a measure of how far women in the world, coming as it background and representative scholarship has progressed to read does from thoughts expressed nearly paintings of Samuel Palmer and the subtle contextual analysis of a hundred years ago and articulating Caspar David Friedrich – here we this book and its understanding the feminine principle symbolised encounter a major drawback that, of the various currents of thought by love and compassion. Douno’s apart from Friedrich’s Wanderer as well as intellectual diversity diagnosis is that present-day society above the Sea of Fog depicted on the and geographical factors that led exhibits the subjugation of women front cover, there are no illustrations to the emergence of what we now to men, and that women must now of the paintings covered, not even call the pre-Socratic. Aristotle be uplifted – ‘the salvation of the in black and white. The diligent emerges as central in a classificatory world lies in the uplifting of women’, reader will have to source these and historical process, and the also in terms of the abolition of war. on the internet while reading. The author draws on comprehensive Here he notes that this will not be approach is captured in a quotation scholarship pioneered by such achieved unless all women unite, as from Schlegel: ‘the universe we figures as Francis Cornford and also suggested by the Dalai Lama. can neither explain nor conceive, Walter Burkert. Readers will come He writes about the importance but only contemplate and reveal’ away with a much more nuanced of the mental, emotional and (p. 89) – this is knowledge of understanding of the origins of spiritual state of the women during Schelling’s intellectual intuition, and philosophy in Greece and the many pregnancy, saying that they must the complementary perspectives of contributing factors. The author be placed in the best conditions, rational and intuitive are extensively discusses specific thinkers such beginning the education of the treated by Iain McGilchrist, whose as Thales, Hesiod, Anaximander, child in the womb. In his talks, he work does not feature in the

www.scimednet.org 63 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 bibliography. There is no doubt, as in France they reject supernatural can also have a repressive function, the author suggests and elaborates – but care for the human world, while as in sexuality. In the final chapter for instance with icons – that art can in the UK and the US they are just on fear and rage, he argues that be sacramental, as also experienced affiliated from religion but retain a religious and extremist terrorism by Paul Tillich, Michael Ramsey value system. Jason Kelly discusses are due mainly to resentment rather and John McQuarrie. This book the ecology of cosmic consciousness than religion per se, and that many is a significant interdisciplinary with reference to Walt Whitman, religions also promote tolerance contribution to the relationship RM Bucke and Edward Carpenter. and humanism. This is a refreshing between art and spiritual experience. Interestingly, Carpenter draws an interdisciplinary take on an ethical conclusion with political important issue. ■■ Being Spiritual but not implications from his mystical Religious experience. Jorge Ferrer charts ■■ The Task of Philosophy in the the significance of experientialism Anthropocene Edited by William B. Parsons in transpersonal psychology and Routledge 2018, 280 pp., £105, h/b, the evolution from perennialism Edited by Richard Polt and Jon Wittrock e-book from £17.50. to participation. The book is a Rowman and Littlefield 2018, Regrettably, Routledge continues highly informative one for those 225 pp.,£90, h/b (eBook £29.95). to apply its policy of overpricing interested in the field, so I would This volume seeks to answer its hardback books, unlike Oxford recommend renting it on the terms the question implicit in the title University Press, so that only libraries described above. given our unprecedented situation can afford the hardback. You may characterised by the geological era of be wondering why it says e-book ■■ Why We Need Religion the Anthropocene. Quite a number from £17.50 – this is new to me as Stephen T. Asma of contributions echo Karl Jaspers’ there is now the possibility of renting Oxford 2018, 255 pp., £20, h/b. notion of the Axial Age as the root the e-book for six months for that The author is a professor of of a Western tradition articulating price, during which time one could philosophy at Columbia College both immanence and transcendence. of course read it, a better solution in Chicago who has also been a Our own era may well be a Post- for students. Given developments visiting professor at the Buddhist Axial Age when viewed historically. in the field of spirituality, this is an Institute in Cambodia. The book is The contributions are very diverse important volume as the proportion subtitled ‘an agnostic celebration of with some new formulations like of people classifying themselves as spiritual emotions’ and is partly a ‘environmental cosmopolitanism’, SBNR continues to grow, and in response to the exclusively cognitive the ‘Hubriscene’ (one can understand the US this is at least 18% while focus of many new atheist writers that one) and the ‘liquidation of the some polls show figures as high and the fact that science does not real’ where nature is liquidated into as 30%. The volume is broadly directly address our emotional lives. resources, property into wealth and structured to look at roots - for The author confesses that he used truth into information; the legend of instance death of God theology, to write in this vein himself, for Faust comes to mind and we cannot Buddhism and mindfulness - then a instance in Skeptical Inquirer, and assume by any stretch that ‘scientific survey of current trends including one sees the residue of this position ingenuity is coextensive with belief patterns and commercial in his dismissal of any metaphysical wisdom’, especially when it comes to exploitation; finally, a look at notion of the soul, preferring transhumanist ambitions. emerging trends for the future. instead to speak of ‘soul talk’ in The pioneering eco-philosopher Among the most interesting metaphorical terms. Anatomically, Henryk Skolimowski would have had contributions are those from emotions are represented by the his own response to the question, but Linda Mercadante, Elaine limbic system, and the heart of the will certainly have sympathised with Howard Ecklund, Jason Kelly book is that religion helps people the notion of Shared Dwelling put and Jorge Ferrer with William manage their emotional lives and forward by Michael Marder in his Vickery. Mercadante is author of may have a therapeutic function – essay; also the need to think deeply an important text on the subject we all appreciate the importance so as to extricate ourselves from a (reviewed by Oliver Robinson in a of how we feel emotionally. Thus cultural rut and philosophy out of previous issue) and has conducted he takes a broadly functionalist its academic backwater. Another extensive interviews. She puts the approach to religion, mentioning essay points out the parallels between percentage of non-religious ‘nones’ in passing the ‘fictionalist’ stance ecological and ontological finitude in the US at 25% and rising to of pretending things are true for and vulnerabilities, advocating over 30 million people; of these, social reasons (religion can also be ‘radical hope’ and poetic imagination she calculates that 40% are in important as a social glue). in response to the breakdown of a the SBNR category in which she A series of chapters discuss a range world. My favourite essay was the distinguishes five types: dissenters, of emotions and human challenges: final one by Thomas Alexander casuals, spiritual explorers, seekers sorrow, death and emotional articulating four voices of nature and ‘immigrants’. Many people have management; forgiveness, shame and what he calls a polyphonic rejected traditional ideas of God and and guilt; mental training for peace, conception of philosophy. He sin and favour a more immanent resilience and sacrifice; ecstasy joy understands the centrality of an than transcendent approach. and play; and finally managing fear ecological outlook and redefines Ecklund has conducted the most and rage. The author brings in a naturalism as one who cares for exhaustive surveys of spirituality Buddhist perspective on a number nature and humanism as care for among scientists, and here the most of occasions, for example relating to humans, hence a different kind of interesting distinctions come between impermanence and death. Religion humanistic naturalism; he contrasts countries – so in Taiwan scientist has an adaptive function in relation this with the ‘monophonic extreme of tended to reserve their traditions, to managing emotions, although it reductive materialism – a scientistic

64 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 attitude in which the humanistic, deeper cultural issues and the role nature of life and death and ways ontological, and transcendental of Christianity in renewing of shaping the future in terms of voices are dismissed’ (p. 197). democracy and defining the human a road to unity overcoming the What we now need is an interactive being in relation to technology, the illusion of separateness. The authors field of polyphonic voices. He sees personal to the impersonal. The make the important point that transcendence through gnosis as a sense of humanism here embraces modern scientific discoveries allow form of self-realisation, ‘an expansion the contribution of philosophy, researchers in metaphysics and of perspective and understanding literature and the arts, with the spiritual philosophy to revise their that allows a reinterpretation of the individual dialectic between faith ideas accordingly; also that our ordinary’ (p. 207). and doubt. There is a very good future is a manifestation of creative contextual analysis of Eliot’s Four activity in terms of what we imagine, ■■ Western Philosophy Made Quartets and in-depth treatment of the goals we seek and the intention Easy the later writings of Simone Weil. behind our thought as we endeavour Dennis Waite I was particularly interested in her to raise our vibrational frequency. essay ‘The Romanesque Renaissance’ iff Books (John Hunt) 2018, 103 pp., about the role of the Languedoc ■■ The Book of Freedom £6.99, p/b. culture in the 13th century, ruthlessly Paul Selig Dennis Waite is the author of many eliminated by the Albigensian JP Tarcher 2018, 338 pp., $17, p/b. books on Advaita, and here he Crusade. She thinks that the Church provides an excellent and concise made a serious error in choosing This is the third in a trilogy of introduction to Western philosophy force over love and abandoning channelled books and conveys a in a mere 100 pages. It is interesting peaceful coexistence. The author powerful spiritual message, although that, like quite a few of us including concludes that the diagnostic powers I felt it could have been expressed myself, his philosophical journey of these five thinkers were very in fewer pages. The core message included the course run by the considerable in analysing ‘the means is that we need to become aligned School of Economic Science, where by which technocracy had arisen and to and express our True Divine Self non-dual Advaita underpins the the damage it had inflicted’ but and see this essence in others, rather approach. He also introduces without being able to propose than coming from the smaller self philosophical counselling on the an implementable solution when with all its fears and also projecting basis that many people who read the cultural influence of Christianity this onto others. The True Self is the books on philosophy are dissatisfied itself emerged diminished from I Am, the Centre beyond all duality with their lives. He explains the the War. which has to be recognised, affirmed main branches of the discipline and expressed - it corresponds to the before considering key philosophers ■■ Creator and Creators Kingdom. In this respect, there are from the Pre-Socratics onwards. He Roza and Margarita Riakkenen powerful affirmations from this deep then moves on to consider some identity that is capable of creating Axis Mundi Books (John Hunt) 2018, and manifesting from another level. central issues – morality, free will, 199 pp., £14.99, p/b. believe and consciousness. His own The level from which we manifest view is that we do not have free will, This is an important and is in fact a conscious choice and we being largely driven by habit, but he comprehensive work synthesising co-create the world through this does not frame the issue in terms of spiritual philosophy and science and process. So if we want to manifest carefully weighing up alternatives written by a mother and daughter. a new world at a higher octave, before making a considered decision. Among the key sources are Madame then we ourselves must move to So far as consciousness is concerned, Blavatsky, the Agni Yoga of Helena that level in freedom and resolve to he thinks that it is intrinsically Roerich, a Russian text new to me serve the whole. called The Fire of Kalagia and the closed to science and that the ■ brain is a medium through which story of some Russian prisoners ■ The Third Testament – Consciousness manifests. We know calling themselves X7 which I Volume 5 it because we are it, and without remember reading with Sir George Martinus it nothing can be known. In his Trevelyan 30 years ago. The book is worthy of careful study as it deals Martinus Institute 2018, 336 pp., h/b., conclusion, the author introduces no price given. Advaita in more detail, commenting with the most profound questions that, for him, it provides the answers relating to the nature of life. One Martinus lived in Denmark from that Western philosophy has not. key postulate is that Spirit shapes 1890 to 1981 and had an opening in matter by thought and that the 1921, which he describes in terms of ■■ The Year of Our Lord 1943 process of life is a return to unity. becoming his own source of light and Alan Jacobs The process of manifestation is as a cosmic baptism of fire. He holographic and archetypes include recorded his observations in a series Oxford 2018, 256 pp., $29.95. not only geometrical shapes but also of books over the next 60 years. This This is an interesting book about dynamic spirals moving through book is a translation of Volume 5 of Christian humanism in an age of the three worlds of existence – the his main work. For the general reader crisis, specifically during the fiery, the fine or subtle and the unfamiliar with his work, it would Second World War. It features five solid. Archetypes also include have been useful to have an Christian intellectuals – Jacques colour and tone, all vibrational, introduction and also some kind of Maritain, T.S. Eliot, C.S. Lewis, while the fundamental purpose of description on the back cover. The W.H. Auden and Simone Weil (I’m the human is co-creation on the book plunges straight in at Chapter not sure she would entirely accept basis of responsibility; this entails 14 with a densely expressed this label) tracking their thoughts harmony. There are chapters on cosmology. It is impossible to cover and writings during the Second the human body, the differentiation more than a few points in a brief World War as they struggled with of universal consciousness, the review, but two things struck me:

www.scimednet.org 65 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 first, that the world structure is pure polarised debate where each side PSYCHOLOGY/ wisdom and love (as in Swedenborg makes the critical points that they and Deunov) expressing life and ‘systematically over-interpret and CONSCIOUSNESS that all manifestation and matter fail to apply to their own position’ STUDIES constitute stages in a cycle: ‘this so as to score points against the cycle is entirely a mental movement opposition. Many readers are ■■ History of Modern from darkness to light, and from likely to find themselves sympathetic Psychology light to darkness, and from darkness to this embodied approach that also C.G Jung, edited by Ernst Falzeder back again to light, and so on emphasises experience, uncertainty Princeton, 2018, 164 pp., £24, h/b. continuously’ (p. 43). This reminded and integration – it is a mature me of a corresponding thought in reflection and a positive sign for These lectures given at the Swiss Walter Russell with the continuous the future. Federal Institute of Technology process of unfolding and refolding, (ETH) in the academic year 1933 radiation and gravity. Then there are ■■ The Book of Common Prayer to 1934 are appearing in English some pertinent observations on for the first time, and this is the morality and sexuality and the – Texts of 1549, 1559 and initial volume in a series of eight corresponding evolution of the 1662 running up to 1941. The lectures are human towards the more integrated Edited by Brian Cummings accompanied by extensive scholarly types J and Christed K. This footnotes by the painstaking embodies the highest fire or sexual Oxford 2011, 820 pp., £10.99, p/b editors. This volume contains a energy/bliss and light. At this level, ■■ The Book of Common Prayer general introduction setting the the sexual organs ‘are the very scene for these lectures including sensory instruments for the beings – A Very Short Introduction the founding of the psychology giving and receiving sympathy or Brian Cummings department at ETH in the 1890s. Jung’s approach is interdisciplinary, for the creation of nothing less than Oxford 2018, 139 pp., £7.99, p/b. the very highest physical and covering biological, ethnic, medical, spiritual union or fusion of two Many of us were brought up on philosophical, cultural-historical beings’ feeling of life into one the Book of Common Prayer, and and religious aspects. The authors common feeling. Here spirit I think back fondly to the many had access to Jung’s own notes as merges with spirit… and they are one winter evenings when I attended well as those of attendees, and we with God (p. 304). This is a true Evensong in Winchester Cathedral learn that his work runs to 100,000 mystical sexuality rarely expressed in and felt reassured by being ‘guarded pages and 35,000 letters. The editors the West, but also with resonances to from the perils and dangers of the note that Jung was undoubtedly the Swedenborg’s ideas on conjugial love. night’. Both books give a fascinating most historically and philosophically insight into the editorial skills of minded of psychologists in his ■■ The Christian Middle Way Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of generation, which comes out Robert M. Ellis Canterbury centrally responsible for clearly in the erudition displayed in the lectures. Christian Alternative (John Hunt) 2018, the book. The dates are significant, 307 pp., £17.99, p/n. falling as they do during the reign I found it impressive that Jung refers of Edward VI, then Elizabeth I This wide-ranging study argues the with equal facility to the history following the Catholic Mary and case for Christian faith but against of philosophy and psychology in Christian belief with its absolutes the return of Charles II after the French, German and British thought and openness to intolerance rather Cromwell administration. The texts - in the specific introduction, the than a provisional confidence are faithful to the English of the day editor refers to previous histories accessible to experience. The with what now seems quaint but of psychology and explains the Middle Way avoids extremes and rather delightful spelling. Interested uniqueness of Jung’s approach, presents a critical universalism that readers should begin with the very which includes extensive treatment embraces uncertainty. The book short introduction which puts the of cases from spiritualism and draws on Jungian archetypes as work into a historical and liturgical mediumship. In France, he mentions well as the work on left and right context as well as explaining the impact of La Mettrie’s ‘L’Homme hemisphere thinking developed by differing Protestant and Catholic Machine’, developed further by Iain McGilchrist while reminding opinions and how the Book was Condillac and expressed in the readers that Christianity is essentially exported by the Empire. In the last prevalence of the mechanistic a religion of divine love. The left 40 years, it has been largely replaced metaphor. Each lecture is preceded by answers to submitted questions, hemisphere is inclined towards rigid by more modern formats, although it and it is amusing to find that one beliefs, while the right hemisphere remains present in parallel. It is fairly attendee commented that they were understands holism and context. staggering to learn that it has been too popular! Christian agnosticism finds an translated into nearly 200 languages outlet in the mystical tradition and dialects and is still used every As well as famous names, many that transcends intellectual dogma day in the USA. lesser thinkers are referred to and the and seeks integration. Christian reader gains a good understanding of history, however, is full of forks the development of various currents and divisions, which are explored of thought. Five lectures are devoted in some detail. There are chapters to the phenomenology of cases on Jesus as an integrated teacher, from Jerome Kerner and Theodore Christ as the middle way, Christian Flournoy, then, towards the end, practice, ethics and politics, as he introduces a fascinating series of well as a stimulating discussion diagrams characterising inward and about modern atheism and the outward facing of human psychic

66 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 function, which I had not seen in on the planet; together these create processes, working through fears, other work. One of these deals a risk of self-termination. We encountering silence and stillness, with the polarities between light need to overcome our intolerance learning to trust and surrender, and unity on one hand and dark of otherness and move from one cultivating mindful presence, and plurality on the other. On page aspect of Darwinism represented opening to healing, being in the flow. 126, he provides a schema which he by survival of the fittest to the In a time of alienation, the idea of subsequently applies in discussing other, relatively neglected until coming home or feeling at home is a number of historical characters, recently, individuality in relationship critical in emotional and spiritual including Rockefeller, Goethe represented by symbiosis and terms. A key issue is how we deal and Nietzsche. Not surprisingly, synergy – ‘the survival of fitting in’. with change, not only in the phases perhaps, Goethe emerges as the most of life, but also in our relationships, balanced and integrated: ‘nothing ■■ Life Crisis where Jaya Herbst highlights the human was strange to him’. Jung Catherine G. Lucas importance of recognising and also comments on the imbalance working with growth impulses within the culture, which is still Sheldon 2018, 95 pp., £7.99, p/b. characteristic of life itself. Then the case with our predominant A very helpful book explaining there is an extraordinary account orientation towards the outer and the mindful way to address and by Regina Hess describing her near analytical thinking, although he also overcome life crises, where a pearl death experience during the Asian observes that ‘every point of view may grow from the grit in the oyster tsunami and the voice she heard has an inner logic, and is a reality.’ so that the crisis may eventually saying “I am not against you, I am (p. 138) This important new series come to be seen as an opportunity with you” as she experiences ‘a of volumes will be of interest not for healing and change. The author deep sense of homecoming after my only to Jung scholars, but also to draws on her own experience and rebirth out of the tsunami’s womb.’ the wider public as so much of his that of others as founder of the Quite a number of contributions diagnosis still stands today. UK Spiritual Crisis Network. She speak about coming home to God, draws useful distinction between and in Dietrich Franke’s case he is ■■ Embracing Life unavoidable ‘primary suffering’ helped by some texts from St John David “Lucky” Goff PhD that forms part of the human of the Cross. Altogether a rewarding ICRL Press 2018, 314 pp., $19.95, p/b condition and over which we have read to accompany and illuminate (Kindle $9.99). no control and ‘secondary suffering’ readers on their own spiritual paths. characterised by resistance and Subtitled ‘toward a psychology arguing with reality. It is here that ■■ The Happiness Fantasy of interdependence’, this book mindfulness can be a valuable tool. Carl Cederstrom is a valuable contribution to the The author explains the background Polity 2018, 167 pp., £12.99, p/b. unfolding story of connectedness of mindfulness as well as the with its concomitant ethical growing body of research evidence The author – a professor in the implications. The author had a supporting its efficacy. The second Stockholm Business School – takes stroke in 2003, which radically part introduces mindfulness practices a critical look at the origins and altered his life and gave him a including presence, self compassion, development of what he calls new experience and awareness of being in our bodies, grouping with the current ‘happiness fantasy’ the betweenness of things and the physical pain or overwhelming fear embodying the (masculine) American importance of relationships. His and slowing things down while dream of authenticity and self- perspective is that we are extensions surrendering to the process. The mastery through will-power and of Life itself, part of its web, the author gives many useful practices disciplined effort. Although he traces pattern that connects. The discussion that can profitably be followed – a its origins to Huxley on human is framed within the evolutionary good book to buy and pass on to potential and Reich on sexuality process of synergetic relationships those in immediate need. and pleasure, he could also have and emphasises the importance of mentioned the New Thought understanding Arthur Koestler’s ■■ The Intimacy of movement in terms of creative idea of the holon, further developed imagination, and existentialism for by Ken Wilber, which represents Consciousness Exploration authenticity. There is much interesting a balance between autonomy and and Transpersonal material on Reich and his influence, integration. This moves naturally Psychotherapy – Coming including his relationship with Freud. onto a discussion of the psychology of interdependence and what the Home Major themes include narcissism, author calls sociotherapy, the Edited by Ingo B. Jahrsetz, Regina U. the appropriation of the happiness capacity we have to open up in Hess, Judith Miller and Rainer Pervoeltz fantasy by corporations, the role of community through dialogue. drugs both recreational and clinical, Cambridge Scholars Press 2018, and the alpha male right to pleasure, What he calls the social koan calls 170 pp., £24.99, p/b. epitomised in Berlusconi and Trump. us to move through diversity to This is an unusual book initiated Other figures discussed include Fritz interdependence in a process of by a team of transpersonal Perls and Werner Erhard with their transformative learning. We find psychotherapists and spiritual emphasis on emotional freedom ourselves in a ‘developmental teachers who decided to write about and rejection of authority figures. impasse’ demanding new forms their experiences of coming home, a Cederstrom rightly observes that of behaviour and relationship – phrase which, of course, has many the philosophy of Epicurus is about only last night I was watching an meanings and connotations. Some simple pleasures rather than excess, interview demonstrating the logical years ago, I reviewed book by John as every pleasure can be killed necessity for transformation in Moriarty called Nostos, the Greek by overindulgence – the human our social relationships given our for homecoming. The authors organism eventually rejects it as technology and exponential impact describe their own journeys and with the man at Frenchman’s Cove

www.scimednet.org 67 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 in Jamaica who aimed to drink his ■■ Harmonic Resolutions 12 section is in fact self-contained. weight in champagne... Although Daniel Stone Interested readers can consult he is not mentioned, Cederstrom’s www.12consciousdreamers.com. ideas on happiness have something Circle Press 2018, 295 pp., £17.99, p/b. in common with those of Richard This visionary interdisciplinary ■■ Engaging the Anomalous Layard, and are critical of book takes the reader on a journey Jack Hunter overemphasis on individualism. towards harmonic resonance August Night (White Crow) Books He suggests instead that a new through the meaning of numbers 2018, 235 pp., £14.99, p/b. and the cyclical 12-sided medicine happiness fantasy should go beyond The author of this stimulating the personal and be based on wheel. The author has lived in the desert of Mexico since 2000, and volume is the founder of empathy and even vulnerability – a Paranthropology, a journal that more feminine and concerned vision. his work is informed by shamanic Toltec traditions. The introduction he has been publishing since 2010 and, as indicated in the title, dealing ■■ The Brain, the Mind and the explains the universal significance of the number 12, and the body of the with anthropological approaches Person Within book is divided into four sections, to the paranormal. The articles Mark Cosgrove each starting with zero and moving cover the anthropological context of through the wheel – spirituality, anomalous experiences and the fact Kregel Academic 2018, 180 pp., that they should be taken seriously, $18.99, p/b. science, business and work, and the human body. The author invites spirits, mediumship, altered states The title of this book indicates the reader to begin with the most of consciousness and a series of its main argument, namely that appealing section, which may not interviews with other researchers. the brain is not equivalent to the be the first, or to read it in parallel One of the central issues is the person, either psychologically or so that one can come to understand ontological status of the phenomena philosophically. The author brings the significance of, say, 2, in all four discussed, which do not fit in with his Christianity into the centre of his domains. orthodox scientific materialism argument, observing that the Old with its ‘hegemonic dismissal Testament view defines the person I chose to read the book in the of alternative beliefs systems as matter and spirit fused together sequence written, beginning with as necessarily unfounded and (thus eschewing the dualism of the powerful chapter on the irrational’. In this respect, the author spirituality, which also incorporates Eccles, even though he is quoted) advocates a ‘model agnosticism’. the message in poetic form. Readers He also relates a revealing incident and believing that we survive death are encouraged to open up, trust, where an aggressive sceptic on an to be resurrected in new bodies and surrender to the process, release, editorial board forced the publishers brains - though nowhere does he dance, remember freedom and to withdraw his article because in a specify how this might come about, wisdom, open the heart, face different context he had presented relying as it does on ‘the authority wounds, hold the centre, walk the information that supported the of inspired scripture’. The body of tightrope, express their truth and claim to the ontological reality of the book is a good and thorough recognise a sense of destiny in the supernatural phenomena. This was analysis of brain, mind and self, face of death. This is powerful regarded as absolutely unacceptable covering issues such as the hard stuff. The 12 tones are beautifully and is a good illustration of the problem, free will, God spots, neuro- illustrated in the middle of the taboo of taking the paranormal technologies and robots, with many book. The section on science is seriously even as a possibility within references to significant books in the informed by wide reading and academia - a totally unscientific field. The author is right to comment highlights the relationship between and closed minded approach. By on the loss of the personal in the intuition and reason as well as the contrast, this book opens up some study of the brain and to observe significance of the hologram and the valuable avenues for consideration. that the materialistic assumptions process of creation and dissolution. of modern neuroscience can lead At the end of this section, there is to circular reasoning whereby they a practical explanation of ways of ECOLOGY/FUTURES can only think in terms of material seeing and levels of attention. The STUDIES explanations (to label is not to next perspective is business and explain) and find it difficult to deal work, exploring themes such as ■■ WEconomy with ultimate questions involving vision, intent, growth, innovation, Craig Kielburger, Holly Branson and value, purpose and significance. form, efficiency, taking stock Marc Kielburger However, he mistakenly limits and responding to change; this section also contains a practical Wiley 2018, 324 pp., $35, h/b. radical empiricism to behaviourism, series of steps. Finally, we come Some readers may the familiar without mentioning the much to the human body and healing, with the work of Craig Kielburger, wider view of William James. He highlighting 12 systems of body who initiated his charity Free the does cover near death experiences, functions. The journey is in pairs Children when he was only 12, and but does not draw any significant from shoulder joints down to soon found himself meeting Prime conclusions or refer to other feet, meditating on the nature Ministers and religious leaders evidence pointing to survival. of physical incarnation and the to garner support for his cause. The strength of the book lies in journey it implies towards freedom Since then, along with his brother its insistence on the integrity of and universality, integrating Marc, he has gone from strength to the human person in modern many dimensions. I felt it would strength with his WE Charity having neuroscience and philosophy, but have been useful to have had lifted 1 million people out of poverty, only evangelical Christians will be a final epilogue bringing some and with his brother founding ME able to accept his overall framework. strands together, but then each to WE Social Enterprise to drive

68 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 social change while also organising 3) The law of attraction and poverty in the last 20 years – has this together the amazing WE Days, two repulsion - we attract what almost doubled/remained roughly of which I have attended at Wembley we believe in and repel the same/almost halved. The answer with over 12,000 young people. energy that doesn’t fit is almost halved, largely driven by Then Dr Holly Branson now works our beliefs progress in China and India. In for the Virgin Group having initially 1997, 42% of their population were We are ultimately responsible for the trained as a doctor. living in extreme poverty, defined as way in which we use our attention an income of less than one dollar a This highly readable book helps and intention and also for the day, while by 2017 this had fallen readers find a sense of purpose and relative contraction or expansion to 12% in India (270 million drop) meaning, with ways of making a of our consciousness. The second and a mere 0.7% in China - these living while changing the world. part explains in retrospect how life figures in turn create a new challenge The book begins with the personal could look after the transformation of rising demand for meat in the journeys of the authors, moving on of consciousness where people strive emerging middle class. to business as a force for good and to become self-actualised in the purpose as profitable for people and sense in which Abraham Maslow The book is structured on planet. This is followed by a number expressed it. This applies to religion, illustrating the impact of 10 of chapters with specific business business, relationships, lifestyle, misleading instincts - gaps using suggestions, then how to go about health and education. Bobbie sees only two categories when most finding your cause and building a the major feature of the 21st Century people are in the middle, negativity, purpose-led learning organisation. as a transformation of consciousness straight line extrapolation, fear, The book is very well set out with partly brought about by the pressure size, generalisation, destiny, single significant charts of inspiring we are currently experiencing from perspective, blame and urgency. figures and many case examples. A the speeding up of technology and Separately and combined, these relatively new notion is that of the the stress it generates as well as instincts distort our perception and ‘intrapreneur’, people who try to disconnecting us from our inner each has a factfulness corrective. build a new culture and initiatives source. Interestingly, she envisages A very useful tool is the four levels within their existing organisations. companies run by women CEOs and of income (p. 34 and inside back The authors are living proof that a men as COOs to make the best of cover) at under $1 a day, under $8 sense of purpose, vision, an action feminine and masculine qualities. a day, under $32 a day and over plan and effective networking and So the book is an invitation to $32. At the moment, the majority marketing can work wonders, and co-create a new world, beginning of people are level 2, but this will the great strength of the book is the with a simple practice of silence and be level 3 by 2040, with 1.7 billion inspirational energy that literally asking questions to help guide our people on level 4 as compared with jumps from the pages and invites own unfolding process of life - a 800 million at present. Things may the reader to greater fulfilment by wise, simple and compassionate be reported as bad, many things becoming part of the WEconomy contribution. are in fact getting better, although themselves - a sizzling read! this is unlikely to be reflected in ■■ Factfulness the media any time soon as much ■■ A Call to Action - Making Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and good news involves either slow Anna Rosling Roennlund change or is insufficiently dramatic. Sense of the Chaos While it is true that the world Bobbie Stevens PhD Sceptre Books 2018, 342 pp., £12.99, h/b. population curve is flattening out Balboa Press 2017, 140 pp., $14.99, p/b. with 2.5 babies born per woman Subtitled ‘10 reasons were wrong and that there will be only 2 billion I met the author recently at our about the world – and why things conference in Italy – she has children in 2100 - the same figure are better than you think’, this book as now - there is a projected overall doctorates in both psychology is a corrective to an over gloomy and business management, and population of 11 billion, and the prognosis of our planetary future authors do not address the issue of this book arises out of her own based on selective reporting for life experience through applying a how we are going to manage these dramatic effect and widespread numbers (much of the increase is set of simple universal principles. ignorance of significant facts. The The first part focuses on the one forecast to be in Africa). We are book begins with a multiple-choice already consuming the equivalent incorrect belief that underlies our test with three potential answers, myriad problems, namely that we of 1.6 planets a year. Hence my giving a chance chimpanzee score initial sentence about the book being are separate from each other, and of 4/12 – in fact, the majority of therefore have separate interests. an encouraging corrective to our people get the answers wrong. For thinking, but this should not make This is reinforced by pervasive fear. instance, the first question about us complacent about the challenges However, we exist in both inner and girls finishing primary school – is we face. outer worlds and in the process of it 20/40/60 percent? The answer growth and evolution we come to is 60. With respect to worldwide ■■ How to Get Rich and Famous realise that power is within. The core life expectancy, do you think it is Tom Butler of the book lies in three principles or 50, 60 or 70 – the answer is 70. realisations: How many of the world’s one-year- Astraea Ltd 2018, 259 pp., no price given, p/b. 1) Everything in existence is old children have been vaccinated Love expressing intelligently against some disease? 20/50/80% This is a personal book diagnosing through energy - the answer is 80. Likewise, for the breakdown in our existing some access to electricity, where the systems and ways in which we can 2) Thought (beliefs, attention options of 20/50/80, the answer is all make an individual difference. and intention) directs and forms 80. What about the proportion of As readers discover, the author energy world population living in extreme has a very different take on the

www.scimednet.org 69 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 real meaning of being rich and fruit. Plants are subject to many to question, as we examine in famous in the context of the big influences, including the quality of our Galileo Commission report. picture or story of our time – his the soil, location the companion Paradoxically, liberalism involves a approach is based on empathy, planting. There is also advice on degree of tolerating the intolerable. interconnectedness, collaboration designing your garden. The calendar The author sums up his case as and sharing rather than the control, itself gives space for personal follows: ‘if students are to prepare manipulation and exploitation observations and it is intriguing to themselves to critically engage that characterises our current read advice not to garden before the wide range of perspectives systems. Our own response begins or after certain times when, as and problems that they will with thinking in a new way, then far as I can work out, it would be encounter out in the world across choosing and acting accordingly. dark! E.g. do not garden before their lifetimes, they must learn to The author uses terms such as ‘must’ 5:15 AM on January 7. Following grapple with and critically examine and ‘should’ liberally, but it is not all the advice would be almost a ideas they find difficult and always clear how these large systems full-time occupation, but the general offensive.’ (p. 178) in which we are embedded can or reader can glean a great deal of will be transformed. An important useful guidance. Readers are also ■■ What School Could Be element, naturally, is reform of the recommended to keep a weather Ted Dintersmith education system, which I discuss journal and there is specific advice Princeton 2018, 264 pp., £19.95, h/b. in my review of Ted Dintersmith for individual vegetables. below in terms of liberating human Subtitled ‘insights and inspiration potential. The author talks more from teachers across America’, about meaning in life rather than EDUCATION this extraordinarily important of life, and I cannot agree with his ■ book results from the author’s field assertion that there is no evidence ■ Speak Freely – Why universi- trip visiting schools from all 50 for anything beyond, and that when ties must defend free speech states in a single school year. The your physical body dies, so does Keith E. Whittington measurement culture described - ranking rather than releasing your soul (p. 210). The last part Princeton 2018, 208 pp., £20, h/b. proposes useful actions that readers potential - is common across the can take in terms of choices and This is an important and robust Western world as governments lifestyle – here it is clear that we need book about an important concern try to close the attainment gap in new steady state economy based for the future of liberal democracy. pursuit of equality. However, it on new indicators but this message Readers will be familiar with becomes very clear that schools are has not yet got through to the incidents reported from universities oriented towards tests and tables, mainstream. However, the appendix where speakers have been ‘no- but these ‘don’t lend themselves on systems failures past and present platformed’, protests have demanded to higher-order competences like is an indication that we can change the removal of statues associated creativity, communication, critical our behaviour and that there are with imperialism, and students have analysis, collaboration, leadership, indeed signs of this emerging. insisted on being protected from tenacity and entrepreneurship’ (p. certain opinions. The author sets the 64). Schools prepare students for ■■ The Maria Thun Biodynamic discussion within the context of the college application, not college and Calendar 2019 mission of a university to produce still less for life and work. Ironically, and disseminate knowledge in a schools improving their rankings are Matthias Thun spirit of free critical enquiry and mostly doing obsolete things better, Floris Books 2018, 64 pp., £7.99, p/b. truth seeking. This contrasts with since the underlying philosophy still While the core of this annual bio- the earlier mission of inculcating rewards factory production of rote dynamic Bible remains the calendar, Christian orthodoxy, overturned in learning. Moreover, academic and every year there are special features, the course of the 19th century. Here practical learning could be combined which this year includes a very John Stuart Mill made a critical rather than separated, for instance in useful section of tips for growing contribution with his work on terms of physics and wiring electrical different plants, companion planting liberty and free expression. systems, history and producing preparations and animal and insect The central chapter discusses free documentaries, civics and legal pests. Gallagher itself contains speech on campus, dealing with defence work. detailed advice as well as a glossary trigger warnings and safe spaces, Based on many inspiring examples, of crop types and an extensive hate speech, forms of protest, the author advocates a shift of bibliography. Essential reading student groups and outside priorities beyond measurement, for organic gardeners, and for the speakers, and finally faculty and produces a telling table (p. 216) technically minded there is now an academic freedom. Students should reproduced below: app that adjusts to your time zone. be exposed to contrary viewpoints so that they can arrive at their own ■ Century-old A new vision ■ The Moon Gardener’s rational judgement – even in the model 18th century Voltaire maintained Almanac 2019 Industrial Innovative Edited by Therese Tredoulat the right to free expression even if he vehemently disagreed with Centralised Decentralised Floris Books 2018, 117 pp., £8.99, p/b. an opponent. This is surely the Data driven Purpose driven This companion book has sold essence of the enlightenment Micromanaged Trusted extensively in France to tens of spirit. Academics should also be classrooms classrooms thousands of people. It explains free to enquire widely in pursuit basic astronomical information and of truth, while in practice there Standardised Organic gives a useful classification of the is an underpinning ideology of curriculum learning four modes of root, leaf, flower and materialism that can be dangerous Drill Create

70 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/3

Content and Essential skill GENERAL devastation of the First World War low level skills sets and led leaders to think about limitations mind-sets ■■ The Infidel and the Professor of conflict as it showcased the destructive potential of modern College ready Life ready Dennis C. Rasmussen warfare, which has of course Princeton 2017, 316 pp., £20, h/b. intensified with every technical Based on his interviews, the author advance in weaponry. The book proposes his PEAK model, standing David Christie writes: This is a valuable addition to the literature of looks specifically at interventions in for Purpose, involving projects the Spanish Civil War, the Korean with real-world impact, Essentials the Scottish Enlightenment and will appeal more to the curious general War, the Vietnam War, Afghanistan in terms of skill sets and mind- and finally covert operations in sets, Agency in terms of setting reader than the professional in the field. Rasmussen comprehensively US occupied Iraq between 2003 goals and managing learning, and covers the social and technical and 2011. These are examined Knowledge in depth and retained, aspects of the many links between in greater detail in subsequent where teachers play more of the “le bon David” and “the Adam and chapters as readers understand the role of guidance and mentoring. the smith” of economics as well as complementary roles of overt and The case examples given in the providing a good account of the backstage involvement, and the case book show how this can work in intellectual climate of “the hotbed is persuasively made for the overall practice, energising both teachers of genius” that was evident in the thesis in a series of concluding tables. and learners in the process. Essential Scotland of that time. The thesis potentially extendable to and inspiring reading, especially for cyber war and the actions of Putin government education ministers - Rasmussen underlines the seem to embrace this full spectrum I will be having a copy sent to John importance of Hume and Smith’s using plausible deniability and Swinney in Edinburgh. huge contributions to the political outright denial to create strategic economy and philosophy in the confusion. Although aimed at ■■ Creative Place-Based warp and weave of the Scottish students of international relations, Environmental Education Enlightenment. There were few the book of interest students of hard and fast lines of demarcation politics more generally. Jorunn Barane, Aksel Hugo, Morten between these subjects and both men Clemetsen made path breaking contributions ■■ The Internet Trap Hawthorn Books 2018, 168 pp., to both subjects. That they were Matthew Hindman £30, p/b. friends is true although I sense Princeton 2018, 240 pp., £24, h/b. This pioneering book has been that Rasmussen tries just a bit too translated and extended from hard to plead the case that this Subtitled ‘how the digital economy Norwegian, which provides the friendship was crucial in each other’s builds monopolies and undermines original context for this exploration intellectual development. democracy’, this book reinforces the of place-based environmental arguments of other experts in the He provides clear accounts of the field with a considerable amount education where the keywords are content of the works of these titans growth and community. This growth of data and analysis. We have and shows where they overlap become used to speaking about the takes place in multiple dimensions, and differ. The reader will come both human and ecological, for attention economy and scarcity of away well informed and will attention in relation to information instance in the garden. The place be grateful for the authors easy overload - here one gains a better itself is situated within a landscape, manner in communicating what understanding of the importance of out of which the culture grows and are sometimes complex matters. ‘stickiness’ and concomitant inertia which exercises influence in its turn. Rasmussen reminds us that Hume in building audiences for commercial The curriculum itself is anchored shows that not all philosophers are exploitation. It turns out that there in place as national is transformed dull dogs and suggests that Adam are significant economies of scale, into local and children are taught to Smith, whose work is nuanced, and that Google spent $59.6 billion look after vegetables, animals and would not be pleased to have been on research, development, facilities each other. This creates a widening hi-jacked by ultra-marketeers. and equipment between 2003 and circle into the locality, cultivating 2013. As the author shows, there community and compassion in the ■■ Secret Wars is in fact no free audience, and it is process and providing a place for Austin Carson very expensive to acquire one even participation, engagement, evolution Princeton 2018, 325 pp., £27, h/b. if the content is subsequently freely and transformation. The book distributed. A key factor is speed, This is a very interesting and describes the Aurland model before even in terms of microseconds, thought-provoking analysis of moving on to discuss themes such which promotes stickiness and covert conflict in international as creativity, cooperation, integrity, suppresses the wish to close the page politics using many case histories and seeking meaning. The final and migrate elsewhere. part explores different aspects of to argue for the thesis that secrecy ecopreneurship and the emergence of state involvement is a response Personalisation has been a key driver of an international movement based to the persistent concern of limiting of algorithms and recommendation on the kind of inspiring educational escalation of war, even though systems, promoting lock-in and example provided in this case study. both sides are collusively aware of audience concentration. Indeed, the actions of the other. The book the overall process has been one of addresses the questions of why states concentration, especially in terms intervene covertly rather than overtly of advertising spend, which has and why they collude rather than drastically migrated away from print expose each other. Historically, it is media – in 2000, US newspaper ad interesting to reflect that the human revenue was $65 billion, plunging to

www.scimednet.org 71 Paradigm Explorer 2018/3 just $18 billion in 2016. The author the realm of the magical, rendered drink Wine on fruit and flower days has some useful advice on digital mundane the notion of life after and it is interesting to learn that Tesco audiences and stickiness in terms of death, and psychologised the psychic and Marks & Spencer now only hold what has been shown to work: faster realm.’ In individual cases, readers wine tastings on these favourable load times lead to higher traffic, can ask themselves about cause days, dependent on the position of content must be good in terms of and effect, fate and luck, raising update frequency, quality, quantity larger issues about life and death, the Moon. A bonus item this year and variety; site design and layout which are sensitively addressed discusses the quality of biodynamic are important, as are personalised by the author using his extensive wines and the factors making for content recommendation systems. background knowledge. enjoyment. The information is also The final chapter spells out the available on an app. gap between the imagined Internet ■■ King Charles the Wise and the real one, for instance in Nicholas Hagger (SMN) OTHER BOOKS terms of a thin spread of audiences O Books (John Hunt) 2018, 63 pp., as opposed to the reality of one £6.99, p/b. third of web visits being to the top RECEIVED Using the framework of his world 10 firms; and only the larger sites ■ can efficiently personalise ads and constitution and argument for a ■ Stoicism – content. All this is driven by fierce democratic world state in his books A Very Short Introduction reviewed in the last issue, Nicholas competition for attention, which Brad Inwood arguably makes it all the more Hagger has written a poetic masque important to be able to switch off starting from questions arising from Oxford 2018, 118 pp., £7.99, p/b. and take a digital detox. Brexit and Britain’s potential role Readers of reviews in this journal in a more united world. The plot will be aware that there has ■ is that Zeus wants a democratic ■ A Supernatural War been something of a revival of Owen Davies world state to end all wars, and sends the goddess Minerva to seek Stoicism, which this book takes Oxford 2018, 284 pp., £20, h/b. support for this humanitarian into account. Interestingly, the Owen Davies is Professor of vision from the future King Charles, emphasis seems to be largely on Social History at the University of who is exposed to the competing Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, Hertfordshire author of a number narratives of Britannia, Europa and who address ethical themes and of books on witchcraft and magic, Colombia representing the UK, EU the good life; Seneca is also quite including the Oxford Illustrated and US. He is also advised by the popular and new editions of History that I reviewed last year. vision of previous Kings and a wise Stoic texts are being published by Subtitled ‘magic, divination and inner understanding of the One. faith during the First World War’, As one might expect, the author Princeton University Press. This this gives a fascinating insight shows a broad understanding of book shows that ethics is one into supernatural beliefs and the world situation communicated of three major concerns for this practices prevalent during the through various characters. Minerva philosophical school, the others period. Ironically, Max Weber was observes: being physics and logic (including formulating his ideas on Protestant the nature of rationality). The disenchantment just at the same The highest Wisdom flows into the mind’s book is a very good place to start period as this new expression and contains extensive extracts of enchantment appeared. The Higher consciousness from the author reminds us of the relatively beyond, from from key texts. recent development of psychology, The Light, Supreme Thought in ■■ Consciousness – anthropology and folklore as well the universe. as the founding of the Society A Very Short Introduction It streams into my head as shafts of Psychical Research in 1882. Susan Blackmore The chapters cover with detailed of Light. illustrations prophecies, visions, Charles responds that his reign will Oxford 2017 (2005), 146 pp., spirits and psychics, fortune- call for a new world vision, also as £7.99, p/b. telling, battlefield luck in relation a spokesman for humanity, which A revised and updated edition to talismans and other forms of he already is, for instance in his role drawing on recent research – protection - and more generally at the Paris climate change summit. Sue’s position on issues such how people sought reassurance in There is no doubt that we need as NDEs and the self is well such a dangerous period where, people of vision if we are to make in the trenches, death could the transition to a democratic world known in the field, so readers supervene any day. state even within the next hundred should bear this in mind. Although the book highlights such years. The masque is an intriguing way to convey this message. ■■ Artificial Intelligence – beliefs and practices during the war, A Very Short Introduction it is clear that there is a cultural ■■ When Wine Tastes Best 2019 continuity both before and after. The Margaret Boden Floris Books 2018, 48 pp., £3.99, p/b. author concludes that ‘with respect Oxford 2018, 164 pp., £7.99, p/b. to this continuum of supernatural This book has appeared annually beliefs and practices, the First World for a number of years and invites the An authoritative introduction War was influential in the way it reader to experiment on best times to to the field covering all major cemented the commercialisation of drink wine, with an accompanying aspects and issues. talismans and amulets, and helped calendar. Using the biodynamic incorporate commercialisation into classification, you are advised to

72 www.scimednet.org Without Words – Beinsa Douno A saint attended one of those universal religious meetings devoted to philosophical issues, where many such topics were discussed. Most guests talked and expressed their opinions – only the saint remained silent the whole time. Finally, they asked him: “What do you think, sir? Can you say a word or two on the matter in hand? “I don’t know philosophy, so I cannot say anything in this field.” “Don’t you know anything at all?” “I know just one thing.” All of them shouted as one, “Share it with us!” The saint took a big stone in his hand, squeezed it, and by gosh – water started running from below and fire came out from above. What is better: to philosophise over insoluble topics or to squeeze a stone in your hand and have water coming out and fire rising up from it? From: Lights along the Path of Life, p. 80 The Scientific and Medical Network is a leading international forum for people engaged in creating a new worldview for the 21st century. The Network brings together scientists, doctors, psychologists, engineers, philosophers, complementary practitioners and other professionals, and has Members in more than thirty countries. The Network is a charity which was founded in 1973 and became a company limited by guarantee at the beginning of 2004.

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