’s ‘Physics’ It Starts with a Swindle Deepak Chopra attempts to connect fundamental concepts of physics to consciousness and spirituality. He started (ab)using physics with his book Quantum Healing . But does he pass the first test of a true scientist: professional integrity?

SADRI HASSANI

rackpot scientists are very fond of abusing and trivi- Planck, Schrödinger, and Heisenberg and to attribute his own ideas about 1 alizing science—especially physics—and particularly mind and matter to them. Cfundamental physics. It is therefore critical to fight Since Quantum Healing initiated the fashionable trivialization of one crackpot science where it hurts the most: at the fundamen- of the greatest scientific and intellec- tal level. While there is much critique of the promoters of tual achievements of mankind, it is and their ideas are debunked at the factual instructive to present for the layper- son a rigorous scientific evaluation of level, few profound analyses of the fallacy of the way they that book’s content. But first we have misuse fundamental science are available. My purpose in to evaluate the professional integrity of the author. After all, the primary this article is to help fill this gap. premise of science is honesty. Stan- One of the early trivializers of fun- ness creates and governs matter, and ley Pons and Martin Fleischmann damental physics is Deepak Chopra, that modern physics is at the heart of this were credible scientists before their whose indiscriminate use of words message . The pernicious tactic that he hasty announcement of the discovery such as quantum, , field , and uses for this purpose is to decorate his of cold fusion in March 1989, after non-locality renders them as frivolous speeches and writings with the names which they fell out of grace in the sci- as a burp after a course of tandoori of famous physicists such as Einstein, entific community (Huizenga 1992). chicken. Accordingly, it is worthwhile Does Quantum Healing stand the test to examine his “physics” and unravel of scientific honesty? The book’s title heralds a revolu- the egregious conceptual blunders he tionary idea that demands a level of incessantly concocts, especially when intellectual integrity from the author these blunders serve as the foundation equal to that of other revolutionary for the conclusions that he touts as scientists. This integrity is, in part, scientific facts to his readers and fol- exhibited by the way scientists usually lowers. acknowledge individuals who had a role in shaping the ideas expressed in The Book the work. Einstein, in his article on the Chopra came to prominence by pub- groundbreaking special theory of rel- lishing Quantum Healing , a trend-set- ativity, acknowledges Michele Besso, ting book on mind/body medicine an obscure friend of Einstein’s who in which he beguiles his readers into worked at the Bern’s patent office at believing that Ayurveda, the tradi- the same time that Einstein did (Ein- tional Indian medicine, has a scien- stein 1952). In a separate account of tific basis. His mission ever since has how special relativity was born, Ein- been to tout the message that the stein elaborates on the conversations universe is conscious, that conscious- he had with Besso and how those con-

Skeptical Inquirer | January/February 2016 55 of a single person but the collabora- I have been waiting a long time tion of a community that stretches to bring out some special tech- across the globe and extends into the niques. I believe they will become the medicine of the future. They past and future. In order to contrib- were known in the distant past but ute to science, one first has to learn were lost in the confusion of time; the relevant contributions made to it now I want you to learn them, and by other scientists; one can see further at the same time I want you to explain, clearly and scientifically, only “by standing upon the shoulders 2 how they work. of giants,” and any “new kind of sci- ence” that undermines—or even dis- From his words, one gets the un- agrees with—the well-established and mistakable impression that, were it not empirically tested ideas without pre- for his contacts with this great sage, senting good evidence to the contrary Chopra would not have come across can only be the invention of a crack- the “discovery” described in his book. pot. In fact, he feels so much indebted to Chopra ought to be held to as the sage that he dedicates the book strict an integrity standard as the sci- “With a full heart and deepest thanks entists he is so fond of mentioning in to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi” (Chopra his speeches and writings. This is so 1989; also available online at http:// not only because he is writing about skepticaleducator.org/wp-content/ (his distorted version of) science, but uploads/2015/03/Dedication.pdf). also because he commands millions As Maharishi’s influence on Chopra’s of followers who literally regard him “discovery” is evident throughout the as a prophet. His words, fogged by a book, one might think that, like an plume of terminology stolen from sci- honest scientist, Chopra is acknowl- ence—a discipline revered and trusted, edging the conversations he had with albeit misunderstood, by the public— the sage and how those conversations are powerful maxims and mottos for might have helped shape his ideas. his disciples. However, that would be premature thinking, because the acknowledge- The Swindle: ment appears only in the printings of versations helped consolidate his idea The Disappearance of Maharishi the book up to the fourteenth. of the relativity of time (Hassani 2010, An intellectually honest author of a The sixteenth and subsequent 362). Similarly, Planck’s two seminal 3 nonfiction work writes a second edi- printings seem to be the “second edi- papers that originated quantum the- tion only when there are substantial tion,” because they contain a single ory contain numerous mentions of changes in the content of the work, page titled “Preface to the New Edi- the physicists who helped him shape usually several years after the original tion.” However, the usual practice of the quantum idea. His gratitude is edition. These changes, and the reason imprinting “Second Edition” on the especially manifest in his Nobel Lec- and purpose behind them, are clearly cover is foregone. Furthermore, unlike ture in which he attributes his dis- stated in the preface of the new edi- any ordinary new editions, no preface to covery of the electromagnetic quanta tion, while the preface of the earlier the first edition is retained in the new to Ludwig Boltzmann, the creator edition is also kept in the book for edition. So, why write a preface to the of statistical mechanics, by declaring comparison. The hardcover edition of “new edition?” A conspicuous change “. . . this problem led me automati- Quantum Healing came out in 1989 in the new edition is that all citations cally to a consideration of . . . Boltz- and its paperback edition in 1990. In of Maharishi’s name are erased; the mann’s trend of ideas; until after some the Introduction, Chopra narrates his meetings with him, which were the weeks of the most strenuous work of meetings with “one of the greatest starting point of quantum healing, my life, light came into the darkness, living sages,” who imparted to him are not mentioned at all; the crucial and a new undreamed-of perspective some ancient techniques that “would “primordial sound” techniques, which opened up before me” (Planck 1918). restore the mind’s healing abilities” were “the strongest healing therapies Such acknowledgements of the dis- (Chopra 1989, 2–4; also available in Ayurveda” and were prescribed coverers of scientific ideas are not only online at http://skepticaleducator.org for incurable diseases such as cancer, a sign of honesty but also a reminder /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ are gone; there is no mention of the that science is a collective enterprise IntroToFirstEd.pdf). In one of the revelation of “some great secret” that encompassing not just the invention meetings, the sage tells Chopra: took place after meeting with Maha-

56 Volume 40 Issue 1 | rishi; no mention of how Maharishi ak-chopra/the-maharishi-years lying in a hospital bed with intrave- taught Chopra “how to pierce the -the-u_b_86412.html). It is important nous tubes in his body breathing on mask of matter.” Therefore, the new to examine the highlights of this arti- a respirator.” He immediately takes preface is most likely a smokescreen cle, as it narrates Chopra’s tumultuous a chartered airplane from Chicago to for Chopra’s deletion of the name of relationship with Maharishi, especially Delhi only to find Maharishi exactly the person who implanted the idea of because the article is filled with numer- as he saw him in his vision. Because the book in his mind. ous accounts of intimate encounters of of the seriousness of Maharishi’s con- This deletion is shamelessly man- the two, containing outlandish claims dition, it was decided that he should ifest in the bibliographies of the two that often resemble miracles. be flown to London. Chopra flies to “editions.” In the bibliography of the London and makes arrangements for earlier printings of the book, Chopra Maharishi to be admitted to a private writes “I enthusiastically recommend hospital. As he was standing outside the following eleven books, all of the hospital, watching an ambulance which entered into my own education In the bibliography navigate the snarled traffic, one of the on these fascinating subjects” (Chopra accompanying doctors ran up with 1989; also available online at http:// of the sixteenth the news that Maharishi had suddenly skepticaleducator.org/wp-content/ and later printings, died. Chopra rushes to the ambu- uploads/2015/03/Biblio1.pdf). Two of lance, “picking Maharishi’s body up those eleven books are by Maharishi. he also recommends and carrying him in my arms through In the bibliography of the sixteenth and London traffic.” However, after twen- later printings, he also recommends eleven books, but ty-four to thirty-six hours the attend- 4 eleven books, but he lists only nine! You he lists only nine! ing informed them that Maharishi can guess which two are missing. In an was recovering miraculously. act that should make both Chopra and You can guess But the recovery was somewhat his publisher ashamed of themselves, slow. “There was a point where the and in a frenzied rush that can be as- which two are doctor informed us that [Maharishi] cribed only to and fraudsters missing. had severe anemia and needed a blood who want to hide the evidence, Chopra transfusion. When they typed and erased all traces of Maharishi’s name cross-matched Maharishi’s blood, I and the guru’s influence on Quantum turned out to be the only match.” After Healing, but he forgot to count the the hospital, Maharishi was moved to number of the remaining books in its a country home in the southwest of bibliography. Chopra begins the article with re- England where “I spent hours per- Does the “second edition” contain porting the publication of his book, sonally nursing him.” In all, Mahari- substantial changes in the content of Perfect Health, in 1991, at least six shi was out of circulation for almost a the book? Although Chopra mentions years after he met Maharishi. He does year; few in the Transcendental Med- the change in his views in the preface not mention his earlier book, Quan- itation movement knew where he was. of the new edition, he doesn’t say how tum Healing, by far his most influ- After he was fully recovered, he was the change affected its content. In fact, ential book, the germ of the idea of flown via helicopter to the small vil- if you compare the pages of the first which was planted in his mind after lage of Vlodrop in Holland. and second editions, as I did, you’ll see several meetings with the guru. He It is not clear who decided to move practically no change in the content completely ignores that in 1985, right Maharishi out of sight. What is clear except for the removal of any reference after his meetings with Maharishi, he is that he remained in Vlodrop while to Maharishi. What makes all of this quit his job at the New England Me- Chopra “was sent, as one of his main morial Hospital to establish the Ma- emissaries, on a routine of almost con- suspicious is that there is absolutely no harishi Ayurveda Health Center in stant jet travel. . . . Everywhere I went explanation for any of these changes in Boston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ I was given the respect accorded to my the book itself. Deepak_Chopra). He forgoes the fact guru, bringing with it a level of pomp that it was in this Center that his ideas and ceremony that verged on venera- The Blunder: ‘Explanation’ for writing Quantum Healing took tion.” In July 1993, Chopra went to after Maharishi’s Death shape (Chopra 1989). He does not ex- see Maharishi in his private rooms to As a regular contributor to The plain why he changed the name of the pay “his respects,” at which time Ma- Huffington Post, Chopra hur- center to Ayurveda Health Center in harishi said, “People are telling me riedly wrote an article on February 5 the later printings of the book. that you are competing with me. . . . 13, 2008 (available online at http Chopra continues: “When I was in I want you to stop traveling and live ://www.huffingtonpost.com/deep- meditation I had a vision of Maharishi here at the ashram with me.” He also

Skeptical Inquirer | January/February 2016 57 wanted Chopra to stop writing books. ence who should be made aware of his up with the guru—in the proper normal way. Only by looking at the printing number on the After delivering what amounted to an professional dishonesty. copyright page can one anticipate whether or ultimatum, “I was given twenty-four Chopra’s removal of all references not the book contains Maharishi’s name. As hours to make up my mind.” to Maharishi in the later printings of of the thirty-fourth printing that I purchased in 2013, Chopra has not corrected the bibliog- Quantum Healing—regardless of any raphy: he still recommends eleven books and personal conflict he may have had lists only nine! This bibliography can be found with the guru—reveals his lack of online at http://skepticaleducator.org/wp-con- tent/uploads/2015/03/Chopras-bibliography. professional integrity, as by his own pdf. admission in the earlier printings, it 5. The date of the post has changed at least Could Chopra’s was his numerous meetings with Ma- once since I first discovered it on July 2, 2011. On March 18, 2015, the date was changed harishi that inspired him “to explain, to 12/31/1969 7:00 PM EST and the post actions be anything clearly and scientifically, how [the appeared to have been updated on 11/17/2011! Ayurveda techniques] work.” And his (Copy available online at http://skepticaled- but an intention to ucator.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ explanation of the conflict, hurriedly Deepak-Chopra-The-Maharishi-Years-The- smear the facts? published in the Huffington Post right Untold-Story-Recollections-of-a-Former- after Maharishi’s death, is a telltale Disciple-.pdf.) As I understand it, 12/31/1969 7:00 PM EST is the epoch time of some plat- sign of professional hypocrisy at its forms, and is the default to which the system worse. reverts whenever the date/time of a file is Paraphrasing a famous quote by the entered incorrectly. One occasion on which this could occur is when one tinkers with an late Carl Sagan, extraordinary book ti- existing date/time. I have kept a copy of the February 13, 2008, when the ar- tles require extraordinary professional- post as it appeared on July 2, 2011, showing its original date and time of publication, just ticle appeared in the Huffington ism. This article has documented suf- in case the date changes again (copy available Post, was just eight days after Maha- ficient evidence to demonstrate that online at http://skepticaleducator.org/wp-con- rishi’s death and more than fourteen Deepak Chopra’s professionalism in tent/uploads/2015/03/Deepak-Chopra_- years after Chopra broke up with the writing of Quantum Healing is of The-Maharishi-Years-The-Untold-Story_- Recollections-of-a-Former-Disciple.pdf ). him some time in the second half of such a low quality that it borders on ■ 1993. Chopra must have had the ar- charlatanism. References ticle ready when Maharishi was still Chopra, D. 1989. Quantum Healing: Exploring on his deathbed. What reason could Notes the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine. New one have to wait over fourteen years to 1. In the keynote lecture (https://www.you- York: Bantam Books. Einstein, A. 1952. The Principle of Relativity. tell such a self-praising, intimate story tube.com/watch?v=o-ijyqWzDrY&feature=kp) that Chopra delivered in a meeting arranged New York: Dover Publications, Inc. of a relationship between oneself and by Salesforce in 2013, he repeatedly men- Hassani, S. 2010. From Atoms to Galaxies. Boca another person, and then publish the tions the names of various famous scientists Raton: CRC Press. including Newton, Einstein, Planck, etc., to Huizenga, J. 1992. Cold Fusion: The Scientific story right after the death of the latter? convince his audience that dark energy and Fiasco of the Century. Rochester: University Could it be anything but an intention dark matter are not only unknown but also of Rochester Press. to smear the facts? “unknowable” and that scientists should not try Planck, M. 1918. Nobel lecture. Available at to uncover the truth. The clip at https://youtu. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/ Any intelligent reader who is not be/dA89wWI6ljo compares Chopra’s message physics/laureates/1918/planck-lecture. mesmerized by Chopra’s insidious with another poet/prophet who also advised html. charm can see in the Huffington Post against seeking truth and was instrumental in Sadri Hassani is pro- paving the way for the Dark Ages. fessor emeritus of article the power struggle between an 2. The sage seems to have it backward. A old guru and a conniving disciple who technique that is in any way related to science physics at Illinois is trying to steal the guru’s congre- comes after the prerequisite scientific knowl- State University and edge has been gained. One doesn’t start with a author of several gation for personal gain. The reader technique and then ask for (or order) a scientific can also detect Chopra’s egregious at- explanation. It is like the pope asking a devout books at graduate, tempt at portraying himself as a super- Catholic scientist to find a scientific basis for undergraduate, and the Hail Mary! introductory levels. human being with a miraculous power 3. I haven’t seen the fifteenth printing, so of healing who can see events that are I don’t know if Maharishi’s name is present His blog at skepticaleducator.org is de- happening thousands of miles away. A there or not. voted to exposing misconceptions and 4. Because the “second edition” of Quantum distortions of science by professional follower, on the other hand, believes Healing is only a fake, the dates appearing on every word of the narrative and spreads the copyright page refer to the first “edition,” scientists. He wrote “‘Post-Materialist’ the story to other potential followers. namely 1989 for the hardcover and 1990 for Science? A Smokescreen for Woo” in our the trade edition. It is therefore hard to refer- This is the audience for whom Chopra September/October 2015 issue. Follow ence the “second edition”—which presumably @SadriHassani on Twitter. wrote the article. And this is the audi- appeared in 1993 or 1994 after Chopra broke

58 Volume 40 Issue 1 | Skeptical Inquirer