(J) Scientist Philosophers

Introduction – The Big One

Years ago, in the early 1980‘s while living in San Francisco, an individual with whom I worked casually mentioned “the big one” to me. In the San Francisco Bay Area “the big one” refers to the ultimate earthquake that would unleash untold amounts of death and destruction. It was even suggested, perhaps still is, that everything west of the San Andreas fault, along the California coastline would fall into the Pacific Ocean. For as long as I could remember there were constant references to the impending “big one” particularly amongst radio and television newscasters.

As a child, in 1956, living in San Francisco, I had experienced a severe earthquake and I knew not what it was having never before heard of nor experienced an earthquake. It was at the height of the cold war and it seemed that everyone everywhere in the United States was frightened by the possibility that Russia would drop an atom bomb on America. I recall neighbors building bomb shelters and regular school exercises as to what to do in the eventuality of such an attack. I remember seeing the Russian leader, Nikita Khrushchev, in a televised speech threatening America saying, “We will bury you.” So when the earthquake hit I thought it was an atomic bomb and I dove underneath the dining room table inconsolably terrified and crying.

So, for some reason (probably having something to do with my aforementioned childhood experience) my coworker’s reference to the “big one” on this particular occasion triggered a sudden and severe depression; a fear of death specifically and a sense that neither I nor all that I was doing with my life had any significance. Due to the many miraculous experiences I had prior I was convinced of my immortality and not at all, or so I thought, afraid of death. Yet, for three days I had no idea what to do with myself; how to alleviate this sudden irrational and overwhelming fear.

Eventually, on the third day, I went to a bookstore and purchased every book I could find, more than a dozen, that had anything to do at all with death; even books about genocides, plagues, natural disasters, etc. One of the books I brought home with me, Raymond Moody‘s “Life After Life,” reported of accounts of near death experiences, something I was completely unfamiliar with and, at this time, the early 1980’s, I do not believe was commonly known about. As I was reading Moody’s book, the account of a particular near death experience that most influenced me was one of a man, not a particularly educated man who, once having experienced an NDE, determined that the study of physics was essential and, from that point on, he began to study physics. For some reason, what I read about this man’s reaction to his NDE experience switched a light on in my mind, so to speak. I was no longer depressed and, from that day forward, I’ve taken an active interest in science and in various fields, not just physics. I began with Dr. Fritjof Capra’s book, “The Tao of Physics.” (It seems that nearly every individual I meet with no scientific background, academic or professionally, who, like myself, endeavors to comprehend physics starts out with this book).

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Fritjof Capra, Ph.D. – Was born in Austria and earned his Ph.D. in theoretical physics at the University of Vienna in 1966. He is the founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California and is on the faculty of Schumacher College. Besides “The Tao of Physics” he has authored, for example: “The Tuning Point” and “The Hidden Connections” “The Systems View of Life Visions” and “The Science of Leonardo.” Here is a 5 minute video where he discusses Leonardo Da Vinci:

Links (may have to copy and paste):

Schumacher College Lecture Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__c_M1HK7aw

Dr. Fritof Capra’s website: http://www.fritjofcapra.net/

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David Bohm – The Implicate Order

“The great strength of science is that it is rooted in actual experience. The great weakness of contemporary science is that it admits only certain types of experience as legitimate.”       

 ~ David Bohm   

David Joseph Bohm, Ph.D. (1917 – 1992) was an American born British quantum physicist. He is considered one of the most significant theoretical physicists of the 20th century who contributed many innovative ideas to quantum theory as well as neuropsychology and the philosophy of mind.

During the 1980’s David Bohm developed his theory of the “Implicate Order” in order to explain the bizarre behavior of subatomic particles — behavior that physicists have not been able to explain. Basically, two subatomic particles that once interacted (or were entangled, meaning part of the same atomic structure) can instantaneously respond to each other’s motions; even as much as thousands of years later when they are then light years apart. This interconnectedness requires superluminal, faster than the speed of light, signaling. In scientific circles it is referred to as the EPR effect, named after the Einstein/Podolsky/Rosen thought experiment. Otherwise, it is generally known of as quantum entanglement or non-locality. Bohm believed that the bizarre behavior of the subatomic particles might be caused by unobserved sub-quantum forces that pose no conflict with ordinary reality and causality and that this “hiddenness” may be reflective of a deeper dimension of reality. He calls this deeper dimension the Implicate Order within which everything is connected. And therefore, in theory, any individual element could reveal information about every other element throughout the universe.

Bohm describes the manifest, material world as part of the explicate order which is secondary, derivative, flowing out of the laws of the Implicate Order. And, it is this explicate order that makes up our manifest world; the world as we know it. He is of the opinion that a fundamental Cosmic Intelligence is engaged in endless experimentation and creativity moving cyclically onward and onward accruing an infinity of experienced being. It is the extension of the Implicate Order into a multidimensional reality by way of the interplay between the implicate and the explicate orders. It is the flow of matter, manifested and interdependent, toward consciousness. Finally, Bohm says it straight: “There’s a truth, an actuality, a Being beyond what can be grasped in thought, and this is intelligence, the sacred, the holy.” There are certain characteristics that can be discerned from Bohm’s cosmic model. They are Order, Intelligence, Personalization, Creativity and a sense of Holiness. For Bohm the holy is again, “Being beyond what can be grasped in thought” and is holy in the sense that it is whole. It is the ground of all existence.

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Bohm considers the human individual to be an intrinsic feature of the universe, which would be incomplete, in some fundamental sense, if the person did not exist and that each individual participates in the whole and consequently gives it meaning and, because of that participation, the Implicate Order is getting to know itself better. The individual is in total contact with the Implicate Order and is part of the whole of mankind. Using the analogy of the transformation of the atom ultimately into a power and chain reaction, Bohm believes that the individual who uses inner energy and intelligence can transform mankind. He suggests that an intense heightening of individuals who have shaken off the “pollution of the ages” (wrong world views that propagate ignorance) who come into close and trusting relationships with one another, can indeed ignite the whole consciousness of the world.

Evil and ignorance, in Bohm’s opinion, are a matter of closed mindedness or “darkness in the human brain.” It is the human ego closed to the Universal Mind, or supreme intelligence, who communicates through the mode of insight. Because of the low level of our ego development (our grandiosity, emotional fears and pressures, ignorant worldviews and gross extraversion), this insight is frequently deflected by a closed mind; the opposite being a mind open to interiority (not to be confused with inferiority). Yet, he reflects, nature allows humanity the luxury to make mistakes, because humankind must have the possibility of being creative.

Of death he is dispassionate. He uses the analogy of a live oak tree. Creation-dissolution-creation all coexist in that live oak tree. The leaves are continually forming and some are dropping off at the same time, so that it looks as if it is a constant tree. Yet, it is from the manifest that the tree is continually forming and into the non-manifest it is continually returning.

And what of human destiny? How does Bohm consider this? “The consciousness of mankind is One and not truly divisible. Each person has a responsibility to achieve this and nothing else. There’s nothing else to do — there is no other way out. This is absolutely what must be done and nothing else will work.”

Here is a video of an interview with David Bohm that I particularly enjoyed:

Here’s the link to the article “Bohm‘s Gnosis: The Implicate Order” (and others) from which I derived the above piece “David Bohm – The Implicate Order” :

*You may have to copy and paste if the direct links are not working for some reason:

http://www.bizcharts.com/stoa_del_sol/plenum/plenum_3.html

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My own conversation with David Bohm – and I will leave it to the reader to determine as to how this conversation could have possibly occurred on a summer morning in 2010. Afterwards I wrote the conversation down on page 144 in the book “A Course In Miracles.”

Upon awakening I decided to go to ACIM University which I usually instruct my mind to do as I am falling asleep at night. As usual I met with many luminaries (my ancestors, artists, scientists, authors, etc.). David Bohm was there and he and I began having a discussion. Following our initial greeting I, to myself, carelessly thought of him as a Jew. I say “carelessly” for, in this environment there are no thoughts kept to oneself. He replied that I was prejudiced and went on to say not just in regards to Jews, but in regards to everyone and everything.

He went on to say, “All that I look at, think about, or imagine is perceived, not true nor known, by me based on my past preconceived notions which are narrow in scope thus belittling and disparaging. He added that, “I for example, am not a Jew, nor a scientist, nor a man even. I am spirit, and wholly so. I am all that I ever was, am and will be; eternal, in other words. What you perceive as David Bohm is based on a couple of photographs, a few paragraphs in a biography, an analysis of one of my philosophical works, and on an online video you watched. You know little more than that about me, or anyone or anything else, including yourself for that matter.”

“If you accept that the reincarnation of souls is true, which you do, then you have existed in many different incarnations prior to Leslie Taylor and may very well go on to experience many others to say nothing of all the ages phases, and personalities you’ve passed through in this life. Who and what are you then: a hairy biped of sorts, a Chinese child wife, a little girl playing with her dolls, a middle aged American divorcee or a space colonist on some far off planet? When awake or when you come to ACIM University every spirit (and all are spirit always) you encounter is a culmination of all they ever were, are and will be, and so much more. Anything less was but something passing in the night, quite literally as in a dream.”

“To see truly, look beyond your preconceptions, the results of your past perceptions thus your current prejudices. See beyond the objects, the reflections of your limiting mind, when looking at, thinking about, imagining anyone or anything, including yourself.”

Applying David Bohm’s Implicate and Explicate Order to an understanding of the meaning of life:

The Meaning of Life

Inside the center of galaxies are black holes and at their core are singularities; infinitesimally small points where all matter and spacetime breaks down. Surrounding the black hole is the event horizon from which anything that passes through toward the black hole cannot escape including quanta of light, photons, due to the extreme gravitational fields within the event horizon. Save perhaps, via tunneling, the jumping or transcending between physical and non physical states, with no trajectory in between, allowing for the spontaneous (spaceless timeless) resonant connectivity between physical systems, such as humans, with other physical systems, as experienced in telepathy or remote viewing, or non-physical things such as ideas, information conveyed during the dream state, higher or transcendent knowing, the projection of miraculous solutions and contact with spiritual beings.

The event horizon is thought of as like a 2D plane, a surface upon which all information about 3D things, the spacetime between them and the forces (electromagnetism, weak, strong, gravity, dark matter, dark energy) in the phenomenal, the physical/material, universe are encoded then projected into the phenomenal world. This ‘external state’ of matter, spacetime and forces were aptly described and called the explicate order by the physicist David Bohm (1917 – 1992). The manifest phenomenal world is encoded on the event horizon resulting in a hologram-like projected material, spacetime universe as we humans perceive, experience it and ourselves materially. And, that which by passing back through the event horizon, through the singularity and wormhole (a stupid word, a tunneling actually) all matter throughout galaxies, the universe, return to the eternal, wholly unitive Divine, or God consciousness state, the origin of all thought, all of creation, Love Itself. According to David Bohm, the implicate order. Some claim this is an ongoing correcting, feedback loop (thus reincarnation or the repeat of social/political circumstances) with evolution (loveution – LT) being the intent.

Every physical sentient being is fractal-like, as is all within the whole of the universe, with a singularity at their and all other systems’ center; a transmitter of potential or existing things, events and circumstances based on their coherent thoughts and desires with other same or similar physical or non physical beings. Fractals are patterns of repetition that are similar at all levels of magnification from nano scales, to the macro and cosmic scales (suggestive of the all within all).  Also possible are transmissions of higher ideas from this Divine state to their centrations of consciousnesses (appropriate according to their individual development) through their singularities and wormhole tunnels then projected onto their material phenomenal world, hologram-like, including their perceptions and other faculties associated with their own bodies. The same is true for galaxies, stars, seals, amoeba, crystals (believe it or not), etc. with their sensory perception faculties, complex and simple alike. And, all sentient beings return at the time of the disintegration of their (hologram) body through this tunnel toward the ineffable, limitless light of eternal Love; again, Divine or God consciousness, their source. Many NDEs report of this quite exactly.

The degree of unity, thus creative power, and freedom, both within the Divine state, God, and within the phenomenal world, is determined by the resonant coherence of the individual being’s mental, emotional, creative and spiritual development, both when physical and non-physical and with other same or similar states of developed consciousnesses. We are never alone. Sentient beings, individuals, have a degree of free will determined by their development both in their physical (within the explicate order) and their non-physical form (within the implicate order).

Communications with similarly resonant, yet spiritual, beings on the other side of the individual’s event horizon and singularity (such as with deceased loved ones, one’s soul group, or guiding and sometimes intervening spiritual beings referred to as angels, etc.) depends on the resonant coherence, the evolved state of the individuals’ involved (physical and non physical alike) centration of consciousnesses. The highest state being total resonance, thus perfect unity, with God Consciousness. These communications are possible and requests for are encouraged (as in prayer). The brilliance of, thus beautification and extent of one’s consciousness, unifies and coheres with other same or similar consciousnesses and the Divine which determines the degree of the individual’s freedom and creative power within both the explicate and implicate order. A snail, for example, has not nearly a brilliant centration of consciousness (thus quite limited freedom) as a human does which has far less than a solar system or an entire galaxy. Complexity is a factor in development, evolution of consciousness, thus brilliance. For example some humans are satisfied to develop little intellectually, psychologically, creatively and spiritually, or to take on responsibility, whereas others greatly develop. This is an important evolutionary consideration here. For we, the entire universe in fact, is evolving through this tunneling – a repetitive feedback loop between physical and non-physical, or spiritual, states enabling learning.

Our evolving, loving; the meaning of life; our reason for being.

Leslie Taylor

January 1, 2023

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The Higher States  – Based on the book “Morphic Resonance” by the cellular biologist, Dr. Rupert Sheldrake and “Infinite Potential” by the quantum chemist, Dr. Lothar Schafer

It is scientifically verified that there are innumerable virtual energy states of atomic particles; atoms and molecules; the quantum stuff of the material world. These states are known of as electron orbitals once actualized, occupied, by electrons) surrounding atomic nuclei (consisting of protons and neutrons). When not actualized, they are potential states, and therefore referred to as virtual states. Nonetheless, although virtual states, they are specific in their forms, or shapes, which are specific in their positions, or levels, surrounding the atomic nucleus. And these states, or levels, are innumerable; believed to be infinite in fact. These virtual quantum states are sometimes referred to as localized waveforms: localized meaning that these quantum states are confined to a specific level, or region, surrounding the nucleus of an atom or molecule.

These virtual states only become actualized once the specifically appropriate energy state of the particle (an atom or molecule) and the objective (a higher or lower energy state) is achieved. A particle’s (an electron orbital thus the whole of the atom) higher quantum state is accomplished upon its absorption of a photon, a particle of light (sometimes referred to as a quanta, as in a minuscule quantity, of light). Once the photon is absorbed the atomic, or molecular, particle emerges from its lower quantum state to an already existing virtual, yet now actualized and more energetic, higher state. And now, once the atom or molecule (applies to both) has absorbed a specific quanta of energy (again, a photon) the particle’s energetic state is greater for a period of time. The higher, invisible virtual state has then become actualized although not materialized. For, these states are not visible (quantum physics mandates that these states are not observable). Regardless, these states are measurable. The particle then may emit the photon and settle into its previous, lower energetic state for a time until the absorption of another photon, hence repeating the process. How energetically high the quantum jump into a particular state (again, there are multiple, infinite even, levels) depends on the energetic degree of the photon.

The atoms’ or molecules’ actualized quantum states, also called waveforms, extend well beyond the nucleus and each is occupied by an electron. Or, perhaps two electrons per quantum state: two maximum – one spin up­ and one spin down (as well as other differing factors such as angular momentum [simply means rotation] orientation and magnitude [mass times velocity]) maintaining what is called the Pauli Exclusion Principle; that being that no two identical electrons in the same atom can be in the same [orbital] state. These states, or waveforms, again, most often referred to as electron orbitals, are then considered occupied, or full. And again, these electron orbitals, virtual or actualized, are specific in their form and localized regions, or levels surrounding and extending from the nucleus of an atom. If this were not the case then the negatively charged electrons would all fall into the positively charged nucleus of an atom and the universe would exist, if at all, as an unorganized mass. Also of interest, an atom’s (occupied) electron orbitals encompass an area that is roughly 1,800 times the size of its nucleus.

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Once the photon is absorbed the atom’s outer waveforms, or actualized quantum states, or electron orbitals (all the same thing) become more energetic and complex in form. These [electron] orbitals enable atoms to interact, or not, with other atoms’ orbitals; in-other-words, bond thus forming molecules. Molecules do the same, their waveforms aggregate with other appropriate molecules’ waveforms which, in some cases, form crystals, or cells which might then coalesce, organize and form organs, then organisms, then families of organisms, or species, and so on. It is proposed that organs (brains, kidneys, etc.) and organisms (such as people) of same or similar species also possess [invisible] waveforms. In fact, it is hypothesized that this is exactly how cellular differentiation occurs (that being cellular division and multiplying; the development from a single fertilized cell, or egg, ultimately into a higher complex organism such as a human). Cellular division occurs, theoretically, due to the ongoing fulfilling of waveforms: atoms interacting and coalescing (in other words, aggregating) into molecules (molecular waveforms), which then form into cells (cellular waveforms), which then aggregate forming organs (organ waveforms), then the organism (specie waveforms), and so on – all initially existing as waveform virtual potentialities then becoming actualized, materialized. You can see here it is a hierarchically ordered process of waveform potentialities becoming actualized then aggregating with other particle’s virtual then realized potentialities, or fulfilled waveforms, all along the way aggregating into more and more complex and extended waveforms thus actualities: atoms aggregating into Þ molecules Þ organelles (cellular organs) Þ cells Þ organs Þ organisms Þ species, and so on toward celestial organisms even (stars, galaxies, etc.) and perhaps beyond infinitely manifesting more complex structures, organisms, thus species…

A virtual state is not considered a form of energy or matter (Einstein’s equation E=mc*2 meaning energy is matter, or conversely, matter is energy). But rather, these states are more like an idea, or thought form potentially becoming actualized or materialized.

If an advanced state, or favorable mutation, is to be realized (due to changing environmental conditions, for example) and stabilized at the quantum level (as in atoms and molecules) and as well at at the macro level (the level of organisms) it requires the participation of more than one particle or organism of the same or similar species and the repetition of the biological change, the mutation, or activity, in order for the evolved or more favorable state to be made manifest and stabilized. Not only is repetition and cooperation (a coherence) amongst same and similar species required for the manifestation and stabilizing of higher states but it is also necessary for the extension of the evolved state of the organism to other same or similar organisms over distance. And, what is fascinating, is that this process occurs without any currently known manner of interaction or transmission of information amongst species separated by relatively small or vast distances. (The term species can apply to particles as well as organisms). And, this exchange of information can occur simultaneously, irreverent of the laws pertaining to the speed of light: that being that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. In quantum physics this connectedness amongst particles is referred to as quantum non-locality or entanglement.

Rupert Sheldrake, a brilliant scientist and philosopher, refers to this process of cellular differentiation, evolution, or favorable mutations, and the extension of favorable biological mutations or behavior over space-time as being due to a process he refers to as “morphic resonance” occurring through a “morphic field” in his book titled “Morphic Resonance.” And, that this field possesses memory. His thesis has much to offer not only for the understanding of the evolution of the physical development and behavior of species (as in cellular differentiation from egg to adult and the sustaining and perpetuation of a favorable mutation, be it biological or behavioral, amongst a species) but, can also be applied to the understanding of human behavioral evolution (or devolution – it can work both ways).

Evolution is not a Darwinian, or worse yet, a Machiavellian, survival of the fittest: the most attractive, the most clever, or even greatest in numbers, the richest, or most elaborately and fearsomely armed. Evolution is due to the extension, repetition and thus sustaining, or stabilizing, of an evolved, advanced, higher state of actualized beingness and, it is not only a micro and macro process but a universe-wide, cosmic process as well. And, ideally (dare I say in the ideal, higher realms, or states?) it is an ongoing and ultimately creative, not a destructive, process.

Leslie Taylor

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Links to two excellent programs:

Conscious TV

Here is a link to the Conscious TV YouTube home page (you may have to copy and paste) :

https://www.youtube.com/user/conscioustv

More links to interviews with fascinating individuals and their websites:

Rupert Sheldrake, Ph.D. is a British biochemist and cellular biologist who studied philosophy and history of science at Harvard University, received an M.A. in natural science at Clare College in Cambridge and earned his PH.D. in biochemistry at Cambridge University. He is also a researcher in the field of parapsychology. Dr. Sheldrake has authored many books such as: “Morphic Resonance” (as mentioned above) and also “Dogs that Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home”, “The Presence of the Past”, “The Physics of Angels” and “The Science Delusion” among many others.

Here is a link (copy and past may be required) to a video where Dr. Sheldrake discusses his book, “The Science Delusion” :

Here is a video titled “The Biology of Transformation – The Field” where  Dr. Sheldrake discusses his Morphic Field theory suggesting an intelligent, developing universe possessing an inherent memory.

And, here is a link to Dr. Sheldrake’s official website (copy and paste required) :

http://www.sheldrake.org/

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Iain McGilchrist, M.D.  studied philosophy and theology at Oxford and, following graduation in 1975, was awarded a Prize Fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford. Later he studied medicine and at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, USA, studied neuro imaging. He is now a practicing psychiatrist as well as writer.

His book “The Master and His Emissary” looks at the divided brain (the left and right hemispheres), their distinct differences and, not just that they are divided but why, and how this division contributes to the whole of human thought, and therefore culture. An Amazon reviewer summed up the two hemispheres based on McGilchrist’s book as such:

“The right hemisphere of the brain (the Master in his title) provides our primary connection to the world. The left hemisphere is its Emissary, breaking wholes into parts, analyzing, devising categories, names and theories then returning the results of its investigations to the right brain to be integrated into the [whole] of lived experience. The health of individuals and all of humanity depends upon a reciprocal connection. The problem is that the left brain imagines it “knows” things it can’t possibly know, usurps its role projecting its own definite and partial version of the world onto the world’s essentially ambiguous reality.”

“The Master and His Emissary” is not an easy read. I struggled with parts and, admittedly, at times grew tired of the struggle. Nonetheless, it is a brilliant and exceedingly important thesis. I feel McGilchrist has shined a light on a darkened and much neglected area of human thought and contribution (and therefore values and behavior) which our species needs to look long and truthfully at. Our very survival depends upon it.

“The Divided Brain and the Search for Meaning – Why Are We So Unhappy?” is a shorter 10,000 word electronic essay written as a complimentary, or summary, version of his book. McGilchrist notes that despite the vast increase in material well-being we are less happy now than people were fifty years ago. He suggests that the left hemisphere, with its obsession of reducing everything it sees to the level of minute, mechanistic details, is robbing modern society of the ability to understand and appreciate deeper human values.

Here, in the link below, Iain McGilchrist is interviewed by Iain McNay on Conscious TV. It is an excellent interview and the reason I got the book, “The Master and His Emissary.” And since I have purchased “The Divided Brain and the Search for Meaning,” (cost but 99 cents!)

Here is the link to Iain McGilchrist’s website. In particular, I enjoyed Steven Pinker’s essay and Iain McGilchrist’s reply (copy and past may be required):

http://www.iainmcgilchrist.com/

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Lothar Schafer, Ph.D. is a distinguished professor emeritus of physical chemistry at the University of Arkansas. He is the author of “In Search of Divine Reality as a Source of Inspiration” and, as mentioned above, “Infinite Potential – What quantum physics reveals about how we should live.”

Below is a link to a 55 minute interview with Dr. Schafer by Iain McNay on Conscious TV and, it is quite good. In fact, it was due to this interview that I purchased his book “Infinite Potential.”

Amit Goswami, Ph.D.  is a Theoretical Quantum Physicist. He is a retired full professor from the University of Oregon’s Department of Physics. Dr. Goswami is the author of a number of books based on his research on quantum physics and consciousness. For example: “The Self-Aware Universe,” “Physics of the Soul,” “The Visionary Window,” and most recently “Unleashing the Power of an Economics of Consciousness.” He appeared in the film “What the Bleep Do We Know?” and its sequel “Down the Rabbit Hole,” as well as the documentaries “Dalai Lama Renaissance” and “The Quantum Activist.”

Here is an interesting interview with Dr. Goswami by Iain McNay on Conscious TV titled “Consciousness, Quantum Physics and Being Human” :

Here is Dr. Goswami’s official website (you may have to copy and paste):

http://www.amitgoswami.org

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Thinking Allowed

Below is the link to the Thinking Allowed website and their YouTube video interviews with some truly engaging and brilliant individuals. I watch all of Dr. Jeffrey Mishlove’s interviews.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFk448YbGITLnzplK7jwNcw

Michael Talbot – was an author of several books, both fiction and non-fiction. His non-fiction books include “Mysticism and the New Physics,” “Beyond the Quantum,” and “The Holographic Universe.”  In “The Holographic Universe” he espouses a model of the universe and reality as being much like a hologram. He considers the possibility that paranormal phenomena as well as ESP and telepathy are products of this holographic model.

Here is an older Thinking Allowed interview with Michael Talbot by Dr. Jeffery Mishlove titled, “Synchronicity and The Holographic Universe.”  Talbot refers to David Bohm (see essay above) in Part 2 of the interview.

Part 1:

Part 2:

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New Thinking Allowed – a really great program!

Stafford Betty, PhD – Below is an interview (dated August 2015) by Jeffery Mishlove on the “New Thinking Allowed” program with Stafford Betty, PhD. philosopher and professor of religious studies at California State University in Bakersfield. He points out that the spiritualist vision, through spiritual mediums over the last 150 years, has been rigorously and extensively studied by scientists providing evidence of either extraordinary ESP or an afterlife. Professor Betty provides many common threads throughout this literature that offer a description of a realm of a human existence beyond physical life on Earth. Having watched this interview I purchased and read two of his books: “Heaven and Hell Unveiled – Updates From The World Of Spirit” and “The Afterlife Unveiled – What the Dead Are Telling Us About Their World.” I am familiar with the research Professor Betty’s works are derived from. The research was most ardently, rigorously, and scientifically conducted by Dr. Frederic W. H. Meyers, and many others, involved in the Society for Psychical Research more than 100 years ago. Their intentions were sincere and well-meaning. Unfortunately, the tremendous amount of evidence they were able to acquire was publicly rebuked (and to some degree still is) by ardent materialists within the scientific community. Thankfully, this evidential material is now being resurrected, analyzed and reviewed by persons, such as Dr. Betty, most interested in the spiritual understanding and evolution of humankind.

Link (copy and past may be required) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8042-M4NPw

Stafford Betty’s website: http://www.csub.edu/~sbetty/

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“Consciousness and the Brain” with Stuart Hameroff, M.D. – This interview with Stuart Hameroff, M.D., co-founder and director of the Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona is Part One of a six part series titled “Consciousness and the Brain.” Below I describe some basic scientific concepts, for the layman, that Mr. Hameroff refers to in Part Three “Quantum Consciousness” and Part Five “Consciousness in the Universe.

I shall mention here that I’ve studied, as layman, a number of scientific fields (physics, cosmology, cellular biology, neuroscience, some chemistry [unavoidable] and, some geography) not just as an intellectual exercise and because I feel that to be reasonably scientifically literate is important but, also because I am genuinely fascinated by the scientific inquiry, concepts and findings. Just prior to neuroscience, I studied cellular biology thinking it would be the least interesting of the sciences and finding it instead, to be the most fascinating of them all; in particular, but hardly limited to, microtubules, which Dr. Hameroff discusses quite a bit in his interview.

Part One – Possibilities Within Microtubules

I’ve described in layman’s language below some of the scientific concepts Dr. Hameroff refers to in some of his interviews. These are remarkable findings that anyone who is interested in metaphysical development should familiarize themselves with. Even though both he and Dr. Mishlove do a fine job of describing these concepts, their descriptions are necessarily quite brief.

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Stuart Hameroff: Part Three “Quantum Consciousness”

Schrodinger’s Cat

Named after the Austrian physicist Erwin Schrodinger (1887 -1961). Schrodinger’s Cat dealt with how large a system could be in two potential states at the same time (a quantum superposition) until an observer enters into the picture producing a collapse into a particular state. This is in reference to wave/particle duality which, at the quantum level, actually occurs. Wave particle duality suggests that a particle exists as both a wave (smeared-out potentialities) and a particle simultaneously until measured (“measured” meaning observed). There is a mirror angularly situated in the box with the cat, and a photon is shot into the box at the mirror. The photon, being a quantum particle, simultaneously exists as potentially both going through the 1/2 silver coated mirror, and reflecting off of the mirror; a quantum superposition, until observed in which case it does one or the other. If the particle reflects off the mirror it releases a poison. The cat would therefore be both dead and alive, until observed, its life hinging on the quantum superposition state of the photon.

Stuart Hameroff: “Energy radiation is quantized, comes in packets.” He’s referring to photons.

The Pauli Exclusion Principle: No two identical particles can occupy the same quantum state (two electrons in an orbital – one spin up and the other spin down gets past this). When an electron drops from a higher atomic orbital to a lower it emits a photon (releases energy) and when it jumps from lower to higher it absorbs energy – a photon.

Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle – one cannot know the position and velocity of a particle simultaneously. Think of very quickly passing your hand before your face – you see a smeared-out image over a range, not a specific hand at a particular location. Then do it again and suddenly stop the movement and you see exactly when and where your hand is along with other specified qualities. The smeared-out area can be thought of as a wave function and the stopping of the hand can be thought of as the wave collapse and, both cannot be known, or observed, simultaneously.

Quantum coherence is also referred to here as quantum condensation – multiple atomic particles acting as one.

As an aside, I reflect on the concept of consciousness coherence. Hypnosis is a form of consciousness coherence, as is groupthink. Same with telepathy and psychic healings. It can influence either consciously or subconsciously. Many organizations, social and commercial, utilize hypnotic electronic media abusing this state of mental connectedness turning people into followers or extreme consumers at the risk of human and planetary well-being for the sake of power and profit.

Gravitational lensing – light bending around a strong gravitational field due to the warpage of space-time around a massive object. Below is an entire spiral galaxy that actually is hidden out of sight behind the elliptical galaxy.  The gravitational warpage of space-time surrounding the huge elliptical galaxy (the ball of light) causes a spiral galaxy to appear smeared out around the elliptical galaxy (the biggest and oldest galaxies in the universe). Sometimes you can see several distorted images of the same galaxy surrounding a massive object such as a galaxy cluster.

320px-A_Horseshoe_Einstein_Ring_from_Hubble[1]

Images source: Wikipedia

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Stuart Hameroff: Part Five, Consciousness In The Universe,” states:

“There are 22 numbers, cosmological principles (or cosmological constants although how constant they are is still something of a question) that constitute the universe: mass of the electron, charge of the electron, the ratio of the electron to the mass of the proton and neutron, the cosmological parameter (sustainable rate) of the expansion of the universe, the dark energy and the dark matter factor, etc. The bottom line is if they were not exactly as they are then stars producing light, life and that life’s particular consciousness would not exist throughout the universe. The odds of these numbers being precisely what they are is statistically beyond comprehension.”

Here are a few examples:

Gravitational force constant:

If smaller – stars would be too cool due to not enough gravitational pressure in their cores to ignite nuclear fusion thus many of the elements needed for life chemistry would never form. Inside stellar cores elements from hydrogen on up to iron form, fuse (this fusion process is what is meant by stellar fuel burning; it’s not like wood in a fire). Other heavier elements are created, fused, outside stars during supernova explosions. Consider some small stars which are called brown dwarfs. Jupiter, being gaseous and not rocky like Earth, is sometimes thought to be a similar type star – too small for its gravitational force to ignite fusion in its core and too big to be categorized as a planet.

If larger – stars would be too hot burning up too rapidly and too unevenly in their cores atomic fusion reactions the result of extreme, destabilizing, gravitational pressure in their cores.

Expansion rate of the universe:

If larger, or faster – no galaxies would form.

If smaller, thus slower – the universe would gravitationally collapse back on itself even before stars formed.

Ratios

Ratio of electrons to protons – No life would exist in the universe if deviated by more than 1/10^37; or, 1 in 10 followed by 37 zeros – a very, very small amount. But, of course, there are a very, very large amount of protons (again, hydrogen) in the universe and how many electrons there are is a topic of debate – some theorize that they are all the same electron. Just think of your TV – the image you see on the screen is produced by but one electron zipping from top to bottom, left to right, at a very fast rate of speed. Though the concept is different – more like a singular electron wave form existing throughout the whole of the universe allowing it to be everywhere at once; entanglement or non-locality findings may thus apply here.

Ratio of electromagnetic force (radiant – as in photons emitted from the cores of stars the result of fusion reactions) to gravity (attracting) can deviate no more than 1/10^40 or stars would not be stable if able to form at all.

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Part Six – Spiritual Implications

Above is the sixth and final part of this series of interviews. To be able to well follow what these gentlemen are talking about I would advise a reader unfamiliar with basic quantum physics concepts to read the material above (starting at below the first of the Hameroff videos). If this is done, one can have enough information on the topic to understand profound scientific findings and their applications as referred to in such materials as those presented on this page of this site.

Proto Consciousness – consciousness present in the “primordial soup” universe prior to the presence of life; life being not merely physical mechanistic structures but also consciously created and experienced events that give rise to certain feelings (such as aesthetics). Adding to that, proto consciousness gave rise to life forms, such as individual humans, so that these feelings – that which is intuitively if not outright sensed as being good, as opposed to not good – could be further pursued and optimized; a key role in evolution.

According to Hameroff these conscious feelings are facilitated (not originated) by the brain’s neurons. More specifically he thinks conscious experience is facilitated by the microtubules within neurons by a collective quantum level of resonance, and not just within the brain but with “proto consciousness” itself. (It should be noted that microtubules are present in all other organic cells, not just neurons). Hameroff suggests that we think of an orchestra practicing, producing a variety of incoherent noises, before the actual performance of harmonious coherent sounds, thus music. But, a distinction here is being made about feeling good as in hedonist immediate gratifications and deeper, profounder feelings; those which are aligned, or resonant, with deeper values such as wisdom, morality, altruism, etc. In other words, those which resonate with proto consciousness. Hameroff, is a scientist who is comfortable with looking at neuroscience and seeing spiritual implications.

Quantum wave function and quantum collapse – together also known as wave-particle duality for, both the wave state of a particle and the particle state of a particle simultaneously exist – a quantum superposition. The wave function is the spread-out state (a state of potential positions) of matter until a collapse occurs in which a specific position, occurrence, or experience, according to and due to the participation of an observer is thus made manifest and identified. Electron, cloud-like, fuzzy, orbitals (not as depicted in the older solar system type images with electrons orbiting nucleons [protons and neutrons] in the nucleus) are the superposition of an election until its position is pinpointed by an observer at which time the electron collapses into a particle state. Sometimes an electron can be observed to be in two places at once and, at very great distances apart, and this is referred to as non-locality. In fact, as mentioned above [under Ratios], some hypothesize that all electrons throughout the universe are but one electron!

Hameroff (half jokingly) refers to himself as a pan-collapsist describing this wave-particle collapse (things and concomitant consciousnesses coming into being) going on all over the universe all at the same time – universal consciousness at work.

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Consciousness And The Brain” links to all six of the series (copy and past may be required) :

Part One “Probabilities With Microtubules” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBHss9g0pB0

Part Two “Consciousness and the Brain” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dlc-W9h7ew

Part Three “Quantum Consciousness” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dlc-W9h7ew

Part Four “The Orchestra Of The Brain” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHDfGAnDedw

Part Five “Consciousness In The Universe”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9V3Ht1jnCU

Part Six “Spiritual Implications” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPlBGdZLwTE

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To continue reading the next chapter (K) Dr. Rupert Sheldrake “Morphic Resonance” click on the menu above, or https://miraclesforall.com/k-rupert-sheldrake-morphic-resonance/