Journal Articles
Recognising the Matrix of Consciousness – Stephan Schwartz
From the perspective that all consciousness is interconnected, and interdependent, wellbeing is the most desirable social outcome. Simply put, the function of the state should be to foster wellbeing from the individual, to the family, the community, and the earth itself, and all the creatures on it, because as I said, it is more productive, more efficient, easier to implement, nicer to live under, and much cheaper.
Countering degradation rituals in science – S. Thérèse & B. Martin
When the work and reputation of scientists suffer ritual degradation, a range of tactics can be deployed to resist and rework the psychological and social impacts. Five key resistance tactics to degradation in science are revealing degradation rituals, redeeming the reputation of the targeted scientist, reframing the degradation as unfair, redirecting attention to other domains, and refusing to cooperate with the rituals.
Preparing for advocacy, resisting attack – Brian Martin
When scientists engage in public advocacy, or indeed in any public comment on controversial issues, there is a risk they will come under attack...When coming under attack, it is important to document actions, seek advice and behave sensibly. The most powerful counter to attacks is mobilisation of support. It is important to support scientists who come under attack, as this protects scientific freedom for all.
Persistent bias on Wikipedia – Brian Martin
Systematically biased editing, persistently maintained, can occur on Wikipedia while nominally following guidelines. It is worthwhile becoming aware of persistent bias and developing ways to counter it in order for Wikipedia to move closer to its goal of providing accurate and balanced information.
Quantum gravity and taoist cosmology – Steven Rosen
Here, a detailed analysis of cosmogony is offered, first in terms of the theory of dimensional development and its Taoist (yin-yang) counterpart, then in terms of the evolution of the elemental force particles through cycles of expansion and contraction in a spiraling universe.
Inner Experience – Direct Access to Reality – Harald Walach
I propose such a complementarist dual aspect model of consciousness and brain, or mind and matter. This then also entails a different epistemology. For if consciousness is coprimary with matter, then we can also use a deeper exploration of consciousness as happens in contemplative practice to reach an understanding of the deep structure of the world, for instance in mathematical or theoretical intuition, and perhaps also in other areas such as in ethics. This would entail a kind of contemplative science that would also complement our current experiential mode that is exclusively directed to the outside aspect of our world. Such an epistemology might help us with various issues, such as good theoretical and other intuitions.
Books & Chapters
Deep Reality – Matzke & Tiller
The deep reality explored by this book combines these two ideas (QC + AI) in a conversational style between two world renowned PhD scientists. We propose that our quantum minds exist independently of and interact with our individual brains. We support this model by reviewing the research where people have directly interacted with other quantum and probabilistic systems.
Memory without a Trace – Chapter 1 from Crimes of Reason – Stephen Braude, 2014
One of the most persistent conceptual errors in philosophy, psychology, and neurophysiology is the attempt to explain memory by means of memory traces (sometimes called “engrams”). The underlying problems are very deep and difficult to dispel, and as a result, trace theories are quite seductive.
Our Fundamental Problem – Nicholas Maxwell
How our human world can exist and best flourish even though it is embedded in the physical universe.
Radical Provincialism in the Life Sciences – Chapter 2 from Crimes of Reason – Stephen Braude, 2014
However, my own assessment was that Sheldrake’s staunchest supporters and detractors were both wrong: Sheldrake’s view of formative causation was neither viable nor as radical as it seemed. But it wasn’t crazy either; in fact, Sheldrake’s proposal revealed considerable intelligence, insight, and originality. Nevertheless, it was seriously flawed, and to my surprise I found it to be flawed for the same reasons as the theories Sheldrake was concerned with rejecting.
The “Quantum Soul”: A Scientific Hypothesis – Hameroff & Chopra, 2012
Recent evidence for significant quantum coherence in warm biological systems, scale-free dynamics and end-of-life brain activity support the notion of a quantum basis for consciousness which could conceivably exist independent of biology in various scalar planes in spacetime geometry. Sir Roger Penrose does not necessarily endorse such proposals which relate to his ideas in physics. Based on Orch OR, we offer a scientific hypothesis for a 'quantum soul'.
The Collective Dynamics of Contemplative Practice – Bache, 2011
If my students could share one message with teachers of contemplative studies, I think it would be this. If you are an educator who is doing a form of spiritual practice that has the capacity to activate deep levels of the unconscious, especially at the level of the collective psyche, you can expect to stimulate sympathetic resonances with at least some of your students.
Book Reviews
Beyond Matter: Why Science Needs Metaphysics
Here is Roger Trigg at his most incisive and succinct as he returns to his examination of where the limits of the modern scientific enterprise might legitimately lie. He makes a clear and persuasive case for the validity of explanations in metaphysics, ethics, and theology, against both the reductive stance we have inherited (through various permutations) from positivism and the abnegation of universal truth claims of post-modernism.
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon – Book Review
Atheists used to believe that with the spread of secular education, religion would fade away and science reign supreme. But this has not happened. Breaking the Spell is part of a wave of new books by militant atheists who feel threatened by the power of religion.
Bridging Science and Spirit
We arrive at a conclusion that science is a path to self-knowledge and that ‘Science and Spirit are a necessary unity.’ At the time of writing, people are coming together to meditate whereby we create a field ‘raising the symmetry of space’ and creating an atmosphere that is coherent and palpable in sacred places. In the case of advanced saints and sages like Padre Pio, this may even result in the physical body becoming incorruptible, somehow transforming the very matter normally subject to entropic decay. All this gives pause for thought, while the book as a whole points way beyond our current conceptual limits.
Consciousness, Ghandi and Yoga ; Ageless Mind and Timeless Ideas ; Cultivating Consciousness
In elucidating these topics, Rao has exhibited a commendable intellectual courage in the face of academic pressure to dismiss or ignore parapsychology. He identifies the limitations of scientific materialism with respect to both parapsychology and spirituality.
Cosmosapiens
10 years in the making, this tour de force is a critical examination of scientific theories and evidence - systematic observation or experiment - about the origin and evolution of matter, life, consciousness and humankind. As such, it could scarcely be more ambitious, but the result is a triumph of detailed conceptual analysis covering the fields of fundamental cosmology, physics, biology and the evolution of philosophical and religious ideas.
Does It Matter? The Unsustainable World of the Materialists
It is still the reigning paradigm in science that consciousness can be reduced to the operations of the brain. Graham Martin sets out a powerful case against this dogma: one wishes that most of the contributors to the Journal of Consciousness Studies could be made to read it.
Essays
Can we Crack the Mind-Body Problem? Part II – Emmanuel Ransford
In this Part Two of what is now a four-part article, the main focus is on quantum entanglement – a strange feature of which we have only the wispiest grasp. It will be argued that nature flatly needs it, on grounds of consistency. The notion of holomatter will also be introduced. It will be shown that this “super-matter” sheds new light on the quantum world, one that makes it less… befuddling. When I felt it was necessary, I took the liberty to coin a few words. Their definitions are given in the Appendix 2A. Also, many footnotes are added to the text. Nearly all of them can be ignored with no adverse effect on the global comprehension.
Consciousness cannot have evolved – Bernardo Kastrup
Sounds crazy? The main thing to see is that the field of consciousness studies is in deep trouble and Kastrup’s is actually one of the more plausible suggestions.
Consciousness, This New Principle – Introduction, Abstract and ToC – Lorna Green
Featuring the work of one of our professional affiliates, Lorna Green, on the topic of consciousness. Here you will find an abstract and introduction to her work.
Consciousness, This New Principle – Part I – Lorna Green
Featuring the work of one of our professional affiliates, Lorna Green, on the topic of consciousness. Here you will find part I of her collected works.
Consciousness, This New Principle – Part II – Lorna Green
Featuring the work of one of our professional affiliates, Lorna Green, on the topic of consciousness. Here you will find part II of her collected works.
Consciousness, This New Principle – Part III – Lorna Green
Featuring the work of one of our professional affiliates, Lorna Green, on the topic of consciousness. Here you will find part III of her collected works.
Quotes
– Erwin Schrödinger
– Prof David Bohm
– Albert Einstein
Other Materials
