Expanding the Scope of Science
ORIGINS
David Lorimer introduces the Galileo Commission Report
REMIT
The Galileo Commission was founded in 2017 with a view to expanding the worldview of science beyond its limiting materialistic assumptions, which are seldom explicitly examined. A central and widely held assumption is that the brain generates consciousness and is therefore extinguished at death.
Following widespread consultation in 2018 with 90 advisers representing 30 universities worldwide, we have published the Galileo Commission Report, written by Prof Dr Harald Walach and entitled Beyond a Materialist Worldview – Towards an Expanded Science. The report has been widely endorsed as a groundbreaking document, so we encourage you to support our movement by joining the Galileo Commission either as a Professional Affiliate or a Friend. There is also a Summary Report and a Layman’s Report, and a brief summary of the argument is available in a number of languages. We encourage you to read and support Dr Athena Potari’s Call for a Renaissance of the Spirit in the Humanities and to read our edited book Spiritual Awakenings, which documents the transformative experiences of 57 scientists and academics.
A Call for a Renaissance of the Spirit in the Humanities
The “Call for a Renaissance of the Spirit in the Humanities”, written by Dr Athena D. Potari, is a pioneering project aiming to raise awareness regarding how the prevailing paradigm of materialism affects the ways in which knowledge is approached within the context of the Humanities. In line with the Galileo Report, which discusses the importance of liberating the positive sciences from the limitations of the paradigm of scientific materialism, this Call aims at making the case for the Humanities as well. The Call explores how recent developments in scientific studies on consciousness, and the ensuing understanding that consciousness is primary and unified, can inform our understanding of what it means to be “human” with correspondingly appropriate epistemologies, as well as how we approach key areas of human activity, including ethics, politics and the environment.What people say…
Featured book
Featured podcast
Spiritual Awakenings – Marjorie Wollacott & David Lorimer (Eds)
Scholars share the experience of their own spiritual awakening and journey, including encountering challenges to their credibility in academia, if they shared these experiences. Their comments about transformation in values, beliefs, and approaches toward life are very moving, expressing a deep inner wisdom and connection, not only with humanity, but with the earth and cosmos.
Recent News
Bernard Carr – Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview
Bernard Carr is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Queen Mary University of London. His professional area of research is cosmology and astrophysics and includes such topics as the early universe, black holes, dark matter, and the anthropic principle. He is the author of around 300 papers and the books Universe or Multiverse? and Quantum Black Holes. He is also very interested in the role of consciousness as a fundamental rather than incidental feature of the Universe. In particular, he is developing a new psychophysical paradigm linking matter and mind which accommodates normal, paranormal, and mystical experiences. He also has a long-standing interest in the relationship between science and religion, especially Buddhism, having been the coholder of a grant from the Templeton Foundation for a project entitled “Fundamental Physics, Cosmology and the Problem of our Existence". He is President of The Scientific and Medical Network and a former President of the Society for Psychical Research.
Max Velmans on “Only Connect. A Personal Journey into Consciousness”
This talk, given at Totnes Consciousness Cafe on 1st July, 2022, describes some of the major transitions in Max Velmans' own journey into a deeper understanding of consciousness. This included potent extraordinary experiences as well as ordinary experiences along with an in-depth scientific and philosophical study of consciousness for over 50 years. From this he developed Reflexive Monism, an integrative Western understanding of human consciousness as being one manifestation of a conscious, self-observing universe -- an understanding that converges closely with the non-dual Integral Vedanta of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, and Aurobindo. In this talk he describes one early formative mystical experience along with some of the major intellectual steps that guided his way.
SXSW Panel Discussion: Is There Life After Death? Featuring Jim Tucker, MD and Kim Penberthy, PhD
Our relationship with death and dying is evolving and along with it, our ever expanding exploration into the nature of human consciousness. The research being conducted at UVA DOPS addresses the question of whether or not some form of human consciousness can survive bodily death.
Scientism and the Integrity of the Humanities – Austin L. Hughes
More to the point, the erroneous claim of scientism is not that science is useful in the humanities, but that science can replace the humanities. It is the latter claim that needs to be resisted if we are to maintain the integrity both of the humanistic and the scientific elements of our Western intellectual heritage.
Webinar 31 July 2022: Consciousness and Cosmology
A talk about Consciousness and how the new Life/Intelligence Symmetry theory discussed in previous talks provides the key to convincing solving both the so called Easy and Hard problems of Consciousness.
Consciousness & Non-locality Workshop – J. Mossbridge, J. Mishlove, S. Schwartz, D. Radin
Consciousness & Non-Locality - Julia Mossbridge, University of San Diego, IONS, TILT, Jeffrey Mishlove, New Thinking Allowed; Insight Associates (R), Stephan A. Schwartz, Saybrook University (R), Dean Radin, Institute of Noetic Science -IONS (R)
