A (very) Brief History of Certainty – IIya Prigogine
The future is uncertain; this is true for the nature we describe and this is true on the level of our own existence. But this uncertainty is at the very heart of human creativity. Time becomes 'construction' and creativity a way to participate in this construction.
Time, Chaos and the Laws of Physics: A 1995 Dialogue – David Lorimer
One of the overall conclusions of a rich day was that we are not at the end of physics, but rather at the end of predictability and certainty, which means including novelty and creativity. And a science in which creativity and participation in the construction of the world are intrinsic is a science, which overcomes the widespread alienation associated with the traditional scientific outlook. In Prigogine's 'new rationality', probability will no longer be seen as ignorance or science as equivalent to certainty. Time is real and the future is open: we live not simply in an 'open society' but also in an open universe.
Evolution and the Transcendence of Mind – Theodore Roszak
Perhaps, then, with a bit of humility and a sense of humour, computer science can help us learn something about the mind's radically transcendent nature. After all, it is the human mind that invents artificial ones (as much for the fun as for the utility of it) and then has room left over to defy the logic or grow bored with their predictable correctness. That 'room' is the evolutionary margin of life still waiting to be explored. What computers can do represents so many routinised mental functions we can now delegate and slough off as we move forward to new ground. The machines are behind us, not ahead.
Life at the Edge of Science – Book Review
She begins with considerations on the role of anomalies in science, which she regards as crucial to promoting continuous scientific innovation and breakthroughs. Instead of a state of ‘balanced openness’ recommended by the author, the reactions of orthodox scientists to anomalies are frequently hostile and defensive. This in itself is less surprising when one considers the personal costs of stepping out of the mainstream and being branded as a heretic: loss of funding, difficulty in publishing, loss of reputation, obstacles to advancement, critical backlash and even loss of employment.
Gary Schwartz on the Science of the Afterlife
In this interview, Gary Schwartz, an adviser to the Galileo Commission, discusses the most recent evidence of the afterlife. He answers questions including: What are the most convincing arguments for the existence of the afterlife? What are the most gripping experiences he's had, inside or outside of the lab? What changes has he made after he's been convinced of the afterlife? Has he had any spiritual experiences himself?
Neuroscience, Responsibility and the Law – David Lorimer
A group of fifteen neuroscientists, philosophers and lawyers met under the auspices of the Network at Drynachan Lodge near Inverness in Scotland to discuss the issue of responsibility as understood by modern neuroscience on the one hand and our legal system on the other.
The Physics of Organisms and the Naturalistic Ethic of Organic Wholeness – Mae-Wan Ho
Participatory knowledge knows no bounds nor boundaries. There is no fragmentation into disciplines, no demarcation into secular versus sacred domains: it is at once sublime and practical. It is one, and integral to life. By living our life as parent, builder, gardener, labourer, artist, scientist, all, we participate in celebrating and creating reality.
The Issue Before Us: Reassessment of the Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Science – Willis Harman
The scientific and medical communities have given a rather unfriendly reception to research in psi phenomena, dissociative states, altered states of consciousness, extraordinary healings, and other areas related to consciousness in some of its non-normal forms. This has been mainly because the meaning and significance people tended to attach to these experiences seemed to clash so directly with prevailing assumptions about the nature of scientific reality. But perhaps it is our "official" concept of reality that is wrong.
Language, Energy & Consciousness: Can “Energy Talk” Enlighten Us About the Mind? – Christian de Quincey
One of the thorniest issues in "energy" and "consciousness" work is the tendency to confuse the two. Consciousness does not equal energy, yet the two are inseparable. Consciousness is the "witness" which experiences the flow of energy, but it is not the flow of energy. We might say consciousness is the felt interiority of energy/matter-but it is not energy.
Treating Mood Disorders with Psychedelics – A Talk by Paul Grof
The Professional Affiliate to the Galileo Commission Paul Grof discusses how to treat mood disorders with psychedelics. In this talk, Paul Grof describes the features that differentiate treatment with psychedelics from other psychotropic substances. He further elaborates how to achieve better treatment outcomes, how new observations help to better understand the processes leading to positive treatment outcomes and how variably they manifest.
The Nature of Reality – Lecture by Deepak Chopra
There are countless ways we make our intentions come true, and people are constantly looking for the right one. The promise of making our dreams come true remains baffling, however. Some people manifest their deepest dreams, wishes, and desires while countless others do not.
What Happens When You Die? – Penny Sartori on Near-Death Experiences
Penny Sartori is a British medical researcher in the field of near-death studies. She worked as an intensive care nurse for many years, during which time she cared for many patients who were close to death. In this interview, she tells how she began researching near-death experiences, motivated by experiences she had on the intensive care unit. She describes the fascinating findings of her research, which became known worldwide.
Edge of Physics – Compilation of Talks from the Society for Scientific Exploration Conferences
The Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE) continues the gradual release of its catalog of 2011-2017 SSE conference videos with the release of 19-video playlist on Youtube, entitled the "Edges of Physics". See talks by Daniel Sheehan, Bernard Haisch, Olga Dmitriyeva, and others showcasing a variety of approaches to studying these topics.
Dude, where’s my paradigm shift? – Jules Evans, 2019
I asked some of the leading figures in the field of transpersonal psychology and empirical spirituality. Has the long-awaited paradigm shift not happened because of weak evidence, or institutional and psychological resistance?
Does Consciousness Come from the Brain? – Mark Gober
In spite of this hard problem, there is a prevailing assumption in modern science which says consciousness comes from the brain. We don’t understand how, but that’s because the brain is complicated and one day we’ll figure it out (so the story goes). But what if the brain doesn’t produce consciousness at all?
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.
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.
Human Nature and the Limits of Science
This book’s blurb says that it is `a provocative, witty and persuasive corrective to scientism’ and this time the blurb is quite right. John Dupré’s main targets are the two doctrines now fashionably offered as ways to understand human nature – evolutionary psychology and rational-choice theory based on economics. He shows clearly how hopelessly unsuitable these two candidates are for the vacant position of Key to all the Mysteries.
Robert Hasse on The Science of Consciousness Conference’s Success
Our transcendent consciousness research showed significant scientific correlations between remembering near-death experiences (NDE) and spiritual contemplative experiences (SCE) a.k.a. mystical experiences.
What If Consciousness Comes First? – Rawlette, 2019
The key to resolving the hard problem of consciousness lies in the following observation. While physical properties cannot explain consciousness, consciousness is needed to explain physical properties.
Communication of the “Objective Reality” as Signal to the Senses – Mukhopadhyay, 2019
Consciousness cannot be articulated. In the unconditional state it is inexpressible. However, this Transcendental Reality could be naturalized internally by the human brain, which has been evolutionarily primed to do this. On the other side, externally, this has been a spontaneous happening in nature.
Poster presenting the Galileo Commission by the Chair David Lorimer
At the recently held conference The Science of Consciousness 2019 in Interlaken, Switzerland, the Chair of the Galileo Commission David Lorimer presented a poster in relation to the initiative.
The Philosopher Tim Freke Discusses Jordan Peterson, Carl Jung and the Soul
The philosopher Tim Freke talks about Jordan Peterson, Carl Jung and the Soul.
Essay of the Month: Andrew Lohrey’s ‘A New Paradigm’
Harold Walach, the author of the Report, has written an excellent exposition of the current distortions that have erased consciousness from mainstream science. I would respectfully suggest, however, that the paradigm of scientific materialism does not only erase consciousness, it also erases, ignores or forgets about language, meaning and mind.
GC Adviser Pim van Lommel on the Relationship Between Consciousness and the Body
After extensive NDE studies, the Dutch cardiologist Dr. Pim van Lommel believes that consciousness can also exist outside the body.