Post and Pre-Materialist Science
Consciousness: A Preview
What is the origin of Consciousness? A question that modern-day science seeks to answer about Consciousness. Material scientists generally tend to consider Consciousness as a product of the brain. On the contrary, spiritual scientists believe the brain as a receiver of Consciousness. If it is not an offshoot of the brain, then, indeed, physical bodies are not required for its continued existence, and so, awareness can exist outside human bodies.
These questions are pertinent to an understanding of the true nature of our reality. The question regarding Consciousness and its relationship with physical bodies become more relevant in the context of quantum physics becoming more popular.
Max Planck, the originator of quantum theory, had made a very relevant statement regarding the importance of Consciousness. “I regard Consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from Consciousness. We cannot get behind Consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates Consciousness.” Again, Eugene Wigner, a theoretical physicist and mathematician stated that it is not possible to “formulate the laws of quantum mechanics in a fully consistent way without reference to consciousness.”
Dr Robert Lanza, a respected scientist of regenerative medicine and scientific director of Advanced Cell Technology Company, developed the theory of biocentrism due to his interest in quantum mechanics and astrophysics. His biocentrism theory considers life and Consciousness as central to the understanding of the nature of our reality. He infers that Consciousness did exist before the creation of the material universe. His book on ‘How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding ‘The True Nature of the Universe’ makes a compelling reading in this context.
His theory alludes to the fact that Consciousness does not die with the physical bodies, but rather journeys on. His view contradicts the concept of material scientists who consider Consciousness as a product of the brain. It is a different entity altogether, and modern science has to grapple with it to understand its nature or what it might be?
Consciousness and the Material World
What is the connection between factors associated with Consciousness and the physical material world? Believably, there is a connection somehow between them and, an opinion in recent times suggests that the observer creates the reality. Physicists more and more seem to admit that Consciousness does play a fundamental role in the creation of matter.
Credence to this comes from what Prof. H. C. Henry, Professor of Physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, wrote in his article in nature: “According to pioneering physicist sir. James Jeans: the stream of knowledge is heading towards a non-mechanical reality; the Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter…we ought to rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.… The Universe is immaterial – mental and spiritual. Live, and enjoy. (Nature, 436: 29, 2005).
Reality of Consciousness
Mainstream scientists and psychologists suggest that the body/brain generates Consciousness. If this is accepted then, Consciousness should cease to exist when the body becomes lifeless. But if Consciousness generates matter, then, Consciousness would not cease to exist with the death of the physical body. It is something like, the radio or the TV that we view does not produce the programs or satellite signals that they project audio-visually. Hence, the destruction of the radio or TV would not bring about the end of the program or the signals. Commissioning of another radio or TV would start projecting the same program again. The program/signal would continue to exist, but the radio/TV might keep changing. The bodies as vehicles might keep changing, but the same Consciousness continues to exist. It is an irony that mainstream scientists continue to hold on to the hypothesis that the brain creates Consciousness despite the wealth of evidence pointing to the contrary. This contrary fact is that – the brain and even the entire physical reality for that matter – is a product of Consciousness.
Lanza’s contentions seem to suggest the idea that we could be living in a holographic-type of Universe. This idea is not a far-fetched one because, if the observer is required for physical matter to manifest then, the observer must exist before the physical body.
The scientific worldview of modern atheistic scientists seems to subscribe to the assumptions related to classical physics or material science. One such assumption is ‘Materialism’ – the idea that matter alone is the reality. Another assumption is ‘Reductionism’, the notion that complex things are understandable by a reductionist approach of reducing them to the interaction of their parts or by breaking them down to simpler or more fundamental things such as tiny particles.
Worth Pondering: See the Light
While discussing about brain and Consciousness, an example worth considering is the neurochemical processes happening in the brain during a subjective experience or thought. Mainstream science would want us to believe that the neurochemical processes produce the experience or thought. But there is no proof that the neurochemical processes are creating the experience. For that matter, the most plausible understanding would be of the experience or thought itself generating the neurochemical processes. Now, the question would be who is experiencing or who is generating a thought? In all probability, Consciousness is experiencing or generating the thought. In turn, neurochemical processes occur as consequent activities of the brain for exteriorization. This set of events is the most rational answer.
Be Purposeful: Shed Dogmatism
From where does Consciousness arise and how Consciousness causes matter to materialize are the two additional puzzles to be solved. Only spiritual science can explain these puzzles.
With the understanding of the existence of Consciousness independent of the brain, it is time to shift the boundaries of our knowledge field and question all those false notions that we have been made to believe.
What would be the implications of accepting the theory of the existence of Consciousness independent of the brain and matter? One of the implications and, one that would give validity to the theory, is the belief of spiritual scientists of life after death. There is quite a bit of research in this field involving spiritualists, scientists and medical fraternity and compelling evidence are forthcoming for life after death and reincarnation per se. If the mainstream scientific community comes to accept life after death, there would be tremendous impact not only on our understanding of science but also on fields like philosophy, psychology, and spiritualism and even, many other areas of our lives.
Let us see what Dr Gary Schwartz, Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, and surgery at the University of Arizona has to say regarding whether Consciousness is the product of the brain or receiver of it. The following is only a quoting from a subject full of peer-reviewed scientific research that not many people have the time to go through.
“Some materialistically inclined scientists and philosophers refuse to acknowledge these phenomena because they are not consistent with their exclusive conception of the world. Rejection of post-materialist investigation of nature or refusal to publish strong science findings supporting a post-materialist framework is antithetical to the true spirit of scientific inquiry. It means empirical data need to be dealt with adequately. Data that do not fit the favoured theories and beliefs of material science cannot be dismissed as a priori. Such dismissal is the realm of ideology, not science.”
