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Currently the blog contains 127 entries.
Conservation of Consciousness?
Conservation is an important principle in physics. Energy that comprises everything that exists is conserved. It cannot be destroyed but can only be converted from one type of energy into another. This principle of conservation extends to momentum and electrical charge, which are also conserved.
Some modern theories of consciousness suggest that consciousness itself is a fundamental property of the universe measured within or coded into a fundamental spacetime that can also be viewed as being the quantum vacuum, in which the particles or waves that comprise energy are seen as distortions or excitations of that vacuum. The possible proximity or likeness of subjective consciousness to these fundamentals might raise the question as to whether it is also conserved.
Animation of evolution - art meets science
A superb animation, mindboggingly brilliant in fact, illustrating evolution and the arrow of time. Art meeting science in the most creative way.
Nature quote
“Nature is one of those words – like ‘crowds’ and ‘traffic’ – that we use to distinguish ourselves from a group of which we are unarguably a member.” Michael Bywater
THE ROOTS OF COINCIDENCE - ARTHUR KOESTLER, HUTCHINSON & CO 1972.
I have finally got around to reading Arthur Koestler's seminal book which deals with the early days of experimental research in psychokinesis, telepathy, parapsychology and the emergence of quantum physics as a new basis for understanding the reality of the universe, described by Sir James Jeans in his Rede Lectures:
Breaking the Galilean spell
I am reading ‘Reinventing the Sacred’ by Stuart Kauffman. Prof Kauffman writes about 'breaking the Galilean spell' - a radical break from reductionism. Everything that happens in nature cannot be described by natural laws. For example, no natural law could explain the evolution of biosphere. Natural laws are not violated, but science alone cannot predict the outcome of evolutionary processes. A second explanatory principle is essential to make sense of evolution. This is the Creativity inherent in nature. Kauffman goes onto explain how this natural Creativity could be viewed as God sans the historical baggage.
A Space Odyssey of the Mind
On the BBC website today there is a story about a 520 day experiment, starting this week, that will mimick a journey to Mars.
Varieties of Religious Experience
From the earliest times humans have reported extraordinary experiences. They’ve sometimes been referred to as mystical, religious, non-ordinary or sacred. They’ve sometimes been sought, by means of fasting, chanting, dancing, drumming, meditating or the ingestion of psychedelic substances, and they’ve sometimes occured spontaneously. They’ve often been described as ecstatic, sometimes as hellish, but nearly always as deeply engaging. They’ve often changed the directions of lives, sometimes for the better and sometimes not.
AGORA: An Allegory for Consciousness Studies?
The recently released film, Agora, shows the last gasps of ancient religion and philosophy in 4th century AD Alexandria, where a fanatical form of Christinianty is in the process of taking over all political and intellectual authority. The main character is the historical figure of Hypatia, the only female astronomer and mathematician known from the ancient world, who is murdered by the Christian mob, because of their suspicion of her science.
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