Transformative Science
Can anyone make the world a better place? Many now doubt this. Confronted with the tide of violence which seems to be enveloping the world, the man in the street will maintain: ‘You can’t change human nature’. Such views belong to a certain pervasive cynicism arising out of the world-view known as ‘scientism’. This is the belief that takes a particular (temporary) state of science as revealed truth of the unchanging nature of ‘how things are’. This book offers a persuasive challenge to such views, and an inspiring hope that change might be possible even of what might be thought to be basic aspects human nature. Science is always changing, however, and Pearce’s challenge begins with some recent scientific findings concerning the human brain. In simple terms, the established view is of the brain having three main compartments, which develop in the order that they were evolved: the ‘reptilian’ brain stem which only allows the simplest reflex actions of fight or flight, the old mammalian limbic system serving relationships and more complex emotions, and the neo-cortex serving language and thinking. What is new is the assignment of functions for the prefrontal cortex, which previously was known as ‘the silent area’. This has much to do with higher functions such as love. Thus it undergoes its first spurt of growth at the toddler stage, when its development can be greatly enhanced by the child’s experience of breast-feeding, contact, and general nurturing. When these are lacking, this area remains infantile (indeed in brain-scans of people abused as children this area may even show serious defects) and the child is likely to grow up with a poor self-image and hostile approach to the world. A particular point of interest is that this area undergoes a late second spurt of growth between ages fifteen and twenty-one. What is the function of this? Pearce draws on some recent authors to assert that this late development has the potentiality for spiritual growth. But it is a potentiality which, in our current society, is only rarely realised.

Another strand in his thesis concerns recent discoveries on the relationship of heart and brain. Not only does the heart have much more nervous tissue than would seem necessary, but there is now solid evidence that it makes a strong contribution to our emotional life, so fulfilling in reality a role which had been thought merely metaphorical. One could be justified in considering the heart as having a brain of its own, of equal importance to each of the compartments of the cerebral brain.

Here I want to mention another book which is highly relevant. Among a series of books reporting meetings of groups of scientists with the Dalai Lama, this one is entitled Destructive Emotions. How can we overcome them? (narrated by Daniel Goleman, Bantam Books, New York, 2003). Among the presentations is one by Richard Davidson on the neurobiology of emotion. A critical finding here is of an area in the left pre-frontal cortex which becomes active during positive emotions, and one matching it in the right pre-frontal cortex which is active during negative emotions. He details an experiment in which brain scans were done with a monk having much experience in meditation. Notably, during each of several different types of meditation, his left prefrontal area became extremely active. Even trainee meditators were beginning to show increases in such activity. Much emphasis is given to the newly-recognised plasticity of the brain. It can generate new brain cells even in adult life, as it does, for example, during a period of learning a difficult task, such as playing a violin. On the basis of these findings, Joseph Chilton Pearce insists that we are all ‘hard-wired for transcendence’. If so, why do we remain mired in crises of violence among people and between people and the planet? Here he brings a powerful case against the dead hand of culture. As a specialist in child development, he observes the emotionally stultifying effect of so many of the practices which have become ‘normal’ in our civilisation. Emotional deprivation begins in early childhood with bottle-feeding, and insufficiency of contact and nurturing. Indeed there is evidence from the brains of infants that the maximum of synaptic expression of the pre-frontal areas reached by the end of the first year very often goes into reverse. This ‘pruning’ of a higher part of the brain seems to be brought about by the emotional shaming experience the toddler often undergoes, and impairs development of the foundations on which spiritual growth can be built. The negative effect of this is compounded by an accompanying increase of links with the ancient defense and survival system in the reptilian brain. Fight and flight reflexes then jump into action uncontrolled by more mature considerations, and so support a society in which war is an accepted option.

But another way of being is possible. Pearce writes of what he calls ‘unconflicted’ states of mind. This has been experienced not only by great spiritual teachers, but by thousands of otherwise ordinary people during periods (usually short) when some indescribable understanding beyond the reasoning mind descends upon them. He reveals some of his own remarkable experiences. He then draws a parallel with the experiences of creative scientists and artists (he cites many examples) who find the answer they are seeking suddenly arrive, as if from elsewhere. Unconflicted mind then leads to unconflicted behaviour.

According to accounts of certain anthropologists, there were (do they still exist?) tribes in which violence was unknown. Among them child-rearing was exemplary, and the children were thus not rebellious, and never needed harsh discipline. And even in some of the more complex cultures of our European past, for example the Minoans, there seems to have been no evidence of weapons or warfare.

I have given much space to the scientific aspect because, in this secular age, that is what is what might be most persuasive. But the spiritual aspect of his message is as much or more valuable. He first notes how religion plays a major part in the enculturing process, and emphasises the damage brought about by authoritarian religions. One is led to see how the doctrine of original sin acts to maintain the original shame which stems from experiences in infancy. And he is quite devastating when he comes to what Christianity has done to Jesus’ message. Indeed he looks on Jesus as ‘the great model’ of how life could be lived. But Jesus is not some otherworldly being beyond the reach of mortals. He needs to be ‘brought down from cloud nine’. To imitate the great model, we would do well to heed some of the many teachers and authors from recent times whom he quotes with great effect.

I find myself unable to match the unerring accuracy and trenchant power of his words. This book must be read by anyone wanting a better future for the world. The bottom line is that change is possible. We are not doomed to an endless cycle of hate and hurt. Not only do we have the examples of the great teachers of human history, but we have transcendence itself as our biological imperative, a state we have been moving towards for millennia. Will further millennia be necessary? Perhaps not: as Ilya Prigogine discovered, it is when a state of maximum chaos has been reached that a system can emerge into a higher state of order. Perhaps we are reaching that state.
Dr. Roger Taylor is a former immunologist with an interest in paraphysics. This review first appeared in Caduceus Magazine