Since reading Richard's recent posts re Habermas, I've been thinking about possible frameworks for an intersubjective dialogue between science and spirituality, hopefully one grounded in, following Debashish's suggestion, "an affective collective space of community." ...   more »

It is this mentally incomprehensible co-existence of Unity and Infinity in the Truth that it is critical to meditate on. It results in a great diversity of conclusions, not least of all the very possibility of this relational evolutionary universe and the unending self-discovery of Being. ...    more »

I have been browsing with interest the posts flying at supersonic speed on this list without being able to take much part due to a very pressured present schedule. However, on the subject of intersubjectivity and the collective yoga, I would like to add a few words for now (and maybe elaborate later, when time permits). ...   more »

Hi Ron: Thanks for this very interesting stuff. I'd like to comment on three points, in the light of recent scientific developments: 1. When did consciousness begin? There are still a few behaviorist holdouts who refuse to talk about consciousness at all. Aside from this, there are some fairly hardline materialists who grudgingly admit "consciousness" (as no more than a brain state, of course) but deny it to infants and all animals. It gets interesting when you get to animals. ...    more »

Re your suggestion that we identify the metaphysical positions of our postings, here's my attempt with the researchers I mentioned in my previous posting: Jefferey Satinover, and Stuart Hameroff & Sir Roger Penrose. ...   more »

I'm sending this letter as part of my ongoing attempt to refine the presentation in our book on the questionable assumptions underlying the materialistic understanding of the mainstream view of evolution. (By the way, this is also an indirect answer to the questions raised by Rich and Alok - here is a practical question - what should I write - and my goal in initiating a dialogue with members of this forum is to find support in refining my (inner) intuitive understanding).    more »

... We do try in earlier portions of the book to lay out the metaphysical foundations for what we're presenting. The book has evolved (!) from a somewhat academic style to a more experiential style, so we generally avoid too much purely scholarly discussion (I was originally planning to have a whole chapter laying out some 6 or 7 different theories of consciousness, from physicalism to pan-experientialism; mercifully, that idea was laid aside long ago). We do point out in the chapter from which the evolution excerpt was taken that the data of science fit equally with materialist, dualist and idealist views. Early in the course of working on this book, I came across a very interesting book by neuroscientist Donald Hoffman from California Institute of Technology in which he elaborates Matthijs' point about the illusions of our sense perception in some detail, and explains why idealism and dualism are as good (and in many respects better) explanations for the data of science than physicalism (otherwise known as materialism or "the view from nowhere"). ...   more »

... 1. The events of the world as in the individual are symbolic of a deeper rtruth that is trying to manifest or is being obstructed (though in the last analysis both help in the working but that would be a dangerous stance to begin with). To understand the symbolic truth or the play and balance of forces that are at work one needs first of al to get rid of nervous and emotional reaction as well as of the surface reason that is incapable of knowing. This itself would mean a considerable inner advancement following the path of yoga. Till that is available it is better to suspend our judgement and learn to dive deep to get the soul vision of things. Such a vision is possible and accessible and it forms in fact one of the basis of yogic efforts. ...   more »