As Stanislav Grof writes in his essay, "East and West: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science", science is currently trying to explain such things as human intelligence, creativity, art, religion, ethics and science itself, as products of material processes in the brain. Those assumptions are metaphysical, he states, and cannot be proven by current scientific methods.
Matter - What is it Really?
Grof interprets Frit Capra’s book, The Tao of Physics and The Turning Point, as an argument that the developments in 20th century physics have questioned and transcended science, applying the Newtonian principles of motion and gravity. It has been found that the fundamental building blocks of the universe – atoms – are essentially energy, and that within the atoms (electrons, protons, neutrons and nucleus), there are hundreds of subatomic particles, which in and of themselves are essentially empty space. This is the theory of quantum mechanics, developed by physicist David Bohm, a supporter of the theory of relativity.
The Universe - Two Theories
Grof points out that physicist James Jean indicates the universe looks less like a machine and more like a thought system. According to Grof, modern physicists believe that the mind, intelligence and possibly, consciousnesses are integral parts of existence rather than mere components of matter. He also points out that the conceptual debate between mechanical science and modern revolutionary developments resemble the ancient debate amongst the two schools of Greek philosophy – the Ionic school, which basically concentrates on the makeup of the world and its substances - and the Platonic school, which concentrates on form, pattern and order. Modern science seems to have become more Platonic than Ionic.
Four Levels & Seven Stages of the Universe
Grof points out the theory of process, formulated by scientist Arthur Young. The theory organizes information using geometry, quantum theory, relativity, chemistry, biology, history, psychology and mythology. The result is one complete universal viewpoint. According to Young's model, the universe has four levels defined by degrees of freedom and of restraint. He also identifies seven consecutive stages: light, nuclear particles, atoms, molecules, plants, animals and humans; all of which are part of a pattern that repeats itself over and over. Young seems to have bridged the gap between science, mythology and philosophy.
Extra-sensory Perception
Grof indicates that under the influence of powerful psychedelic ("mind-alternating") drugs, a person can see beyond his or her own personal experiences and perceptions of the world. One can experience with all the sensory qualities at one moment and one location. Memories of the past are vivid, the present is subdued by the past and the future is not even perceived.
These experiences transcend the personal to the lives of other people, to animals, plants and even non-living materials. All at once, a person can perceive the universe as a whole. This raises the suggestion of extra-sensory perception – telepathy (communicating by none of the five senses), clairvoyance (perceiving things, events in the future or beyond the normal senses), psychic healing and psychokinesis (using the mind to manipulate conditions and objects).
This does not seem far from the notion of psychic powers employed by certain people in science fiction stories like Dune, Star Trek and Star Wars. Maybe Frank Herbert, Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas were assuming that extra-sensory perception could be as real as the science and technology in those stories.
Grof, Stanislav. East and West: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science. State University of New York Press. 1984. Pages 12, 14-15, 18-19, 21-23.
Daniel Cunningham - Daniel Cunningham graduated from Hudson Valley Community College in 2006 with an Associate in Arts degree in Individual Studies. His ...
