In “Quantum Consciousness: The Way to Reconcile Science and Spirituality,” Kingsley Dennis elegantly discusses what has proven to the most intractable issue in neuroscience: consciousness. Because fluctuations and altered states of consciousness are so often linked to the supernatural-religious, I have examined it in many posts, including Consciousness and the Supernatural, which provides a brief [...]
Entries Tagged as 'consciousness'
Is “Hinduism” Science Friendly?
July 8th, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Classifications of Religion, Definitions of Religion, Globalization and Religion, History of Religions, Power and Religion, Recent and New Religions
In yesterday’s post, I discussed Philip Goldberg’s contention that “Eastern religions” (i.e., Hinduism and Buddhism) are science friendly. To support his argument, Goldberg relies on a very specific — and Westernized — understanding of these traditions. Yesterday’s post was devoted to the Western construction and consumption of Buddhism; today’s post will cover the highly problematic [...]
Tags:consciousness·Constructions of Hinduism·David Lorenzen·eastern religions·Edward Said·energy·essentializing·Hindu·Hinduism·India·Indian nationalism·invention of Hinduism·official Hinduism·Philip Goldberg·Robert Frykenberg·social construction·South Asia·syncretism·Vedic·Western consumption·Who Invented Hinduism·Yoga
Deepak Chopra’s “Theory”: Consciousness as Godhead
June 26th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Cognition and Religion, Daily Devolutions, Definitions of Religion, Evolution and Selection, Recent and New Religions
Over at HuffPo Religion, Deepak Chopra opines on the non-existent “war between science and religion.” Religion is of course being investigated by scientists and examined by historians, but this does not make the interrogation a war. Religion is simply another object or category of positivist inquiry.
Chopra’s piece begins with some surprising concessions:
What is the war [...]
Tags:awareness·consciousness·cosmos·creativity·Darwin·Deepak Chopra·evolution·experiment·fact·facts·faith·Genesis·godhead·intelligence·matter·mind·mysticism·New Age·observation·origins·positivism·premises·religion·replication·science·self-regulation·theory·universe·war
Hospital Hallucinations — Consciousness and the Otherwordly
June 22nd, 2010 · No Comments · Cognition and Religion, Religion as Evolutionary Byproduct, Shamans and Shamanism
In a previous post, Consciousness and the Supernatural, I discussed at some length David Lewis-Williams’ contention that supernatural thinking arises naturally from fluctuations of consciousness. These fluctuations range from normal (dreaming) to periodic (reveries) to pathological (delusions). Deliberately induced — and dramatic — altered states of consciousness are of course a specialty of shamans around [...]
Tags:altered states of consciousness·consciousness·David Lewis-Williams·delirium·delusions·dreaming·elderly·hallucinations·hospital delirium·mystics·reveries·shamans·supernatural
Consciousness and The Supernatural
May 21st, 2010 · 1 Comment · Archaeology and Religion, Cognition and Religion, Evolution and Selection, Religion as Evolutionary Adaptation, Religion as Evolutionary Byproduct
A few months ago, the cognitive archaeologist David Lewis-Williams published Conceiving God: The Cognitive Origin and Evolution of Religion. When I saw the title, I worried that perhaps I had been scooped. Now that I have nearly finished the book, my worry has passed. Lewis-Williams’ title is a bit deceiving, given that the book combines [...]
Tags:A Mind So Rare: The Evolution of Human Consciousness·altered states of consciousness·cognition·consciousness·David Lewis-Williams·Francis Crick·Gerald Edelman·Merlin Donald·Richard Dawkins·Sam Harris·supernatural thinking·The Conscious Brain·Thomas Nagel·What Is It Like To Be a Bat?