Tackle the dogma & rise above it

"At the heart of science is an essential tension between two seemingly contradictory attitudes—an openness to new ideas, no matter how bizarre or counter-intuitive they may be, and the most ruthless skeptical scrutiny of all ideas, old and new."

~Carl Sagan (1987)

Professor David Meyers (Hope College, Michigan, USA) invites us to reflect on the basis for our faith or skepticism in extra-sensory perception (ESP).  His research notes that five key British universities have parapsychology units staffed by Ph.D. grads of Edinburgh University’s parapsychology program (Turpin, 2005). Sweden’s Lund University, the Netherlands’ Utrecht University, and Australia’s University of Adelaide are other examples which have added faculty chairs or research units for parapsychology (covering areas of telepathy, clairvoyance and pre-cognition).

However, Meyers also notes widespread research psychologists and scientists, including 96% of the scientists in the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, are very skeptical (McConnell, 1991).  Traditional authority groups and organisations tend to resist change because it threatens their power and control, and sense of grounding. 

If ESP is to gain more widespread credibility, we would need to overturn the scientific belief that human minds are grounded in and shaped by the physical world.  Do you perceive your own world based only on physical sensations? Or, do you sense something else?, something deeper?  Preconceptions can be proven invalid.

Consider dreams. Do you think your own predict your future or, maybe keep you tied to the past? Perhaps they only seem to guide you because you believe they do?  You may recall or reconstruct dreams that explain why events have already unfolded.  Some people assume events only seem to happen by chance.  Do human beings only refer to serendipity because their minds are naturally in search of causes?  Tackle the dogma instilled in your mind.  Find ways to transcend it so as to penetrate truth.

Comments

[Jenny]

Hi Liara! Interesting post w/ lots to consider. I'm wading through this stuff right now in my own fashion although I imagine it's a journey that can't really be hurried.

[Brian]

Hi Liara,

I think your point is made extraordinarily well... The perceived conflict between the nature of my scientific training and my openness to alternative ways of conceptualizing the nature of the world is sometimes brought to my attention. Yet, somehow, I don't feel much dissonance...

I suppose I conceptualize science as the accumulated sum of knowledge from a certain "objective" (agreed upon) point of view from the perspective of an intellectually indoctrinated(!) elite. I have a lot of respect for this knowledge base, but I also respect the fact that it is extremely likely that the amount of Truth unreflected in this knowledge dwarfs that which is generally recognized...

[Liara Covert]

Hi Jenny. Glad your inner journey continues. We all move along at our own pace. If you sensed nothing more to learn, perhaps you wouldn't be here anymore?

Brian, your views are much appreciated. As for me, I've worked with scientists and non-scientists, from psychopharmacology to traditional and new-age medicine, to more tech areas like space science engineers. Life has taught me some people will always agree to disagree. Positions are based on principle, values, power dynamics and ultimately, individual conditioning often related to fear of the unknown.

[AngelBaby]

Great post! I do believe that we can creat our future by what we think. Our thoughts have great power so we need to keep them as positive as we can.

I have something for you at my site.

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

[Liara Covert]

Hi AngelBaby,
Its great to realize that we exert control over our thoughts and we can shape our attitude in positive directions. Thanks for referring me to your site. I will look forward to exploring more of your site. May angels guide, reassure and protect you on your path.