‘We imagine physics is objective. But quantum physics found the act of human observation changes the outcome of experiment. Many scientists assume this central role of the observer is limited to just quantum physics. But is this an error? As Heisenberg puts it, “what we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning.” In all our studies of reality and nature then, the observer plays a role — not just in quantum physics. Should we recognise science can never access reality independent of the observer? Should we re-define science not as uncovering objective reality, but as uncovering the functions, limitations and structures of the mind of the observer themselves? And if we cannot remove the observer, might quantum physics help us to understand the observer – as Roger Penrose suggests consciousness “reeks of something quantum mechanical.”
Category: Philosophy
Links to philosophy resources.
The beautiful joke of non-duality (We are One but we are not the same) – Jeff Foster
Jeff Foster talks about the paradox of nonduality, of an oceanic presence appearing as seemingly ‘individual’ or ‘separate’ waves, and shares a little of his own past. Jeff’s website is http://www.lifewithoutacentre.com
“Healing, in the deepest sense, is not a destination or a future goal, but a present-moment welcoming of all the guests of Awareness. Sadness, anger, fear, joy, doubt, loneliness, heartache, these visitors do not want to be healed, they just want to be held; held in the loving arms of the present moment, held in your Heart… which IS the healing. Every thought, every sensation, every feeling, every scary thought, they all just long to be included, integrated, welcomed into the tender restful wholeness that you are…” – Jeff Foster
PAPAJI – Look within yourself and you will find that You Are God
The first 9 and half minutes of this amazing satsang from the 12th of February 1993 are in silence. Papaji speaks about Consciousness: “You are already free, and this freedom is consciousness. You think that contact with the objects of the senses gives you happiness, therefore everybody is involved with the objects of the senses. Whenever there is pleasure, it is from the Self, of the Self, of the consciousness; not of any objects. Objects are temporary. It is the Self that is bliss. Once you know it and you are one with it, then whosoever you will meet, you will meet from the Self and you will not find any difference between you and other objects. Your love will be forever; not with the name, not with the form, but of the Self, to the Self, of the Self, within the Self.” Highlights of this satsang are: *Riya: “All doubts have been removed. All that was ‘I’ has disappeared into stillness. Who is free? It isn’t ‘I’ because ‘I’ isn’t there.” Papaji quotes Kabir: “Let the body be still, and let the mind be still, and let the intellect be still. That’s all you have got to do, and then this stillness will attract what is called enlightenment, freedom, emancipation, emptiness. They will follow behind.” Papaji gives her the name Aruna. He speaks about no need for any sadhana, and asks her to explain her experience. Aruna: “I realized that there was no ‘I.’ It was like the ‘I’ was absolutely a thought and had nothing to do with anything else. It was fiction. And when I realized that it was fiction everything else disappeared. And every thought that came, I asked to whom is this thought addressed? And I got nothing. It disappeared.” *Sambuddha: “I get hooked wanting to open my heart more to deepen my understanding.” Papaji: “This ‘I’ is a hook, and you are being fished. Around that ‘I’ some meat is there and everybody goes there. So, wiser are the fish who don’t touch it. This net is samsara, slowly moving. Get out of it any time.” *Angelica: “Please talk to me about love.” Papaji: “Love can be only of the Self. All the rest is lusting about. If you want to see what is love, direct your mind not to any person but to the source of the mind. Love is so pure, immaculate and there’s no demand, no command. Love is to give away without any kind of interest, to give yourself up. Nothing in exchange. Only that person can be happy who loves That.” *Jerry: “I am consciousness.” Papaji: “You are that which has no limitations, and no time, and no space also. Everything is included into this consciousness because there are no limits. We construct a veil between emptiness and ourself, therefore we get into trouble. And emptiness, consciousness can never be touched. Look within yourself and you will find that you are God.” *Sammy: “In a flash I experience that the Self is everyone, everywhere, everything; that the Self manifests in whatever form, or as whatever experience is needed to lead one back to the Self. Sometimes I see a bright white dot in front of my eyes. Is there any, any significance to this?” Papaji: “All lights are still subtle mind. You have become seer to see the lights, then light has become object.Let your mind not abide anywhere, let it be anything, gross or subtle, light or darkness. You go on going, go on going, without abiding anywhere, and then you will continuously go on going.” This is the official YouTube channel of H.W.L. Poonja, well known as Papaji, run by the Avadhuta Foundation, a non-profit organization supported by donations and grants. To donate (thank you) to help this channel continue and keep all content accessible for everyone, visit http://avadhuta.com/donate To learn more about Papaji and his teachings, visit http://avadhuta.com To buy physical copies in India of Papaji videos, books and audio CDs, see http://satsangbhavan.net
Meet Alain de Botton | A philosopher of the modern times | Leaders in Action Society
Consciousness cannot be reduced to brain activity: Doctor Raymond Tallis on the mind-body problem
Professor Tallis—a philosopher, poet, novelist, cultural critic, retired medical physician and clinical neuroscientist—discusses the relationship between mind and brain, as well as the big questions about the nature of reality.
Is Everything Made of Matter or Consciousness? | Rupert Spira & Bernardo Kastrup in Conversation
Is everything in the world made of matter or consciousness? What exactly are matter and consciousness? Rupert Spira joins Bernardo Kastrup, scientist and author, in a deep exploration of science and spirituality and how they inevitably meet on the same path to truth. The conversation proves that anyone, from any background, can come to the same universal understanding that non-duality teaches; that peace and happiness is who we truly are. Rupert came to this understanding through 40 years of spiritual practice in the vedantic and tantric traditions, while Bernardo studied the professional fields of computer science and engineering. Moderated by Simon Mundie, the discussion covers various topics as Rupert and Bernardo dissect solipsism, idealism and materialism. Through it all, they both came to the same recognition which is that peace and love surpasses all understanding, and is the very nature of everyone and everything.
WHAT IS LIFE? #3 Philosophers Tim Freke and Ken Wilber in conversation
Warning to Wilber fans! This is a conversation not an interview. If you are looking for a video in which Ken explains his ideas, (as he does so eloquently), this is not the one for you. If you’re interested in hearing two philosophers interacting together … I hope you enjoy!
Is Consciousness Primary to Reality? (Documentary)
Is consciousness a fundamental aspect of reality? This documentary follows and the recent return of “panpsychism” as a respectable theory in philosophy and science. Part of the Waking Cosmos series.
Joseph Chilton Pearce – The Crack in the Cosmic Egg
We interviewed Joseph Chilton Pearce at The Monroe Institute in Favor, Virginia as part of the 40 Days and 40 Nights Video Tour in October 2011. For nearly half a century, Joe has been probing the mysteries of the human mind. Author of The Crack in the Cosmic Egg, Exploring the Crack in the Cosmic Egg, Magical Child, Magical Child Matures, Bond of Power, and Evolution’s End, one of his overriding passions remains the study of what he calls the “unfolding” of intelligence in children.
He is a self-avowed iconoclast, unafraid to speak out against the myriad ways in which contemporary American culture fails to nurture the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs and yearnings of our young people. Part scholar, part scientist, part mystic, part itinerant teacher, Pearce keeps in close touch with the most brilliant men and women in each field. He creates a unique synthesis of their work and translates the results into a common language.
His most recent book, Death of Religion and the Rebirth of Spirit: A Return to the Intelligence of the Heart (2007), is critically important for where we are now. Our organized religions are stuck in centuries of a particular way of thinking that makes it very difficult to address the changes going on the world of thought today. Over and over on this tour we met brilliant thinkers and scientists who are making the journey from the intellect to the heart along an unchartered and unmapped path. In our interview, Joe shows us the importance of living from the heart, regardless of what the mind says.
Reality Plus | David Chalmers & Swami Sarvapriyananda
Dr. David J. Chalmers is the Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science and co-director of the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at the New York University. He is the author of several books including his latest publication: Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy. In this engaging conversation, Swami Sarvapriyananda and Dr. Chalmers discuss ancient and modern perspectives on consciousness.
This text about Analytic Idealism was generated by OpenAI’s chatGPT:
Analytic idealism is a philosophical perspective that combines elements of idealism, a traditional philosophical position that holds that reality is fundamentally mental or spiritual in nature, with the rigor and clarity of analytic philosophy, a modern movement that emphasizes logical and linguistic analysis.
Analytic idealism argues that the fundamental nature of reality is mental or spiritual, rather than material or physical. According to this perspective, the material world and the physical objects we perceive are ultimately reducible to mental or spiritual entities, and it is these mental or spiritual entities that are the fundamental building blocks of reality.
One of the key figures in the development of analytic idealism is the philosopher David Chalmers, who has written extensively on the subject. In his book “The Character of Consciousness,” Chalmers argues that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality, and that it cannot be reduced to or explained by material or physical processes. He suggests that the most plausible explanation for consciousness is that it is a fundamental aspect of reality, akin to space, time, and mass.
Overall, analytic idealism is a philosophical perspective that offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on the nature of reality and consciousness. It challenges traditional materialist assumptions about the nature of reality and suggests that consciousness and the mental may be more fundamental than the physical. By considering this perspective, we can gain a deeper understanding of the nature of reality and the place of consciousness within it.