James Clerk Maxwell’s work on electromagnetism was among the most important scientific achievements of the nineteenth century. Yet his contemporaries were slow to appreciate and understand his work. One of the reasons Maxwell’s theory was unappreciated was the difficulty of understanding it within the prevailing scientific paradigm. It required a conceptual shift. Maxwell replaced the… Continue reading When Light Freezes – A Vedic answer to the hard problem of consciousness
Category: consciousness
The Hard Problem isn’t a Neuroscience Problem
Most people assume an explanation of consciousness will be in the language of neuroscience and dazzle us with details about how the brain works. But this is a symptom of a widespread metaphysical confusion. The challenge of the hard problem of consciousness cuts much deeper. It asks whether neuroscience is even the right explanatory domain.… Continue reading The Hard Problem isn’t a Neuroscience Problem
Is Consciousness Natural?
And why you should care about the answer. … One of my readers responded to my article Why Consciousness is Such a Big Deal. They were surprised I would argue consciousness is fatal to the philosophy of naturalism and therefore it must be supernatural. The first thing to note is, I didn’t use the word… Continue reading Is Consciousness Natural?
Naturalism’s Dilemma: False or Meaningless? Pick one.
The popularity of modern naturalism relies on conflating a method with a metaphysics. The dazzling success of science is used to blind us to the naturalists hidden philosophical assumptions. Once those assumptions are exposed, metaphysical naturalism is revealed not as the most rational world view, but the dogmatic prejudice of the modern world. What is… Continue reading Naturalism’s Dilemma: False or Meaningless? Pick one.
The Conscious Dimensions of Reality – A Vedic Analysis
Conscious experience is the essence of reality. Reality is that which is undeniable, and consciousness is exactly that. The very denial of consciousness presupposes its existence. Vedanta philosophy begins and ends with consciousness. According to Vedanta, consciousness encompasses four states or dimensions. Each dimension represents a deeper and more profound experience of reality. It’s important… Continue reading The Conscious Dimensions of Reality – A Vedic Analysis
Why Consciousness is Such a Big Deal
Understanding the Spiritual World View. Consciousness is a hot topic these days, but most of the popular discussion misses the point. It either misunderstands the hard problem of consciousness, or sidesteps it. One example of the sidestep is found in neuroscientist Anil Seth’s book, Being You. He sets aside the hard problem of “why and how consciousness… Continue reading Why Consciousness is Such a Big Deal
The Elegant Simplicity of Idealism
The best explanations of the world are not only the most accurate, they’re as simple as possible. There is an elegant simplicity to Einstein’s e=mc2, and yet it encapsulates a profound truth. This principle of explanatory simplicity is called parsimony. According to modern propaganda, naturalism is the simplest explanation of the world. It’s claimed that we… Continue reading The Elegant Simplicity of Idealism
Why I’m not a Naturalist
Naturalism is the cultural dogma of the modern world. It’s a story that’s repeated so often, people accept it without questioning its truth. The naturalist story says that as scientific knowledge advances, it’s proving beyond reasonable doubt there is no God, no eternal soul, no afterlife, and we live in an insentient and purposeless universe.… Continue reading Why I’m not a Naturalist
The Rational Path Leads to God – following the demands of logic
Everyone has heard the propaganda that theism is irrational. We’re told belief in God is wishful thinking. A security blanket for people who can’t cope with the harsh realities of life. But this patronising idea is the opposite of the truth. If we follow logic where it inevitably leads, it will take us to God.… Continue reading The Rational Path Leads to God – following the demands of logic
The Universe is a Spiritual Black Hole
Exposing the illusion of the material world. The term black hole is a misnomer. A black hole isn’t empty space, it’s the opposite. It’s a region of space so dense even light can’t escape its boundary. When viewed from the outside the space appears to be empty, because a black hole swallows everything, even light.… Continue reading The Universe is a Spiritual Black Hole