From 10^-33cm to intergalactic space, and consciousness in between

10^-33cm is the subatomic scale where matter no longer exists. Down there you would only find energy and information. Experts in advanced physics are not even too sure what either really means.

According to quantum theory crazy things can occur in the realm of the very small, like a quantum being at two places simultaneously; “superposition” they call it. Mind boggling. And so far away from our usual vision of the “material world”.

Exploring quantum behaviour in human neurons, two daringly open minded researchers have tried to pave the way for a scientific approach to consciousness. Sir Roger Penrose, a mathematician from Oxford, and Stuart Hameroff, a physician from the Medical University Center in Tucson, have jointly developed the “orchestrated collapse reduction” model.

Let’s not delve in the details of what is only a model that will probably be shown to be inconsistent and incomplete.

But the intellectual exercise is utterly fascinating and points to the crucial possibility that a coherent system of quantum impulses encompassed in human consciousness might be independent from any physical relation with a particular biological support system (such as our brain, other neurons or other cells).

In other words, our consciousness might be “downloadable” outside our body. After death for instance.

Makes you think, doesn’t it.

This is no new age spiritual clap trap, as hard boiled materialists would say, but rational thinking by rigorous scientists.

Of course, serious metaphysical exploration beyond the limits of science is no clap trap. It is rational and absolutely indispensable because the realm of science is constrained by its fragmentation and adherence to the step by step deductive thinking process. Such process on its own is unable to deal adequately with the infinite subtlety of all there is.

Inevitably the intuitive connexion with higher consciousness has to come into our existential equation. The experience of life in all its dimensions shows this clearly to anyone prepared to open his mind and heart and move freely outside the cage of beliefs and assumptions imposed by accepted knowledge.

Anyway, the point here is that advanced science, despite its own limitations, is increasingly able to show how inadequate and frankly absurd the materialist world view really is.

Here is a short video with Roger Penrose:

Fear not, remember how vast, beautiful and intractable reality is.

Love,

Leo

Leo Foresta