EthanT
Member
I suppose that difference is that you are interested in what science in the abstract might achieve, whereas I am talking about real everyday science in 2014, that tries to suppress ψ and probably propagates a lot of false ideas because it can't seem to change direction.
At a slight tangent, I do sometimes wonder if the sort of intense concentration involved in learning or using hard maths, or certain types of computer programming, may be somewhat akin to meditation! What do you think?
David
In my post above I was definitely concerned with what science has done, is doing and can do in the future. I'm kind of looking at the overall picture that tells us how we got to where we are, why we're here and where we're probably heading. How else can we understand what is happening now and know what best to do about it? Anyhow, when I view it that way, it's really not surprising to me that psi is being suppressed. Again, that it really is just a symptom of living in a materialistic culture. Then again, so are all the literal interpretations we have of our religions just another symptom. They share the same cause. Could we really expect anything different?
Anyhow, it tells me not to get too hung up on it, either. A materialistic culture tends to view the scientific establishment as an authority. In other words, we're collectively giving them the power to suppress psi. If we were collectively more open to our spiritual sides here in the West, nobody would buy the crap that Dawkins, et al, are selling, their message would have no power, psi would get funding, etc. Anyhow, we (us and the scientific establishment) will change and psi will get acknowledged, but there is nothing we can do to rush it along, except be a voice for change. Eventually, we'll hit a critical mass and this stuff will become mainstream, but it all depends on us. Blaming science isn’t going to solve anything.
I definitely think doing math/physics can be a type of meditation. One idea you hear from meditation is focus on something long enough to become absorbed to where subject/object begin to merge and that something reveals its secrets. There is one story of Einstein where he was in the kitchen with a baby crying in one ear, his wife yelling at him in the other ear, feeding another baby with one hand, while blocking all that out and working out the equations of General Relativity with his free hand. Probably a legendary story, but there is a man absorbed, if one ever was. Perhaps he focused on the Universe long enough until it revealed its secrets, just as the medicine man did on plants to get their medicinal secrets ( well, assuming that's not legendary too, hehe)
Anyhow, when I regularly do math/physics my head definitely feels clearer and sharper and more focused, in general. I can feel a difference. But, I also think too much "intellectualism" can be bad too - Bernardo just talked about this. Might only take some folks so far and they need to do something different. In Yoga, there are several "paths to God" - devotion, knowledge, love and others I can't remember. But I think most usually need a mix.