http://www.paradigm-sys.com/index.cfm

Its amusing how the title fits in with current debate here!

"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice."

I have ordered my copy.


Professor Tart writes:

I am proud to finally announce the 2009 publication of what may be my most important book, The End of Materialism: How Evidence of the Paranormal is Bringing Science and Spirit Together. Three+ years to write, fifty+ years to prepare to write.

I met with a dozen staff members of my publisher, New Harbinger, in Oakland in late 2008, and they asked me to tell them, in a few words, why the book was important? What could they tell potential readers? I responded with a question: how many of them had some sort of personal spiritual practice, such as meditation or prayer?

I had just met these folks, so this was a rather personal question to ask them to respond to in front of a group, but this was California, we're supposed to be honest and open folks, and after a few seconds everybody's hand went up.

I looked at them gravely, and after a few seconds of silence told them that, if I spoke from the apparent position of a modern scientist, which I certainly was, I would have to tell them that they were all fools! Ignorant fools at best, neurotic fools at worst. Didn't they know that science had long ago shown that all religion and spirituality were nonsense, the only reality was that of the physical world?

Like most of us, I have a strong need to be liked, so I felt like I was taking a risk in calling them fools, but I wanted to quickly get across the main thrust of The End of Materialism: in modern life many of us do believe that science has shown all spirituality to be nonsense. Yet my experience, both personally and professionally, has convinced me that there is some real and vitally important sense in which we do have a spiritual nature, and to deny and repress it wounds and lessens us. If you think the smartest people in your culture, the scientists, have proven your spiritual feelings to be dumb and neurotic, of course you try to suppress them....but yet..... So many modern people are thus wounded.

But my scientific work, as well as that of many colleagues, has shown me that, properly applied, essential science has actually provided a great deal of support for the reality of some kind of spiritual nature for us, so the suffering that comes from denial and suppression is unnecessary and useless. The main thrust of The End of Materialism is to give readers the kind of data that allowed me to reach a personal resolution where I can be both devoted to science and trying to develop and practice my spiritual side. If two living people, for example, can occasionally demonstrate telepathic communication under tightly controlled laboratory conditions, something we have considerable evidence for, is the idea of prayer, an inherently telepathic kind of communication with someone/something beyond us inherently nonsensical? I don't think so!


Of course there are nonsensical elements mixed in with religion and spirituality: that's true for all areas of human life. But to totally deny our spiritual nature, as science apparently does, harms and inhibits people. Indeed, a deeper look shows that it's not science that denies our spirituality, it's scientism, a rigid philosophy of materialism, masquerading as science.

I think the New Harbinger folks ended up liking me at the end, and they got the point. The End of Materialism is aimed at reducing useless human suffering by showing people that it's rational and sensible to be both scientifically and spiritually oriented. And of course it's a good read about what parapsychology has discovered in the last hundred years of research.

New Harbinger is in the business of selling books, so they like to advertise the book with things like quotes from leading figures who like the book, or mentioning that the forward to the book is by one of the world's foremost scholars of religion, Huston Smith and his wife Kendra, but my style is this more personal introduction. I've attached a photo of the book cover to make this page pretty, put in some of the endorsements below, and made the title into links for convenient purchase from Amazon (but lots of web places and some book stores have it too). But basically if you (or your friends) have ever found your spiritual interests and aspirations inhibited or held back because you think science has shown spirituality is all nutty and dumb, I think you'll find The End of Materialism helpful.

Charles T. Tart

nice! good to see people with good taste in researchers.
i like this...
"Amusing, and yet serious is Tart's suggestion of a Western scientific (materialistic) creed, which begins "I believe in the material universe" and asserts that all values and meaning are determined by conditioning and biology, free will is an illusion, life has no purpose, and the mind is just the brain."

you know its interesting I have been watching videos of people channeling all day and reading about modern cults and wild beleif systems like the raelians ( yikes) and in some ways i think that the modern materialist thinking has created its opposite, the new ager, the cultist, and religiosity that creates a sort of self fulfilling prophecy inspiring more materialism. yet you read guys like tart and DeQuincey and walsh even krippners work, and you get an entirely differnt point fo view which is a synergy that does not exlude logic or the material world but goes beyond current out dated concepts and embraces what we as a species actually currently know! if we could actually catch up to our discoveries culturaly and form some sort of synsesis we would be on to somthing.

I think this guy is full of crap but I'll give a look at some of his ideas and begin to tear them apart slowly.

Sounds great Burnt I always enjoy your post and respect your opinion. The discussion of opposing beliefs is a wonderful oppertunity
for advancement we all should embrace. And beleive it or not my personal mythology is very close to yours I aint buying most of this crap I see either. I feel bad sometimes about my harsh criticism but why should any of us tone down what we beleive in these discussions?

I beleive we would be doing all a injustice to do so. I have no use for a half assed sugar coated debate.

I am serious and laughing at the same time.

Tart was one of Dr Lilly protégées. I dont think any one would argue Lilly was a genius his work with dolphins truly amazing cutting edge stuff.(yes Dr Lilly tripped with dolphins but dolphins were not tripping). old movie FICTION Day of the Dolphin based on Lillys work also the FICTION movie Altered States. read Lillys books! forget about fiction movies)

Yes he also went to far out and said all kinds of crazy things later in his life one being a three day PCP trip where he says he found the galactic overlord. Read Center of the Cyclone for more isolation tank experiences and high dose LSD true stories. Lilly met his second second wife at one of Alan Watts parties after finding the sought after "standing wave"in south america. He lived to a ripe old age.

He abandoned his first wife and faimly much like the Buddha


Just because a person makes a few or many ridiculous proclimations that does not necessarily condem all there theories as BUNK
we must use our brain and filter out the impurities to revel a ultimate jewel that is crystal clear

I take all things into account but I do not find it necessary to come to a conclusion when both side of the argument are throwing theories at one another, in this context I observe and learn. I have no desire to entertain the bickering.

watch listen and learn is my MO

PEACE
and
RESPECT to all

MV

yeah, it looks interesting, I mean nothing he said sounded off to me, it doesn't sound like some book that is secretly trying to manipulate you into that [put religion here] is actually true... brain washing.

I have to agree with the guy, and Sam Harris has this kind of thinking to... that these visionary experiences point towards SOMETHING but I don't think anyone knows what IT is YET... and no living person can tell me what happens to me when I die. I actually think the whole Zeitgeist is shifting to a rational point of view, but at the same time, scientists have really started to explain some of this phenomenon, whether it's real or not... this is what I meant by more people using spice, I honestly believe it will lead to a better world and it may be just one clever dude that takes it and unravels the mysteries of the universe... I'm a very hopeful person

I'm a very hopeful person as well even when I feel like shit. HA


Well here we are talking and thinking about it

Never be ashamed to admit you are wrong because that is a side effect of learning. Focus on learning


Gotta love the nexus! We bad we worldwide best board on the net. Lets us continue our journey to the unknown so that some day others will see without the mistakes/learning curve that we currently endure in our ultimate quest

PEACE
MV


Burnt Im stuck in the middle with you dig?
steelers wheel stuck in the middle with you


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NLQfCFXXqo



raelians ( yikes) YEP...........................................................................................................
they are way out there for sure drive a race car make a human clone (they be FULL OF SHIT) I feel sorry for them somewhat because they are mostly likely good peps. (what up CHAZZ? can you see me and jimi singing a song you should repent dogma and join the NEXUS we will be happy to guide you, but we aint there yet. CRAZY WORD ALL TRUE CRYPTIC packets zoom network waiting to be reassembled into todays junk mail(MIND POLUTION stfu)

Toasted or just out there they do sell some good MHRB from time to time. beware raelians kratom 10x is a inactive product $40US 10x NOTHING
(DAMN RAILENS at salvis light cant play me because I am real they are CONFUSED!
but I under stand they made no claims they gave description that was true...........still it was BUNK and they know its BUNK so that is the main reason I con not trust the railens. THEY ripped me
off for 40us. Plus they made worldwide news with there "human Clone 12 years old" BULLSHIT what year I forget. The worldwide media fell for it and gave them time as a legit story or concern on national news on

I was more than happy to live and let die UNTIL they ripped me off.
I forgive there ignorance and welcome them in spite of there foolish and destructive drive for capital.
Nothing wrong with human to human trade but they used the system/GRID to burn me. Yeah just 40 US no big deal to me............

Word up first hand repent salvia light and save your imaginary soul.

I feel sorry for the misguided memebers who seek releif from insecurity they feel in there

(Chazz I want my 40 back from order 5 years ago.
what a post this is dripping with satisfaction understanding and truth.


PS Railens get the F out of your cult and make your way to the NEXUS NURSERY maybe you can stil seek truth.

If you listining rail folks its not to late to WAKE UP never mind if the dream stops.

You still have RESTRICTED WILL you can influence your destiny.

Its never to late to start all over again Jonh K STEPPINWOLF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cg_guXQegQ

Yeah man, I love it, something pioneering about this place... and I totally agree, being profoundly wrong about something and realising it is one of the best experiences a human can have, some of us just don't realise that YET.

nothing like some biased research... to get the testosterone pumping for some i suppose...
what ever floats your boat.

if tarts one thing its not full of crap... hes been the only guy out there for years to bring empiricism to transpersonal psychology, as well as to bring medical psychiatry to the field... but im sure you knew that...
that doesnt make him right... but it does make him a scientist...

Indeed Tart is neither a braggart or fool and would take no offense to any comments there is no need to defend his words or persona they speak for themselves. Just like each and every one of us on this board. We are the same. so let it go time always tells beat the ego with truth universal things some times appear.

some where in time............


PEACE
MV

Tart is certainly not full of crap, he has done groundbreaking research on all kinds of altered states of consciousness. Great to hear he's still very active.


That pretty much says it all...
Thanks for the tip MV, I'll have to get that book!

It amazes me how all it takes is one guy with a PhD to convince thousands of people that ESP, telekinesis, and spirit worlds are real. Yet all the hundreds of researchers who have revealed the statistical mishaps, fraud, lack of reproducibility, or just plain came up with better explanations that don't involve remaking the laws of nature (that are facts) are completely ignored.

And people have the nerve to call me biased? Its such a joke.

Words like "scientism" are used by people who don't understand science or those who intend to confuse people about science.




The argument is far from over. This argument runs deep through our entire culture and society. So far no one has come up with any explanations for things like ESP or whatever else all they do is try to get statistically significant results and even in the situations where they can get such results (which of course will happen) a mechanistic explanation is rarely ever given and even more importantly none has ever been confirmed.



Just because someone can do good work doesn't mean they are always correct or that the other half of their work isn't garbage. It can be difficult to the untrained eye to tell the difference.



Why let it go? People like this generate untold amounts of confuse and distrust in science. if you don't see the consequences you aren't looking hard enough.

Look at how stupid people are getting. Look at what they can be so easily duped into believing. Its horrifying and its becoming a very real danger to our fate as a species.

More real scientists need to stand up and take the time at revealing the deception going on by people who are in many cases scientists themselves. Unfortunately there are so many of them these days who can reach such a wide audience via the internet that its a huge task and most researchers simply don't have the time.



Again I am the one whose biased? Hah it really makes me laugh. Everytime I make a joke about how absurd spiritual beliefs are someone calls me biased or close minded but doesn't realize that they are guilty themselves.



there's a reason hes the only one.



Threads like this make me realize how much work really needs to be done.



Lilly did some great work. He really did. But its clear to see that he went off the deep end more then once and came up with a bunch of garbage that had no basis except for deluded drug experiences. People like Tart are the same in many ways. It takes a lot to piece apart the garbage from the good work.



But I am not just going to blindly criticize the man. Lets attack his entire field and world view. Give me one study that doesn't just demonstrate some statistically significant result but gives a mechanistic explanation?

Lets look at one of the favorite experimental tools of parapsychologists. The Ganzfeld technique. Basically two people are separated one gets put into some form of sensory deprivation white noise situation and the other looks at a picture. After a while the one who is supposed to be more open to ESP or PSI phenomenon because there normal senses are dulled looks at a few pictures and try to figure out which one the other person looks at.

Now all it takes is a couple of studies that can get a statistically significant result for someone like Tart to go write a book proving that "look there is something to it". Its a joke. This is not science.

I want someone to be able to figure out what the other person is looking at a picture of without seeing any pictures and being able to guess what they are thinking and statistical significance and reproducibility with different researchers. If one of these so called researchers can do that maybe they will be taken seriously. But they will never be really taken seriously until mechanistic explanations are given.

if the guy is trying to prove ESP, telekinesis, and spirit worlds then he'll have to show some real proof before I would even give it a chance, it's been tried many times... I agree that scientists are not especially against these things, they just some kind of proof, that's probably one of the most difficult thing to do in science, be open minded yet dogmatic at the same time... I bet if someone could prove any one of those they'd get the noble prize...

http://www.mitpressjourn.../10.1162/jocn.2008.20009

That's real science.

Many illusionists in the entertainment industry perform tricks of mindreading and other stuff.
Yet occasionally one of those 'copperfields' claims that what they do is not a trick and that they truly communicate with the spirit world.
And while they perform exactly the same tricks as the guys who don't make such claims, there are always herds of people who believe them.

But why make such a big thing out of a few good con-artists and their followers?

I know that there are places where creationism is tought next to evolution, but i don't see such things as a real threat to science.
Science isn't for the masses.
I would say that this dellusions only inspire children who might become scientists later on, to be more critical. To learn what seperates science and pseudo-science.

You cannot enforce enlightenment upon people. We have been, are and will be always surrounded by lies anyway. The people who emancipated themselves at some moment learn how to see through this. That is what emancipating yourself is all about anyway.

taken from burnts link...
"If psi exists, it occurs in the brain, and hence, assessing the brain directly should be more sensitive than using indirect behavioral methods (as have been used previously)."

well thats a bold assumption. how do they know that it occurs in the brain.. and how do they even know what to look for. some bad research if you ask me... maybe the brain has little to do with it.

regardless people experience some thing and what it is no one really at this point in the game can provide any evidence of what it truely is thats happening.

at any rate... burnt... i would read the book before bashing it.

Interesting link.. Goes with discussion..

http://mindfulhack.blogs...sicalism-key-letter.html

Hah.

Ok and Mr. Tart and companies techniques are any better? They claim that all this stuff goes on in the brain too by the way. How can you say its a bold assumption to look in the brain for evidence for esp and psi? All our other senses effect the brain so of course one would think psi does too.

Its amazing how people who believe in such nonsense will go to more and more absurd lengths to try to hold on the a shred of evidence that its real. If ESP is not in the brain how can people "read minds" if telekenisis is not in the brain how can you think and make an object move? Do you see the contradiction here?

So what the sense organ for ESP is hidden maybe in the big toe then!!



There are lots of ideas on why some of these happens. But if you don't want to look into the real science then you'll never hear about it.



This is kind of what creationists do. They say oh well you haven't read the bible so how can you critisize it. I don't need to read Mr. Tart's book to think his research methods are bad and his world view is heavily biased. He has published tons of other papers that are much smaller to read and I can see how silly it all is very clearly.

Although like I said earlier just because someone has done some good work which I am sure Tart has that doesn't mean half his work is trash which it is.

ps. Don't take this the wrong way. Its hard to tell that I am talking about most of this in a joking conversational way.

I can very well understand you burnt.

But i said before that many of these people are just good con-artists.
It just looks a bit don-quichotte like to attack them.

when you take a look around you, you'l see that good reason isn't for the masses and that science isn't for the masses.

As long as they're only deluting themselves and don't start wich hunts again, like they still do in the horn of africa, our own western enlightenment forces us to accept this.

lol..
you are a funny guy full of assumptions burnt...
not to mention i feel quite a bit anger and hate... which i am sure you will either create a logical argument for or deny and point to me some reason why i am the on thats messed up for thinking so...
all in all you crack me up...
you have so many hang ups. and so little wisdom.. but thats a whole lot of potential... fertile soil...
cheers bruddha..

I have to respectfully disagree with this, actually I cant really figure out which direction you're going in, like is it pro science or anti... I don't like the "science isn't for the masses" bit, this feels like a common misconception, it defies logic, because we all do science whether we know we do or not, I actually do believe science [teaching] is for the masses, I think the major pillars of science should be foundation courses for little children, it's like how Einstein said that if a child could not understand it's not right (eh.. or something to that effect)...

I dont believe we should teach children to believe in faith or fiction, it should be understanding and fundamentally appreciating the world for what it really is, but at the same time use it to stimulate imagination, we're not talking about kids not celebrating Christmas, ... sometimes I honestly believe [don't be cynical ] all the worlds problems are caused by the unknown rather than the known, I feel like I'm about to get flamed but yeah, I believe religion and other forms of teaching children to believe in fantasy is what encourages fanaticism, skewed ideals, brainwashing, manipulation of human beings and monopolising the truth by corporations and governments and religions, you name it... and we're all suffering from it, a lot of people walk around basically believing or trusting "higher authorities" for truth, this is probably from evolution, we tend to believe what we're told by people we trust... that's actually correct, you should do that, but the problem is proof, you should do it if you have proof, and science allows you to understand fact from fiction, it's what it's all about.

Also you've got to know what you don't know and a huge amount of people suffer from that problem, they assume they know something and they never ask themselves "wait a minute... why do I know that...?"... because sometimes we "lock" thoughts as facts and never rewind the tape to double check it. If that makes any sense science is the only thing that gets you out of your head.

That's all...