The paranormal and science have an uneasy relationship. The occasional scientist is courageous enough to take the plunge into researching the paranormal, but in the main, the subject is anathema.
This has led to what could be called a ‘paranormal phobia’ amongst those who claim to be rational. The world is explained through individualism, atheism, materialism and specialization.
The paranormal doesn’t fit into any of these, so forget it.
And science does a marvelous job at doing so. Indeed, many scientists become evangelical in their manic need to show that they are right, and paranormalists.... well, mad.
They’ve even recruited an army of groupies – non-scientific types who nonetheless have absolute belief in the wrongness of the paranormal. Forming sceptic societies the world over, they do a marvelous job of publicizing paranormalists, even being responsible for some careers.
This manic need is interesting.
They doth protest too much, me thinks. And when someone exhibits this kind of fundamentalist mentality, we really must ask if the reason is not ‘rationality’ based, but an exhibition of fear.
If we go into the history of science, it is clear that it grew out of mysticism and philosophy. Even just over 400 hundred years ago, many scientists were of a mystical bent. Think Keplar and Newton. Even in the 19th century, it was a monk- Mendel, who defined genetics.
But somewhere along the way, science crossed the line.
It divorced itself from mysticism, and the absolute idea of inquiry it entailed. This seriously reduced the things it could study - namely, the definite physical world, if such a thing actually exists.
At first, they could be comfortable with this, for society was still religious enough to allow science a repository for things they could not explain. Some things could still be the preserve of God.
But as God was banished from the universe, it had to change.
And the repository for awkward ‘bits’ was taken away. And once this occurred, science did something that was the exact opposite of the rational.
It created what I call ‘anti-superstition’. You can see it at work all the time in statements from scientists such as: ‘There is no evidence for this.’ Now, think about what is being said here.
The vast majority of people accept science as the last word on an issue. Science itself accepts the world works based upon their theorizing. But the above statement suggests that what ‘is’ is defined by what science can investigate and explain.
All else is non-existent. Thus, the world becomes not a reality, but an image created by the ‘thought-form’ which becomes scientific consensus. Only as a scientist sees a place for other things do those other things exist.
But the reality is, those things still existed. It is just that science was not yet up to the task of explaining them. Which leaves us existing in a world virtually ignored through science’s fear of non-explanation and superstition.
The paranormal is just one casualty of this mentality. Who knows what dangers may be creeping up on us through their fear.
This has led to what could be called a ‘paranormal phobia’ amongst those who claim to be rational. The world is explained through individualism, atheism, materialism and specialization.
The paranormal doesn’t fit into any of these, so forget it.
And science does a marvelous job at doing so. Indeed, many scientists become evangelical in their manic need to show that they are right, and paranormalists.... well, mad.
They’ve even recruited an army of groupies – non-scientific types who nonetheless have absolute belief in the wrongness of the paranormal. Forming sceptic societies the world over, they do a marvelous job of publicizing paranormalists, even being responsible for some careers.
This manic need is interesting.
They doth protest too much, me thinks. And when someone exhibits this kind of fundamentalist mentality, we really must ask if the reason is not ‘rationality’ based, but an exhibition of fear.
If we go into the history of science, it is clear that it grew out of mysticism and philosophy. Even just over 400 hundred years ago, many scientists were of a mystical bent. Think Keplar and Newton. Even in the 19th century, it was a monk- Mendel, who defined genetics.
But somewhere along the way, science crossed the line.
It divorced itself from mysticism, and the absolute idea of inquiry it entailed. This seriously reduced the things it could study - namely, the definite physical world, if such a thing actually exists.
At first, they could be comfortable with this, for society was still religious enough to allow science a repository for things they could not explain. Some things could still be the preserve of God.
But as God was banished from the universe, it had to change.
And the repository for awkward ‘bits’ was taken away. And once this occurred, science did something that was the exact opposite of the rational.
It created what I call ‘anti-superstition’. You can see it at work all the time in statements from scientists such as: ‘There is no evidence for this.’ Now, think about what is being said here.
The vast majority of people accept science as the last word on an issue. Science itself accepts the world works based upon their theorizing. But the above statement suggests that what ‘is’ is defined by what science can investigate and explain.
All else is non-existent. Thus, the world becomes not a reality, but an image created by the ‘thought-form’ which becomes scientific consensus. Only as a scientist sees a place for other things do those other things exist.
But the reality is, those things still existed. It is just that science was not yet up to the task of explaining them. Which leaves us existing in a world virtually ignored through science’s fear of non-explanation and superstition.
The paranormal is just one casualty of this mentality. Who knows what dangers may be creeping up on us through their fear.
Jun 6, 2010, 8:52:00 AM
Very thought provoking. J.Krishnamurti says Science is a form of belief and every scientific discovery is based on previous scientific belief! Another Krishnamurti - UG - an ardent disciple of J.Krishnamurti in the beginning and later parted ways, but also a great thinker, goes a step further. He says both Rationality and Irrationality are imagined positioning of the mind and he coins a new term for himself - UNRATIONAL!
Jun 6, 2010, 2:25:00 PM
i guess it is in man's nature to be wanting proof for everything.As miracles are against science.Maybe this questioning is healthy but yes it is upsetting to me at times when denying the existence of the Almighty the degradation in values that is slowly becoming the order of the day.
i find Albert Einstein best,"Science without religion is lame,religion without science is blind ." and
Immanuel Kant in his philosophy said something so touching something so beautiful,"Two things continue to fill the mind with ever increasing awe and admiration:the starry heavens above and the moral law within."
Man continues to seek answers now if God created the world or was it the Big Bang but in between he also found that "As you sow so shall you reap" but still...
Ditto Thought(s) of an old man when he says that this post is 'thought provoking'.
Maybe one day science may have answers to many which are still unanswered but this can only happen if morally and truthfully the answers are sought,i guess.
Jun 7, 2010, 9:57:00 PM
Thanks Bhavaji and Shivani for furthering thought provoking comments. Science though may have answers for the unanswered in future, many of us will never accept these findings because it will thread on our age old beliefs and our own vested interest. For me, paranormal and science will always have an uneasy relationship.