Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined past Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician too mystic. (This article may be read together with the article on Whiteman’s life and idea.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared as a title inward the trilogy, Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,ane 2 iii by Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.i Whiteman aimed to bring mysticism into the champaign of science as an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, in addition to illuminating.’1 ‘Mysticism’ here is defined every bit:
the written report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds and their archetypal governance, as well every bit our spiritual bodies, the facts and their human relationship beingness known by the self-prove of straight observation as well as not by reasoning or speculation.iv
This indicates empirical science, sharing territory alongside psychical enquiry. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ together with ‘mystical’ experience. The former includes the study of purportedly non-physical events, the latter extends to states that have a sense of higher significance as well as ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed being, together with orientation to the perceived origin of the Right as well as Good.
Whiteman was familiar amongst Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek in addition to Biblical Hebrew, and quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded virtually current translations as inadequate because the authors lacked psychical in addition to mystical feel. His revolutionary commentary, likewise his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’5 combined alongside canonical Buddhist texts, ane 2 iii 5 demo striking parallels amongst refinements of mod idea.
Whiteman’s line every bit a professor of applied mathematics provided a base inwards physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base of operations was extensive personal experience in psychical and mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis together with insight, inwards tune alongside Edmund Husserl’second phenomenology.half-dozen This aims at gaining face-to-confront self-bear witness in addition to detailed precision, shedding the usual ‘cloak of ideas’. Science inward Whiteman’sec exercise is not an practise in theorizing.
Potentiality and Actualization
A central to Whiteman’sec scientific mysticism is the idea of potentiality in addition to actualization. This had been developed past the physicist Werner Heisenberg,seven who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes most through an occasion of observation, in addition to that this ‘happening’ is open up to physical description. But what governs the happening is non open to physical observation; at best it tin can live given mathematical look. So behind a physical upshot one has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective tendency or possibility, a “potentia” in the sense of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘argue’ for something to fall out, is abstract inward a physical feel; you lot can’t put it inwards a exam subway.
Whiteman concurred that alone transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, every bit opposed to appearances. Appearances come into beingness alone on an occasion of observation, too will be actualized differently for different people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘aught specific can live actualized without the integration of “subjective” in addition to “objective” factors, non inwards succession, but on the second of actualization.’one An observer who is freed inwards just about fashion from the physical land volition actualize for himself things that are beyond the attain of ordinary physical sensing. This is the showtime of psychical and mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The departure between ane “earth” in addition to some other and so depends upon the state of life in which the observer happens to live settled.’iii An individual’second perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together alongside his own subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization rule operates in the mental sphere of every private: thought as well as images are actualizations inwards consciousness of an private’s ‘thought-image sphere’, equally he called it, which includes retentivity and imagination.one
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance betwixt the thought-ikon spheres of individuals. The interaction is non actualized at the physical grade, as well as and so transfer of data occurs independently of physical infinite too fourth dimension. Clairvoyance is resonance between the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or issue too the thought-picture sphere of an individual, resulting inward the actualization of impressions in the individual’second thought-image sphere. Once once more, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical infinite together with time, not being physically actualized. Psychokinesis may live regarded as a opposite clairvoyant interaction; potentialities unremarkably linked inwards about manner to an individual event inwards physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should non live seen as static; potentiality-fields continually alter or educate, in addition to have feedback loops, although non inward physical fourth dimension. This will touch the consequence of futurity physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition every bit actualization in an individual’second thought-icon sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may bear on hereafter physical events. The individual may fifty-fifty intervene inwards the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, and then allowing prevention of a precognized effect from happening.ane Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting inward a succession of events actualized inward the physical earth, the ordering is not fixed inwards the way a road map is fixed. They are accessible inwards states of physical detachment, as well as and then let express modification together with the practice of free volition.
Out-of-trunk Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism as ‘the report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As merely discussed, potentiality-fields have the capacity to deliver different spaces or worlds of physical in addition to not-physical actuality, depending on the country of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot start out to brand feel. Direct feel of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly in out-of-body experience, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ feel, since in that location is unremarkably awareness of a trunk of close to variety.
The commonest type he termed ‘principal separation’, inward which there is no awareness inwards the physical trunk, fifty-fifty though what appears to live the physical trunk can be viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical trunk is under roughly level of witting control, simply master awareness lies in some other organism seemingly not located in the space of the physical body, too the ii bodies are quite independent. In ‘third separation’ the physical body is ordinarily under consummate command, just there is full awareness of being inwards a dissimilar bodily course despite the locations of the ii bodies seeming to be the same. Difference betwixt the 2 bodies may be radical, such as ane beingness male person too the other female person. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were generally of this type.
Whiteman noted that such non-physical feel, inwards damage of reality-impression in addition to intensity, may reach from appearing weak to seeming even more than existent as well as meaningful than inward physical life. At its nigh powerful, termed by him mystical, ‘Everything in such states, spatial characteristics included, is known every bit if in archetypal unchanging form, together with is thence startlingly more than existent (rationally-objective, e'er-present) than the derivative and shifting forms of the physical world.’i He saw a necessitate ‘to distinguish between what is deceptive or illusory too what has the character of face up-to-confront objectivity too truth which nosotros describe by maxim that a affair is existent.’i This requires setting up a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a reach from ordinary dreaming (aught rating) to what is experienced equally spiritually releasing with a high level of reality, namely mystical feel (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inward the Index include continuity of retentivity between physical and not-physical feel, free observation, power to compare accurately with physical as well as not-physical states, awareness of sum in addition to tangibility, communication of idea with others, too a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does not include reports of observing physical things during a separative experience. Regarded past almost people every bit veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could accept been made by clairvoyance or remote viewing, too make non necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical torso to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, any claimed physical supporting prove only has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do not realize that separation is not established by them, just who may thereby be induced to have the “interior” testimony as having more or less bearing on “scientific fact”.’i
Whiteman’sec Index mightiness look of limited value to standard parapsychology, where a useful scoring system should place experiences that rate improve than dream, hallucination or about class of pathology. In Whiteman’s Index the direction of ranking is towards mystical experience, which is hardly looked for inwards parapsychology, even shied away from. The lodge of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible sixteen points, experiences reaching half-dozen to eight points rank every bit ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed ii paragraphs in a higher place. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ rank were noted in the Introduction, too demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inwards the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would indicate reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ way ‘similar physical feel’. For Whiteman this was a fundamental error; higher reality tin can only mean ‘dissimilar physical experience’.
Other Spaces
All separative experience, physical-like or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to take place in spaces other than physical, although oft and so similar to what is presented physically every bit to live false for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If i is taken into a ‘psychic’ infinite when not familiar amongst such states, or with fixed ideas near them, in addition to if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... there may live a potent sentiment to think that the objects are beingness observed physically; in addition to this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’sec physical trunk inward its actual state of affairs.1
‘Fixed ideas’ assume there is exclusively 1 ‘existent’ space that tin can live manifested, namely the physical globe. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fixed thought volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative experience, and lead to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet as person complimentary of the constraints of ane-grade thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible diverseness’ of appearance inwards other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may nevertheless result in ‘fantasy influences’ in undeveloped states, still highest evolution leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the surroundings, correspondingly, are distinguished by the quality of the calorie-free, and gain inwards intelligible character, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing centre character, unitive freedom and sense of blending amongst other minds, every bit the highest condition, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ too ‘me’ make non stand for the familiar consciousness of self inwards the physical personality, or, in fact, for anything that can be known inward an ordinary physical country of heed. To empathise what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must be ruled out.iv
One power question how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical as well as, if at all, to each other. In states classified by Whiteman equally third separation, the not-physical torso holds much of the focus of attending merely does non seem to be spatially apart from the physical trunk; ‘the locations of the ii bodies seem the same, inwards spite of differences inwards their grade too/or size together with mayhap besides inward their environment.’1 This seems to fit with a opinion widespread inward spiritist circles that different ‘levels’ of experience and beingness all coincide spatially only have dissimilar ‘vibration frequencies’, and then at that place is no contact or communication betwixt the various states except through special mediating conditions. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inwards a item set of ‘facts of experience’,ane simply he did non acquaint the idea of interpenetrating spaces equally close to kind of cosmological arrangement; he was disposed to continue to systems of facts, not constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident well-nigh discovering the underlying logic inward phenomena, existence convinced that behind whatever item observation in that location is an intelligible structure ‘operative inward together with analysable out of the total experience’.eight He did not have Kant’second thought of the unknowability of things-in-themselves.viii Instead, there is ‘intellectual or perceptual knowledge which transcends in a certain clear in addition to unmistakable mode the onward urge of time, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, and the apparent isolation of the individual mind inward its country of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a state of loose. Fixation being overcome, the listen opens out into universality’.8 We cannot attain this country, he believed ‘without psychological too spiritual faculties of attending, judgement, purposiveness too self-subject’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, and Faith + Obedience.1 (The root of these skills inward his own life is reported in Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to remember or recover the essence in what is perceived, ‘in addition to hence the attainment of objective insight too liberate’.i Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary performance which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.i It is termed samādhi or sati inward Indian literature.v Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized earth of unloosen at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’i Obedience is not a country of subservience merely orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right too Good.’i It operates in conjunction alongside Faith in this transcendence.
The 3 foundational skills were structured into a four-function system known since ancient times in addition to appearing in mod contexts inward learning theory, Freud as well as Jung. Described equally the four creative functions, these are ‘purposive movement, deciding on way, putting into exercise, in addition to a about underground maturing of 1’s skills in effect’.iii In ancient texts they are represented as 4 stages inwards the passage of the Sun, rise in the due east, zenith inward the southward, downwardly to globe inwards the westward, as well as clandestine inward the northward.13 This corresponds with aspiration (E), assessment (due south), activeness or manifestation (W), fulfilment or not-attachment (northward); it also corresponds respectively amongst Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.one
Whiteman placed smashing importance on this bicycle having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-volition, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may atomic number 82 to a corresponding cycle of ‘stresses’ of decease-feeling, shame, hurting, fearfulness. This inwards turn may lead to ‘inner contests’,ane two three which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics in addition to Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, as well as for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ cycle into a 16-fold issue arrangement, alongside the aim of integrating it with a ‘physical’ 16-flexure issue organization derived from 3 infinite as well as iii time dimensions. He noted that iii of the creative functions – crusade, way, in addition to maturing – are composite, containing ii ‘commencement principles’ of heart and soul too being, equivalent to potentiality in addition to actualization. In plough, meat and existence each take three constituents, termed by him ‘hypostases’, pregnant underlying, irreducible causes. The three hypostases of kernel were seen as purpose, way, cease. The hypostases of beingness were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-phase structure of creation called in Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.1 So, for example, ‘deciding on means’ combines ‘means’ (meat) firstly with ‘actuation’ (beingness), then amongst ‘becoming’ (beingness), and last with manifestation (beingness). The 3rd quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely equally ‘beingness’ together with and then lacks an ‘center’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the development of a number arrangement inward psychology, and so the prospect of comparing alongside a issue system inward physics.one ii iii From these number systems Whiteman intended to provide ‘a clear-cutting explanatory organization... as, for example, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited before any problems are tackled’.two The hypostases of inwardness were numbered ane = purpose, 2 = agency, three = stop. The hypostases of being were numbered vi = actuation, 5 = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for example ‘East’ tin can live expressed equally the combination 16 (enthusiasm), xv (inspiration), fourteen (intention). Combining the numbers 1 to half-dozen results inwards xvi subfunctions, inward agreement with ‘fifteen + 1 kalās, stages inwards any creative deed, equally recognized inwards the Upanishads’.three
The physical number organisation was derived from the iii infinite too three time dimensions. One time dimension lies inward potentiality-fields amongst a time-ordered, infinite-like aspect noted higher up inwards connectedness amongst precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or office involves the processes leading to physical actualization from fourth dimension-structured potentiality. Finally at that place is physical clock-time; it is the only time-dimension that is measurable. Combining the vi dimensions yields a 16-bend number arrangement like the psychological subfunctions, ‘inwards such shut correspondence amongst the formulations of quantum theory that in that location is an obvious invitation to demo the two as aspects of an integrated understanding of the Earth’.9
Space does not permit a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, nevertheless, satisfied Whiteman’sec persuasion that to explicate what nosotros experience is to
admit a subjective bicycle, such every bit mystics, many theologians, together with or so psychologists accept admitted. This wheel, inward its well-nigh complete grade is sixteenfold, together with parallels just what may be called the ‘world bike’ (equally it appears in Quantum Field Theory) inwards every way, while manifesting itself in every sort of human being feel. This is a course of potentiality which is discernible, too indeed tin live lived past the individual inwards an enormous variety of ‘altered states of consciousness’...three
Whiteman’s Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary attempt to discern as well as characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
i. Whiteman, J.H.chiliad. (1986). Old in addition to New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-view as well as inner competition. Volume 1, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
2. Whiteman, J.H.grand. (2000). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-view as well as inner contest. Volume 2, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iii. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (2006). Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical globe-sentiment together with inner contest. Volume three, Universal Theology and Life inward other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
4. Whiteman, J.H.chiliad. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber too Faber.
v. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inwards the low-cal of mystical feel. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
vi. Husserl, E. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. W.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
seven. Heisenberg, due west. (1959). Physics too Philosophy: the revolution inward mod scientific discipline. London: Allen as well as Unwin.
viii. Whiteman, J.H.1000. (1967). Philosophy of Space too Time and the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological study. London: Allen and Unwin.
ix. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (1977). Parapsychology too physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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