Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined past Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician too mystic. (This article may live read together amongst the article on Whiteman’s life too idea.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared every bit a title in the trilogy, Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,one ii 3 by Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.ane Whiteman aimed to take mysticism into the field of scientific discipline equally an entity that is ‘open up-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, together with illuminating.’ane ‘Mysticism’ here is defined every bit:
the study of everything non-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, too every bit our spiritual bodies, the facts together with their relationship existence known by the self-testify of direct observation together with not past reasoning or speculation.4
This indicates empirical scientific discipline, sharing territory with psychical enquiry. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction between ‘psychical’ as well as ‘mystical’ feel. The quondam includes the written report of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that take a sense of higher significance and ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed existence, in addition to orientation to the perceived origin of the Right too Good.
Whiteman was familiar alongside Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek as well as Biblical Hebrew, together with quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded about current translations as inadequate because the authors lacked psychical in addition to mystical experience. His revolutionary commentary, too his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’v combined amongst canonical Buddhist texts, ane 2 3 five exhibit hitting parallels amongst refinements of modern thought.
Whiteman’second line of work equally a professor of applied mathematics provided a base inward physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base of operations was extensive personal feel inward psychical as well as mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis together with insight, inwards melody with Edmund Husserl’second phenomenology.half-dozen This aims at gaining face up-to-face up self-show as well as detailed precision, shedding the common ‘cloak of ideas’. Science in Whiteman’sec employment is not an do inward theorizing.
Potentiality in addition to Actualization
A fundamental to Whiteman’second scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality and actualization. This had been developed by the physicist Werner Heisenberg,vii who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes well-nigh through an occasion of observation, in addition to that this ‘happening’ is open to physical description. But what governs the happening is not open to physical observation; at best it can be given mathematical facial expression. So behind a physical result i has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective tendency or possibility, a “potentia” in the feel of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘argue’ for something to pass, is abstract inwards a physical feel; you lot tin’t set it in a exam subway.
Whiteman concurred that only transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, as opposed to appearances. Appearances come into beingness solely on an occasion of observation, in addition to volition be actualized differently for dissimilar people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘nil specific tin can be actualized without the integration of “subjective” as well as “objective” factors, not in succession, only on the instant of actualization.’one An observer who is freed inwards about manner from the physical country will actualize for himself things that are beyond the attain of ordinary physical sensing. This is the beginning of psychical and mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The difference betwixt one “globe” too another so depends upon the state of life in which the observer happens to live settled.’three An private’sec perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together alongside his own subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization rule operates inward the mental sphere of every individual: idea as well as images are actualizations in consciousness of an individual’s ‘thought-image sphere’, equally he called it, which includes retentiveness as well as imagination.ane
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance betwixt the thought-image spheres of individuals. The interaction is not actualized at the physical degree, together with so transfer of data occurs independently of physical infinite as well as time. Clairvoyance is resonance betwixt the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or issue too the idea-icon sphere of an individual, resulting inwards the actualization of impressions inwards the individual’sec idea-icon sphere. Once once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical infinite too fourth dimension, not being physically actualized. Psychokinesis may be regarded every bit a opposite clairvoyant interaction; potentialities normally linked inward roughly manner to an private result in physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should not live seen as static; potentiality-fields continually change or educate, together with take feedback loops, although not inwards physical time. This volition bear upon the result of future physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition equally actualization inwards an individual’second thought-image sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may impact hereafter physical events. The private may even intervene inwards the physical actualization of these events past altering the potentiality-fields, and so allowing prevention of a precognized upshot from happening.1 Even if potentiality-fields are fourth dimension-ordered, resulting inward a succession of events actualized inwards the physical Earth, the ordering is not fixed in the manner a road map is fixed. They are accessible inwards states of physical detachment, together with so allow limited alteration as well as the do of costless will.
Out-of-body Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism every bit ‘the report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As only discussed, potentiality-fields accept the capacity to deliver different spaces or worlds of physical and non-physical actuality, depending on the state of the observer. Without this understanding, mysticism cannot start out to make feel. Direct experience of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly in out-of-trunk feel, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ experience, since there is normally awareness of a torso of or so sort.
The commonest type he termed ‘primary separation’, in which there is no awareness inward the physical trunk, fifty-fifty though what appears to live the physical torso can be viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical trunk is nether close to grade of conscious control, simply master awareness lies inward some other organism seemingly not located in the space of the physical torso, too the ii bodies are quite independent. In ‘tertiary separation’ the physical torso is normally nether complete command, only at that place is full awareness of beingness inward a different bodily grade despite the locations of the 2 bodies seeming to be the same. Difference betwixt the two bodies may be radical, such as 1 existence male too the other female. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were mostly of this type.
Whiteman noted that such not-physical feel, inwards price of reality-impression as well as intensity, may range from appearing weak to seeming fifty-fifty more existent and meaningful than inwards physical life. At its most powerful, termed by him mystical, ‘Everything in such states, spatial characteristics included, is known as if inwards archetypal unchanging grade, and is so startlingly more than real (rationally-objective, always-introduce) than the derivative in addition to shifting forms of the physical world.’ane He saw a involve ‘to distinguish betwixt what is deceptive or illusory in addition to what has the lineament of face-to-confront objectivity in addition to truth which nosotros describe past proverb that a matter is existent.’one This requires setting upwardly a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a reach from ordinary dreaming (zippo rating) to what is experienced as spiritually releasing amongst a high degree of reality, namely mystical feel (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative feel. Features scoring inward the Index include continuity of retentivity between physical too not-physical experience, free observation, ability to compare accurately alongside physical and non-physical states, awareness of gist in addition to tangibility, communication of idea amongst others, too a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does not include reports of observing physical things during a separative feel. Regarded past about people every bit veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could accept been made by clairvoyance or remote viewing, in addition to make non necessarily mean that something somehow separated from the physical trunk to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, whatsoever claimed physical supporting evidence simply has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do not realize that separation is non established past them, only who may thereby live induced to accept the “interior” testimony every bit having some bearing on “scientific fact”.’one
Whiteman’sec Index might appear of limited value to measure parapsychology, where a useful scoring organisation should identify experiences that rate better than dream, hallucination or close to grade of pathology. In Whiteman’s Index the management of ranking is towards mystical experience, which is hardly looked for inward parapsychology, fifty-fifty shied away from. The lodge of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible 16 points, experiences reaching six to eight points place as ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed two paragraphs higher up. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ order were noted in the Introduction, as well as demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet in the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would bespeak reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ agency ‘like physical feel’. For Whiteman this was a key fault; higher reality tin only mean ‘dissimilar physical feel’.
Other Spaces
All separative feel, physical-like or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to occur inwards spaces other than physical, although oft and then like to what is presented physically equally to live false for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ space. He wrote:
If i is taken into a ‘psychic’ infinite when not familiar alongside such states, or with fixed ideas about them, and if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... there may be a strong opinion to intend that the objects are existence observed physically; and this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’second physical torso in its actual situation.i
‘Fixed ideas’ assume there is entirely ane ‘existent’ infinite that can live manifested, namely the physical world. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fixed idea volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative feel, and Pb to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet equally individual gratis of the constraints of i-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible variety’ of appearance inwards other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may nonetheless upshot in ‘fantasy influences’ in undeveloped states, even so highest development leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the environment, correspondingly, are distinguished past the lineament of the calorie-free, together with attain inward intelligible grapheme, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing eye lineament, unitive freedom too feel of blending alongside other minds, as the highest condition, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ as well as ‘me’ do non represent the familiar consciousness of self inwards the physical personality, or, in fact, for anything that can live known inwards an ordinary physical country of listen. To empathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must be ruled out.iv
One mightiness query how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical as well as, if at all, to each other. In states classified by Whiteman as third separation, the not-physical torso holds much of the focus of attending only does non look to be spatially apart from the physical trunk; ‘the locations of the 2 bodies seem the same, inwards spite of differences inwards their class in addition to/or size together with perhaps besides inwards their surround.’ane This seems to check alongside a sentiment widespread inwards spiritist circles that dissimilar ‘levels’ of feel and existence all coincide spatially simply have dissimilar ‘vibration frequencies’, and then in that location is no contact or communication between the diverse states except through especial mediating weather. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ in a particular set up of ‘facts of experience’,i merely he did non present the idea of interpenetrating spaces as around sort of cosmological arrangement; he was disposed to proceed to systems of facts, non constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident nearly discovering the underlying logic inwards phenomena, beingness convinced that behind any item observation there is an intelligible structure ‘operative inwards too analysable out of the total feel’.viii He did not have Kant’s thought of the unknowability of things-inwards-themselves.8 Instead, there is ‘intellectual or perceptual noesis which transcends inward a sure clear and unmistakable way the onward urge of fourth dimension, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, too the apparent isolation of the private listen in its state of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a country of free. Fixation existence overcome, the mind opens out into universality’.eight We cannot attain this country, he believed ‘without psychological and spiritual faculties of attention, judgement, purposiveness as well as self-subject area’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, in addition to Faith + Obedience.i (The source of these skills inward his own life is reported inwards Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to recall or recover the meat inward what is perceived, ‘in addition to so the attainment of objective insight too release’.ane 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 in Indian literature.5 Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized ground of unloose at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’ane Obedience is not a state of subservience merely orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right as well as Good.’i It operates in conjunction amongst Faith inwards this transcendence.
The three foundational skills were structured into a iv-part arrangement known since ancient times too appearing inwards modern contexts inwards learning theory, Freud and Jung. Described equally the 4 creative functions, these are ‘purposive effort, deciding on way, putting into practice, in addition to a well-nigh secret maturing of i’s skills in event’.iii In ancient texts they are represented as iv stages inward the passage of the sun, rising inward the eastward, zenith inwards the due south, down to Earth in the W, together with hugger-mugger inward the northward.13 This corresponds amongst aspiration (E), assessment (south), action or manifestation (west), fulfilment or non-attachment (north); it as well corresponds respectively with Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.one
Whiteman placed not bad importance on this bicycle having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-volition, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may lead to a corresponding cycle of ‘stresses’ of death-feeling, shame, pain, fright. This in turn may lead to ‘inner contests’,i ii 3 which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics too Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, as well as for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ cycle into a 16-plication number organisation, with the aim of integrating it alongside a ‘physical’ 16-flexure number organisation derived from 3 infinite and three fourth dimension dimensions. He noted that three of the creative functions – crusade, way, in addition to maturing – are composite, containing ii ‘starting time principles’ of centre in addition to beingness, equivalent to potentiality in addition to actualization. In plough, nub in addition to existence each have iii constituents, termed by him ‘hypostases’, significant underlying, irreducible causes. The iii hypostases of inwardness were seen as function, agency, cease. The hypostases of existence were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the three-stage structure of creation called inward Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.ane So, for case, ‘deciding on means’ combines ‘agency’ (marrow) foremost amongst ‘actuation’ (beingness), so amongst ‘becoming’ (being), as well as finally amongst manifestation (being). The 3rd quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely as ‘existence’ together with and so lacks an ‘pith’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the evolution of a number arrangement inwards psychology, too and then the prospect of comparing alongside a number organisation in physics.one ii 3 From these issue systems Whiteman intended to supply ‘a clear-cut explanatory organisation... as, for instance, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited earlier whatsoever problems are tackled’.2 The hypostases of pith were numbered 1 = role, 2 = agency, 3 = finish. The hypostases of being were numbered half-dozen = actuation, 5 = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for example ‘East’ tin be expressed equally the combination xvi (enthusiasm), 15 (inspiration), 14 (intention). Combining the numbers 1 to half-dozen results inward sixteen subfunctions, in agreement with ‘xv + one kalās, stages in any creative deed, equally recognized inwards the Upanishads’.iii
The physical issue arrangement was derived from the three space as well as three time dimensions. One time dimension lies inwards potentiality-fields alongside a fourth dimension-ordered, infinite-similar facial expression noted above in connectedness with precognition. Another time dimension or function involves the processes leading to physical actualization from fourth dimension-structured potentiality. Finally at that place is physical clock-time; it is the entirely fourth dimension-dimension that is measurable. Combining the half dozen dimensions yields a xvi-crease issue arrangement similar the psychological subfunctions, ‘inwards such close correspondence with the formulations of quantum theory that there is an obvious invitation to demonstrate the ii as aspects of an integrated agreement of the earth’.9
Space does non allow a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, nonetheless, satisfied Whiteman’s sentiment that to explain what nosotros feel is to
admit a subjective bicycle, such as mystics, many theologians, as well as just about psychologists have admitted. This cycle, inwards its almost complete grade is sixteenfold, in addition to parallels exactly what may live called the ‘earth wheel’ (equally it appears inwards Quantum Field Theory) inwards every style, while manifesting itself in every form of man feel. This is a form of potentiality which is discernible, as well as indeed tin can live lived by the private in an enormous multifariousness of ‘altered states of consciousness’...three
Whiteman’second Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary endeavour to discern and characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
ane. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (1986). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-persuasion together with inner contest. Volume ane, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
ii. Whiteman, J.H.1000. (2000). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-sentiment together with inner competition. Volume ii, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
3. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (2006). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-opinion too inner competition. Volume 3, Universal Theology too Life inwards other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iv. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber as well as Faber.
v. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inwards the low-cal of mystical feel. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
six. Husserl, due east. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. due west.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
seven. Heisenberg, westward. (1959). Physics as well as Philosophy: the revolution in modernistic scientific discipline. London: Allen and Unwin.
eight. Whiteman, J.H.grand. (1967). Philosophy of Space together with Time in addition to the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological report. London: Allen in addition to Unwin.
nine. Whiteman, J.H.1000. (1977). Parapsychology and physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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