Chapter 7 - How The New Science Champions Sacred Cosmology Flashcards
Five bodies of Brahman (consciousness)
Annamaya (physical) Pranamaya (vital or emotional) Manomaya (mental) Vijnanamaya (theme) Anandamaya (blissful)
Koshas, sheaths that hide the light of consciousness
Doctrine of the panchakoshas
Vedanta
Not only is consciousness not product of the mind - it transcends both matter and mind - but the mind is also distinct from the brain
Vijnanamaya kosha
Material world bound by laws that reside in the theme body
Mind as computer
Computers are symbol processing machines in which symbols act in symbols. To create meaning, would need to create symbols for symbols, ad Infinitum. Computer lacks both meaning and a knower
Symbolic logic
We can know symbolic logic behind every part of the world because we originated it
Telepathy
Consciousness can simultaneously collapse possibilities in two disparate bodies with no signal contact or local interaction
No direct local interaction between physical and mental bodies, consciousness mediates interaction between them by collapsing correlated actualities, one in brain and one in mind
David Bohm
Uncertainty principle operates with regard to thoughts. If we focus on content of thought, we lose direction thought is following. Focusing on direction of thought leads to loss of its content
Creative process
Make discontinuous leaps of thought without going through continuous steps, just as in quantum leap
Nonlocality
Best evidence of quantum nature of thought
Casey Blood
Physical objects are just mathematical entities (same is true of mental objects).
Both physical and mental worlds remain as superpositions of quantum possibilities until consciousness gives them substantiality by collapsing an actual experience
Self referential quantum measurement
- Collapses physical object in external awareness, which includes space-time
- Brain representation
- mental object in internal awareness
State of physical brain chosen in collapse becomes memory and forms syntactical symbol of representation, and correlated chosen state of mental body provides semantics. Together they form meaningful representation of stimulus. Once representation is made, subsequent response of brain to (learned) stimulus is computer-style operation.
Imagination
Recognize and choose mental states represented in physical brain via correlated collapse
Repeated perception
As representations of physical world are made in physical brain, there is change in correlated mental body through modification of probabilities of experienced mental possibilities. Possibilities do not change; only probabilities for collapsing them become biased in favor of prior collapse.
Cognition is recognition
Although we all share same mind structurally (the mind is an indivisible whole), because we acquire individual patterns, we can be said to acquire a personal mind
Perception of physical world
We have shared reality of physical objects in macrocosm
Descartes
Mental substance is indivisible
Mental world
whole, or infinite medium
There are waves of thought which are quantum possibility waves obeying probability calculus
We directly observe these quantum modes without intermediary of macro measurement-aid apparatus, but there is a price for direct experience. Observation of mental mode of movement (a thought) is subject to uncertainty principle; disturbs thought so much so that another observation would not be same experience of thought. Therefore, thoughts cannot ordinarily be shared by two different observers.
Why mind can’t operate independently
Presence of brani needed for consciousness to collapse possibility wave because it calls for self-referential dynamic of tangled hierarchy, which requires nicro-macro distinction that only material brain can provide
Self referential because there’s a tangled hierarchy
Why is quantum measurement in the brain self referential?
Micro quantum systems in the brain respond to external stimulus, such as photon; signal from quantum system amplified by other, macro systems in the brain (measurement-aid apparatus)
Both systems amplify one another
However, only consciousness can collapse actuality from superposition from a transcendent level
Why can’t consciousness collapse possibility waves of mental body by itself?
In the mind there’s no differentiation between micro and macro, no question of any amplification. This a tangled-hierarchical, quantum-measurement situation is impossible
States of consciousness
Waking
Dream
Deep sleep
Frequency of brain waves progressively decreases as amplitude becomes higher along continuum from wakefulness to dream to deep sleep.
Upanishads say consciousness exists in all three states but also transcends them
Dream state
only internal awareness of thoughts and internal brain images
No shared external awareness
Reflections on meaning of internal life, containing experiences that progress with time, give rise to insights, and use what is learned during waking awareness as additional input
Deep sleep
Unconscious in Freudian sense; there is consciousness but no awareness, internal or external
Nirvikalpa samadhi
state of consciousness caused by meditation, a trance-like state where there is no subject-object split
Vital body
an infinite medium, modes of movement called prana. In West modes of vital body are called vital energy
Contents of vital body are living functions represented by various organs
Prana
Like thought, movement displays quantum leaps of creativity and experienced internally. Movement, like thought, becomes conditioned, camoflaging quantum nature.
chakras
points where we feel conditioned movements of prana
Kundalini shakti
creative movement of prana, opens chakras, breaks up homeostasis of pranic conditioning and is source of creative breakthroughs that kundalini initiates
Goedel’s theorem
nonalgorithmic nature of discoveries in mathematics
every mathematical system of algorithms used to ascertain mathematical truth, if sufficiently elaborate, is either incomplete or inconsistent; always contains proposition that system can’t prove.
When mathematicians discover new mathematical truths, they don’t use algorithms or logic, instead the jump out of system - must bring already existing mathematical truth from world that transcends mental world, where proof and logical process operate. (Theme world)
Mathematical Platonism
If mathematical scientific laws guide behavior of material objects, they must exist a priori to matter and transcend material world
Theme body
laws pertaining to physical, vital, and mental bodies. Contains laws that govern matter, laws that govern morphogenetic fields, and contexts that govern thought
quantum objects are not thoughts but contexts of thought
Creative acts
situational - exploration of new meaning in already known contexts, at level of the mind
fundamental - discovery of new meaning in new context, movements from possibility to actuality of mental and theme body
Involution and evolution of consciousness
Descent (involution) of consciousness must occur before ascent (evolution) can take place
in order for consciousness to know itself, it projects itself into levels that are grosser and grosser.
First level
Theme body (intellect), context of all subsequent movements - e.g. laws of science.
Consciousness limits itself by becoming lawful and thematic
Second and Third level
mental and vital, which give content to themes played out
Grossest level of manifestation
Physical, in which contents will be mapped.
Ignorance
As consciousness descends, it forgets itself and becomes ignorant. Each level of descent delegates previous level to unconscious and corresponds to another level of increasing forgetfulness and freedom. At lowest level, material, all is unconscious.
Involution
called so because higher levels remain potential in matter, ready to unfold
Evolution
once involution is complete, evolution begins.
Life can’t emerge from matter alone, because higher level can never arise from lower one. Life already understood to exist in potential and emerge at level of complexity of matter where it’s supported. Mind energes at level of complexity of life because it was already potential
Separation of consciousness
Illusory, levels not dualistic. Consciousness forgets itself for the sake of play - pretends to forget.
Manifestation
occurs via tangled hierarchy, causing illusion of separateness which causes temporary amnesia. At intellect and mental level of descent, their subtle quantum bodies present to consciousness possibility structures that contain thought contexts and thought itself. Consciousness and mental contextual possibilities unseparate whole. However, when self referentially collapsed, possibilities into actuality at lower level, creates apparent separation. At next level of descent (vital) consciousness creates potential for separation between life and environment. No actual collapse or separation of intellect, mental and vital bodies takes place until physical body arrives
How does what is potential in matter become actual?
Within tangled hierarchies and quantum measurements, consciousness can supervene and self-referential collapse of quantum possibility waves of all four bodies (theme, mental, vital, and physical) occur. Consciousness remembers levels that came before matter.
Creative process
Make discontinuous leaps of thought without going through continuous steps, just as in quantum leap
Nonlocality
Best evidence of quantum nature of thought
Casey Blood
Physical objects are just mathematical entities (same is true of mental objects).
Both physical and mental worlds remain as superpositions of quantum possibilities until consciousness gives them substantiality by collapsing an actual experience
Self referential quantum measurement
- Collapses physical object in external awareness, which includes space-time
- Brain representation
- mental object in internal awareness
State of physical brain chosen in collapse becomes memory and forms syntactical symbol of representation, and correlated chosen state of mental body provides semantics. Together they form meaningful representation of stimulus. Once representation is made, subsequent response of brain to (learned) stimulus is computer-style operation.
Imagination
Recognize and choose mental states represented in physical brain via correlated collapse
Repeated perception
As representations of physical world are made in physical brain, there is change in correlated mental body through modification of probabilities of experienced mental possibilities. Possibilities do not change; only probabilities for collapsing them become biased in favor of prior collapse.
Cognition is recognition
Although we all share same mind structurally (the mind is an indivisible whole), because we acquire individual patterns, we can be said to acquire a personal mind
Perception of physical world
We have shared reality of physical objects in macrocosm
Descartes
Mental substance is indivisible
Mental world
whole, or infinite medium
There are waves of thought which are quantum possibility waves obeying probability calculus
We directly observe these quantum modes without intermediary of macro measurement-aid apparatus, but there is a price for direct experience. Observation of mental mode of movement (a thought) is subject to uncertainty principle; disturbs thought so much so that another observation would not be same experience of thought. Therefore, thoughts cannot ordinarily be shared by two different observers.
Why mind can’t operate independently
Presence of brani needed for consciousness to collapse possibility wave because it calls for self-referential dynamic of tangled hierarchy, which requires nicro-macro distinction that only material brain can provide
Self referential because there’s a tangled hierarchy
Why is quantum measurement in the brain self referential?
Micro quantum systems in the brain respond to external stimulus, such as photon; signal from quantum system amplified by other, macro systems in the brain (measurement-aid apparatus)
Both systems amplify one another
However, only consciousness can collapse actuality from superposition from a transcendent level
Why can’t consciousness collapse possibility waves of mental body by itself?
In the mind there’s no differentiation between micro and macro, no question of any amplification. This a tangled-hierarchical, quantum-measurement situation is impossible
States of consciousness
Waking
Dream
Deep sleep
Frequency of brain waves progressively decreases as amplitude becomes higher along continuum from wakefulness to dream to deep sleep.
Upanishads say consciousness exists in all three states but also transcends them
Dream state
only internal awareness of thoughts and internal brain images
No shared external awareness
Reflections on meaning of internal life, containing experiences that progress with time, give rise to insights, and use what is learned during waking awareness as additional input
Deep sleep
Unconscious in Freudian sense; there is consciousness but no awareness, internal or external
Nirvikalpa samadhi
state of consciousness caused by meditation, a trance-like state where there is no subject-object split
Vital body
an infinite medium, modes of movement called prana. In West modes of vital body are called vital energy
Contents of vital body are living functions represented by various organs
Prana
Like thought, movement displays quantum leaps of creativity and experienced internally. Movement, like thought, becomes conditioned, camoflaging quantum nature.
chakras
points where we feel conditioned movements of prana
Kundalini shakti
creative movement of prana, opens chakras, breaks up homeostasis of pranic conditioning and is source of creative breakthroughs that kundalini initiates
Goedel’s theorem
nonalgorithmic nature of discoveries in mathematics
every mathematical system of algorithms used to ascertain mathematical truth, if sufficiently elaborate, is either incomplete or inconsistent; always contains proposition that system can’t prove.
When mathematicians discover new mathematical truths, they don’t use algorithms or logic, instead the jump out of system - must bring already existing mathematical truth from world that transcends mental world, where proof and logical process operate. (Theme world)
Mathematical Platonism
If mathematical scientific laws guide behavior of material objects, they must exist a priori to matter and transcend material world
Theme body
laws pertaining to physical, vital, and mental bodies. Contains laws that govern matter, laws that govern morphogenetic fields, and contexts that govern thought
quantum objects are not thoughts but contexts of thought
Creative acts
situational - exploration of new meaning in already known contexts, at level of the mind
fundamental - discovery of new meaning in new context, movements from possibility to actuality of mental and theme body
Involution and evolution of consciousness
Descent (involution) of consciousness must occur before ascent (evolution) can take place
in order for consciousness to know itself, it projects itself into levels that are grosser and grosser.
First level
Theme body (intellect), context of all subsequent movements - e.g. laws of science.
Consciousness limits itself by becoming lawful and thematic
Second and Third level
mental and vital, which give content to themes played out
Grossest level of manifestation
Physical, in which contents will be mapped.
Ignorance
As consciousness descends, it forgets itself and becomes ignorant. Each level of descent delegates previous level to unconscious and corresponds to another level of increasing forgetfulness and freedom. At lowest level, material, all is unconscious.
Involution
called so because higher levels remain potential in matter, ready to unfold
Evolution
once involution is complete, evolution begins.
Life can’t emerge from matter alone, because higher level can never arise from lower one. Life already understood to exist in potential and emerge at level of complexity of matter where it’s supported. Mind energes at level of complexity of life because it was already potential
Separation of consciousness
Illusory, levels not dualistic. Consciousness forgets itself for the sake of play - pretends to forget.
Manifestation
occurs via tangled hierarchy, causing illusion of separateness which causes temporary amnesia. At intellect and mental level of descent, their subtle quantum bodies present to consciousness possibility structures that contain thought contexts and thought itself. Consciousness and mental contextual possibilities unseparate whole. However, when self referentially collapsed, possibilities into actuality at lower level, creates apparent separation. At next level of descent (vital) consciousness creates potential for separation between life and environment. No actual collapse or separation of intellect, mental and vital bodies takes place until physical body arrives
How does what is potential in matter become actual?
Within tangled hierarchies and quantum measurements, consciousness can supervene and self-referential collapse of quantum possibility waves of all four bodies (theme, mental, vital, and physical) occur. Consciousness remembers levels that came before matter.
