In his introduction to the Gita Huxley described the principal of direct perception of some of the aspects of the inner self and the higher self. I have had certain limited experiences that I believe fall into those categories. As melo said, you cannot explain what a banana tastes like to one who has never tasted one, and after they have tasted one, explanations are superfluous.
Helen, I like your explanation of the "life review" phenomenon. It seems quite plausible, but none of the experiences I personally have had have shed any light on such matters as reincarnation. I am, however, aware of small children who have made detailed references to and described experiences which could only be explained in terms of a prior life or just be left unexplained. That is about as close as I can presently come to any observation or experience that could be confirmatory. It is yet another experience that I hold in a space of suspended judgment. Sort of a mental curiosity cabinet. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
Sadly, for myself at least, I lack three qualifications to pursue such an investigation. First, my mathematical skills are inadequate. The Abstract Algebra course was my sole triumph in mathematics. I was fortunate to have a superb teacher for that course. Had I belonged in such fields, the quality of instruction would have been less critical. Second, I have no Sanskrit. That, at least in theory, could be remedied, but it is not a practical possibility at my age and in my current location. Third, I would need a guide to the interior meaning of the Vedas who did not make demands on me that I am incapable of accepting. In that tradition, there are two paths to union with the divine: the path of faith and devotion, or Bhakti, and the path of knowledge and wisdom, or Zdani, (transliterations are from memory.) The Bhakti path is incompatable with my temperamental and intellectual make-up. All of the commentators say that the Zdani path is by far the more difficult, and it is likely that I do not possess the requisites. I certainly have not had the opportunity. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
So they're not "perfectly congruent" (somehow I thought that might be the case) but, if I've understood you - IF the Vedas had been expressed in mathematical form, and if you were better at mathematics, and if you were fluent in Sanskrit, you're sure there would some - uh - interesting similarities, but you can't - given your limitations - be sure. That right ? :-) Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.
I understand that useful application of quantum theory has mostly been on a microscopic scale. The notable exception being the Bose-Einstein effect with superfluids, if I have that correct. However, the October issue of Scientific American has an interesting article that applies a theory of loop quantum gravity to cosmology. This work references work by Lee Smolin on space-time atoms, which sets limits on the degree of density that can be achieved in a Big Bang type collapse. It has implications that lead him to propose a Big Bounce and a bouncing universe. Quantum explanations of gravity and space-time would clearly constitute a macroscopic extension of quantum theory.
Crazy Horse's link to Jack Safratti is not the first reference I have seen to quantum inferences about dimensions where there is no direction assigned to the arrow of time. I am not proposing that I can prove any of these things or even construct a convincing argument for such inferences. But I can see a possible mapping of the relationships described in the Vedas into a possible quantum theory of the cosmos. That is for me an intuitive leap based on experiences that I have found best explained in terms of the Vedas.
One of the four doctrines Huxley described as part of the Perennial Philosophy postulated that man, through the indwelling self, could, through intuition, directly experience aspect of the Ultimate Reality. What I posit is that this is possible, that this has happened and that this may be the source of many of the insights that have led to advances in science as well as to religious experiences. If true, this could unify science and religion on grounds acceptable to all who operate from the level of their own experiences as opposed to a level of accepting "revelations" previously imparted to others.
One thing of which I am relatively certain is that I will not be the one to accomplish these things. That is a young man's game and I never had the mathematical aptitude to play that game on any but the most basic levels. I could probably do somewhat better than the foregoing if I wanted to devote the time. If you or others want to laugh at me for my presumption in the face of my limitations, I will not begrudge you that right. After all, I regularly laugh at myself. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
"If you or others want to laugh at me for my presumption in the face of my limitations, I will not begrudge you that right. After all, I regularly laugh at myself."
Well said.
And very interesting observation, AZGeezer.
I think many who have thought of this deeply, have seen this connection.
We must not try to convert the atheists, however.
They will be provided for in the grand scheme of things, and probably no worse for wear.
Just my thoughts on this.
Will try to write something when the flames die out.
And Helen, this was a very thought-provoking diary! "When the abyss stares at me, it wets its pants." Brian Hopkins
I actually spent some time composing that response; my attempt to be a bit more specific as to what I meant about a possible quantum theory, (or a possible successor to current theories that account for such phenomena.) While these theories have mostly dealt with phenomena on the nano-scale or smaller, my own sense it that if such systems are required to explain events on those levels, comparable theories are likely to be found at some point on a macro scale. I was satisfied merely to have clarified some of my own murky thinking by so doing. Your response is icing on the cake. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
While these theories have mostly dealt with phenomena on the nano-scale or smaller, my own sense it that if such systems are required to explain events on those levels, comparable theories are likely to be found at some point on a macro scale.
the hermetic philosophy, essentially.
your posts are very enjoyable, one can feel how much and how deeply you have wondered about these chestnuts. ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
than they can be found to be in terms of anything that would pass the smell test in academia.
You seem a bit out of date, for some time now the house of academe has been home to a wide variety of smells. Some of them would have no problem at all with your ideas. Some of them even had room for Sokal's hoax :-) Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.
