Introduction to the Science of Consciousness
The Science & Physics of Consciousness by the FREE team
UFO encounters and alleged “paranormal” related human contact with non-human entities often involve manifestations that seem to violate the known laws of physics. Is this really the case? Or is it simply that our understanding is still very incomplete? In this section, professional scientists, mystics and philosophers pool their knowledge and imaginations to help us fathom these mysterious and often times unnerving occurrences.
It is hoped that ongoing scholarly discussions of this nature can eventually lead to a greater willingness on the part of the scientific community to seriously consider evidence supporting allegations of possible extraterrestrial visitation and associated anomalous phenomena and how this phenomenon might be interrelated to other modalities of “Paranormal” contact experiences and how the relationship might be explained through modern quantum physics and the various scientific explanations of what might be “Consciousness”.
Those related phenomena include the following observations: Apparent faster-than-light travel; anti-gravity capabilities; teleportation; apparent inter-dimensional travel; the ability to pass through and to alter the characteristics of solid matter; invisibility; mental telepathy; consciousness that exceeds the boundaries of a physical body. On the human side of the experience spectrum, these phenomena also include: Evidence of our survival beyond bodily death, which includes Near Death Experiences (NDE), Out of Body Experiences (OBE), possible reincarnation and past-life recall; “spirit world” communications via traditional mediumship. Over the past five decades, spirit mediumship has been augmented by well- documented technologically-assisted communication with the “deceased”. Voluminous and controversial evidence supports such observations, but until recently, scientists have lacked a coherent vocabulary to earnestly evaluate, test and possibly explain them. Recent developments in theoretical physics may resolve this.
A number of the physicists and systems thinkers currently associating with FREE are involved in a collaborative effort to develop a comprehensive new paradigm based upon current quantum principles. This new paradigm, the Quantum Hologram Theory, may be able to rigorously account for such observations.
The Quantum Hologram paradigm is emerging at a time when stunning recent discoveries in astronomy and cosmology suggest that potentially millions of possible earth-like planets may exist within our galaxy alone, some of them perhaps harboring civilizations that are thousands, even millions of years in advance of ours. There is now a growing potential for revolutionary discovery on a grand scale. In order to meet this challenge, we need to adjust our cognitive horizon and to vastly broaden our perspectives. It is hoped that ongoing dialogues on this web site may contribute to that shift in a meaningful way.
Contributors to our Science and Physics pages range in expertise across multiple disciplines. Participants include theoretical physicists, astronomers, cosmologists, neurophysiologists, biologists, mathematicians, archeologists, historians, systems theorists, independent empirical investigators, spiritual practitioners and philosophers of science.
The articles and publications featured and referenced here are the result of many decades of extensive research and observation. They have been selected for their breadth of scope, balanced by their rigorous adherence to the highest standards of scholarship.
Our objective is to provide a forum for interested professional scientists, as well as to provide a space for continuing dialogues with the general public. Scientists and non-scientists alike are invited to collaborate and to creatively put their heads together.
The Science and Physics section is but one touchstone for knowledge available on FREE’s web site. Complementing the referenced and refereed scientific publications that shall be featured in this section are numerous first-hand reports from eye-witnesses and contact experiencers around the world. We urge those visiting this site to dip into the other departments to sample a wide range of unique and challenging information. The launching of this web site marks perhaps the first time that such an eclectic melting pot of ideas and experience has occurred under one supportive roof.
An overarching goal of our web site is cross-pollination between the lay and scientific communities; the inclusion of all, the exclusion of none, while adhering to the highest standards of discernment and intellectual rigor.
Below are some highlights of initial articles that are currently featured in the Science and Physics section. This is a starter collection, deliberately geared toward introducing the general reader to the Quantum Hologram Theory, its applicability to paranormal studies, and to the general context surrounding emerging new paradigms in physics. These initial articles represent a blend of ideas spanning contemporary mysticism and current scientific thinking out on the edge. As additional participants enter the proceedings, we plan to showcase more technically oriented and peer-reviewed submissions specifically aimed at fostering rigorous scientific debate.
Welcome to the conversation.
Current Abstracts and Reviews
Discovering the Nature of Reality, by Dr. Joe Lewels
In the annals of UFO contact research, one of the most diverse and challenging authors is Dr. Joe Lewels. An entrepreneur and former head of the Department of Journalism at the University of Texas, El Paso, Dr. Lewels entered the fray by exploring claims of UFO abduction. His deep connections to both modern science and Christian biblical lore have led him to question the very fabric of physical and psychic realities as we think we know them. In this remarkable essay that was originally published as a chapter in his 1997 book, The God Hypothesis: Extraterrestrial Life and It’s Implications for Science and Religion, Dr. Lewels introduces the holographic nature of time, space and matter. He claims this concept may hold the key for reconciling the views of modern science, mysticism and religion.
Click here to read Discovering the Nature of Reality, by Dr. Joe Lewels
Modern Miracles and the Quantum Hologram, by Dr. Rudy Schild
Prof. Rudolph Schild is Emeritus Research Astronomer at the Harvard/Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and is also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cosmology. He is one of the world’s leading experts on the nature of black holes, the Big Bang, relativistic cosmology and the large scale structure of space-time. In this essay specifically written for non-scientists and scientists alike, Dr. Schild explores a host of so-called paranormal phenomena that currently defy explanation. He carefully builds his assertion that the modern Quantum Hologram Theory jointly proposed by German mathematician, Dr. Walter Schempp, and former Apollo astronaut and physicist, Dr. Edgar Mitchell, is capable of providing a mathematical scaffold for understanding a diverse range of phenomena traditionally accorded to miraculous intervention. A must read for those just getting their feet wet. Dr. Schild is a FREE co-founder and the Executive Director of FREE.
Click here to read Modern Miracles and the Quantum Hologram, by Dr. Rudy Schild
A New Perspective on Reality, by Ken Wilber
Holistic ecological thinker and mystical author Ken Wilber has contributed this chapter from his book, The Holographic Paradigm and other Paradoxes: Exploring the Leading Edge of Science. In this piece, he raises the concept of vibrational frequency as a possible gateway mechanism between alternate realities. Citing early holographic memory brain analysis done by neurophysiologists, and comparisons with optical holographic photography, Wilber speculates that our entire reality may be defined as a “frequency realm”. This would have profound implications and far-reaching applicability across many disciplines, from education, to healthcare and psychotherapy, to our understanding of biological evolution. Ultimately, such a concept, if proven correct, would greatly aid our recognizing and appreciating our place in a dynamic, multifaceted universe.
Click here to read A New Perspective on Reality, by Ken Wilber
Nature’s Mind: The Quantum Hologram, by Dr. Edgar Mitchell
Dr. Edgar Mitchell was a member of the Apollo 14 lunar mission. In 1971, he became the 6th human being to set foot upon the moon. He holds a Doctor of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, is the recipient of numerous international awards, and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1972, Dr. Mitchell founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), an organization dedicated to pursuit of knowledge in the fields of psychic and paranormal research. In collaboration with German mathematician Dr. Walter Schempp, and Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Rudy Schild, Dr. Mitchell is one of the co-founders and developers of the Quantum Hologram Theory. He is a proponent of its application to the study of human consciousness. Dr. Mitchell is a co-founder and Advisory Board member of FREE. We are honored that he has provided three of his seminal articles for publication on this web site.
In this first piece, Dr. Mitchell introduces the Quantum Hologram Theory as a means of accounting for documented evidence indicating the non-local nature of mind and human consciousness. Referencing earlier work done by proponents of Information Theory, Edgar Mitchell proposes that the universe-wide quantum hologram may indeed be the evolutionary platform whereby biological entities have developed their generalized faculties of perception.
Click here to read Nature’s Mind: The Quantum Hologram, by Dr. Edgar Mitchell
Consciousness, Quantum Physics, the Zero Point Field and the Quantum Holographic Model, by Dr. Edgar Mitchell
In this article, Dr. Edgar Mitchell examines the possible quantum physics basis for baffling phenomena that include memories of past lives, encounters with non-human entities seemingly from other dimensions, and well-documented incidents of “mind over matter” interactions. He posits that two fundamental concepts, if utilized together, provide a means for understanding and explaining such occurrences: Holographic global information distribution, and the “zero point field” of constantly scintillating background energy filling all of space identified as the origin of all sub-atomic particles and quantum manifestations.
Click here to read Consciousness, Quantum Physics, the Zero Point Field and the Quantum Holographic Model, by Dr. Edgar Mitchell
The Quantum Hologram and the Nature of Consciousness, by Dr. Edgar Mitchell
In this article, Dr. Mitchell discusses the conceptual basis of the Quantum Hologram Theory, and why he believes it is applicable for explaining the mysteries of consciousness. He contends that we are now in a position to elevate the role of information in nature to the same fundamental status that we accord to matter and energy. Dr. Mitchell asserts that the universal quantum hologram is a vast non-local information storage and retrieval mechanism shared by all sensate beings. As such, it occupies a pivotal role in the emergence of evolving self-organizing systems throughout the universe.
Click here to read The Quantum Hologram and the Nature of Consciousness, by Dr. Edgar Mitchell
The Synchronized Universe: New Science of the Paranormal, by Dr. Claude Swanson
It is nearly impossible to summarize the vast career and multifaceted interests that circumscribe the biography of pioneering physicist, Dr. Claude Swanson. Educated at MIT and Princeton University, his PhD work centered around experimental cosmology and astronomy. He conducted his postgraduate work at Princeton and Cornell, where he specialized in the design of superconducting plasma containment vessels for experimental nuclear fusion energy projects. He has conducted studies in applied physics for commercial entities and governmental agencies, including the DuPont Corporation, United Technologies, the U.S. Army and Navy, DARPA and the CIA. For more than fifteen years now, Dr. Swanson’s career in applied physics has been supplemented by his increasing commitment to exploring unconventional physics and paranormal phenomena.
In this article, a chapter excerpted from his book of the same title as above, Dr. Swanson asks the question: “Can present science explain the paranormal?” Quantum energetic processes seem to be endemic to living organisms, and appear to play a fundamental role in all aspects of consciousness as well. How do we explain the fact that living cells are capable of storing and emitting coherent photons of light, just as lasers do? Can these well-documented and measured manifestations account for such baffling phenomena as the human aura, or the ability of some people to heal others through touch, thought, or energy transfer? When one penetrates below the surface, questions arise about the very nature of time, space, causality and universal connectivity. Dr. Swanson asserts that evidence suggests all quantum particles everywhere are constantly connected, and in some mysterious way, always in step with one another. If this is the case, our familiar boundaries of space and time fall away.
Click here to read The Synchronized Universe: New Science of the Paranormal, by Dr. Claude Swanson
Consciousness in the Universe: Neuroscience, Quantum Space-Time Geometry and Orch OR Theory, by Roger Penrose, PhD, OM, SR, and Stuart Hameroff, MD
Mathematical physicist and philosopher of science Sir Roger Penrose is one of the conceptual giants of our era. His contributions to general relativity and cosmology have led to fundamental breakthroughs in our understanding of the large scale structure and evolution of the cosmos.
We have Penrose to thank for conjuring the “cosmic censorship hypothesis” that purports to explain how our physical universe is protected from gravitational pillaging by massive singularities at the centers of collapsed stars and galaxies that we now term “black holes.” It was Penrose who introduced the concept of “event horizons” as the buffering and protecting agent. His collaboration with Stephen Hawking has led directly toward our present day understanding of extreme gravitational collapse, and its role in shaping the universe as we observe it.
Not content to rest his case upon the foundations of cosmology alone, Sir Roger Penrose has undertaken a second career investigating the nature and physics of human consciousness. Penrose has proposed that consciousness cannot be fully understood unless we devise a bridge between classical and quantum physics. He contends this is needed in order to account for the complex ways that information is parsed in the brains of living organisms. He believes that our brains do NOT behave like computers, and that learning, growth and creativity are not constrained by linear algorithms or the rigid sets of rules that govern digital machines. Thus, according to Penrose, it would not be possible to replicate a person’s full consciousness by mapping one’s memory patterns onto a computer program. These are controversial views, and they have been harshly critiqued by proponents of Artificial Intelligence research and development.
His rebuttal to these critiques is the subject of this article, co-authored with anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff, MD. Penrose and Hameroff contend that quantum processes operating at the sub-cellular level account for the complex non-linear computational behavior observed in living organisms, whether those organisms have a brain or not. Furthermore, they go on to suggest that such processes are fundamentally anchored within the very structure of space-time itself. And thus, the phenomenon of consciousness is implicit within the very structure, process and nature of the universe as a whole. If Penrose and Hameroff are correct, then consciousness may be implicit throughout creation, as an “emergent property” holistically nested within what physicist David Bohm termed the “implicate order”, simply waiting to emerge as forms of matter grow more complex over time. The implications are like handwriting on the wall: Consciousness and higher intelligence should be omnipresent, in great abundance, everywhere.
Click here to read Consciousness in the Universe: Neuroscience, Quantum Space-Time Geometry and Orch OR Theory, by Roger Penrose, PhD, OM, SR, and Stuart Hameroff, MD
The Fermi Paradox (Where Is Everybody?), by Tim Urban, originally published as a blog post at: www.waitbutwhy.com
We round out our initial offerings with a speculation about intelligent life in the Universe. Looking up into the night sky, it becomes unmistakable that we are a part of something vast. Videographer, scholar, street philosopher and blogger Tim Urban is never shy of approaching gigantic topics with scholarship, humor, aplomb and pithy wisdom. Here’s what he has to say about whether or not we are alone:
“Scientists estimate that there are over 100,000 intelligent alien civilizations in our galaxy alone — but we’ve never heard anything from any of them. Here are 13 possible explanations for why….”
In this piece, Urban draws upon mainstream conventional scientific wisdom to build a case for explaining why we supposedly have not received any radio signals or other indications that technologically advanced civilizations other than our own, are out there. He echoes themes often iterated by the late astronomer Carl Sagan, who once suggested that perhaps the reason for this is that civilizations tend to self-destruct before they achieve a level of sophistication needed for interstellar travel and colonization. The argument goes this way: Evolution and natural selection conspire to weed out most candidates for “Type 3 Civilizations”, those who become capable of terra forming distant planets and eventually altering and utilizing the physics of entire star systems or galaxies. Such super-civilizations, say the pundits, should therefore be quite rare. They probably wouldn’t recognize our presence any more than we would recognize an ant colony if we should notice one at all.
The problem is, this thesis is fundamentally incorrect when one takes into consideration all available evidence. It is based upon a set of assumptions that blatantly ignore vast mountains of high caliber documentation arguing in favor of UFO reality. Dr. Sagan and cohorts also have argued that if they existed, statistically, such voyagers should already be here. This, in fact, is what appears to be the case, providing we are willing to look at the evidence without prejudice.
The Fermi Paradox is an important contribution because it clearly articulates a widely held popular misconception. As such, it is an important mirror to hold up and reflect upon. The article is fun, well-written, with lots of photos and illustrations, and is a must read for any serious scholar of UFOs, extraterrestrial contact phenomena and the paranormal.
Click here to read The Fermi Paradox (Where Is Everybody?), by Tim Urban
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Thank you for joining this voyage of discovery.
Links to more articles written by FREE Advisory Board members and friends of FREE.
About the Continuity of Consciousness by Pim van Lommel, MD
A Dyadic Model of Consciousness by Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D.
The Extended Mind by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake
Quantum Coherence and Conscious Experience by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho
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