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Physics and the fortification of Worldviews

It seems that classical physics is a comfortable way to view the world when there are parameters to how reality is perceived. For most of western culture there is an agreement about what is considered real and what is considered a figment of the mind or imagination. Reality as is agreed upon by much of the west must fit certain criteria. It wasn’t until quantum mechanics came along that a wrench was thrown into our ability as human beings to perceive reality as ‘real.’ That is why in the 60’s, during an era when the mystical and eastern traditions began to seep into the western worldview that quantum mechanics became a topic of hot discussion. The west was starting to see a profound and undeniably mysterious phenomenon on the quantum level that seemed better explained by a worldview that was alien to the west.

According to Richard Smoley in his book ‘The Dice Game of Shiva”, there is a list of five things that make reality real. First, an object or event in reality must be perceptible to all the senses and angles as it pertains to that object or event. We may look at an object like a sweater balled up on the couch and think for a moment that it is our cat sleeping curled up into a ball. In fact, as we get close enough to see the contours of a sweater we realize that the sweater is a sweater and not a cat. Oh! I thought that was my cat at first, we think. We realize that a stereoscopic visualization of an object is reliable and in those moments that things are unclear we say things like ‘my eyes were playing tricks on me’.

Second, reality must be stable. An object cannot appear and reappear or change shape before our eyes. It cannot change in ways that are unpredictable based on what agreed characteristics have been assigned to that specific object. Of course, quantum mechanics throws a wrench into this idea with things like superposition and entanglement.

Third, reality must be accessible to all who posses the proper agreed upon mental faculties. Sane, rational individuals who agree that they are all seeing the same thing are the ones who posses the right to deem something as real. Those who do not possess proper lucidity like those who are on an LSD trip, anyone with dementia or a mentally ill person who has sense hallucinations are all deemed questionable perceivers of what is real.

Fourth, real reality is perceived only when physically conscious or lucid. Dreams, stories of the imagination like daydreams or shamanic journeys that take place in consciousness as opposed to the material world, etc… are not “real”.

Lastly, reality must fit a criteria of what is expected. The sweater that is balled up on the couch is not moving, its not purring, its not sitting in my lap or asking for food. It is inanimate and fills all the criteria for a sweater. Therefore, it is a sweater and that sweater is real.

I find these criteria interesting because they sum up a very western perception of reality and that reality seems to be reinforced by classical physics. Every event that we perceive has a cause and that cause has a cause and it can be measured and quantified and we can then view ourselves as objective observers of reality. With this very western linear worldview we then can go without having to question the instrument we have used to measure that reality, that instrument being our nervous system, our bodies, our boundaried perceptions. It is a very human centric worldview that assumes that we can come up with all of the answers, that we can define a perforation between ourselves and all that is unfolding.

The discover of quantum mechanics put a stop to all of that. Or, it at least threw a wrench into our western worldview. Quantum mechanics does not allow for much either/or-ness. Quantum mechanics doesn’t allow us to take ourselves out of the equation as easily as classical physics. Quantum mechanics seems a more comfortable fit with Eastern thought in that strict delineations of reality are less readily enforced. As Robert Anton Wilson points out, a Chinese person who grew up on the philosophical tradition of the I-Qing is much more comfortable with quantum mechanics, ‘quantum mechanics is only puzzling to those raised on Aristotelian logic that says that things are A or not A, whereas I-Qing says that things are A and not A at the same time’.

It is also important to note that the discovery of quantum mechanics, as it puzzles us and asks us to question our perception of reality, or the boundaries that define reality, the concepts behind quantum theory can also be used to fortify a distorted worldview. A worldview that appears benign on the surface but in fact reinforces some of the same self-absorption as classical physics by stoking the drive for materialism and immediate gratification so inherent to our culture. We have seen this in movies like ‘what the bleep?’ which was a fun movie with a great message but shortly after this movie came out we also saw a popular surge of books and movies like ‘The Secret’ which promoted a sort of spiritual materialism. The message was essentially that the abilities of manifestation are that more concretized by popular spiritual notions of quantum physics and that by merely setting your intention you can have everything you ever dreamed of including riches and fame.

My point is that science and cultural worldviews cannot be separated easily. The two are entangled indefinitely and it is up to us to realize this fact so that we may question our fundamental beliefs and concepts about the way the world works and our place in it.

Week 13: Bionics

Would you support the development of a bionic person?

I would be concerned about the consequences of any culture having the power to create a bionic person. But when I think of a bionic person of course the first thing that I think of is the various androids or human-android chimeras of well known science fiction movies. I think of movies like Alien, the Battelstar Galactica series and the Terminator films. I know it seems juvenile that these are the first images conjured up in my mind, but I think there are good lessons to take from these films.

First of all, take the character “Ash” from Alien. He seems to be a focused scientist doing research work. Legitimate and inscrutable in his position as a researcher aboard the ship, he is easily overlooked when things begin to unravel. But he is in fact an android who has been programed to follow through with a mission that leaves him divest of any human attachments or regard for the lives of his colleagues.

In both the Battlestar Galactica series and the Terminator films you have a similar theme of the robots as bioengineered beings used primarily for battle and slave services. Because these androids and android-like creatures actually posses a sense of self, they begin to rebel and war between real humans and robots unfold.

Ok, the probability of such a scenario actually occuring in real life is very slim. But what concerns me is the immediate assumption that bionic abilities should be put to ‘good use’, meaning that often times the medical applications are overlooked in favor of technological advancement specifically in regard to warfare.

That said, I fully support bionic components for those who need them. If you are missing limbs or have been paralyzed in some fashion, having bionic limbs seems to be the most effective and reasonable intervention. I also like the prospect of nanotechnology helping type 1 diabetics by basically substituting the pancreas with a capsule that exctretes insulin but keeps out antibodies.

Week 12; Energy Medicine and Energy Fields

Acupuncture As Effective Energy Medicine


What does the concept of energy mean in the context of healing? How do we measure its effectiveness?

When we talk about acupuncture as an energy medicine I am going to assume that it is in reference to its ability to create tangible change in the physical body. We view the channels of the body as a map to guide the placement of needles. We then place needles in certain areas called acupoints that have been mapped out over millennia using trial and error, as well as universally common areas that incur tension as a result of human musculature.

The word ‘energy’ in reference to healing practices has been overused and thus subject to the trappings of an overgeneralized idea of what it means in the use of traditional medicines. I personally feel it is not enough to sum up acupuncture as an energy medicine because this label implies that the forces wherein are beyond tangibility and belong to a purely esoteric plane. It is also not enough to say that acupuncture works based soley on a neurological or physiological basis. Where does that leave us in terms of defining acupuncture as an effective medicine? It is quite ambiguous when we try to assign it to one realm or another. Perhaps if we were to regard the practice within the worldview it grew from, it would make more sense.

The question of effectiveness implies a certain amount of linear based thinking, that if we apply a certain remedy to an ailment then a specific result should follow. But the concepts of Eastern philosophy ask us to consider the relationships among different realms of the body as well as the entire picture. The chief goal is to attain the proverbial “balance” between these systems without an eye on a cure per se. Here in the west we share a certain agreement about what is real, what works, what framework reality should take. We do no lend much credence to realms outside this narrow definition.

I find myself constantly trying to describe the practice of acupuncture to others by first narrowing it down to something that sounds palatable to Western ears. In my own way, I try not to use the word “energy” only because I have given that to myself as a personal challenge in order that I may come up with my own descriptors for this medicine. My own words so far seem to be a mix of biomedical and eastern terms and is far from refined at this point in time.

But as far as acupuncture being a medicine based on the the bioenergetic properties of the human body? Yes it is. As far as acupuncture being an effective agent in making changes within the bioenergy of the body? Well, I think so. In a simple and elegant way, it just makes sense that the body is in itself a matrix of activity, dynamic and over and over again transforming itself. Acupuncture itself is a subtle agent of this reform that promotes the body’s healthiest self but a powerful one nonetheless.



What conclusions do you draw from Kirlian Photography?

I’m not sure. I think the photographs themselves are nice to look at. As far as being representations of a bioenergetic field and a tool to record changes that occur in that field it is quite possible. It seems that the changes in moisture on the skin is what is being attributed to the changes in color and intensity of the photographs. The more moisture present, the more intese a color of red or orange. The more dry the object or person being photographed, the more blue the color. Some people say that the color change comes with different emotional states. Others say that emotional states of stress or anger produce physiological changes namely moist skin. This is true, but I don’t think the photographs or the color changes are pure physiology. I think the photographs show us a more symbolic and ethereal representation of the object or person being photographed.

Human Intent As it Effects Health

I feel that intention has a large effect on how focused the practitioner is and this level of focus can effect the outcome of treatment. I also think the person who takes time to examine their intentions and creates conscious healthy intentions around daily living is ultimately a more healthy person. It is actually shown that health outcomes are better in people who take an active role in their own healing process. I think that means that those who take an active role have really just homed in on their personal intention and put it into action.

Week 11; Synthesis

My E-prime day!

It is very difficult to communicate consistently using the E-prime method. I noticed that I was not so successful, especially when it came to the way I casually speak around my friends and family. However, it still was and is a valuable tool. One big thing that I noticed about E-prime is that it has been useful when I am not using it. I actually *notice* when I am making bold statements and using a lot of "is's" in my speech. It has forced me to be more consciousness about the way I frame my words. So, even though I have not been so successful at enacting E-prime for a good stretch of time (a whole day!), the one thing that it has helped me do is to bring more thought to my speech.

East-West Synthesis

I believe that I have been somewhat successful in melding east and west in my own life. I am a western individual in a western culture who has explored many ways of perceiving the world. I am especially interested in theories of consciousness. The Eastern Philosophies have a vast source of information on this topic and I am continuously feeding my western brain from this wellspring. I also feel as western intern of Chinese Medicine, I am participating in the synthesis of these very different cultural mindsets. The reason why I chose AIMC over other schools is that there is a strong emphasis here on integrative medicine. This appeals to me because I feel that I can participate in the active melding of systems without denigrating or mystifying either "side."