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Transcendent Mind: Rethinking the Science of Consciousness
Where does consciousness come from? For most scientists and laypeople, it is axiomatic that something in the substance of the brain — neurons, synapses and gray matter in just the right combination — create perception, self-awareness, and intentionality. Yet despite decades of neurological research, that "something" — the mechanism by which this process is said to occur — has remained frustratingly elusive. This is no accident, as the authors of this book argue, given that the evidence increasingly points to a startling fact: consciousness may not, in fact, reside in the brain at all.
In this wide-ranging and deeply scientific book, Imants Barušs and Julia Mossbridge utilize findings from special relativity and quantum mechanics, modern and ancient philosophers, and paranormal psychology to build a rigorous, detailed investigation into the origins and nature of human consciousness.
Along the way, they examine the scientific literature on concepts including mediumship, out-of-body and near-death experiences, telekinesis, "apparent" versus "deep time," and mind-to-mind communication, and introduce eye-opening ideas about our shared reality.
The result is a revelatory tour of the "post-materialist" world — and a roadmap for consciousness research in the twenty-first century.
In this wide-ranging and deeply scientific book, Imants Barušs and Julia Mossbridge utilize findings from special relativity and quantum mechanics, modern and ancient philosophers, and paranormal psychology to build a rigorous, detailed investigation into the origins and nature of human consciousness.
Along the way, they examine the scientific literature on concepts including mediumship, out-of-body and near-death experiences, telekinesis, "apparent" versus "deep time," and mind-to-mind communication, and introduce eye-opening ideas about our shared reality.
The result is a revelatory tour of the "post-materialist" world — and a roadmap for consciousness research in the twenty-first century.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published August 15, 2016
17 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Imants Barušs
11 books8 followersImants Barušs is Professor of Psychology at King's University College at The University of Western Ontario, Canada.
His interest is in all aspects of consciousness studies although his research has been focussed primarily on quantum consciousness, altered states of consciousness, self-transformation, mathematical modeling of consciousness, and beliefs about consciousness and reality.
His interest is in all aspects of consciousness studies although his research has been focussed primarily on quantum consciousness, altered states of consciousness, self-transformation, mathematical modeling of consciousness, and beliefs about consciousness and reality.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 17, 2017
What does consciousness look like when we assume that it does not have to arise from the workings of matter? Instead of the materialist worldview which assumes that all phenomena can be (or will be) explained by physics and chemistry...the forces that control matter...this book explores the ideas and current evidence that consciousness plays an important (perhaps even primary) role in what exists.
Thomas Kuhn, in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, maintains that changes in major scientific paradigms (for most purposes, worldviews is synonymous), come about when anomalies (phenomena that are unexpected and can't be explained by the dominant paradigm) become numerous. Alternative paradigms that can explain the anomalies begin to arise and eventually one of them replaces the prevailing one. This he called a scientific revolution. The term revolution, unfortunately, conveys the notion that such changes occur abruptly, but actually they take many years and often are accompanied by broader social changes as well.
Barrus and Mossbridge, begin by describing some of the shortcomings of the materialist worldview, followed by consideration of what they call 'anomalous information transfer'. This entails the evidence of shared mind or knowing what is going on in places that we can't perceive with our senses; precognition; discarnate beings (entities in he universe that we cannot perceive through our ordinary senses); direct mental influences. All of this leads to consideration of the transcendant mind and quantum models of consciousness to explain these anomalies.
This book will be welcomed by those interested in considering consciousness and the mind from a non-materialist perspective. One of its strengths is that it details the empirical evidence that support such considerations, differentiating it from 'new age' books.
Thomas Kuhn, in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, maintains that changes in major scientific paradigms (for most purposes, worldviews is synonymous), come about when anomalies (phenomena that are unexpected and can't be explained by the dominant paradigm) become numerous. Alternative paradigms that can explain the anomalies begin to arise and eventually one of them replaces the prevailing one. This he called a scientific revolution. The term revolution, unfortunately, conveys the notion that such changes occur abruptly, but actually they take many years and often are accompanied by broader social changes as well.
Barrus and Mossbridge, begin by describing some of the shortcomings of the materialist worldview, followed by consideration of what they call 'anomalous information transfer'. This entails the evidence of shared mind or knowing what is going on in places that we can't perceive with our senses; precognition; discarnate beings (entities in he universe that we cannot perceive through our ordinary senses); direct mental influences. All of this leads to consideration of the transcendant mind and quantum models of consciousness to explain these anomalies.
This book will be welcomed by those interested in considering consciousness and the mind from a non-materialist perspective. One of its strengths is that it details the empirical evidence that support such considerations, differentiating it from 'new age' books.
August 15, 2019
Undoubtedly this is an innovative book which seeks to guide future research into parapsychology. Covering a wide range of research into anomalous phenomenon such as remote viewing, remote influencing, precognitive dreams, psi phenomena, mediumship and the survival hypothesis, the authors seek to establish the view that we have a psychic sense which scans the future for major changes.
Before we dismiss this as irrational unscientific nonsense, it's worth remembering that the great scientist Kekule discovered the structure of the benzene molecule in a dream and that Loewi won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for discovering the chemistry underlying neural transmission, an experiment he carried out based on a dream .
Equally, modern physics casts doubt on the material, linear time, understanding of reality.The double-split experiment in quantum physics suggests that either retrocausality might exist or that we live simultaneously in multiple universes. Moreover Radin has shown that our body registers physiological responses in advance of future emotional events without our conscious awareness.
Baruss and Mossbridge, the authors of this book, write :
"It is very hard to resist the view that the subliminal self exists outside temporal conditions as we know them, or at any rate exists in a different kind of time. Time, as we know it, may be a special condition applying only to the physical world or to conscious appreciation of it."
Moreover, alterations of temporality have been experienced by the historian Arnold Toynbee, the author Philip Atwater and many people close to death who go through a life-review where time becomes a kind of space in which it is possible to run backwards, forwards or even to stand still. Einstein showed that time is relative and slows down more and more as we approach the speed of light.
Evidence of terminal lucidity in spite of impairment in brain function casts doubt on the view that our minds are the product of our brains. Instead the authors adopt the view of our brain being a filtering valve, constraining our mind, which in normal life, filters out all anomalous experience. Hence,near –death experiences or psychedelic drugs essentially temporarily restore the full cognitive ability of the mind.
All of this evidence brings the authors to adopt a flicker-filter model of consciousness. In which we have a discrete sequence of nows which we normally perceive as a continuous stream of consciousness, although in fact the world is constantly flickering on and off, projected from some substrate of deep consciousness.
Quoting Wren-Lewis, they write “What I perceive with my eyes and other senses is a whole world that seems to be coming fresh-minted into existence moment by moment”
The authors suggest that in this world, we can change not only the future but also the past, by moving between "nows" in different block universes, each with a different past and consonant future.
I am in two minds about this book. It makes for very dry reading and many readers will find it hard going. On the other hand, it breaks new ground and may help you to go beyond your "boggle threshold" and widen your beliefs. I was disappointed that the flicker-filter model of consciousness was only mentioned towards the end of the book. This model needs a lot more work before it can contend with the problem of "free-will" and explain our consensus reality. Moreover, the last chapter was devoted to suggestions for improving methodology in psi research, which most readers will find uninteresting.
For a much easier introduction to the flicker-filter model of consciousness, I recommend reading the excellent book by Itzhak Bentov - "Stalking the Wild Pendulum" before you red this book.
Before we dismiss this as irrational unscientific nonsense, it's worth remembering that the great scientist Kekule discovered the structure of the benzene molecule in a dream and that Loewi won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for discovering the chemistry underlying neural transmission, an experiment he carried out based on a dream .
Equally, modern physics casts doubt on the material, linear time, understanding of reality.The double-split experiment in quantum physics suggests that either retrocausality might exist or that we live simultaneously in multiple universes. Moreover Radin has shown that our body registers physiological responses in advance of future emotional events without our conscious awareness.
Baruss and Mossbridge, the authors of this book, write :
"It is very hard to resist the view that the subliminal self exists outside temporal conditions as we know them, or at any rate exists in a different kind of time. Time, as we know it, may be a special condition applying only to the physical world or to conscious appreciation of it."
Moreover, alterations of temporality have been experienced by the historian Arnold Toynbee, the author Philip Atwater and many people close to death who go through a life-review where time becomes a kind of space in which it is possible to run backwards, forwards or even to stand still. Einstein showed that time is relative and slows down more and more as we approach the speed of light.
Evidence of terminal lucidity in spite of impairment in brain function casts doubt on the view that our minds are the product of our brains. Instead the authors adopt the view of our brain being a filtering valve, constraining our mind, which in normal life, filters out all anomalous experience. Hence,near –death experiences or psychedelic drugs essentially temporarily restore the full cognitive ability of the mind.
All of this evidence brings the authors to adopt a flicker-filter model of consciousness. In which we have a discrete sequence of nows which we normally perceive as a continuous stream of consciousness, although in fact the world is constantly flickering on and off, projected from some substrate of deep consciousness.
Quoting Wren-Lewis, they write “What I perceive with my eyes and other senses is a whole world that seems to be coming fresh-minted into existence moment by moment”
The authors suggest that in this world, we can change not only the future but also the past, by moving between "nows" in different block universes, each with a different past and consonant future.
I am in two minds about this book. It makes for very dry reading and many readers will find it hard going. On the other hand, it breaks new ground and may help you to go beyond your "boggle threshold" and widen your beliefs. I was disappointed that the flicker-filter model of consciousness was only mentioned towards the end of the book. This model needs a lot more work before it can contend with the problem of "free-will" and explain our consensus reality. Moreover, the last chapter was devoted to suggestions for improving methodology in psi research, which most readers will find uninteresting.
For a much easier introduction to the flicker-filter model of consciousness, I recommend reading the excellent book by Itzhak Bentov - "Stalking the Wild Pendulum" before you red this book.
April 19, 2019
I love these kinds of "out there" books that explore the fundamentals of human existence. While we're all busy these days checking social media, daily schedules, TV shows, engaging with people at work and family at home and on and on and on....it's a nice change of pace, and sometimes frightening, to take a deep dive into the basic question of "just what the f*** am I doing here" and read a book that aims to shed new light on that common human query.
Sure, it's easy to fall back on various old stories - ones taken as eternal truths by segments of our global community - for comfort and guidance. I'm not saying that widely accepted explanations of human existence are all wrong, of course, but I am certainly a skeptic when it comes to assuming that our collective intellectual and spiritual journeys have fully matured right here and now in the 21st century. Sadly, I guess, I'm convinced that someday, somewhere, people will look back at this era and laugh at many of our deeply-held convictions, just as we do when reading about various historical times whether from 25 years ago (Why would anyone need e-mail or the internet?), the Middle Ages (Let's get rid of that headache by cutting a hole in your skull!), or way back even further. While this book doesn't fully answer the question of who and what comes next after our physical bodies expire, it does offer a lot of interesting information from various scientific reports on these topics.
I admit to getting a little spooked while reading, late at night, the section concerning mediums and human interactions with otherwordly spirits. Seems I don't have that paranormal ability, but still I'm not so sure I want to look into a mirror in a darkened room for a while to see if anyone/anything else shows up over my shoulder. That being said, I did find the section and anecdotes about near death experiences to be absolutely fascinating. These often include accounts of stepping into a different kind of time, one where the events of our lives can be seen again as an overview or even frame by frame. They also often include comforting interactions with the most important people in our lives who have passed on. Fascinating stuff, and I've actually talked with some people - very sane people, I might add - in my circles who have experienced this surreal mind trip.
So, to sum up, if you ever occasionally stop and contemplate what consciousness is really all about, then you'll enjoy this book.
Ok, enough of this heretical talk. Now back to CNN, the stock market, sports news and questions of
the day such as: Did I feed the dog this morning? Who am I picking up after school and when? Do I have any clean socks? Is the mortgage paid? Where's my Uber?
Sure, it's easy to fall back on various old stories - ones taken as eternal truths by segments of our global community - for comfort and guidance. I'm not saying that widely accepted explanations of human existence are all wrong, of course, but I am certainly a skeptic when it comes to assuming that our collective intellectual and spiritual journeys have fully matured right here and now in the 21st century. Sadly, I guess, I'm convinced that someday, somewhere, people will look back at this era and laugh at many of our deeply-held convictions, just as we do when reading about various historical times whether from 25 years ago (Why would anyone need e-mail or the internet?), the Middle Ages (Let's get rid of that headache by cutting a hole in your skull!), or way back even further. While this book doesn't fully answer the question of who and what comes next after our physical bodies expire, it does offer a lot of interesting information from various scientific reports on these topics.
I admit to getting a little spooked while reading, late at night, the section concerning mediums and human interactions with otherwordly spirits. Seems I don't have that paranormal ability, but still I'm not so sure I want to look into a mirror in a darkened room for a while to see if anyone/anything else shows up over my shoulder. That being said, I did find the section and anecdotes about near death experiences to be absolutely fascinating. These often include accounts of stepping into a different kind of time, one where the events of our lives can be seen again as an overview or even frame by frame. They also often include comforting interactions with the most important people in our lives who have passed on. Fascinating stuff, and I've actually talked with some people - very sane people, I might add - in my circles who have experienced this surreal mind trip.
So, to sum up, if you ever occasionally stop and contemplate what consciousness is really all about, then you'll enjoy this book.
Ok, enough of this heretical talk. Now back to CNN, the stock market, sports news and questions of
the day such as: Did I feed the dog this morning? Who am I picking up after school and when? Do I have any clean socks? Is the mortgage paid? Where's my Uber?
November 7, 2017
A must read for truth seekers
Challenges and defeats conventional wisdom on several fronts. When one considers the weirdness and unsatisfying materialist explanations for quantum mechanics combined with clear evidence of near death experiences and other anomalous events, even a lifelong materialist like me has to reevaluate my position. I've often said to religious/spiritual people that no amount of evidence will change their mind and any evidence will change mine. While, I do not believe any particular religion has it completely right or all the answers, I concede that there exists a deeper reality beyond our waking consensus reality. I look forward to seeing how the science of spirit evolves.
Challenges and defeats conventional wisdom on several fronts. When one considers the weirdness and unsatisfying materialist explanations for quantum mechanics combined with clear evidence of near death experiences and other anomalous events, even a lifelong materialist like me has to reevaluate my position. I've often said to religious/spiritual people that no amount of evidence will change their mind and any evidence will change mine. While, I do not believe any particular religion has it completely right or all the answers, I concede that there exists a deeper reality beyond our waking consensus reality. I look forward to seeing how the science of spirit evolves.
September 12, 2019
Excellent overview of current consciousness science.
I find the chapter on how time and how we experience time may actually work probably the most fascinating from the philosophical standpoint— from that point “time” as we know it doesn’t actually exist in linear fashion, though that is the way we think we experience it.
I have read through this book before, and highly recommend it for studies on parapsychology.
I find the chapter on how time and how we experience time may actually work probably the most fascinating from the philosophical standpoint— from that point “time” as we know it doesn’t actually exist in linear fashion, though that is the way we think we experience it.
I have read through this book before, and highly recommend it for studies on parapsychology.
December 3, 2016
I was SO excited to read Transcendent Mind when I first heard about it. As a science-nerd (not scientist) with an interest in consciousness, I'm hungry for everything I can find about the contemporary science of... well... being. Unfortunately, I've found it sort of difficult to weed out science from pseudoscience.
What I love about Transcendent Mind is that, while it presents plenty of ideas about why these phenomena occur, covering a broad range of topics (psi, discarnate entities, reverse causality, and much more), the bulk of the book accessibly summarizes experiments that have been conducted, are being conducted, and the resultant questions that deserve further study. It leaves a persuasive agenda behind after the first chapter and moves right along to the meaty stuff: what can science actually tell us, today, about anomalous phenomena that it was taboo to discuss yesterday.
Transcendent Mind is far from dry. This is a book written for the scientific community, but it is mostly accessible to non-scientists like me. The authors structure the information in a way that leads with curiosity. There were several sections I had to read two or three times in order to "get" them, but I was never bored with the book or the writing style. And I was always grateful for the dozen-or-so long-form anecdotes, which brought a color to the storytelling that I really enjoyed.
Wonderful wonderful book, I will be recommending it (and loaning my copy out) to many of my consciousness-nerd friends.
What I love about Transcendent Mind is that, while it presents plenty of ideas about why these phenomena occur, covering a broad range of topics (psi, discarnate entities, reverse causality, and much more), the bulk of the book accessibly summarizes experiments that have been conducted, are being conducted, and the resultant questions that deserve further study. It leaves a persuasive agenda behind after the first chapter and moves right along to the meaty stuff: what can science actually tell us, today, about anomalous phenomena that it was taboo to discuss yesterday.
Transcendent Mind is far from dry. This is a book written for the scientific community, but it is mostly accessible to non-scientists like me. The authors structure the information in a way that leads with curiosity. There were several sections I had to read two or three times in order to "get" them, but I was never bored with the book or the writing style. And I was always grateful for the dozen-or-so long-form anecdotes, which brought a color to the storytelling that I really enjoyed.
Wonderful wonderful book, I will be recommending it (and loaning my copy out) to many of my consciousness-nerd friends.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews