What do you think?
Rate this book
The End of Materialism: How Evidence of the Paranormal Is Bringing Science & Spirit Together
Charles Tart reconciles the scientific and spiritual worlds by looking at empirical evidence for the existence of paranormal phenomena that point toward our spiritual nature, including telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, psychokinesis, and psychic healing.
Science seems to tell us that we are all meaningless products of blind biological and chemical forces, leading meaningless lives that will eventually end in death. The truth is that unseen forces such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and other phenomena inextricably link us to the spiritual world, and while many skeptics and scientists deny the existence of these spiritual phenomena, the experiences of millions of people indicate that they do take place.
In this book, copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart presents over fifty years of scientific research conducted at the nation's leading universities that proves humans do have natural spiritual impulses and abilities. The End of Materialism presents an elegant argument for the union of science and spirituality in light of this new evidence, and explains why a truly rational viewpoint must address the reality of a spiritual world. Tart's work marks the beginning of an evidence-based spiritual awakening that will profoundly influence your understanding of the deeper forces at work in our lives.
Science seems to tell us that we are all meaningless products of blind biological and chemical forces, leading meaningless lives that will eventually end in death. The truth is that unseen forces such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and other phenomena inextricably link us to the spiritual world, and while many skeptics and scientists deny the existence of these spiritual phenomena, the experiences of millions of people indicate that they do take place.
In this book, copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart presents over fifty years of scientific research conducted at the nation's leading universities that proves humans do have natural spiritual impulses and abilities. The End of Materialism presents an elegant argument for the union of science and spirituality in light of this new evidence, and explains why a truly rational viewpoint must address the reality of a spiritual world. Tart's work marks the beginning of an evidence-based spiritual awakening that will profoundly influence your understanding of the deeper forces at work in our lives.
416 pages, Hardcover
Published April 2, 2009
23 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
Charles T. Tart
60 books86 followersCharles T. Tart was an American psychologist and parapsychologist known for his psychological work on the nature of consciousness (particularly altered states of consciousness), as one of the founders of the field of transpersonal psychology, and for his research in parapsychology.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 10, 2017
To begin with Charles Tart makes the distinction between "Science" (systematic empirical investigation) and what he calls "Scientism" which is a bunch of unquestioned attitudes and narrow-mindedly defended Dogma that gets passed around in the name of "Science".
Personally I find that it is a moronic oversimplification to refer to "Science" as one thing. The same goes for "Religion." (I will try to avoid those terms if possible.)
Tart defines his terms as he goes.
He also writes in a very careful and intelligent way about things that are most often met with skepticism (and what Tart calls "Pseudo-Skepticism") because of "Scientism," and in my opinion because many have written on these subjects in a not-so-careful and not-so-intelligent way.
He gives an objective definition of Science, and he emphasizes that the Data should always be paramount.
He also writes in a very personable way that through revealing his own subjectivity, (in my opinion,) is also a step towards real objectivity.
Tart is so careful (and gentle) in his writing that I kinda suspect the title was an editors choice, while the subtitle " How Evidence Of The Paranormal Is Bringing Science And Spirit Together" actually gives a better idea of what the book is about.
With clear explanations, and diagrams, and meticulous references...
This book is a game-changer!
Highly recommended!
Personally I find that it is a moronic oversimplification to refer to "Science" as one thing. The same goes for "Religion." (I will try to avoid those terms if possible.)
Tart defines his terms as he goes.
He also writes in a very careful and intelligent way about things that are most often met with skepticism (and what Tart calls "Pseudo-Skepticism") because of "Scientism," and in my opinion because many have written on these subjects in a not-so-careful and not-so-intelligent way.
He gives an objective definition of Science, and he emphasizes that the Data should always be paramount.
He also writes in a very personable way that through revealing his own subjectivity, (in my opinion,) is also a step towards real objectivity.
Tart is so careful (and gentle) in his writing that I kinda suspect the title was an editors choice, while the subtitle " How Evidence Of The Paranormal Is Bringing Science And Spirit Together" actually gives a better idea of what the book is about.
With clear explanations, and diagrams, and meticulous references...
This book is a game-changer!
Highly recommended!
April 11, 2011
This is one of those books that changes the way one looks at the world. One of the founders of the discipline of Transpersonal Psychology, Tart's professional credentials are impeccable. This book summarizes his work in psychology, transpersonal psychology, and parapsychology clearly & succinctly, and gives the reader a heady dose of paradigm-shift.
March 29, 2015
Many of us know from real life experience that materialism, no matter how sophisticated, does not match what we know of reality. Tart perhaps goes a little too much into the personal, but otherwise provides a satisfying disquisition on why materialism doesn't give all the answers. I posted further comments on the book here: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.
May 23, 2020
I love books like this, because we need writers and individuals who have not swallowed the whole 'scientism' religion/philosophy.
I also like reading work from the actual researchers themselves, as Charles Tart has been.
His work is not perfect, of course. This is just like any academic's work, and I'm sure he would admit as much himself. But, he does at least provide a counter to all the 'common sense' blind acceptance of physical and materialist philosophy (or science theism actually). We need books like this (and Sheldrake's The Science Delusion) to keep the balance in belief, and stop scientism from reducing us all to atoms (if they actually exist) with no conciousness or experience acknowledged as real.
My only gripe is that he didn't repeat his famous experiment on astral projection (or similar areas). But, he discusses that issue too.
I also like reading work from the actual researchers themselves, as Charles Tart has been.
His work is not perfect, of course. This is just like any academic's work, and I'm sure he would admit as much himself. But, he does at least provide a counter to all the 'common sense' blind acceptance of physical and materialist philosophy (or science theism actually). We need books like this (and Sheldrake's The Science Delusion) to keep the balance in belief, and stop scientism from reducing us all to atoms (if they actually exist) with no conciousness or experience acknowledged as real.
My only gripe is that he didn't repeat his famous experiment on astral projection (or similar areas). But, he discusses that issue too.
May 31, 2019
I am always interested in Charles Tart's work when I hear him speak, reading his work however is another experience.
It seems the interest in using strict scientific method ( a good thing) and having to present work in such a way that it is taken seriously by their peers (which it will not be for many of them regardless of how many studies indicate the reality of paranormal events) that THE most interesting work and research that has and continues to be done is presented in a way that is terribly boring.
It may just be me. I used to be willing to work through and boring and flat academic presentations and find interesting nuggets, but I am getting older and have less patience. As a textbook, this might be great.
It seems the interest in using strict scientific method ( a good thing) and having to present work in such a way that it is taken seriously by their peers (which it will not be for many of them regardless of how many studies indicate the reality of paranormal events) that THE most interesting work and research that has and continues to be done is presented in a way that is terribly boring.
It may just be me. I used to be willing to work through and boring and flat academic presentations and find interesting nuggets, but I am getting older and have less patience. As a textbook, this might be great.
November 16, 2011
I was hoping for something with a bit more substance when I bought this book. Make no mistake, it is simply a very basic introduction to parapsychology with very few actual cases being discussed. Not at all what I was expecting, so I feel kind of ripped off. : (
August 8, 2013
Esse livro é um marco no modo de perceber e experienciar a existência.
Read
June 26, 2017Buddhist Geeks has a great pod-cast archive of fascinating interviews with scientists, practitioners, philosophers, scholars, and other notable folks with unique perspectives on the Buddha and Buddhism.
I'm not sure how I landed on this interview with Charles Tart, a Ph.D. psychologist and one of the founders of transpersonal psychology. (The universe sending me signals? Could be, but may inner skeptic is rolling her eyes.) But it grabbed my attention for its clear-eyed discussion of reincarnation and the 'Big 5' psi powers—telepathy, clairvoyance, psychic healing, psychokinesis, and precognition—that Tart has investigated during his long career.
The book has its moments as it describes Tart's long experimental career and some of the results he's published. He uses almost mundane examples of several abilities, perhaps in a desire not to be flashy about the experimental work. While I'm open to the existence of psi abilities (and have had one or two experiences that raised the hairs on my neck), the book fell short of convincing me that current science has ways of measuring them. Part of this had to do with the fact that Dr. Tart's writing, peppered with exclamation points, has a rather Victorian flavor. This stylistic tic undermined (unintentionally, I'm sure) the careful descriptions of experimental design and findings.
Lacking the scientific background to evaluate his work, I'm not rating this volume.
I am sure I will go back and listen to the Geeks podcast, which charmed and intrigued me, and I'm grateful I came across it. In it, Tart refers to the well-documented work of Ian Stevenson, the former head of the University of Virginia's Psychiatry department, on reincarnation (check out this Scientific American article on it) , as well as introducing me to Buddhist practitioner Shinzen Young's work on the science of enlightenment, both of which I'll be exploring further.
I'm not sure how I landed on this interview with Charles Tart, a Ph.D. psychologist and one of the founders of transpersonal psychology. (The universe sending me signals? Could be, but may inner skeptic is rolling her eyes.) But it grabbed my attention for its clear-eyed discussion of reincarnation and the 'Big 5' psi powers—telepathy, clairvoyance, psychic healing, psychokinesis, and precognition—that Tart has investigated during his long career.
The book has its moments as it describes Tart's long experimental career and some of the results he's published. He uses almost mundane examples of several abilities, perhaps in a desire not to be flashy about the experimental work. While I'm open to the existence of psi abilities (and have had one or two experiences that raised the hairs on my neck), the book fell short of convincing me that current science has ways of measuring them. Part of this had to do with the fact that Dr. Tart's writing, peppered with exclamation points, has a rather Victorian flavor. This stylistic tic undermined (unintentionally, I'm sure) the careful descriptions of experimental design and findings.
Lacking the scientific background to evaluate his work, I'm not rating this volume.
I am sure I will go back and listen to the Geeks podcast, which charmed and intrigued me, and I'm grateful I came across it. In it, Tart refers to the well-documented work of Ian Stevenson, the former head of the University of Virginia's Psychiatry department, on reincarnation (check out this Scientific American article on it) , as well as introducing me to Buddhist practitioner Shinzen Young's work on the science of enlightenment, both of which I'll be exploring further.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews