I am impressed by Rafi Aamer’s breadth of knowledge on the subject - and the way he writes is what is called prolific writing. However, I take his compliment with gratitude and humility. I consider myself just a novice student and seeker, no more, no less. I surely will benefit from friendship with likes of Rafi Aamer and look forward to it. Thank you Rafi.  

I greatly enjoyed Rafi Aamer’s in-depth review of my article and the exceptionally detailed and informed response on number of points. I have summarized below the points requiring further discussion:

1. The significance of scientific enterprise and its relation to other disciplines.

2. The presumed connection between QM and mysticism allegedly propounded in my article. Or the question of consciousness as an element in the explanation of quantum fact.

3. The problem of mathematical / scientific expression and its undue extension into other fields.

4. The uncertainty as part of theory of QM and what it does or does not imply.

5. The problem of suffering and its use as argument against such realms of human consciousness as religion, spirituality and mysticism.

Here, there is a material for at least for 5 articles - if not 5 books. And probably we should strive towards that kind of thorough coverage of this important subject if time permits. However, presently I will briefly state my response limiting it to only few points in order to dispel some notions, which probably are misperceptions caused due to the lack of clarity in my presentation (which partly was because of time constraints of vocal presentation).

I am great admirer of scientific inquiry and its method. I consider it as supreme achievement of human intellect. It does not “occupies a lower rung than mysticism” in my thinking. In the last seminar I vehemently defended Darwin as a scientific genius and merits of his theory as a genuine knowledge but at the same time I consider true religion as the source of our spiritual nourishment.  I do not find any contradiction between faith and true scientific study. All we have to watch is not falling prey to the literalist interpretation of science just as we have to watch not to fall prey to the literalist interpretation of religion.  Though, scientific inquiry without doubt is backbone of our material as well as intellectual growth, however, it becomes apparent by any serious study of QM that the nature of ultimate reality has defied even this most clever tool of human intellect. I agree with Rafi Aamer when he mocks new age spiritualist for their unfounded extension of QM into the realm of spirituality, however, the point of contention is not how exactly or on what evidence we can make that connection. The point of contention, for the sake of brevity, may be put in the form of a question:

“What is the nature of reality in view of all the new information we have about the sub-atomic particles.”

The contemplation of that question may lead us to contemplation of nature of our beings.

“We are stuff the dreams are made on”  (Shakespeare)

And contemplation of nature of our being may lead us to contemplation of the Being.

(Contemplation on the edge of the realm where angels fear to tread)

 

A quick comment on the observation “Where is the spookiness? The uncertainty in such a situation is as physical a principle of this universe as gravity”

Einstein said something to the effect that people stop being amazed by the simple things but he himself always stayed in a state of wonder and awe – wondering about nature of simple things, which come across in everyday life such as light and gravity. He says he remained like a child all his life. In fact, the nature of gravity was his biggest challenge and it prompted him to come up with general theory of relativity, which he developed, with the help of non-Euclidian geometry, revealing the nature of space as being curved.

“Space being curved by gravity…? What is nature of gravity?  What does space being curved means???

So we find that gravity is no less “spooky” than “uncertainty” or let us say, “gravity is no less “mind defying” than “uncertainty”. In fact, if we come to think of that gravity is the least understood thing in science and scientific philosophy than any other concept.  In scientist’s endeavor to come up with one “grand theory” where all the four forces of nature can be combined, gravity is their Achilles heel. And we tend to take gravity so for granted. Not realizing the gravity of the situation (pun intended)

We can explain and explain and explain – even a simple thing like the mechanism of growth of flower for example – the seed, the explosions of cells, the extraction of nutrients from soil, the equilibrium and non-equilibrium of elements, the DNA and the genetic information propelling the growth and on and on and on - but it is only when we encounter eye to eye with a flower that we begin to see some glimpse of reality. Let us not forget the two realms, which complement each other in our understanding of the true nature of reality: the realm of mind and realm of heart.