Wow! eBook
Mind Over Matter: Noetic Science and the Question of Consciousness
Author(s): Michael Kerrigan (Author), Sara Hunt
- Publisher: Saraband
- Publication Date: 21 April 2011
- Edition: Paperback
- Language: English
- Print length: 208 pages
- ISBN-10: 1887354719
- ISBN-13: 9781887354714
Book Description
Is it possible to send thoughts into someone else’s brain? Can random number generators predict future events? Why does a placebo work like a drug? Might our minds be components of a universal collective consciousness? Astonishingly, the answer to more than one of these questions might be yes. The same goes for many more, every bit as fantastical-sounding. Such questions about the human psyche have inspired thinkers in the field of noetics to attempt to understand the individual mind and spirit and the collective consciousness in a remarkable range of new and amazing ways. Even in this age of neurological discovery, the mind is still largely uncharted territory. What if there is more to the power of thought than we have yet realised? Do these views represent a paradigm shift? Are we on the verge of a radically new way of looking at the world? Or are noetic scientists no more than charlatans or naïfs? This enthralling introduction to a fascinating and relatively new field takes in an extraordinary breadth of topics, from well-established phenomena like the placebo effect and brainwashing to the possible effects of a global collective consciousness. Even-handed in its approach, it sifts fact from fantasy and fraud casting a searching, no-nonsense light into some of the most shadowy corners of contemporary thought. Whilst encompassing the ideas of the greatest minds in Western intellectual and scientific history–Aristotle, Descartes, Newton, Einstein and more–it ventures far beyond the confines of that tradition to address Eastern thought and other ways of knowing. Offering a unique tour through the mysteries of the mind as far as they are currently known, it also explores some of the enigmas that might conceivably be unlocked in the near future.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“This is a smart, dynamic, approachable exploration into the noetic sciences, offering a rare blend of compelling narrative and responsible research on the connections between mind and matter. As a noetic scientist, I learned new things and got to see familiar information in new ways. As an anthropologist, I found the cultural references and analysis of the skeptic/proponent debate engaging. And as a student of this complex and fascinating field, I appreciate the scope of the work as well as the depth offered by the index and bibliography.” –Marilyn Schlitz, President & CEO, IONS
“I am very impressed with the depth and breadth… While [Kerrigan] is highly cautious regarding the validity of the research behind the emerging field of noetic science, his position is fair, informed, and open. The writing is high caliber, and the interior is beautifully designed.” –Matthew Gilbert, Editorial director, Noetic Books
About the Author
Michael Kerrigan is an author and historian of ideas whose written works range from ancient civilisations to current affairs. He has contributed to several titles in the Myth and the Imagination of Mankind and History of the World Time-Life series and co-authored The Readers Digest Illustrated History of the World (2005-8). He is a regular reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement.
