Spirituality is a topic of recent interest. Mindfulness, for example, a concept derived from the Buddhist tradition, has captivated the imagination of clinicians who package it in convenient intervention programs for patients. Spirituality and religion have been researched with reference to potential health benefits. Spirituality can be conceptualised as the alignment of the individual with the whole, experientially, motivationally and in action. For spirituality to unfold its true potential it is necessary to align this new movement with the mainstream of (...) science, and vice versa. Hence, both a historical review, and a systematic attempt at integration is called for, which we are trying to give here. It is useful to go back to one of the roots: parapsychology. Parapsychology was founded as a counter movement to the rising materialist paradigm in the 19th century. Adopting the methods of the natural sciences, it tried to prove the direct influence of consciousness on matter. After 125 years this mission must be declared unaccomplished. Surveying the database of parapsychological research it is obvious that it will not convince sceptics: Although there are enough exceptional findings, it has in general not been possible to reproduce them in replication experiments. This is, however, a characteristic signature of a category of effects which we call effects of generalised entanglement, predicted by a theoretical model analogous to quantum theory. Using this perspective, parapsychological effects can be understood, and the original aim of the founding fathers can be recovered, as well as a new, systematic understanding of spirituality be gained. Generalised entanglement is a formal and scientific way of explaining spirituality as alignment of an individual with a whole, which, according to the model, inevitably leads to non-local correlations. (shrink)

A systemic phenomenological model that assumes the movability of the Cartesian cut is proposed and elucidated by means of a single exploratory case study. The model assumes that a continuum from purely psychosomatic disorders to RSPK cases exists. The degree of externalization (locus of control) of the affected person serves as an ordering parameter for the location of the Cartesian cut. It turns out that the dynamics of the disorder develops in four phases, like in the RSPK-model of the MPI. (...) However, in contrast to the decline phase of the RSPK cases (because of the NT-axiom), CER cases lead to petrification of the complaints. (shrink)

Unknown to most Western psychologists, ancient Indian scriptures contain very rich, empirically derived psychological theories that are, however, intertwined with religious and philosophical content. This article represents our attempt to extract the psychological theory of cognition and consciousness from a prominent ancient Indian thought system: Samkhya-Yoga. We derive rather broad hypotheses from this approach that may complement and extend Western mainstream theorizing. These hypotheses address an ancient personality theory, the effects of practicing the applied part of Samkhya-Yoga on normal and (...) extraordinary cognition, as well as different ways of perceiving reality. We summarize empirical evidence collected in diverse fields of research that allows for making judgments about the hypotheses, and suggest more specific hypotheses to be examined in future research. We conclude that the existing evidence for the hypotheses is substantial but that there are still considerable gaps in theory and research to be filled. Theories of cognition contained in the ancient Indian systems have the potential to modify and complement existing Western mainstream accounts of cognition. In particular, they might serve as a basis for arriving at more comprehensive theories for several research areas that, so far, lack strong theoretical grounding, such as meditation research or research on aspects of consciousness. (shrink)

Spirituality is a topic of recent interest. Mindfulness, for example, a concept derived from the Buddhist tradition, has captivated the imagination of clinicians who package it in convenient intervention programs for patients. Spirituality and religion have been researched with reference to potential health benefits. Spirituality can be conceptualised as the alignment of the individual with the whole, experientially, motivationally and in action. For spirituality to unfold its true potential it is necessary to align this new movement with the mainstream of (...) science, and vice versa. Hence, both a historical review, and a systematic attempt at integration is called for, which we are trying to give here. It is useful to go back to one of the roots: parapsychology. Parapsychology was founded as a counter movement to the rising materialist paradigm in the 19th century. Adopting the methods of the natural sciences, it tried to prove the direct influence of consciousness on matter. After 125 years this mission must be declared unaccomplished. Surveying the database of parapsychological research it is obvious that it will not convince sceptics: Although there are enough exceptional findings, it has in general not been possible to reproduce them in replication experiments. This is, however, a characteristic signature of a category of effects which we call effects of generalised entanglement, predicted by a theoretical model analogous to quantum theory. Using this perspective, parapsychological effects can be understood, and the original aim of the founding fathers can be recovered, as well as a new, systematic understanding of spirituality be gained. Generalised entanglement is a formal and scientific way of explaining spirituality as alignment of an individual with a whole, which, according to the model, inevitably leads to non-local correlations. (shrink)

The perception of reality by biosystems is based on different, and in certain respects more effective, principles than those utilized by the more formal procedures of science. As a result, what appears as random pattern to the scientific method can be meaningful pattern to a living organism. The existence of this complementary perception of reality makes possible in principle effective use by organisms of the direct interconnections between spatially separated objects shown to exist in the work of J. S. Bell.

The relationship between quantum collapse and consciousness is reconsidered under the assumption that quantum collapse is an objective dynamical process. We argue that the conscious observer can have a distinct role from the physical measuring device during the process of quantum collapse owing to the intrinsic nature of consciousness; the conscious observer can know whether he is in a definite state or a quantum superposition of definite states, while the physical measuring device cannot “know”. As a result, the consciousness observer (...) can distinguish the definite states and their quantum superposition, while the physical measuring device without consciousness cannot do. This provides a possible quantum physical method to distinguish man and machine. The new result also implies that consciousness has causal efficacies in the physical world when considering the existence of quantum collapse. Accordingly consciousness is not reducible or emergent, but a new fundamental property of matter. This may establish a quantum basis for panpsychism, and make it be a promising solution to the hard problem of consciousness. Furthermore, it is suggested that a unified theory of matter and consciousness includes two parts: one is the psychophysical principle or corresponding principle between conscious content and matter state, and the other is the complete quantum evolution of matter state, which includes the definite nonlinear evolution element introduced by consciousness and relating to conscious content. Lastly, some experimental schemes are presented to test the proposed quantum theory of consciousness. (shrink)

Abstract—This article starts with an introduction to the concepts and experimental methodology used in the investigation of micro-psychokinesis (micro-PK). After a summary of three PK meta-analyses that seem to show a genuine PK effect, I will comment on a paper by Holger Bösch, Fiona Steinkamp, and Emil Boller (BSB), entitled “Examining Psychokinesis: The Interaction of Human Intention With Random Number Generators—A Meta‑Analysis” (BSB-MA). The paper was published in the July 2006 issue of the Psychological Bulletin and suggests that all evidence (...) of micro-PK may be due to publication bias. I will then show that the BSB-MA contains a large number of seri­ous errors, which include data selection bias, faulty data coding, a lack of correspondence between experimental and control datasets, faulty statistical analyses, and erroneous interpretation of results. In addition, the entire negative z-score in the meta‑analysis results from only one study. This meta-analysis, therefore, produced spuri­ous results. (shrink)

A vivid discussion revolves around the role of the human mind in the quantum measurement process. While some authors argue that conscious observation is a necessary element to achieve the transition from quantum to classical states during measurement (Wigner, 1963), some go even further and propose a more active influence of the human mind on the probabilities of quantum measurement outcomes (e.g. Atmanspacher, Römer, & Walach, 2002; Penrose & Hameroff, 2011). This proposition was tested in micro-psychokinesis (micro-Pk) research were intentional (...) observer effects on quantum random number generators (RNGs) were investigated. In the studies presented here we extended this line of research and tested the impact unconscious goals on micro-Pk. Our focus was cigarette addiction as an unconscious drive and hypothesized that regular cigarette smokers would influence the outcome of a quantum RNG that determined whether the participant was going to see a smoking-related or a neutral picture. Study 1 revealed strong evidence for micro-Pk (BF = 66.06) supporting the H1. As expected, no deviation from chance was found with non-smokers. In Study 2, a pre-registered highly powered replication attempt, failed to reproduce this result and showed strong evidence for H0 (BF = 11.07). When the data from both studies are combined a remarkable change in effect across time (resembling a combination of appearance followed by decline) can be seen only in the smoker’s subsample. Appearance-and-decline effects were absent in the non-smokers sample and in a simulation. Based on von Lucadou’s Model of Pragmatic Information we suggest that (micro-)Pk effects follow a systematic pattern comparable to a dampened harmonic oscillation. This concept may shed new light on past and future Pk research. (shrink)

This paper reports on a correlation study between human intention and the output of a binary random number generator. The study comprises a total of 288 million bits from 40 equal sessions, each on a different human participant. Each participant spent 2 hours of time attempting to “influence” the outcome of the random number generator according to a pre-selected intention. During this time the participant was provided feedback on his/her performance by an analog mechanical display, with the needle of a (...) galvanometric instrument moving to the left- or right-hand side of its current position, according to the instantaneous output of the random number generator. The data analysis procedure was defined before looking at the data. Out of four pre-defined analyses, one was found to be significant with a probability p = 0.0366 that this result occurred by chance under a null hypothesis. The combined analysis of the four individual analyses is found to be not significant, with p = 0.2655 to have occurred by chance under a null hypothesis. (shrink)

Abstract-Mean values of the z-scores of statistical psi effects in psychokinesis (PK) and extrasensory perception (ESP) are compiled. Under the influence of psi, the z-score distribution of experiments with binary random number generators (RNGs) at large numbers N of bits is known to be shifted and widened, but to remain indifferent to N. The mean z-score of binary one-trial experiments with dream psi is noted to be not much smaller than the mean z-score of these (presumably) mostly isolated many-trial experiments (...) with RNGs. This could suggest that with two equivalent choices PK and ESP are equally effective, or very nearly so, and the mean z-scores are almost equal at all N down to N = 1. The widening is found to be attributable to a Gaussian distribution of the magnitude of the PK effect that causes the shift, provided the z-score distribution remains Gaussian. Formulas are proposed to compute from the values of shift and widening as observed with RNGs those of psi effects with more than two equivalent choices, such as falling dice. They are only partially confirmed by the (still rather scanty) datasets of such systems. Finally, psi-induced switching and mind-neuron interaction are revisited. Keywords: statistical parapsychology--mean values--relationships between mean values--psi effects--psychokinesis (PK)--extrasensory perception (ESP)--random number generators (RNGs). (shrink)

Experimental birthmarks involve a practice in several countries in Asia in which the body of a dying or recently deceased person is marked with a substance, most often soot, in the belief that when the individual is reborn, the baby will bear a birthmark corresponding to the mark. This is usually done with the expectation that the rebirth will occur in the same family as the deceased individual. A field study was undertaken in Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) to examine such (...) cases. Eighteen cases were found in which a baby was born with a birthmark that corresponded to a marking made on the body of a deceased person; in six of these, the child also made statements that the family believed were related to the life of the deceased individual. Possible etiologies for these cases are explored. Keywords: Birthmarks—experimental birthmarks—reincarnation. (shrink)

An attempt is made to recognize a system behind the psi effects that are evaluated in terms of hit rates. For this purpose we formulate five rules which seem to apply at least to studies of good quality with the most common chance hit rates = ½ or ¼. A problem in the statistical evaluation of the results arises from the fact that the hit rate cannot be smaller than 0 or larger than 1. This implies that the -scores of (...) an experiment, i.e. the ratio of deviation to standard deviation, and their mean values are limited as well. Since the true effect size should in principle be unbounded, its standard definition by may be expected to fail near the boundaries. Especially for one-trial experiments where the effect size is concentrated in a single choice between hit or miss, a definition is needed which is unlimited but at small enough values merges with. For such an extension, two models will be proposed, one of them with three variants. On this basis it is calculated how the measured could be related to the true effect size. A sixth rule elaborates on the scattering of the effect size and is called preliminary as it rests solely on PK experiments with random number generators. It is used to estimate the average hit rate and average -score when the limits affect the integral of the hit rate. It turns out that the average hit rate measured in one-trial experiments can be influenced by the limits of even when it is not near one of the limits. A comparison of theory and experiment favors one of the models or a variant of the other, but no definitive conclusions can be drawn because of the large uncertainties of the data and possible inadvertent errors in counting the number of experiments. (shrink)

The Metamorphosis of Plants, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, by Rupert Sheldrake The Science of Leonardo: Inside the Mind of the Great Genius of the Renaissance by Fritjof Capra, by Rupert Sheldrake Quantum Aspects of Life, edited by Derek Abbott, Paul C. W. Davies, and Arun K. Pati, by Michael Levin Medicine, Miracles, & Manifestations: A Doctor’s Journey through the Worlds of Divine Intervention, Near-Death Experience, and Universal Energy, by John L. Turner, by Allan J. Hamilton Parsing the Turing Test: (...) Philosophical and Methodological Issues in the Quest for the Thinking Computer, edited by Robert Epstein, Gary Roberts, and Grace Beber, by Gregory Chaitin Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell, by Larry Dossey The Seer in Ancient Greece, by Michael Attyah Flower MichaelGrosso Astrology off the Beaten Track: A Scientifi c Study of Planets and Personality, by Suzel Fuzeau-Braesch Robert Marks Haunted Greece and Rome: Ghost Stories from Classical Antiquity, by D. Felton, by Daniel Ogden Life and Mind: In Search of the Physical Basis, edited by Savely Savva, by Beverly Rubik Parapsychology and the Skeptics: A Scientifi c Argument for the Existence of ESP, by Chris Carter, by Michael Schmicker Soul Survivor: The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot, by Bruce Leininger, Andrea Leininger, and Ken Gross, by Charles T. Tart Further Books of Note Journal Review. (shrink)

Mind-matter interaction experiments have been progressing from targeting simple bias of random number generators to correlation studies between psychological and physical variables, carried out over multiple combinations of these. This paper reports on a new correlation study between human intention and the output of a binary random number generator. The study comprises a total of 720000 bits from 20 equal sessions each on a different human participant. Each participant spent 1 hour of time attempting to ’influence’ the outcome of the (...) random number generator according to a pre-selected intention. During this time the participant was provided feedback on his/her performance by an analog mechanical display, with the needle of a galvanometric instrument moving to the left or right hand side of its current position, according to the instantaneous output of the random number generator. Psychological variables were obtained from the participants by a hardware dial ahead of each individual run and by a questionnaire before the participants first experimental session. Three types of data analysis were defined and tested before looking at the data, resembling a blind analysis technique. The first analysis looks at the distribution of hit rates from the 20 participants. A former study of this kind had found a significant result for this type of analysis. The second analysis tests for correlations between psychological variables obtained before each run and the hit rate of the corresponding subsequent run. The third analysis is a conceptual replication of von Lucadous correlation matrix method. It consists of multiple correlation tests between psychological and physical variables, which also can be interpreted as a multiple-analysis technique. The results of the study are p-values of p = 0.438, p = 0.703, and p = 0.0949 for the three analysis’ results to have occurred by chance under a null hypothesis. The combined p-value for these results is p = 0.315. While none of the pre-defined analysis results is found significant, a post-hoc variant of analysis 3 that includes the control data is significant with p = 0.012 to have occurred by chance, under a null hypothesis. (shrink)

We analyze the results and implications of the combination of quantum and consciousness in terms of the recent QSC analysis. The quantum effect of consciousness is first explored. We show that the consciousness of the observer can help to distinguish the nonorthogonal states under some condition, while the usual physical measuring device without consciousness can’t. The result indicates that the causal efficacies of consciousness do exist when considering the basic quantum process. Based on this conclusion, we demonstrate that consciousness is (...) not reducible or emergent, but a new fundamental property of matter. This provides a quantum basis for panpsychism. Furthermore, we argue that the conscious process is one kind of quantum computation process based on the analysis of consciousness time and combination problem. It is shown that a unified theory of matter and consciousness should include two parts: one is the complete quantum evolution of matter state, which includes the definite nonlinear evolution element introduced by consciousness, and the other is the psychophysical principle or corresponding principle between conscious content and matter state. Lastly, some experimental suggestions are presented to confirm the theoretical analysis of the paper. (shrink)