Sheldrake beautifully and effortlessly pulls the rug from under the feet of the philosophical materialists

I loved this book, and it resonates with my own thoughts and experiences, about the nature of reality.
Here is a short excerpt from the final chapter which I like, i hope it is ok to post this...
"for example materialists have not proved that matter is unconscious, or that nature is purposeless or that minds are confined to brains, these are assumptions. The materialist world view is a belief system not a statement of scientific facts. Another common reason for converting to atheism is the assumption that religions are primarily about propositions and beliefs rather than about experiences. Then religions can be dismissed as dogmatic, dependent on the authority of scriptures prophets and priests. By contrast so the argument goes, scientists are open to evidence, they ask clear questions, test them by experiment and establish a reliable consensus through repeated observations. I used to believe this myself, but I was disillusioned when I realised that some people had made science into a kind or religion and are often exceptionally dogmatic. They accept the scientific world view on faith, impressed by the authority and prestige of scientists and imagine that they have arrived at this world view by their own free thinking. I still believe in the ideal of open minded science but I see the religion of science, scientism, as a dogmatic ideology. In my own experience, believers in scientism are more dogmatic than most Christians I encounter. Most believers in scientism are not scientists, they are devotees rather than researchers, most have made no empirical observations, or scientific discoveries themselves, they have not worked at the large Hadron collider studying subatomic particles, nor have they sequenced genomes, or examined the ultra structure of nerve cells, nor done research in radio astronomy, nor penetrated the mathematics of super string theory. They take what they are told on trust, accepting the prevailing orthodoxy of institutional science as conveyed by textbooks and popularizers. They are incapable of questioning the authority of the scientific priesthood because they lack the necessary education and technical knowledge to do so, and, if they do raise awkward questions, they are likely to be ignored, or dismissed as ignorant, confused or stupid."

Rupert raises awkward questions and he does so within the scientific method. The phenomena he documents flatly contradict the materialist world view in a similar way, to the incompatibility between the two theoretical pillars of modern physics, quantum mechanics and general relativity.
General relativity and quantum mechanics are fundamentally different models that have different configurations. It is not simply a problem of scientific terms however, it's clash of genuinely incompatible explanations of reality.
So until we have a new model of physical reality which takes into account the findings of modern consciousness research, and which sees consciousness as primary and fundamental, and not secondary and contingent, we will remain stuck in this old paradigm. Rupert Sheldrake, along with Psychologist Stanislav Groff and others have demonstrated that consciousness simply could not be an epiphenomenon arising out if the complexity of the neurobiological processes in the brain, but is instead something primary and fundamental, and just as the Copenhagen interpretation suggests, it is matter instead, which is secondary and contingent.
After all, as Rupert explains in his subsequent book, subatomic particles are not made of hard enduring stuff like tiny billiard balls, but rather, are quantum of energetic vibrations in fields. A proton is a quantum of energetic vibration in a proton field, an electron, a quantum of energetic vibration in an electron field.
And only exist in a particular place at a particular time if and when consciously observed, while otherwise existing as energetic distributions of possibilities.

Sheldrake beautifully and effortlessly pulls the rug from under the feet of philosophical materialists such as Dawkins and Harris. A true openminded scientist, unhindered by scientific dogma.
Sheldrake is also a philosophy graduate, a student of theology, and an erudite of the worlds major religious traditions and practices, he appears pre-eminently qualified to discuss such question as, the inherent nature of spirituality in human consciousness and the spiritual dimensions of the many activities and practices that engage us and sustain our well being throughout our lives, and which are so indispensable to our health and happiness.
Sheldrake reveals the underlying truth, of the very spiritual nature of our species, and our deep need for connection with the universal eternal consciousness, which is the source of all else, and in doing so in this book, he really leaves those new militant atheists, sitting on their bottoms, the rug, well and truly whipped out from underneath them and their entire materialistic facade , what's left of it, clearly crumbling, collapsing around them.
To have faith in a belief system which has already superseded itself, mechanistic materialism, and which in principal can never account for some very real phenomena, is not smart.
Perhaps it is wiser and better to have faith in a belief system, which is supported by direct experience, which explains most everything, which resonates with our very nature, and which is after all, a metaphysical necessity.

6 people found this helpful

Thought Provoking

Coming from an atheist background, I was very impress with Sheldrake's previous book, Science Delusion, as it made me aware of the preconceptions and biases I thought I was free of.

This book has helped me to further understand the value some key religious practices can have in the lives if those around me and my own life. This is one of the few books to have such a profound effect on my thunking about the world. Thank you.

6 people found this helpful

brilliant

Sheldrake is brilliant. I could listen to this all day, again. end the hate, meditate.

5 people found this helpful

very interesting read

I was captivated by this book; it is a mine of fascinating information about spirituality. i have now purchased the kindle edition so i can study the text in more detail. i also liked the peaceful and measured manner in which the book was read. if you are interested in people and spirituality then you will find this book very thought provoking and fascinating.

3 people found this helpful

What I expected to be.

Was awesome and it is always a pleasure to listen a book from the voice of it author.
It should exist more books about these themes, with respected people focusing on fringe subjects. Anthony Peake, Daniel Quinn, Terrence McKenna, Joseph Atwill, Noam Chomsky or Robert Waggoner are good examples on completely different fields.

3 people found this helpful

I wanted more, but it was interesting still...

Sheldrake reads with a soporifically rhythmic drone. His arguments are superficial and easily disputable. Though, he does score at least three good insights: first, Contra Peterson, he points out that dragon myths regularly involve the voluntary surrender of an innocent, for the sake of the group; second, spiritual practice, while often demonstrating positive health effects, tend to do so more profoundly in actual believers rather than secular practitioners; third, that panpsychists may have the easiest of all the hypotheses to prove, in postulating a property common to all matter, rather than the alternative of dualism or the materialist denial of consciousness altogether. Probably, his previous book would provide better arguments on all three counts than this one, if you're a critical reader.

1 person found this helpful

Authenticating the disconnect of today

Atheism is overrated. A phrase I coined to myself prior to reading this book.
The contents of this book back up the feelings I have had having a loss of the sense of community in our secular lives today.

Some great insight into the spirituality of humanity.

good modern review of spiritual life

This is very good, with less science than his excellent book The Science Delusion.
It's passionate and sincere though it feels very English middle class which might put some off. Don't be. He comes across as a lovely fella.

Yes!

I really enjoyed listening to this book, and feel interested in listening to more content from the author! The narration us also very clear and warm-voiced. Thank you!

food for thought

This is a great book that will make you look at the world ina different way. Recommended.