Of what use is the mechanistic material paradigm in explaining some very real experiences which are non-material and not mechanistic in process (in terms of Newton’s laws). As a layman, I do appreciate that we have worked well within this paradigm to place satellites in space – and also achieve all the rest of our scientific advances.
However, where are the explanations for these real experiences of mine?
• I am floating horizontally just under the ceiling, looking down upon my body laid out on a single bed. But I am still here.
• I saw, during my sleep one night, the dead body of my father laid out in a particular manner, six days before he died. There was no fear associated with this experience. On the seventh day he was laid out exactly as in my dream. I had no say in the presentation.
• A total stranger foretold our meeting six months ahead when I was in another country. No one involved in my life had any plans for me at that time; neither had I.
• I saw, together with a number of others, a live body lying on a mattress suspended in the air. The ropes attached to the corners of the mattress dangled in the slight breeze.
• The spirit of my favourite uncle manifested himself to my clairvoyant. Without ears and eyes of substance, he could apparently see me, hear me, and then respond to what I had said to the clairvoyant. Without a brain of substance, he recalled relationships in his mortal life; that is, his mortal memory was clearly intact. His communication with the clairvoyant was silent (through their minds?).
• Way back in the 1940s, a friend of mine and I saw what had to be a spaceship in the sky. It changed directions thrice, before disappearing most speedily into the distance.
These were real experiences. Of course, I have read many an attempted explanation by professional scientists which explained nothing about certain challenging circumstances. I instance ‘punctuated equilibrium.’ This seems to be an attempt to deny genetic mutations caused by cosmic catastrophes. These can apparently produce new and completely functional species. I have read that this process might take about 71 generations over 2,000 years.
The apparently purposive adaptation by some insects to achieve an external colouration to match precisely the tree trunk or leaf on which they normally site themselves cannot be adequately explained by Darwinian evolutionary processes. The adaptation might be seen to be too successful to be the result of random processes. Is purpose involved?
Surely, God’s Will, the Big Bang cosmogony, Darwinian evolution, and all the theologians one might fit onto the head of a thumbtack, as well as the scientists working successfully within the current mechanistic material paradigm have not provided explanations about non-material events necessary to satisfy rational minds.
But then, what is a rational mind? For, the Hindu metaphysical paradigm says that the mind is only an instrument of Consciousness. Then, what is Consciousness?
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 