Download The Brain, Consciousness, and the Afterlife

The Brain, Consciousness, and Science: Hints of Immortality?
Introduction
Consciousness, the ability to be aware of and to be able to perceive the relationship between oneself and
one's environment, consists of thoughts, sensations, perceptions, emotions, and an awareness of self and
denotes different meanings to those having different perspectives on the relation between the mind and
body. And if we happen to be immortal, than it must be a form of consciousness that, in some way,
survives death. The fundamental question is whether or not consciousness is an interrelated by-product of
the brain or is entirely independent of the brain. And if consciousness is dependent for its existence on the
brain, then it will not survive brain death but if consciousness is a non-physical entity and not dependent on
the brain, then it (“I”) may survive physical death.
The nature of consciousness is a subject of great debate. Philosophers and psychologists who ascribe to
the mind–body dualism theory proposed by R. Descartes in 1641, believe that consciousness and the brain
are separate. Thus, a dualist would oppose any theory that identifies consciousness with the brain. In
contrast, monist’s believe that consciousness, self awareness, and the brain are the same thing. That is,
conciousness, and self awareness are associated with brain acitivity. Another position termed
“interactionists”, is the belief that although the mind and body are separate, the body affects the mind just
as the mind affects the body. Materialists, who contend that physical matter is the only reality and that
everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical
phenomena, strongly disagree with the conclusion that scientific materialism has failed. (29)
Consciousness is therefore a bi-product or epiphenomena of physical brain processes and when the brain
/ bodies dies, the mind ceases to exist. They believe that eventually, neuroscience will be able to explain
mind and consciousness. In contrast, “idealism” is concerned only with subjective experience (i.e.,
feelings or opinions) associated with intellectual and / or spiritual concepts and not external facts or
evidence (i.e, only what the mind can conceive is real). [100]
There is obvious debate as to whether the mind and consciousness are produced by the brain and that
mental functions and personality survive physical death. Are we contained within our brain and body or
connected, in some way, with the universe? It seems that the theoretical scientific model of reality of what
is possible-has far reaching implications for consciousness and life after death. Henry P. Stapp, a
theoretical physicist at the University of California, Berkeley who worked with some of the founding
fathers of quantum mechanics commented on how the mind may exist separately from the brain as
follows: “A scientist physically affects quantum systems by choosing which properties to study. Similarly,
an observer can hold in place a chosen brain activity that would otherwise be fleeting. This shows that the
mind and brain may not be one and the same.”[56]
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions generally associate the mind to the brain, which
interrelates with the human soul. Now, brain imaging techniques (e.g., functional Magnetic Resonance
Imaging-fMRI) are being applied to determine if a purely subjective response can be measured and
correlated with a neurologic signature of the concept of “self” to determine the principle(s) which regulate
this process. That is, is consciousness facilitated within the brain’s neural substrate and explained by
quantitative rules, or do quantum (i.e., the smallest quantity of a physical property), processes interact
with brain neurons to produce consciousness, i.e., the human brain is a quantum computer.
It is important to keep in mind the extraordinary tentativeness of almost anything that can be said about
the nature of consciousness. Scientists have no firm idea how consciousness emerges from the brain and
whether or not neurological signitures of consciousness can even be identified in order to explain the firstperson experience. In fact, there is even considerable discrepancy in the use of the term consciousness which
is often used in different and ambiguous ways. In other words, is consciousness our brain, experiences, the
perception of “I” or oneself, or our waking state? Stuart Kauffman, the theoretical biologist and complex
systems theorist, wrote “Nobody has the faintest idea what consciousness is…. I don’t have any idea. Nor
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does anybody else, including the philosophers of mind.” [118] According to the Nobel Prize winner and
founder of quantum theory Max Planck, “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as
derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about,
everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.” [81]
The pursuit to determine the nature of human consciousness has been a focus of study by scientists from
the fields of neuroscience, biology, psychology, physics, and philosophy. Such research efforts have
attempted to better understand the nature and meaning of consciousness and how our brain provides a
sense of an individual 'self' in terms of its neurological and psychological correlates. A prerequisite
objective is how to develop appropriate techniques to identify, if at all possible, the underlying neurological
correlates of consciousness. But can scientists eventually explain consciousness, and the mind-brain
connection, in terms of neural processes and signaling pathways (i.e., can brain imaging techniques predict
consciousness awareness)?
Such fundamental research objectives have been approached in very different ways dependent on one’s
field of study and the related theoretical principles and methodological approaches unique to that
discipline. In biology and medicine, for example, consciousness is studied in terms of brain mechanisms of
arousal and responsiveness (i.e., alertness through disorientation, loss of communication, comatose), and in
identifying brain regions that mediates sensory and motor signals which induce subjective feelings such as
self-location and the first person perspective (i.e., from where do I perceive the world?). In contrast, in
psychology and cognitive science, consciousness studies tend to focus on asking verbal reports of
experiences and subjective states (e.g., self-awareness, subliminal messages, denial of impairment, altered
states produced by drugs and meditation). It is, therefore, not surprising to see the many different
perspectives of the underlying principles which govern the nature of the mind-body relationship, which to
date, have provided no firm tangible answer.
Philosopher David Chalmers, the Director of Consciousness Studies at the Australian National University
and at New York University, suggested that consciousness may require a theory yet to be developed [45,
46] as it remains unresolved, and difficult to define and study (Damasio (47), Stokes (48), Chalmers
(45a), among others). The fundamental question is whether or not consciousness depends on the brain. And
if consciousness is facilitated and interrelated with biological processes of the brain, which most scientists
and physicians contend, then our ability to experience the world will cease when the brain’s
electrophysiological activity ends. In contrast, if consciousness is not dependent for its existence on the
brain, then our sense of self may survive brain death. According to Chalmers:“Science is at a sort of
impasse in its study of consciousness”, and “radical ideas may be needed to move forward. Consciousness,
the subjective experience of an inner self, could be a phenomenon forever beyond the reach of
neuroscience. Even a detailed knowledge of the brain's workings and the neural correlates of
consciousness may fail to explain how or why human beings have self-aware minds.”[46]
The need for humility in advancing theories of consciousness has been stressed by theoretical physicists.
According to physicist Nick Herbert,”consciousness is a process lying outside the laws that govern the
material world, and it is just this immunity from the quantum rules that allows the mind to turn possibility
into actuality.” [66] That is, consciousness emanates into the physical world from the brain and the spiritual
world interacts with biological evolution. Wigner (1983) stated that physics will have to be “replaced by
new laws, based on new concepts, if organisms with consciousness are to be described.… in order to deal
with the phenomenon of life, the laws of physics will have to be changed, not only reinterpreted.” [119]
Penrose (2003) shared a similar perspective as follows: “My position [on consciousness] demands a major
revolution in physics…. There is something very fundamental missing from current science. Our
understanding at this time is not adequate and we’re going to have to move to new regions of science….”
[120] Neurologist Sir John Eccles said that “evolution could account for the brain but not for the mind, and
that only something transcendent could explain consciousness and thought”. [67].
Physicist Robert Jahn of Princeton University concluded that if consciousness can exchange information
with the physical environment, then it can have the same "molecular binding potential" as physical
objects, (i.e., it follows the principles of quantum mechanics) and that it makes no sense to separate
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physical effects from spiritual effects. D. Bohm held a similar position. He proposed that, "the results of
modern natural sciences only make sense if we assume an inner, uniform, transcendent reality that is
based on all external data and facts. The very depth of human consciousness is one of them." [58] Nuclear
physicist Jeremy Hayward shares a similar perspective: "Many scientists who are still part of the scientific
mainstream are no longer afraid to openly state that consciousness/awareness could, in addition to space,
time, matter and energy, be a fundamental element of the world - perhaps even more fundamental than
space and time. It may be a mistake to ban the spirit from nature. It is even questioned as to whether
matter should be considered a fundamental element of the universe.” [89] The difficulty incurred from
the diversity of opinions proposed, which tend to leave us confused about who and what to believe, is in
trying to filter sense from nonsense, especially since skeptics often adopt the position that those who
believe in immortality consider that because their claims have not been disproved. The problem with
consciousness is that it is very hard to be defined and it implicates too many different things. For this
reason, researchers have attempted to specify more clearly what they mean by consciousness and about
ways to study it using appropriate scientific methods.
Where is Consciousness?
Although it seems reasonable for the scientific community to more aggressively study our concept of
reality and the associated distinction between the brain and consciousness, according to research
psychologist Dr. Ken Paller, "the debate about the neural basis of consciousness rages because there is no
widely accepted theory about what happens in the brain to make consciousness possible." [31]. In fact,
many neuroscientists contend that we should focus research on other aspects of brain function, because
the neurological substrate mediating consciousness will never be understood. Neuroscientists view the
brain, which contains about 100 billion neurons, as a highly complicated system of synchronized activity
of coupled neurons with associated inter-connected neural pathways. This substrate produces neuroelectrophysiological activity which facilitates information processing.
Advanced techniques may allow scientistists to more accurately observe and measure the apparent causes
and manifestations of consciousness. Neurophysiological studies for example have demonstrated how
specific areas of the brain become metabolically active in response to a thought or feeling through the use
of electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. But while neuronal networks serve as
a required prerequisite for cognitive porcessing, there is no definitive evidence that shows how cells
produce thoughts and the subjective essence of one’s consciousness. Neuroscientist and psychiatrist
Giulio Tononi believes that the basis for consciousness is mediated by brain cell linkage. He said, “as cells
become more interlinked, information can be combined more readily and therefore the essence of
complicated thought can be explained. The more possible links between cells, the more possible
combinations there are and therefore a greater number of ‘thoughts’ are possible.” (32)
Over the past several decades, researchers have attempted to localize consciousness in the brain without
success. Some research studies conducted to identify the neural substrate of consciousness is presented
below:
In a study by psychologist Benjamin Libert, EEG activity was analyzed to determine precisely when
subjects made a decision to act prior to simple behavioral tasks such as moving fingers (24) Interestingly,
Libert found that the brain responds a few milliseconds before the decision to act which he termed the
“readiness potential” since it occurs just before conscious will to allow a brief period for consciousness to
override a decision. Two important questions emerge from this result as follows: 1) does consciousness
and free will represent two distinct and independent elements of human nature, and 2) does
consciousness and free will have a natural explanation and can operate beyond the bounds of physical
law? If true, the body and brain can be easily destroyed while consciousness and free will can not. Taking
this proposed concept one step further, an all-encompassing proposition emerges. That is, does
consciousness and free will represent the so called “soul”, and that whatever happens to our body and
brain after death, our soul lives on? As physicist Stephen Barr stated, “There is nothing in the laws of
nature…as they exist today which is logically incompatible with free will.” (25)
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In a recent study conducted by Dr. Olaf Blanke, who used a neuroimaging –compatible robotic technology in
subjects exposed to induced changes in self-location and first person perspective, concluded that a brain
region called the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) plays a critical role for the feeling of one’s location in space
and for perceiving the world from this perspective. [35] They observed that TPJ activity reflected
experimental changes in self-location and first-person perspective. The researchers also completed a large
study of neurological patients with out-of-body experiences and found that brain damage was localized to
the TPJ. Dr. Blanke concluded that, "Our findings on experimentally and pathologically induced altered
states of self-consciousness present a powerful new research technology and reveal that TPJ activity
reflects one of the most fundamental subjective feelings of humans: the feeling that 'I' am an entity that is
localized at a position in space and that 'I' perceive the world from here."[73]
In another study, psychologists used fMRI techniques to study what happens to the human brain when it
becomes “unconsciousness” from anesthesia in 12 subjects. [71] The psychologists, who analyzed the
"network properties" of the subjects' brains, concluded that when consciousness is lost, "the
communication among areas of the brain becomes extremely inefficient, as if suddenly each area of the
brain became very distant from every other, making it difficult for information to travel from one place to
another."[71] Their results suggest that consciousness does not "live" in a particular place in our brain but
rather "arises from the mode in which billions of neurons communicate with one another.” The lead
researcher, Dr. M. Monti, concluded that, “defining our mind as consciousness is, without having a
scientific definition of this phenomenon, extremely difficult to study," [71]
Insight into the possible neurological components which govern consciousness was provided by
researchers who claimed to have turned consciousness on and off in an awake epileptic women trough
electrical stimulation in a specific brain area [45] They discovered that stimulation with an electrode in
the claustrum and insula brain region caused the individual to lose consciousness but when stimulation
ended, she regained consciousness and could not recall the event, i.e., the claustrum may play a
significant role in consciousness. According to Dr. Koubeissi, “I would liken it to a car. A car on the road
has many parts that facilitate its movement- the gas, the transmission, the engine- but there’s only one
spot where you turn the key and it all switches on and works together. So while consciousness is a
complicated process created via many structures and networks- we may have found the key.”
Consciousness and Quantum Physics
Consciousness and the brain informs us of reality and what we know. Consciousness may in fact, in some
way, actually have a physical effect on what we perceive, This is a revolutionary principle in physics and in
consciousness studies and many physicists and philosophers continue to debate a principle question
which underlies this issue: does consciousness determine if and how we experience reality? In other
words, there is no local cause for an event, and when an event occurs it instantaneously alters the
universe. The concept that consciousness might be correlated with the nature of our reality is based on the
relationship between consciousness and the structure of matter. Since sub-atomic particles are composed
of energy and that matter is energy, many quantum physicists contend that human consciousness is
connected to it and can influence it’s behavior and even re-structure it. Afterall, according to Niels Bohr,
one of the foremost scientists of modern physics, “everything we call real is made of things that cannot be
regarded as real” – (16) Can quantum physics provide insight into this invisible world and provide
evidence to support immortality?
Some scientists have even proposed a quantum-mechanical explanation for the relationship between
consciousness and the brain. Neuroscientist Herms Romijn proposed that photons (i.e., the smallest
elemental unit of electromagnetic radiation) in brain neurons contribute to a biological quantum (i.e., the
smallest discrete amount of something) connection and the foundation of consciousness.[142] William
Tiller, a professor emeritus of materials science at Stanford University stated: “Consciousness lifts the
higher thermodynamic free energy state of the vacuum level.” Accessing that new physics allows intention
to bring forth affects you wouldn’t imagine. The consciousness can, in a way, affect or interact with a
power greater than anything conventional instruments have been able to measure thus far.” [55]
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Tiller proposed that he was only able to detect this invisible substance when it interacted with an electric
molecule that can be measured. Interestingly, since he contends that one’s intention seemed to increase
the conductivity (i.e., the ability to transmit energy) between the atom/molecule level and the vacuum
level, Tiller concluded that consciousness can affect or interact with a “power greater than anything
conventional instruments have been able to measure thus far.”[55]
Several leading theoretical physicists such as quantum physicist David Bohm, a student of Albert Einstein,
and Brian Greene, along with neurophysiologist Karl Pribram contend that quantum theory (i.e., the
behavior of atomic- and molecular objects) may provide the unknown components to explain biological
and physical phenomena associated with theories of consciousness [58]. This "holistic" view of reality (as
opposed to reductionist theories) served as a catalyst towards a theory of quantum consciousness called
the "holonomic brain theory" which explains how the brain encodes memories in a holographic manner.
This theory originated from Pribram who synchronistically arrived at a holographic model of the mind at
the same time David Bohm was developing a holographic model of the universe. Collectively, this model is
part of an emerging paradigm called "holism" which advocates that the best way to study the behavior of
many complex systems is to treat it as a whole, i.e., a whole system being more than just the sum of its
parts. In contrast to this position, Einstein said, quantum mechanics is not a complete or holistic science.
Also, theoretical physicist Richard Feynman said that “no one understands it” and that, “QM descriptions
of the universal reality are “marred with multiple unresolved paradoxes- multiple universes, multiple
dimensions, anti-matter, quantum gravity etc. QM is great for electronic gadgets and materialistic hightech applications of science. But I would not waste any time using quantum concepts such as anti-matter,
exotic particles, strings, time travel, time-warps, quantum non-locality, quantum mind/observer, and
quantum soul etc to explain, describe, or understand universal reality or consciousness.” [102]
Despite these opposing viewpoints, evidence suggests the brain uses holographic principles to perform its
operations. Pribram for example believes the brain uses holographic principles to mathematically convert
frequencies received by the senses into the inner world of our perceptions. Pribram's theory, in fact, has
gained increasing support among neurophysiologists. Nuclear physicist and molecular biologist Jeremy
Hayward of the University of Cambridge concluded that consciousness is possibly more basic than space
and time and emphasized that "some scientists belonging to the scientific mainstream frankly say that
consciousness next to space, time, matter and energy could be one of the basic elements of the
world".[118]
Physician Jeffrey Schwartz and physicist Henry Stapp advanced a theory addressing how mental states
can influence physical states. They contend that the answer lies in the discoveries of quantum physics, the
finding that subatomic particles only reveal their precise position when we measure them. (22) This
theory, while controversial in identifying consciousness as the “missing link” raises an important
question: Is there life after death? If there is life after death, it is consciousness that survives. Yet
consciousness is probably the most perplexing subject in science. As far as consciousness goes, cognitive
psychologist Steven Pinker states: “We have no scientific explanation.”(22) In the Copenhagan
interpretation of quantum mechanics by Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, among others, the problem is
not the inadequacy of measurement: rather, particles have no location until we measure them. As
physicists Paul Davies and John Gribbin state, “the observer seems to play an essential role in fixing the
nature of reality at the quantum level.” (21)
Theories which advance the possibility of life after death incorporates a branch of physics concerned with
processes and a series of equations which describe the behavior of sub-atomic particles, like the electron,
called quantum physics. Quantum physics was described by theoretical physicist Amit Goswami, as
follows: “quantum physics is a new paradigm of science based on the primacy of consciousness…The new
paradigm resolves many paradoxes of the old paradigm and explains much anomalous data.” (11)
Quantum physics has shown that atoms and subatomic particles are not really objects, i.e., they do not
exist with certainty at definite spatial locations and times. Instead, they seem to show “tendencies to
exist,” forming a world of potentialities. (12) The quantum world appears different from the physical
world. For example, a central feature of quantum physics is the “observer effect” in which particles being
observed and the observer-the physicist and the method used for observation are linked. Interestingly, the
results of the observation are influenced by the observer’s conscious intent. This effect implies that
consciousness of the observer is vital to the existence of physical events being observed. That is, quantum
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physics indicates that the physical world cannot be fully understood without making reference to mind
and consciousness (13) Basically, what quantum theory says is that fundamental particles are empty of
inherent existence and exist in an undefined state of potentialities. They have no inherent existence from
their own side and do not become 'real' until a mind interacts with them and gives them meaning.
Whenever and wherever there is no mind there is no meaning and no reality. In other words, quantum
physics teaches us that we must consider mind and consciousness if we are to achieve an adequate
understanding of nature and reality, and its’ potential for life after death. Some physicists in fact claim
that a higher field of consciousness (information field) in the universe exists to explain how energies
within our universe interact, and how other possible universes might function.
Though resisted by Einstein as “spooky action at a distance,” quantum entanglement, a fundamental
principle of quantum physics, has been demonstrated experimentally, including over large distances [112,
122]. This concept is based on the instantaneous connections that remain between particles (photons and
electrons) that interacted physically and then become separated. According to quantum entanglement,
one particle of an entangled pair "knows" what measurement has been performed on the other, and with
what outcome, even though there is no known means for such information to be communicated between
the particles, which at the time of measurement may be separated by arbitrarily large distances. In other
words, even though they are separated, they remain linked in such a way that the quantum state of any
one of them cannot be adequately described without consideration of the others [121]. This property is
also referred to as “non-locality” - the ability of two objects to instantaneously know about each other’s
states, even if they’re separated by vast distances. For example, particle A and particle B interact, and
become mysteriously bonded. When particle A undergoes a change, particle B undergoes the same change
even though they are not visabily connected. These connections remain even if the particles are separated
by vast distances (e.g., billions of light-years). Each particle lost their individuality and behave as a single
entity. Similarly, consciousness, like photons and electrons which we are composed of, may also be a
nonlocal phenomenon. If something is nonlocal, it is not localized to specific points in space, such as
brains or bodies, or to specific points in time, such as the present. They are infinite in time as well, present
at all moments, past present and future, meaning they are eternal. Immortality? Some scientists like the
Noble Prize winner and physicists Eugene Wigner and Brian Josephson and mathematician John von
Neumann argue that this nonlocal space, may form the basis for consciousness. This may be crucial for
understanding the mind-brain relationship and the nonlocal aspects of consciousness.
Other difficult to explain behavior at the subatomic scale has been demonstrated in what is called the
double-slit experiment. For example, a perplexing outcome can be seen by the behavior of photons (light
particles) which act differently when they are observed than when no one is watching. This occurs when
scientists watch a particle pass through two slits in a barrier. The particle behaves like a bullet and goes
through one slit or the other. Yet if a person doesn’t watch the particle, it acts like a wave. This means it
can go through both slits at the same time. Thus the presence of a conscious observer changed the
behavior of an electron from a wave state to a particle state. It appears therefore that consciousness has a
physical impact on matter. In other words, observation not only disturbs what has to be measured, it
produces the effect. Thus particles exist as potential and the observer determines what form they take.
Additionally, a single electron that passes through two different holes on a screen simultaneously remains
a single particle on the other side. But, if a light is flashed on the electron to observe through which hole it
passes, then it will pass only through one of the two holes. This demonstrates that matter and energy can
display characteristics of both waves and particles, and that the behavior of the particle changes based on
a person’s perception and consciousness. This is known as the “observer effect” which contradicts what we
assume to be true about the physical world, i.e., matter and energy can behave as waves and particles.
This is the foundation of the nature of quantum mechanical phenomena where findings conclude
individual cells think for themselves.
Experiments such as this which many believe prove that “consciousness creates reality” generates
numerous questions. Can we shape and create whatever reality we’d like for ourselves? Does it mean we
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can manifest a certain lifestyle, and attract certain experiences? And if so, how? Despite the scientific
communities inability to provide irrefutable evidence to answer these questions, it seems clear that
consciousness and our physical material world does interact in some way, shape, or form, and that it must
have significant implications yet to be discovered.
According to D. Radin, Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, “observation not only disturbs
what has to be measured, they produce it. We compel the electron to assume a definite position. We
ourselves produce the results of the measurement.”[119]. Although this is one of the most popular
experiments to demonstrate the connection between consciousness and physical reality, other studies
clearly show that factors associated with consciousness are directly correlated with our reality in some
way. Although the nature of this relationship has not been convincingly explained, Radin believes that
nonlocal events and entanglement in the subatomic, quantum domain are responsible for the nonlocal
events we experience. While quantum nonlocality and entanglement may eventually explain our nonlocal
experiences, considerably more research is needed before we may accept these concepts as unifying
principles to explain our physical world and related phenomena. A number of experiments in the field of
parapsychology that have demonstrated this are addressed in Chapter XX.
Although physicists originally believed quantum entanglement was of little significance, evidence now
suggests that its’ effects may be associated with brain activity. This has been demonstrated in human
neurons in vitro [111]. If separated neurons can be entangled in such a manner, is it possible for brains to
be entangled at a distance? Several experiments using fMRI and EEG-techniques suggest this to be valid.
In these experiments, the stimulation of one individual’s brain was reported to be transmitted
instantaneously in a distant individual’s brain by fMRI or EEG [108-110]. These experiments suggest that
the notion of linked minds may be possible.
While distant individuals may somehow be coupled in this manner, there is no definitive evidence that
“human entanglement” is related to “quantum entanglement.” In fact, physicists contend that nonlocal
connections between entangled particles cannot transfer information [112]. In contrast, it has been
reported that information can be transferred between humans (e.g., remote healing, in identical twins;
telepathy, and correlated fMRI or EEG patterns) [50]. The fact that entanglement is now recognized to
exist at the subatomic quantum level should at the very least encourage us to explore similar phenomena
at the human level.
The Quantum Hologram Theory
The highly debated Superstring Theory (13), which proposes the existence of an additional six dimensions
beyond our 3-dimensional reality (1st is length, 2nd is height, 3rd is depth, and the 4th is believed to be time
which governs the properties of all known matter at any given point) which we cannot perceive, are where
the other more pronounced possibilities come into play, and attempting to explain their interrelationships
is where things get especially speculative. For instance, the fifth and sixth dimensions, where the concept
of possible worlds arises, if present, may support the possible notion that one’s consciousness can exist
after death in another dimension.
Related to the Superstring Theory is the Quantum Hologram (QH) theory which provides another
theoretical perspective on the continuity of consciousness after death. This "Holographic Concept of
Reality" was first suggested by Miller, Webb and Dickson in 1973 [105], and supported by David Bohm
(1980) [106], Ken Wilber (1982) [40], Karl Pribram (1991) [107] and others. In this theory, this world is not
transcendent to matter, but underlies it as a coherent unity—much like ecology underlies biology. The QH
theory states that our universe, instead of being a 3-dimensional spatial construct, is actually more like a
holographic image built up by interacting vibratory waves, like colliding ripples on the surface of a pond.
Holography is a way of encoding and recording vast amounts of information by using intersecting bundles
of cascading and reflecting waves. Subatomic particles, which continually wink in and out of existence,
appear in wave/particle form. Within this context, some physicists have strongly suggested that the nature
of reality is fundamentally analogous to that of a holographic projection associated with a form of 3D
photography where objects to be photographed are illuminated by a laser beam. Lightwaves bouncing off
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of the objects then collide and form “interference patterns” which encode the spacial information about
the illuminated objects. Interestingly, any fragment of a holographic film contains all the information to
reproduce the entire original 3D scene, no matter the fragment size. Thus, the term “holographic” has
come to refer to a condition where a fragment contains all of the information to reconstruct the whole of
which it was a part. In this paradigm, all potential information about the universe is holographically
encoded in the spectrum of frequency patterns constantly bombarding us, i.e., there are no "things", just
energetic events. In turn, our brains mathematically construct physical reality by interpreting frequencies
from another dimension which transcends time and space. Thus, the brain may function as a hologram.
Thus reality may consist of embedded holograms within holograms, and their interrelatedness somehow
gives rise to our existence and perceptual experiences.
The most significant theoretical consideration of the QH theory is that of mathematician Walter Shempp
and Scientist/Astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell [38, 39] who proposed that at the subatomic scale of matter,
everything in the universe is interconnected and despite our perceptions that the world is solid, we may
exist within a vibrating energy matrix made up of fluctuating particle-waves. If this theory is proven valid
then our perceptions of the physical world are an illusion. But the more important yet elusive questions
pertain to the potential implications of this multi-dimensional reality on life itself. A mental or telepathic
interaction, for example, could be seen as potentially just as valid.
Further, E. Mitchell and his colleagues [97-99] advanced the notion that all objects in our Universe retain
evidence of each event that has occurred to them, and that this information is stored in this holographic
form (i.e., values pertaining to the frequency, magnitude, phase, and orientation of the fringes of the
wave-interference pattern) as standing waves. They contend that this information can be retrieved by the
mind when it "attends” to an object. In other words, the QH theory describes the universe as a selforganizing inter-connected conscious holistic system. [47]
The relationship between anomalous activity, theories on consciousness, and quantum physics has drawn
the attention of several well respected scientists including Dr. Rudy Schild, research astronomer at the
Harvard/Smithsonian Center for Astro-Physics, who supports the QH theory. Schild proposed that: “the
Quantum Hologram formulation sensibly explains all of the modern miracles…because it is profoundly
grounded in the concept that a quantum field underlies the entire description of all real, mass embodied
objects in the physical Universe, down to the atomic description of matter. And it is described as a
hologram because it allows for the description of higher dimensional reality in its physical dimensional
properties”. [96]
If Schild is correct, consciousness exists in our space-time and constrains our waking perception. Thus
during sleep or death, he contends that, “we once again “awaken” to full consciousness, only to discover
that we never left that unitary state to begin with. After death we are awake, only to realize yet again, that
when we are focused into a physical body with a finite time scale, that is when we are in fact,
dreaming.” [96]
Schild provides support for our Universe to store "quantum holograms", through extremely-massive,
collapsed, evolved stars called "black holes" (i.e., tunnel connections between entirely different areas in
the universe through which information can be transmitted outside of space and time super-dense,) which
he called, "eternally collapsing objects" (Schild & Leiter 2010). [96] And because of its continuous
acquisition of more mass, they function as "Nature's hard-drives", holding copies of the quantum
holograms generated by each new moment of human experience. E. Mitchell, who supports this
perspective, believes that the storage mechanism for the QH exists in a nonlocal information storage and
transfer mechanism termed the zero point field (ZPF) which encodes the whole like a hologram [47]. This
information (e.g., amplitude, frequencies and the phase relationships from the emitted quanta), which is
emitted and absorbed by all objects in the four dimensional space/time reality, applies to both subatomic
particle and the largest structures in the universe. [47]
Evidence suggests that all matter contains a holographic memory and information stored non-locally in
the ZPF [148]. Researchers such as Bohm and Pribram have noted that parapsychological phenomena
8
(e.g., extrasensory perception) may be explained by this model which allows for individual brains to be
interconnected parts of the greater hologram. Thus telepathy may occur at the holographic level which
allows for information to be exchanged between minds regardless of distance. Stanislav Grof, one of the
founders of the field of transpersonal psychology, believes that the QH theory explains many phenomena
experienced by individuals during altered states of consciousness.[147] Interestingly, biophysicist and
molecular biologist Pjotr Garjajev and his colleagues who studied the vibrational behavior of DNA
concluded:“Living chromosomes function just like a holographic computer using endogenous DNA laser
radiation.” This means that they managed, for example, to modulate certain frequency patterns (sound)
onto a laser-like ray which influenced DNA frequency and thus the genetic information itself.”[103]
Even though our central nervous system perceives and interprets incoming stimuli as physical matter, we
may actually live within an energy matrix made up of fluctuating particle-waves. If our perceptions of the
physical world are illusions we are challenged to re-evaluate events that occur only in consciousness, and
those that can manifest on a physical scale. The QH theory may provide the needed foundation upon
which to build future experiments to better understand some of the most profound mysteries of human
experience such as the interaction between two aspects of one reality (“spiritual” and material worlds)
presented to us by parasychology, reincarnation, near-death experiences, apparitions, after-death
communication, and even UFOs, among other phenomena. Is it possible that one or more of these
interactions between humans and such phenomena unfold within a quantum holographic universe where
there is no fundamental separation between “us” and the so called paranormal, which may include the
continuity of consciousness after death? The QH theory may hold the key that unlocks the mysterious
interactions between the “spiritual” and the “physical” aspects of these phenomena, which may be two
aspects of one reality.
The observation that our conscious perception compels an electron to assume a definite position,
acknowledges that we create of our own reality which physicists use as a basis to conclude that the
universe is a “mental” construction. The perplexing behavior of subatomic particles defies logical
explanation even when the theories make accurate predictions. The QH theory seems unimaginable as
many existing unresolved phenomena. The conclusion that physical forces appear to have their basis in
nonlocal space pertains to our understanding of nonlocal aspects of consciousness as represented in the
NDE and for understanding the relationship between consciousness and the brain. This may also help
explain the reason how many things interact with one another such as thoughts in telepathic experiments.
For example, if a person’s consciousness is shared with another in the QH field and they are in close
contact throughout space-time, telepathy may occur, i.e., it is not confined to the location of the person or
object and is “non-local”. According to this principle, consciousness is an essential component of the
universe, and all matter possesses subjective characteristics of consciousness. Consciousness therefore is
non-local and the foundation of everything (i.e., physical reality is affected by non-local consciousness).
Anumber of scientists accept the applicability of the QH at some scales in the brain (cf. Kafatos 2009 [56,
57, 68]). In contrast, Stapp (2007 [101] contends that the brain operates in accordance with the
uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics (i.e., energy and time of a quantum mechanical system,
cannot be accurately measured simultaneously).
The suspicion that the brain may also have quantum properties, which may account for our ability to
experience consciousness, is provided in mathematical physicist’s Roger Penrose’s theory that
“microtubules” (i.e., forms the cytoskeleton in neurons and helps maintain the structure of the cell) in
neurons may be sites of quantum effects enabling entanglement (i.e., particles interact in ways such that
the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently) both within and between brain
cells. Penrose teamed with anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff to formulate the controversial “orchestrated
objective-reduction” (Orch-OR) theory, which states that brain neurons behave as “quantum computers”,
and are the source of information computation. That is, quantum activity within the neuron use
"quantum bits" that interact non-locally with other neurons and, along with the quantum hologram,
9
facilitate a "conscious event". Based on this conclusion, Penrose and Hameroff believe that this process
serves as the foundation for the human soul. They cite the discovery of “quantum vibrations in
microtubules inside brain neurons,” and the effects of anesthesia which act via “microtubules in brain
neurons” as evidence, among others, to support this controversial opinion,. Hameroff also believes the
Orch-OR theory could also account for NDEs, OBEs, and even the afterlife. He stated that, “the
connection to space–time geometry also raises the intriguing possibility that Orch-OR allows
consciousness apart from the brain and body, distributed and entangled in space–time geometry”, and
that “quantum information can exist outside the body, perhaps indefinitely, as a soul.” Simon Berkovitch,
a professor in Computer Science of the George Washington University, has calculated that the brain has
an absolutely inadequate capacity to produce and store all the informational processes of all our
memories with associative thoughts. We would need 1024 operations per second, which is absolutely
impossible for our neurons.[78] Herms Romijn, a Dutch neurobiologist, comes to the same conclusion.
[79] One should conclude that the brain has not enough computing capacity to store all the memories
with associative thoughts from one’s life, has not enough retrieval abilities, and seems not to be able to
elicit consciousness. Thus collectively, quantum mechanics postulates that each of the approximately
eighty-seven billion neurons in the brain, of which one-hundred times as many microtubules exist in
every neuron, either contains, or supports consciousness.
The quantum mind theory of consciousness proposes that classical mechanics cannot explain
consciousness and that quantum entanglement (i.e., particles are generated or interact in ways such that
the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently) and superposition (i.e., the net
response at a given place and time caused by two or more stimuli is the sum of the responses which would
have been caused by each stimulus individually), may be an integral part of brain activity and possibly
provide the foundation to explain consciousness. The Nobel Prize physicist Eugene Wigner of Princeton
considers consciousness a fundamental component of the quantum measurement problem. He states:
“The illusion of the classical scientific paradigm that is shattered by the quantum principle is the
assumption that there is an immutable objective reality "out there" that is totally independent of what
happens in consciousness "in here." Quantum theory forces a new kind of logic in science that is still
mathematical and disciplined.” [104]
A relatively new perspective on this subject called Quantum Bayesianism is that quantum information is a
function of our own minds. According to Professor of Physics Hans Christian von Baeyer, "In this
conception, the wave function does not exist in the real world-it reflects an individual’s subjective mental
state.” Further, theoretical physicist N. David Mermin states that this theory "may well be the most
powerful abstraction we have ever found”[163].
Physicists John McFadden and Jim Al-Khalili propose that the brain’s electromagnetic field may couple to
quantum-coherent (entangled) ions moving through these channels and synchronize them, enabling the
“binding” of multiple cortical processes, and emergences of consciousness [81]. Quantum physicist
Danah Zohar also contends that that biological quantum coherence serves as an organizing principle
which may explain a “quantum relationship” between consciousness and the body.” [144]
Dr. Christian Hellwig of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, found evidence
that information in our central nervous system is phase encoded, a type of coding that allows multiple
pieces of data to occupy the same time. He said, "Our thoughts, our will, our consciousness and our
feelings show properties that could be referred to as spiritual properties...No direct interaction with the
known fundamental forces of natural science, such as gravitation, electromagnetic forces, etc. can be
detected in the spiritual. On the other hand, however, these spiritual properties correspond exactly to the
characteristics that distinguish the extremely puzzling and wondrous phenomena in the quantum
world."[75]
Christian Hellweg, who researched brain function, believed that consciousness has a quantum state [19]
He summarized this position as follows: "Our thoughts, our will, our consciousness and our feelings show
properties that could be referred to as spiritual properties...No direct interaction with the known
10
fundamental forces of natural science, such as gravitation, electromagnetic forces, etc. can be detected in
the spiritual. On the other hand, however, these spiritual properties correspond exactly to the
characteristics that distinguish the extremely puzzling and wondrous phenomena in the quantum world.
Quantum world, in this case, refers to that realm of our world that is not yet factual; in other words, the
realm of possibility, the realm of uncertainty, where we do "know what", but do not exactly "know when or
how". Based on the context of traditional physics, it can, out of necessity, be concluded that this realm
must actually exist." [75]
Cosmic Consciousness
The theories and evidence provided within quantum physics suggest that we may not be dealing with
interactions between two dissimilar entities—“mind” and “matter”—but with a single unified, cosmic
consciousness or holographic entity. A growing point of view among physicists is that there must be a type
of cosmic consciousness encompassing the universe determining which state we are in. This prspective is
largely based on the evidence by which objects seem to spring into being when measurements are made by
conscious beings. Some, like Nobel laureate Eugene Wigner, have argued that this proves the existence of
“God” or some cosmic consciousness. This opinion is becoming more popular among physicists who are
realizing the implications of what quantum mechanics and other fields of research such as
parapsychology, NDEs, unidentified flying objects, and alledged contact with non-human intelligent
beings, among other unexplained phenomena, are telling us. Researchers think that if humans with full
individuality would regain group consciousness, they would have a god-like power to create, alter and
shape things on Earth (i.e., humanity is collectively moving toward such a group consciousness of the new
kind) [104]
One line of evidence in support of “cosmic consciousness is he Global Consciousness Project (GCP), a
fascinating initiative to prove that we are all one. Led by Dr. Roger D. Nelson, a professor of Experimental
Cognitive Psychology at Princeton University and director of the Princeton Engineering Anomalies
Research Lab (PEAR), the GCP utilizes a mathematical model to measure the field of global consciousness
[42]. This field is measured through a network of one hundred computers stationed across the world that
operate continuously, emitting ones and zeros in a predefined random pattern, which are analyzed by a
supercomputer at Princeton University. The objective is to identify anomalies in the behavior of the
network, i.e., behavior that cannot be explained and is a statistically significant diversion from the normal
pattern. However, anomalies have been identified when major events that elicit the attention of millions
of people to a single point occur. Researchers at GCP consider these anomalies as an outcome from the
human mind on matter which becomes significant when the consciousness of millions of people is focused
on a single event. This is believed to result in a field of consciousness that is strong enough to affect
artificial intelligence, e.g., predefined random patterns generated by computers.
Interestingly, what is difficult to understand is that these anomalies are mostly predictive, often happening
hours before the original event takes place. For example, researchers found one such significant irregularity
several hours before the twin tower attacks on September 11, where the mathematical analysis of the data
showed that the New York computer broke the 1 to 0 ratio of 50:50 to 1:35. Similar results occurred before
terrorist attacks by Al Qaeda in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005, along with the tsunami that devastated
Southeast Asia and the election of President Obama. So, does this mean that our collective, global
consciousness knows of a major event before our individual consciousness does? The PEAR Lab at
Princeton University has conducted millions of experiments with hundreds of people showing our minds
may affect the normal functioning of electronic devices. A typical example of such an experiment is as
follows:
A random event generator (REG) is an electronic device that can produce bits representing either 0 or 1.
Study subjects attempt to influence the REG either way, toward 0 or 1. If the events showed a significant
favor in the direction of the person’s will above what chance would dictate, it suggested the person’s “will”
influenced the machine. Researchers from several studies using REGs concluded that the human mind
can slightly influence the machine. Though the influence was slight, the consistency was significant. [72]
It was determined that the probability of the results happening by chance rather than by an influence of
the human mind is less than 1 to 1 billion.
11
The influence of humans on REGs has been used to measure the effect of global and group consciousness
in a variety of group settings (e.g., meditations, ceremonies, and important global events, etc (Bierman,
1996 [14]; Jahn et al., 2000 [46]; Nelson [52-54]; Radin, [60; 61, 63] [72] REGs have also been used with
individuals and pairs to study the effect of human intention and human/machine interactions (Dunne,
1998 [64]; Jahn et al., 1997 [65], [69]). Nelson reported that REGs in group situations behaved nonrandomly with significant deviations of the means in situations involving ‘‘calm but unfocused subjective
resonance’’ and those ‘‘that foster relatively intense or profound subjective resonance’’ (Nelson et al., 1998
[69]. Time synchronized as opposed to non-synchronized meditation also seems to have a greater
influence on the REG. That is, a meditation involving a large number of people world wide engaging in
prayer and meditation at the same time had a statistically significant effect on REG output
Nelsonetal.,1998 [69], [77]. If these findings are supported by other researchers, the application of REGs
as an objective measure of intentional ‘‘direction’’ for collective consciousness may be validated.
Currently, various explanations of the REG results, which remain elusive and serve as a subject of great
debate, have been attributed to possible statistical, experimenter, and other methodological biases, REG
malfunction, and electro-magnetic interference. One explanation for the preliminary REG experimental
results may be summarized by physicist and professor of applied mathematics Chris Clarke as follows “On
one hand, Mind is inherently non-local. On the other, the world is governed by a quantum physics that is
inherently non-local. This is no accident, but a precise correspondence ...[Mind and the world are] aspects
of the same thing...The way ahead, I believe, has to place mind first as the key aspect of the universe...We
have to start exploring how we can talk about mind in terms of a quantum picture...Only then will we be
able to make a genuine bridge between physics and physiology.” [70]
A few attempts to demonstrate non-locality in experimental studies have been performed to determine
the: 1) healing intentions on biological functions in remote individuals, and 2) effects in nonhuman
processes, (e.g., microbial growth, biochemical reactions, or the function of inanimate objects). For
example, significant effects of distant healing in cardiopulmonary and AIDS patients have been reported
[113, 114]. Subjects acting as healers were also found to produce cures in mice infected with mammary
adenocarcinoma and a “resonant bonding” between experimental and control mice, i.e., healing intention
directed towards the treated experimental animals also affected the untreated control animals [12]. In
another study, directed intention was associated with significantly faster healing in injured mice, and
higher germination and faster growth rates in shocked plants [116]. Electrophysiological (EEG) evidence
to support non-locality was provided by Hendricks et al., (2010) who found an interpersonal EEG
coupling between healer and subject pairs. According to the researchers, the results suggest that the EEG
activity produced by the healer make a “connection between the healer and the subject” and that healing
may involve a “Schumann-resonance-type standing electric field as a connectivity mechanism.” [117] Does
this evidence suggest that consciousness has an existence independent of the brain and can, in some way,
be linked with the consciousness of another person?
Quantum Physics and Immortality
Developments in quantum theory aiming to unify all physical processes have opened the door to a
profoundly new vision of the cosmos, where observer, observed, and the act of observation are
interlocked. This hints at a science of wholeness, going beyond the purely physical emphasis of current
science. Studying the universe as a mechanical conglomerate of parts will not solve the problem of
consciousness, because in the quantum view, the parts cease to be measureable distinct entities. The
interconnectedness of everything is particularly evident in the non-local interactions of the quantum
universe.[95]
Quantum theory, which attempts to unify all physical processes, has advanced a new vision of the
universe, which links the observer, observed, and the act of observation. That is, everything is
interconnected through the non-local interactions of the quantum universe.[95] This theory may provide
the foundation for the claims by numerous physicists that there is a relationship between science and
existence of the paranormal and the afterlife. These physicists are showing that the “paranormal” are
normal and consistent with the laws of science and contend that there is evidence to support the
paranormal and the afterlife.
12
Professor Fred Alan Wolf sums up this view: “I believe that the findings of quantum physics increasingly
support Plato [who taught that there is a more perfect, non-material realm of existence]. There is evidence
that suggests the existence of a non-material, non-physical universe that has a reality even though it might
not as yet be clearly perceptible to our senses and scientific instrumentation. When we consider out-ofbody experiences, shamanic journeys and lucid dream states, though they cannot be replicated in the true
scientific sense, they also point to the existence of non-material dimensions of reality.” [83]
The theory of quantum consciousness suggests that consciousness exists inside the microtubules of brain
cells, and that at death, the energy inside these microtubules doesn’t cease to exist; but instead, is
somehow maintained in the universe. One of the fundamental laws in physics, the first law of
thermodynamics, states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed - it can only be converted. So if it is
true that consciousness is a form of energy, then according to the first law of thermodynamics,
consciousness cannot be created nor destroyed. Instead, it is converted into something else.
Testimonials from prominent physics researchers from Cambridge University, Princeton University, and
the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Munich claim that quantum mechanics predicts some version of
"life after death." They assert that a person may possess a body-soul duality that is an extension of the
wave-particle duality of subatomic particles (14). This is a fundamental concept of quantum mechanics
which proposes that elementary particles, such as photons and electrons, retain the properties of both
particles and waves. It is within the realm of possibility that physicists will document quantum-like behavior at
this level. And if there is a quantum code for everything living and dead, then there may be a form of
existence after death.
The QH, which attempts to explain many effects including aspects of mind, memory, stream of
consciousness, psychic events, and other phenomena that arise out of the zero point field, must be refined
as more information becomes available and our understanding improves. Similarly, neurosurgeon Karl
Pribram considers that the brain operates like a hologram and draws upon it to perform its tasks and that
memory and visual perception are governed by the holographic principle. He came to this conclusion
based on his finding that despite a loss of 90 percent of the visual cortex or 98 percent of the optic nerve, a
cat was still able to perform complex visual tasks. [143]. If it is true that sensory information processing is
nonlocal it may explain the reported perception during an OBE and the life review and detailed images
and memories during a NDE in a dimension without time and space.
Near-death studies supports these arguments and goes even further. The life review process is often
described by NDE experiencers in terms of viewing "television-like" screen(s) where they review every
second of their life instantaneously-including the perceptions of everyone on Earth they ever came into
contact with throughout their life. Another aspect of NDEs is the OBE where experiencers have described
conditions where they view their physical body from above in a different "body". Sometimes these
perceptions are verified later by third-parties - a phenomenon known as veridical perception. Near-death
studies contain multiple reports of veridical perception of events which were outside the range of the NDE
experiencer's sensory perception and, therefore, of brain mediation (See Sabom, 1998; Ring, 2006; Sharp,
2003; Ring & Cooper, 2008; and van Lommel, van Wees, Meyers, & Elfferich, 2001). In some cases, such
perceptions occur while the NDE experiencer is experiencing the brain inactivity following within 10
seconds of cessation of heartbeat (van Lommel et al., 2001). Over 100 such cases are published on
www.iands.org, www.nderf.org, www.oberf.org and www.near-death.com. While such evidence may not
persuade the skeptics, the millions of individuals who have experienced an NDE are absolutely convinced
of consciousness surviving bodily death.
Henry Stapp, theoretical physicist at the University of California–Berkeley who worked with some of the
founding fathers of quantum mechanics [82] contends that the existence of the consciousness is consistent
with the laws of physics and is one of the most important developments in quantum physics. He states:
“aspects of a personality might be able to survive bodily death and persist for a while as an enduring
mental entity, existing somewhere in Descartes’ world of mental things, but capable on rare occasions of
reconnecting with the physical world.”[82]
In his paper, “Compatibility of Contemporary Physical Theory with Personality Survival,” Stapp wrote:
13
“Strong doubts about personality survival based solely on the belief that postmortem survival is
incompatible with the laws of physics are unfounded.” The quantum explanation of how the mind and
brain can be separate or different, yet connected by the laws of physics “is a welcome revelation. It solves
a problem that has plagued both science and philosophy for centuries—the imagined science-mandated
need either to equate mind with brain, or to make the brain dynamically independent of the mind.” [51]
Many scientsts believe the brain retains and processes information at the subatomic state, acts as a
quantum system, and that consciousness may incorporate quantum events. Physician Dr. Larry Dossey
known for asserting the importance for the healing of prayer and spirituality, and his controversial
position on consciousness stated that:
“I do not see any compelling theoretical reason why this idea could not be reconciled with the precepts of
quantum mechanics. Such an elaboration of quantum mechanics would both allow our conscious efforts
to influence our own bodily actions, and also allow certain purported phenomena such as “possession”,
“mediumship”, and “reincarnation” to be reconciled with the basic precepts of contemporary
physics.”[50]
The general scientific community argue that neuroscientists will eventually be able to explain the
distinction between the brain and consciousness. The theoretical and associated experiments (e.g., law of
entanglement and non-locality, the “observer effect”, parapsychology), and unexplained individual
incidents such as the near-death experience (NDE), out-of body experience (OBE), among other
phenomena addressed in this book, lend indirect evidence to support the concept of immortality.
However, based on QP, such phenomena are normal. Thus, it seems that mind and consciousness are
required for reality since they allow us to perceive our physical world. This interrelationship among the
brain, consciousness, and the physical world emerge from the same source. That is, does our
consciousness influence and give rise to various phenomena that seem to exist in the physical world? And
if so, does our consciousness exist apart from the brain, and do “I” survive physical death?
Everything seems to be connected to everything else, an interconnection similar to entanglement;
everything is one. The mind seems to contain everything at once in a timeless dimension called
nonlocality. According to Pin Van Lommel, “it seems to be possible to have a nonlocal connection with
other people’s consciousness as well as with thoughts and feelings of deceased friends and family and to
communicate with them by way of thought transfer.” (76) It would seem that quantum theory may explain
the reported connection between one’s own consciousness and that of other living persons or deceased
relatives. Our understanding of nonlocal aspects of consciousness that are experienced during a NDE,
may hold the key to better understand the relationship between consciousness and our physical body.
That is, the physical world is influenced at quantum level by nonlocal space, just as our body seems to be
influenced by our consciousness. This nonlocal space, could be a basis for consciousness and all matter, or
physical reality, may be shaped by nonlocal consciousness. This might explain the possibility of
perception during an OBE as well as a life review with memories and images during a NDE in a dimension
without time and distance (See Chapter XXX)
Professor of physics Amit Goswami considers consciousness, not the material world, as the primary
reality.[84] John Bockris, known for his creation of physical electrochemistry, concludes that other
concepts such as the paranormal and theories about consciousness must be integrated into science to
understand the nature of reality. His main thesis is that we are living in a “synchronized universe,” one
layer of which we see and interact with (i.e., the “real” universe) which coexist with other universes just as
real as this one. This, he states, “begins to offer a way to understand how the soul, the center of human
consciousness, can exist in a permanent form, surviving human death.” [85] Physicist Claude Swanson
assembled the “best evidence” illustrating the inadequacy of our present scientific paradigm through
examples of extrasensory perception demonstrated under rigorous scientific conditions, with odds of
millions to one against chance [86].] Professor Jessica Utts and Nobel laureate Brian Josephson state that
science needs adapt to accommodate such evidence.
14
They write:“What are the implications for science of the fact that psychic functioning appears to be a real
effect? These phenomena seem mysterious, but no more mysterious perhaps than strange phenomena of
the past which science has now happily incorporated within its scope”. [87]
Does quantum mechanics predict the existence of a spiritual "soul" that may serve as foundation for
immortality? Many neuroscientists believe that research should focus on understanding other aspects of
brain function since the neurological source of consciousness will unlikely be explained or understood in
biological terms. While experimental evidence has supported some neural based theories about
consciousness, some physicists believe that consciousness operates in a quantum state and that the brain
and consciousness are separate entities as are the "wave-particle dualism" of subatomic particles.
Testimonials from prominent physics researchers from institutions such as Cambridge University,
Princeton University, and the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Munich claim that quantum mechanics
predicts some version of "life after death." They assert that a person may possess a body-soul duality that
is an extension of the wave-particle duality of subatomic particles.[75] Hans-Peter Dürr for instance,
believes in an existence after death based on the opinion that the dualism of the smallest particles is not
restricted to the subatomic world and that a universal quantum code exists that applies for all living and
dead matter. [88] He explains this as follows: "What we consider the here and now, this world, it is
actually just the material level that is comprehensible. The beyond is an infinite reality that is much bigger
which this world is rooted in. In this way, our lives in this plane of existence are encompassed,
surrounded, by the afterworld already. When planning I imagine that I have written my existence in this
world on a sort of hard drive on the tangible (the brain), that I have also transferred this data onto the
spiritual quantum field, then I could say that when I die, I do not lose this information, this
consciousness. The body dies but the spiritual quantum field continues. In this way, I am immortal." [88]
Thus according to Dürr, when the body dies our consciousness lives on.
Physicist Robert Jahn of Princeton University concluded that if consciousness can exchange information
with the physical environment, then it can be attributed with the same "molecular binding potential" as
physical objects. That is, consciousness follow the prinicles of quantum mechanics. Quantum physicist
David Bohm, a student of Albert Einstein, shared a similar perspective. He stated, "The results of modern
natural sciences only make sense if we assume an inner, uniform, transcendent reality that is based on all
external data and facts. The very depth of human consciousness is one of them."[75]
Despite the absence of irrefutable evidence to support such perspectives, if it is somehow eventually
proven, then a person's consciousness could, according to Dürr's be truly “immortal”.
Physicist Robert Lanza, who proposed the theory of “biocentrism”, contends that life and consciousness
are fundamental to the universe. Using expriemental evidence from the double slit experiment noted prior
(i.e., demonstrates how conscious perception compels an electron to assume a definite position), he
concluded that humans are “eternal” and created the “concept of life and death through their own
consciousness” [90]. Many in the quantum physicists disagree with his conclusion that death does not
exist and that humans believe it exists because they collectively believe in it i.e., consciousness creates the
material universe. Lanza also believes that multiple universes exist simultaneously. In one universe, the
body can be dead while in another it continues to exist, absorbing consciousness which somehow entered
into this universe [74].
There are physicists and astrophysicists who tend to agree with the existence of parallel worlds and who
suggest the possibility of multiple universes, known as the Multiverse theory, a theory proposed by
physicist Hugh Everett. This theory implies that all possible alternate histories and futures are real, each
representing an actual "world" and everything that could possibly have happened in our past, but did not,
occurred previously in another universe. That is, when an action occurs having more than one possible
outcome, the universe splits into searate universes to accommodate each possible outcome. Accordingly,
upon death, you are still alive in other universes and will be born again in other universes. Everett saw his
theory as guaranteeing the continuity of consciousness after death, i.e., at each branching of universes
between death and living, a being's consciousness endures.[91]
15
While the Multiverse theory is far from verified, prominent physicists support the existence of parallel
universes. Some interpretations of quantum mechanics suggest that observing and measuring a quantum
causes an actual split in the universe. The controversial existence of alternate realities has been promoted
as a possible explanation for various phenomenon by many leading physiscits such as Dr’s Hawking,
Kaku, Bohm, and Greene among others who are proponents of the multiverse (i.e., there are a couple of
multiverses and there are many entities allowed for by this theory which implies that we may be living in
one dimension while other surfaces with other beings on it exist [94]. Steven Hawing for instance,
proposed that one can have different universes in one existence called a multiverse. (92) Hawking
stated,“Down at the smallest of scales, smaller even than molecules, smaller than atoms, we get to a place
called the quantum foam. This is where wormholes exist. Tiny tunnels or shortcuts through space and
time constantly form, disappear, and reform within this quantum world. And they actually link two
separate places and two different times.” (93)
Could this theory, or an alternative theory yet to be determined, explain the existence of the multiverse
and the related force which may govern reported paranormal experiences such as NDEs, OBEs, UFO’s,
ghosts, ESP, and possibly even life after death? Are there alternative realms of the afterlife, realms beyond
space, time, and matter?
Discussion
Can the continuity of our consciousness after physical death be rationalized only by certainty in religion,
dualism, near-death and out-of body experiences, parapsychology, and consciousness studies, or by
scientific theories such as quantum physics? Is life after death possible within an existing framework of
physical reality and alternate co-existing dimensions? Whatever you believe, scientists are beginning to
have their say about whether consciousness is a product of brain function or is independent of the brain
and always exists. That is, is “I” or consciousness generated by neuroelectric activity functioning or a type of
non-physical entity which allows us to perceive, interpret, and formulate thoughts? Philosophical and
religious viewpoints associated with consciousness and life after death tends to confict with conclusions by
scientists who attempt to correlate the brain’s neural substrate with “I”.
There is also no theory of how brain activity accounts for consciousness. Regardless, it is important to
consider viewpoints and evidence from all disciplines to better understand the true nature of consciousness
and its possible related implications for life after death. Is there something more to us than just our brain,
body and nervous system or is there a non-physical characteristic not bounded by space and time that may
survive bodily death? If consciousness is completely independent of our body then it may be expected to
live on past death.
Several researchers in the field of parapsycological studies contend that their evidence supports the view
that our mental abilities are not limited to the body. We can in other words, exchange information without
the use of our sensory systems that transcend space and time and to also intentionally effect change at a
distance (e.g., random number generators). The perplexing aspect of NDEs, if proven to be valid, also
suggest that our consciousness may be separate from our physical body and may be capable of affecting
events remote from our body.
In fact, research in NDEs suggest that aspects of an NDE correspond with or are analogous to some of the
basic principles from quantum theory, such as nonlocality and entanglement or interconnectedness, and
instantaneous information exchange in a timeless and placeless dimension. With our current medical and
scientific concepts it remains difficult to adequately explain all aspects of the subjective experiences as
reported by patients with an NDE during a transient loss of all brain activity. While quantum physics
cannot explain the origins of our consciousness and the persistence of it after death, nonlocal
consciousness has much in common with widely accepted concepts from quantum theory.
Scientific principles and studies which may fall within the domain of quantum mechanical processes may
eventually provide irrefutable evidence which demonstrates how consciousness relate with the brain
during life, as well as during brain death, to better understand the possibility of life after death.
16
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