The Science of Consciousness – TSC 2016

The University of Arizona, Tucson, USA, April 25 – 30
– Therner & Loeth –

Since 1994, the international conference The Science of Consciousness TSC, formerly Toward a Science of Consciousness, has attracted extra ordinary interest and we (NCP X-AIONS) are inspired and grateful to participate for the fourth time. (In response to the scientific approach the name of the conference was adjusted in 2016.)

The Science of Consciousness is the largest and longest-running interdisciplinary conference aimed at rigorous and leading edge approaches to all aspects of the study of conscious experience. These include neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, molecular biology, medicine, quantum physics and cosmology, as well as art, technology, and experiential phenomenology etc. Even this year the event was fully booked, with approximately 1000 participants from around the world.

This year we noticed a further increase in openness and a decrease in materialistically minded speakers. The hard problem regarding objective reality (reality as it is) and subjective reality (reality as we perceive it) was shown and recognized more clearly. It was also evident that the meeting between quantum physics and quantum biology is becoming more and more important and central.

Mihretu Guta TSC 2016

Many presenters focus on activities and functions at the quantum level, not least quantum functions of the brain on a fascinating and comprehensive detailed level, but it stops here. It is also evident that the materialistic view is being replaced more and more by openness to the existence of a universal consciousness. But one does not reach the underlying causes, its source and the entirety – nor the bearer of this consciousness; consciousness is presented more as something autonomous.
We noticed, however, that Mihretu Guta stressed that “the problem of consciousness goes hand in hand with the problem of its bearer, the self/person”.
Texts below by Deepak Chopra – “A Final Destination: The Human Universe”,  Stuart Hameroff  – “Mind-Body, Quantum Mechanics, Possibles and a Possible Panpsychism”,  Mihretu Guta – “The Metaphysics of Substance and Selfhood/Personhood: A Non-Therory Laden Approach”:

According to the X-structure and its integrated “Triune Operating Principle”: X1 (the subject/the I) is the Creator and Experiencer, “the bearer of consciousness”. It is easy to conclude that the Cosmic Worldview with its X-structure presents an absolutely unique and comprehensive description of consciousness and reality. The Cosmic Worldview presents a New Ontology including the solution to the hard problem of consciousness and reality – the fundamental need for this is evident and strongly motivates and inspires us/NCP X-AIONS to continue our ontological work together with Per Bruus-Jensen.  (NCP X-AIONS’ presentations and abstracts below)

We also wish to mention a, in this forum, “new” idea expressed by Stuart Hameroff , “Mind-Body, Quantum Mechanics, Possibles and a Possible Panpsychism”, here he talked about the nature of life and suggested “pleasure”- to experience pleasure – as a “driving force” – a fundamental function of life.
Katherine Peil, “Emotional Sentience and the Nature of Phenomenal Experience”  presented similar thoughts based on hedonism (ancient Greek philosophy).
And these ideas (Hameroff and Peil), of course we associated with the X-structure and its primordial driving force termed the central need, extended into the primordial urge.

Dean Radin TSC 2016

In his talk “Experimental Tests of Von Neumann’s Psychophysical Interpretation of Quantum Measurement”, Dean Radin presented new data and stated that the observer effect is independent of distance. Dean also illustrated (the pictures below) the change of view from reductive materialism with physics at the fundamental level and consciousness as something less important and just a product of the activity of our physical brain, denying the impact of consciousness – to a new view where consciousness is placed at the fundamental level, illustrating the role of consciousness in the physical world; consciousness presented as an active participant in reality.

And we also refer to Max Planck: “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness.”

Mandy A. Scott TSC 2016

Brendan Lehman TSC 2016

Distance Helaing and Excess Correlation is a very interesting area, Mandy A. Scott and Brendan Lehman presented new research:
Mandy A Scott: Distant Healing with Shaman Healer Ilona Palucki: A Case Study Demonstration of Excess Correlation in Right Temporal Lobe Activity Between Healer and Receiver at Distances Exceeding 6000km.
Brendan Lehman: Experimental Production of Excess Correlation of Right Temporal Theta-gamma Activity Between Subjects Pairs Sharing Circumcerebral Rotating Magnetic Fields at Distances Exceeding 6000km.

Gary Schwartz presented experiments with proffesional mediums,“Can Claimant Evidential Mediums Identify Collaborating Hypothesized Discarnates? A Multi-blinded ExperimentComparing Mediumship Versus Telepathy Control”.

Although it is very hard to select from the extensive TSC material, we have tried to pick out a few abstracts (from the “TSC 2016 Book of Abstracts”). Titles 1-12 below and link to the texts: TSC 2016 1 – 12 Abstracts (you will also find a summary of NCP X-AIONS’ presentations below).

1. A Final Destination: The Human Universe – Deepak Chopra
2. Emotional Sentience and the Nature of Phenomenal Experience – Katherine Peil
3. The Virtual and the Real – David Chalmers
4. Can Claimant Evidential Mediums Identify Collaborating Hypothesized Discarnates? A Multi-blinded Experiment Comparing Mediumship Versus Telepathy Control – Gary Schwartz
5. Experimental Tests of Von Neumann’s Psychophysical Interpretation of Quantum Measurement – Dean Radin
6. EEG Studies on the “Transmission” of Subjective Light/Energy Between a Meditation Teacher and His Pupil – Peter Fenwick, Luft C; Bhattacharya J.
7. The ‘Road From Within’ – Orch OR and the Quantum Underground – Stuart Hameroff
8. Mind-Body, Quantum Mechanics, Possibles and a Possible Panpsychism – Stuart Kauffman
9. Origin of Unique Pattern We Observe in the Resonance Frequency Distribution of Proteins – Anirban Bandyopadhyay
10. The Quantization Paradigm in Physics and Biology – Jack A. Tuszynski, M. Kafatos
11. The Metaphysics of Substance and Selfhood/Personhood: A Non-Theory Laden Approach – Mihretu Guta
12. The Quasicrystalline Nature of Consciousness and the Universe – Klee Irwin

NCP X-AIONS contributed with the following presentations, abstracts and links follow below:

* The X-Structure: The Solution To The Hard Problem Of Consciousness And Reality (No 1)
THE SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS TSC 2016, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Abstract — Images & Text

* The Basic Nature Of Consciousness And The Structure Of Entanglement Explained By The X-Structure (No 2)
THE SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS TSC 2016, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Abstract — Images & Text

Abstract Title: The X-Structure: The Solution to The Hard Problem of Consciousness and Reality
Primary Topic Area: [01.08]……..The “hard problem” and the explanatory gap
Secondary Topic Area: [01.04]……..Ontology of consciousness
Abstract: Traditional science and the current paradigm cannot provide us with a description of reality as it is, because all human experience is subjective; resulting in a transformed subjective and limited understanding of reality. Primarily we are limited by our sensory organs and the specific way they operate. It is notable and very clear that everything described by traditional science is an interpretation of how we perceive it: a subjective view and understanding of reality, an image we ourselves have created through our sensory organs. In 2014 at the TSC conference, Deepak Chopra, Menas Kafatos and Niel Theise also highlighted this problem in a conference paper headed: “Can Current Science Give Us Access To Reality?” emphasizing that: “Empirical evidence is a description of species specific (human) mode of observation in a specific planetary system”. The above mentioned highlights a “hard problem” of current science and a significant barrier to scientific development. The first steps to a new and greater understanding of reality are facilitated by the recognition of this obstacle combined with an open and humble mind. According to The Cosmic Worldview we can only fully understand reality as it is via intuition and this understanding is independent of our ordinary perception and sensory organs. The aforementioned worldview is based on the knowledge conveyed by the Danish intuitive philosopher and mystic Martinus Thomsen, systematized and developed into a “top-down model” bridging to traditional science by his collaborator Per Bruus-Jensen. The Cosmic Worldview presents a new ontology – a conscious, infinite multiverse and the basic nature of life and reality; “the X-structure”. This fundamental X-structure is in principle the same for all living things and its main function is continuous creation of consciousness. Very briefly: The initial reality “X0” is an all-embracing unmanifested, virtual world of emptiness and stillness, containing infinite potential of creative possibilities. This X0-nature is continuously activating an indivisible, integrated Triune Operating Principle with three functional aspects: X1 Creator and Experiencer (the subject/I, emptiness, stillness); X2 Creative and Experiential Ability (energy, morphogenetic effect constants); X3 the Created and Experienced (energy conversion, objectively represented by movement, the material illusion and subjectively represented by life-experience/consciousness). The result of the interaction between the Subject (X1) and its Creative/Experiential Ability (X2) is represented by the Created (X3); namely the material illusion as objective reality on one side – and – the experience of it as subjective reality on the other, “the subjective reality complex”. Summarily: The triune operating principle is activating and transforming the emptiness and stillness into energy, force, movement, matter and the subjective side of it all, namely; experience/consciousness. If we go deeper into this structure and process we will also find a solution to the hard problem of consciousness by exploring and understanding the immortal structure of life and the transformation process of objective reality into subjective reality/consciousness – and thereby an insight into reality as it is … The X-Research Project by NCP X-AIONS, New Cosmic Paradigm with Advanced Institute of Ontological Principles and New Science, www.newcosmicparadigm.org

Images & Text

Abstract Title: The Basic Nature of Consciousness and The Structure of Entanglement Explained by The X-Structure
Primary Topic Area: [01.01]……..The concept of consciousness
Secondary Topic Area: [01.04]……..Ontology of consciousness
Abstract: Ontologically, according to the X-structure, the Multiverse/Cosmos is not simply an inert and random collection of energy and matter but, on the contrary, is a living infinite and all-embracing entity; an immaterial “Something” with the will and ability to experience, and which through this experience attains disposal over so-called consciousness, continuously generated by the X-structure. Reality fundamentally represented by the primordial domain of existence “X0” is an all-embracing unmanifested, virtual world of emptiness and stillness, containing infinite potential of creative possibilities. The X0-nature is continuously activating an indivisible, integrated Triune Operating Principle with three functional aspects: X1 Creator and Experiencer (the subject/I, emptiness, stillness); X2 Creative and Experiential Ability (energy, morphogenetic effect constants); X3 the Created and Experienced (objectively represented by movement, the material illusion and subjectively represented by: life-experience/consciousness). This fundamental X-structure is in principle the same for all living things and describes our immortal nature, how it is constructed and operates. In addition to the temporary physical body, there is an immortal paraphysical body, which the physical body is completely dependent on. The X-structure is activating and transforming the emptiness and stillness into energy, force, movement, matter and the subjective side of it all, namely; experience/consciousness. X2 is expressed by seven extremely subtle qualitative “fundamental/basic energies” with specific characteristics. These qualitative basic energies build up everything from the most subtle (thoughts, feelings, memories etc.) to the very densest (physical matter, black holes etc.). The primary fundamental energy operates via a number of so-called cosmic creative principles – morphogenetic effect constants; formative forces that sustain and organize life and reality. We can empirically observe the effects of these morphogenetic effect constants in the laws of nature. The X2-function and its morphogenetic effect constants “split up” the all-embracing totality (X0), and create a contrast to the status of non-duality and non-locality. The nature of infinity and eternity is divided and separated into life-units, individuals, as well as states, distances, space, time, etc. The complementarity of wholeness/oneness and duality/separation, and “the structure of entanglement” are formed and expressed through the morphogenetic effect constants (X2).The result of the interaction between the Subject (X1) and its Creative/Experiential Ability (X2) is represented by the Created (X3); namely the material illusion as objective reality on one side – and – the experience of it as subjective reality on the other, “the subjective reality complex”. In fact it is all about the Creation of Experience/Consciousness – and this is the superior task of the Triune Operating Principle and thereby of Life itself. If we go deeper into this structure and process, we will also find the solution to the so-called hard problem of consciousness. The X-structure is based on the intuitive knowledge illustrating the Cosmic Worldview conveyed by the Danish intuitive philosopher and mystic Martinus Thomsen, especially presented by his collaborator Per Bruus-Jensen and “the X-Research Project” by NCP X-AIONS, New Cosmic Paradigm with Advanced Institute of Ontological Principles and New Science, researching the Ontology of the Cosmic Worldview and presenting New Science, www.newcosmicparadigm.org

Images & Text

And finally a vist to The Insitute of Noetic Sciences – IONS, California …