Actually, you might do even more. — The New Mindscape #5–5 Meditation can’t remove the objective external conditions that cause stress, worry, and problems in our lives. If you have a major exam tomorrow, this will raise your stress level. That objective condition will not change no matter how much you meditate. Meditation will not change the…

What’s the connection? — The New Mindscape #5–4 Nowadays, all kinds of yoga and meditation are becoming more and more popular. They are usually marketed as ways of being healthy or relaxed. Mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular in the past decade or so. Although this form of meditation originated in the various spiritual…

Can phones and brains understand the ideas they convey? — The New Mindscape #5–3. The “I” is a firm belief. We believe in the stability and permanence of our own self. When I give a lecture, “I” talk to you. You see “David Palmer” talking to you. Both of these, to a great degree, are wrapped up in imaginations. I…

Vitality, personhood, consciousness and spirituality. — Re-Assembling Reality #25b, by David A. Palmer and Mike Brownnutt In Re-Assembling Reality #25a, we presented different psychological models of the mind, and showed that they rest on different and possibly incommensurable cosmologies. Now let’s consider religious models of the mind. These, of course…

What happens when psychologists can’t agree? — Re-Assembling Reality #25a, by David A. Palmer and Mike Brownnutt In Re-Assembling Reality #24 and #25, we discussed the meaning of the Greek term psyche as a conception of vitality; while Aristotle’s work on psyche is typically translated as On the Soul. But the psyche is now known to us…

And how Foucault retrieved it — The New Mindscape #T1–6. The French philosopher Michel Foucault is best known for his hugely influential theories of power and domination in society. In his studies of modern discourses on madness, clinics, prisons, and government, he paints a dark picture of a world in which hidden forces of domination are…

None of us know everything, but we all bring something to the table — The New Mindscape #A2–5, by Shu Mengmeng & David A. Palmer Spirituality and religion are topics that are fraught with controversy. For some people, it’s a purely private or emotional belief that can’t be discussed rationally. Others have very clear ideas, theories and doctrines, and they are absolutely convinced that…

Self-transformation in the search for a higher truth — The New Mindscape #A1–2 Spirituality starts with the feeling that somehow there is more to life than daily things like studying, working, making money, buying things, grasping for power, or seeking the approval or admiration of others. What should I do with my life? How should I live my life? …

How we switch between models of reality — Re-Assembling Reality #27h, by David A. Palmer and Mike Brownnutt In previous essays, we have talked about intellectual objects and models (Re-Assembling Reality #26a, #26b, #26, #27, #27a, #27b, #27d, #27e, #27f). We have shown that even when a model works, it does not tell us anything about the ultimate…