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Elemental Mind: Human Consciousness and the New Physics
Explores the place of consciousness in nature, drawing on new ideas in physics to argue that consciousness is a fundamental process of nature like light and electricity, rather than something that appears only in humans. 20,000 first printing.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
4 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Nick Herbert
20 books23 followersNick Herbert (born September 7, 1936) is an American physicist and author.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 17, 2023
A SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION OF MIND/BODY ISSUES
Author Nick Herbert wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, “In the past 50 years, the frontiers of physics have advanced from middle-range phenomena to the large-scale problems of cosmology and the small-scale physics of elementary particles. At this stage of maturity, there is no excuse save lack of imagination for physical science not to attempt to provide a technical solution to the mind/body problem… We might expect the technology arising from a scientific understanding of the mind to create radically new mental experiences, novel modes of being, artificial forms of consciousness, as well as eliminating our utter ignorance concerning the true place of human minds in the community of sentient beings. Whatever progress science makes in its study of mind, I believe that we cannot say that we really understand consciousness until we can actually build things that have inner experiences like our own.” (Pg. 1-2)
He continues, “Two major conjectures dominate the scientific debate on the nature of mind: (1) mind is an ‘emergent feature’ of certain complex biological systems; (2) mind is the ‘software’ controlling the brain’s computerlike hardware. [This book] explores a third hypothesis---that, far from being a rare occurrence in complex biological or computational systems, mind is a fundamental process in its own right as widespread and deeply embedded in nature or electricity… Mind is, in a word, elemental, and it interacts with matter at an equally elemental level, and the level of emergence into actuality of individual quantum events. The behavior of matter at the quantum level affords both the opportunity for mind to manifest itself in the material world and the means for us to explore the details of the mind’s operations ‘from the outside,’ as it were, in addition to the private access to mind ‘from the inside’ that we enjoy in common with other sentient beings. In this view quantum theory offers a royal road to a new science of mind.” (Pg. 3-4)
He adds, “I confess that I do think that consciousness will turn out to be something grand---grander than our most extravagant dreams. I propose here a kind of ‘quantum animism’ in which mind permeates the world at every level. I propose that consciousness is a fundamental force that enters into necessary cooperation with matter to bring about the fine details of our everyday world. I propose, in fact, that mind is elemental, my dear Watson.” (Pg. 5)
He states, “Although our lives are punctuated by intervals of unconsciousness, we have no private insight into the unconscious state because by definition such a state cannot be experienced. We close our eyes to fall asleep, and then (barring dreams) morning comes immediately. There is a sense in which we are always awake, and always have been. Nobody remembers, or can remember, not being conscious.” (Pg. 43)
He explains, “[James T.] Culbertson’s SRM model of mind seems to have two major problems. Since it asserts that every spacetime event enjoys some sort of inner experience, the world must be everywhere alive---permeated at all levels with a carnival of tiny minds. In the midst of such a pandemonium of awareness, why do our own minds feel so unified? Why, at ever moment, do I seem to be one mind rather than a community of minds? Culbertson’s SRM theory does not seem to address the human kind of experienced unity of awareness adequately.” (Pg. 138)
He observes, “Although the main concern of [this book] is ordinary awareness, the everyday inner life of humans and other conscious beings, much can be learned about awareness from rare and unusual states of consciousness. Foremost among the paranormal powers of mind is psychokinesis—the alleged ability of certain minds to reach out and affect distant material systems without the mediation of physical forces. Psychokinesis (PK) is important to theories of consciousness because the very existence of such an ability would immediately refute en masse all simple mechanical models of consciousness, eliminating from serious consideration, for example, computer-based models of mind such as Marvin Minsky’s.” (Pg. 193)
He concludes, “My guess is that the secret of mind will be more subtle and surprising than these … extremes. I am very impressed by the beauty and subtlety of quantum theory, with its delicate interplay of possibility and actuality, of locality and superluminality, of wave and particle, of polar opposites lightly dancing just outside our abilities to comprehend completely. Quantum theory is breathtaking---and it’s just a theory of matter. I cannot imagine that the nature of mind will turn out to be any less wonderful.” (Pg. 283-284)
This book will interest those study Mind/Brain issues.
Author Nick Herbert wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, “In the past 50 years, the frontiers of physics have advanced from middle-range phenomena to the large-scale problems of cosmology and the small-scale physics of elementary particles. At this stage of maturity, there is no excuse save lack of imagination for physical science not to attempt to provide a technical solution to the mind/body problem… We might expect the technology arising from a scientific understanding of the mind to create radically new mental experiences, novel modes of being, artificial forms of consciousness, as well as eliminating our utter ignorance concerning the true place of human minds in the community of sentient beings. Whatever progress science makes in its study of mind, I believe that we cannot say that we really understand consciousness until we can actually build things that have inner experiences like our own.” (Pg. 1-2)
He continues, “Two major conjectures dominate the scientific debate on the nature of mind: (1) mind is an ‘emergent feature’ of certain complex biological systems; (2) mind is the ‘software’ controlling the brain’s computerlike hardware. [This book] explores a third hypothesis---that, far from being a rare occurrence in complex biological or computational systems, mind is a fundamental process in its own right as widespread and deeply embedded in nature or electricity… Mind is, in a word, elemental, and it interacts with matter at an equally elemental level, and the level of emergence into actuality of individual quantum events. The behavior of matter at the quantum level affords both the opportunity for mind to manifest itself in the material world and the means for us to explore the details of the mind’s operations ‘from the outside,’ as it were, in addition to the private access to mind ‘from the inside’ that we enjoy in common with other sentient beings. In this view quantum theory offers a royal road to a new science of mind.” (Pg. 3-4)
He adds, “I confess that I do think that consciousness will turn out to be something grand---grander than our most extravagant dreams. I propose here a kind of ‘quantum animism’ in which mind permeates the world at every level. I propose that consciousness is a fundamental force that enters into necessary cooperation with matter to bring about the fine details of our everyday world. I propose, in fact, that mind is elemental, my dear Watson.” (Pg. 5)
He states, “Although our lives are punctuated by intervals of unconsciousness, we have no private insight into the unconscious state because by definition such a state cannot be experienced. We close our eyes to fall asleep, and then (barring dreams) morning comes immediately. There is a sense in which we are always awake, and always have been. Nobody remembers, or can remember, not being conscious.” (Pg. 43)
He explains, “[James T.] Culbertson’s SRM model of mind seems to have two major problems. Since it asserts that every spacetime event enjoys some sort of inner experience, the world must be everywhere alive---permeated at all levels with a carnival of tiny minds. In the midst of such a pandemonium of awareness, why do our own minds feel so unified? Why, at ever moment, do I seem to be one mind rather than a community of minds? Culbertson’s SRM theory does not seem to address the human kind of experienced unity of awareness adequately.” (Pg. 138)
He observes, “Although the main concern of [this book] is ordinary awareness, the everyday inner life of humans and other conscious beings, much can be learned about awareness from rare and unusual states of consciousness. Foremost among the paranormal powers of mind is psychokinesis—the alleged ability of certain minds to reach out and affect distant material systems without the mediation of physical forces. Psychokinesis (PK) is important to theories of consciousness because the very existence of such an ability would immediately refute en masse all simple mechanical models of consciousness, eliminating from serious consideration, for example, computer-based models of mind such as Marvin Minsky’s.” (Pg. 193)
He concludes, “My guess is that the secret of mind will be more subtle and surprising than these … extremes. I am very impressed by the beauty and subtlety of quantum theory, with its delicate interplay of possibility and actuality, of locality and superluminality, of wave and particle, of polar opposites lightly dancing just outside our abilities to comprehend completely. Quantum theory is breathtaking---and it’s just a theory of matter. I cannot imagine that the nature of mind will turn out to be any less wonderful.” (Pg. 283-284)
This book will interest those study Mind/Brain issues.
May 16, 2024
Interesting concepts on the realm of consciousness that can open a flood of "what ifs".
January 1, 2017
Published in 1993 this is an excellent overview of the question of human consciousness and the New Physics — a study which has continued apace since that time.
Informative and thorough, this work looks at the whole body/mind problem from the point of view of a physicist, and provides a solid basis on which further studies can proceed, and indeed they have done so, particularly in the area of cognitive psychology.
Highly recommended as an easy to read and comprehensive introduction to the much vexed question of body/brain mind/spirit duality we all, consciously or unconsciously, believe we inhabit.
Informative and thorough, this work looks at the whole body/mind problem from the point of view of a physicist, and provides a solid basis on which further studies can proceed, and indeed they have done so, particularly in the area of cognitive psychology.
Highly recommended as an easy to read and comprehensive introduction to the much vexed question of body/brain mind/spirit duality we all, consciously or unconsciously, believe we inhabit.
May 16, 2012
Neutral monism. That which is most fundamental is neither purely material, nor purely mental, but rather both material and mental. In matter it shows its material aspect and in mind it shows its mental aspect. A pleasing alternative to dualism, because one no longer needs to explain how matter and mind interact. A pleasing alternative to materialism, because it does not dismiss the human soul. A pleasing alternative to mysticism, because it does not dismiss science.
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May 9, 2018Not my Normal Read, but I got through it! Very Interesting Material and knowledge.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews