“In relation to awareness, one way of expressing this dichotomy in science is “bottom-up versus top-down.” I think of this as the fundamental theme of this book. “Bottom-up” is the perspective of Newtonian science—there is nothing governing conscious awareness beyond the physical, and whatever inspires, drives, repels, or prompts an individual can be found, explained, and quantified within that person’s physical body. In other words, the activation of neurons is the sole determinant of human consciousness. “Top-down” is the perspective of mystics (a category that does include some quantum physicists)—there can be input into conscious awareness from a source beyond the body. This input could be from the mind itself or from another person’s mind, or it could happen at a time when the body is not functioning. In other words, “top-down” implies that the mind has an existence apart from the brain.”