"The search, for its own
sake, is still the noblest and most meaningful of
human endeavours. It is
science at its purest and grandest, the primordial
human quest to understand the
universe and our place in it". Quote from:-
IN THIS
SECTION (click on heading to jump to bookmarked paragraphs)
1. MY
BACKGROUND
2. MEGA-SCIENCE
WEB SITES
3. MORE
FAVOURITE WEB SITES ON SCIENCE
4. IMMINENT
DEATH OF SCIENCE -- NO CHANCE!
5. SCIENCE
AND MONITORING THE HUMAN BODY
6.
CONSCIOUSNESS
7. QUANTUM
MIND?
8. SCIENCE,
SOCIETY AND ETHICS
9. FRONTIER
DEVELOPMENTS AND THEIR INACCESSIBILITY TO THE INDIVIDUAL
10.
ALTERNATIVE THEORIES
11.
SPECULATIVE FRINGE TOPICS
1. MY
BACKGROUND
Many years ago (1956!) I qualified as a physicist at the University of London, joined
the Atomic Energy Authority from where I gained and external MSc. I joined the Institute
of Physics (IoP) as a student and have remained a member ever since. My interest in
science never faded. For a time I served as Chairman of the Yorkshire Branch of the IoP
and served on a number of national committees.
The IoP monthly magazine "Physics World" keeps members in touch with news and
recent developments. Members can opt to receive from the IoP Web site news highlights,
selected according to individual profiles. The American Institute of Physics has a mailing list,
for members and non-members, which summarises highlights of the Physics World Weekly.
The IoP, Yorkshire Branch maintains a Web site containing
a programme of events, and a
very commendable set of hyperlinks to other relevant
sites and databases.
My entire career was spent in industry, largely concerned with electrical power production.
I was involved in wide ranging topics connected with the planning and execution of research
and development projects involving physics, physical chemistry and engineering. For a number
of years I was engaged on the computer simulation of nuclear power stations and joined the
British Computer Society, serving for a time on the Yorkshire Branch committee. On retirement
I allowed my membership of the BCS lapse, my interests being related to computer applications
rather than in the science of computing.
The simulation exercise involved a large inter-disciplinary team, providing me with experience of
working with specialists in multi-disciplinary teams. This experience gave me a taste for working
in multi-disciplinary environments. After retirement I joined organisations which cut across the
departmental boundaries found in academia and which peer beyond the boundaries of science.
These organisations brought me into contact with specialists in non-scientific disciplines and
resulted in lively discussions about such issues as the nature of reality; the compatibility of science
and religion; and ethical issues raised by applications of science.
Science and Religion: Templeton Foundation
Society & Ethics: introduction and external links
A question frequently encountered is whether science will embrace consciousness one day.
This problem is attracting and taxing fine minds, including a number of Nobel Laureates from the
scientific community.
I keep in touch with recent developments through the IoP, New Scientist, and the Internet.
(although that's like standing under the Niagara Falls for a drink!). I belong to the British Association
which raises the public image of science with its publications and popular meetings around the UK:
an important role. However, I saw the freedom of retirement as providing a golden opportunity to
explore a number of topics encountered at fringe of science. These topics aroused my curiosity years
ago but due to other demands on my time, they had to be pushed to the back of my mind. One of these
topics concerned the nature of consciousness, (more of that later) but as this subject has caught the
attention of the traditional New Scientist, ( 4 May 96, pp 20 - 28 ) it is perhaps unfair to call it 'fringe'
any more, even in the scientific community. It has long been a concern of quantum theory of course.
The New Scientist Web site contains relevant information plus many other features making a
visit worthwhile.
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2. MEGA-SCIENCE
Because rapid progress is being made on many fronts this is an exciting time for scientists. Having
retired from active scientific work, I envy young scientists' opportunities to work at the cutting edge
the new and vibrant fields. For information on the popular mega-science subject areas, visit:-
There are links to sites concerning space observatories; interplanetary probes; high energy particle
physics; fusion; lasers; and many more. For information on high energy particle physics in particular,
CERN have created an excellent Web site for the general public, which includes a 2- minute summary
for those in a hurry, and such topics as a description of recent new insights into the nature of time
for those who are not!
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3. MORE
FAVOURITE WEB SITES ON SCIENCE
A very interesting series of essays on cutting edge topics by acknowledged experts:-
Information about two great physicists,
Feynman and Einstein:-
A site devoted to Nobel Laureates:-
Well-known science writer John Gribbin has popular science
articles on his home page:-
He bravely tackles imponderables like the Big Bang, the universe, quantum mysteries
and time travel.
An excellent illustrated brief history of the universe.
A new look at the "Theory of Everything"
by Max Tegmark of Princeton University
A particular reality with more than the four classical
dimensions of spacetime, is described at
Pitkanen's site entitled 'Topological
Geometrodynamics'. It is mainly for specialists but there is
a useful introduction to the field for
non-specialists, and sections on the implications to biology
and to consciousness. hence it leads to metaphysical
questions.
Hector Parr's home page contains hyperlinks to sites of interest to physicists: note the links to
stunning recent images of the cosmos.
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4. DEATH OF
SCIENCE -- NO CHANCE
Some commentators such as John Horgan
suggest that having reached impenetrable barriers, the era of science is about to come to an
end. Although Horgan presents a good case I'm unconvinced, and see no real evidence of
the demise of science. Moreover I don't find myself alone in thinking that Science is far from
approaching a terminal stage. Major new developments are appearing on many fronts, and
aided by amazing progress in communications technology these developments are occurring
faster than ever. There seems every prospect that they will continue to do so. The problem
is perhaps for society to keep pace with the implications, but it is important that it does. Some
scientists can become very absorbed in their work and give scant thought to its implications.
The frontiers of cosmology, particle physics, quantum theory, information technology, optics and
of many more areas in physical sciences are vibrant with activity, and this is true of many branches
of medical science. See what experts have to say:-
"It is clear to me that science is far from finished , and young researchers of the coming century
face challenges worthy of their very best efforts" Alwyn Scott; Nonlinear Science; 1999
"The argument is that accessible, important ideas will run out, that either we'll never understand
certain things or we have already understood them. This is an absurd position to take. People
have been saying that for centuries. I can think of a least one major area, which I'm absolutely
sure is missing from the present-day physics, which probably will come in the next 50 years or so,
and it will be a tremendous revolution. It has to do with how to understand quantum mechanics.
Roger Penrose New York Times 19 Jan. 99
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5.
SCIENCE AND MONITORING THE HUMAN BODY
The power of modern computers applied to data acquisition and analysis is stunning!
External scanning systems are manifesting complex operations of live organs in humans in
real time. These organs include include the heart and the brain which presents an ultimate
challenge to scientific understanding.
Observations are being made of neurological correlates of physical and psychological
changes in amazing detail. Yet they serve only to raise more profound questions which
indicate that we are not yet even approaching an understanding of the mind and brain
system. At this point in time, nobody can explain a even a simple blush in terms of an
interface between mind (feeling of embarrassment) and matter (from firing of neurones to
changes in blood cells) . Questions no less profound are also being raised in the vast
subject of artificial intelligence. Some of these questions seem unlikely to be resolved
within a generation, and one suspects that lurking in nature's secrets are more problems
waiting to be identified.
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6. CONSCIOUSNESS
Having enjoyed an excursion into the subject of consciousness, which lasted several years,
I'm left with the distinct impression is that it is still firmly embedded in metaphysics and
philosophy, and despite heroic efforts by a number of eminent specialist scientists, it is
still far from becoming a recognisable science. Modern scanning equipment is providing
amazing new insights into the workings of the physical brain. Investigations have historically
gone from the brain as a whole to neural pathways; to neurons; to microtubules within neurons;
to the molecules that make up microtubules, to the behaviour of molecules in terms of the
bizarre quantum world, and yet there's no sign yet of even a qualitative understanding of
how physical mechanisms translate into consciousness. We are left with exactly the same
problems of explaining explaining subjective will, emotions and values. How is that things
which are so essential to each and every one of us, and which has been a source of academic
study for millennia, can remain so enigmatic?
"Consciousness will always be one degree above comprehensibility?"
If this puzzle fascinates you, the Arizona University is an excellent source of information:-
(In early 1999 they are running an external Internet-based course on 'Modern Science and the Mind'.
The titles of the presentations, and the qualifications of the course leaders illustrate just how
cross-disciplinary is this topic.)
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7. QUANTUM
MIND?
There are strong suspicions that the next leap in progress in the understanding of mind is
going to come via Quantum Theory. Studies of the brain have reached the minute quantum
level. The internal structure of a single neurone has been mapped out in detail and even
this tiny item exhibits great complexity (see Hameroff's site). Observations in physical laboratories
confirm that 'nonlocal' (i.e. outside known physical dimensions) interactions between particles
do exist, (see Aspect's experiments:-
so that seams reasonable to postulate that in principle the human mind is capable of nonlocal
interactions. There could be nonlocal interactions between compartments of the brain, between
an individual mind and a 'universal subconscious', or between two individual human minds.
The concept of a universal subconscious is by no means the exclusive province of psychiatrists
and philosophers. Quantum theorists such as Squires have postulated such a concept.
Telepathy might well constitute practical evidence of nonlocal communication between minds.
Practical evidence of telepathy continues to grow, but the effect is weak and the evidence is hard
won! There is still no generally agreed model for the mind-brain system. Three heavyweight
figures specialising in examining the possibility of describing the mind/brain system in terms of
quantum theory are:-
I make no attempt so summarise their sites which lead on to other important contributors. Click
on the image below for further consideration of consciousness on this site. The page concerns
primarily the quest for an understanding the mind-matter interface and provides more hyperlinks
to specialist sites for those wishing to pursue the subject further.
 Can consciousness be approached scientifically?
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8. SCIENCE, SOCIETY AND ETHICS
Because scientific knowledge can be applied for good or evil, science should be subject
to reasonable ethical constraints. Disposal of radioactive wastes for example could affect
generations in the distant future and needs to be regulated. The recent advances in medical
and biological sciences concern me much more: in the light of these advances the problems
related to physical sciences seem relatively benign. The impacts of advances in biological
sciences are upon us, and they are more profound and severe. Difficult ethical problems loom
for individuals, and for society as a whole, and these can involve life or death decisions.
Discussion of the relationship between science and society continues on another page:-
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9.
FRONTIER DEVELOPMENTS AND THEIR INACCESSIBILITY TO
THE INDIVIDUAL
"Physics is much
too hard for physicists"
At one time I intended to equip my computer with a data acquisition facilities, and to use them
to explore various physical manifestations related to mind activity, but in this decade such studies
are rapidly becoming the exclusive province of well equipped mainstream establishments. The
simple electroencephalograph and electromyograph are past their sell-by dates as research tools.
Science, especially mainstream science, is moving ever further out of reach of the individual: budgetary
requirements tend to be large; essential planning to be long- term; and the more interesting research
topics tend to require multi-disciplinary teams. Safety regulations ( rightly ) add to costs and delays.
There remain few opportunities to emulate Michael Faraday these days! Particle physicists, planetary
explorers and cosmologists have to think so far ahead that they may face retirement before their
groundwork bears fruit. This trend is in one sense a pity for one cannot help feeling that solutions to
some of the problems will require radically new approaches. In the mainstream there is strong pressure
to conform and this can be restrictive.
Despite this, I did get involved briefly in two pilot studies at the boundary of science and
metaphysics. Unfortunately, due to external factors they did not get very far, but I mention them in
case they suggest investigations to others who have suitable resources to pursue them. At the back
of my mind testing the possibility that there are nonlocal links associated with the mind/brain system.
Further details of these pilot studies are given in other sections: click on the links below:-
The latter section contains hyperlinks to some of the
leading international sites looking into alternative
theories of the nature of reality (epistemology &
ontology) which may challenge the foundations of
modern science.
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10.
ALTERNATIVE THEORIES
For a look at 'alternative' science I strongly recommend a visit to Phil Gibbs' Web site. Anyone
wanting to view a broad range of the theories in so-called 'alternative science' should pay it a visit.
His very comprehensive list of URL's shows that he has been in this game for a long time! His
site is neatly divided into categories and refers to the heavyweights in the relevant fields. The site has
won awards. Watch out, though, for Gibbs' sense of humour which can, in places mask the
underlying serious nature of the site!
Phil Gibbs'
List of URL's
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11.
SPECULATIVE FRINGE TOPICS
In retirement I was motivated to pursue selected fringe topics. I would not discourage anyone else from
doing so, for important breakthroughs have been made at the fringe in the past. However, I would
advocate caution: the Internet contains an abundance of them, and the trick is to spot topics with real
potential whilst avoiding the blind alleys. (See Crackpot). To do so requires not only care, but also a
certain amount of intuition, without which a great deal of time can be wasted. Proponents of new
theories, both good and bad, can be superficially convincing! Mainstream science, with its orderly
progress and refereed papers, offers a relatively safe haven, although mainstream frontier science is
dynamic, and is not all bliss and harmony by any means!
- Crackpot (An idea is not responsible for the people
that believe in it.)
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