[MD] Journey to the Stars

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 8 Jul 2009 at 13:49, John Carl wrote:

> (love that Needleman)
> 
> "Obviously, there is a great difference between contemplating a universe
> which exceeds me in size alone or in intricacy alone, and one which exceeds
> me in depth of purpose and intelligence.  A universe of merely unimaginable
> size excludes man and crushes him. But a universe that is a manifestation of
> great consciousness and order places man, and therefore calls to him.
> 
> So much is obvious, for a conscious universe is the only reality that can
> include human consciousness.  And only when I am completely included by
> something does the need arise for me to understand my relationship to it in
> all the aspect of my inner and outer life.  Only a conscious universe is
> relevant to the whole of human life."

Thanks for the quotes from Needleman. He supports the view of 
Schiller, Bergson, Sheldrake and others of a conscious field pervading 
the cosmos. The assumption of a conscious universe forms the basis of 
panpsychism. It makes sense to me that the brain, rather than a magical 
creator of consciousness, is merely an enlarged bulb of nerve tissue that 
taps into a surrounding conscious, just as all other organs of the body 
utilize what's in the environment -- air, edible material, sound and light 
waves, etc. Sure beats the science explanation that consciousness 
"emerges" from a hunk of electrified meat like Proteus rising from sea. 
That Jesus rose from the dead is more believable. 

Platt