The empirical evidence for the reality of pre- and retro-cognitive experiences is abundant, often persuasive, but our understanding of them is incomplete at best. Some insights into the nature of time and of the human self may be pointing us in the right direction.
Is the prospect of immortality always preferable to that of a finite existence? It depends.
It is often argued that paranormal claims are too irrational to ever be granted serious consideration by the guardians of the established intellectual order. There are reasons to think otherwise.
A prominent cognitive scientist invites you to take a proverbial "red pill" and explore his theory of "conscious realism." But be warned—you may never see the world in the same way again.
One of Europe’s great philosophers died in 2020. His views on the eternity of all aspects of reality, deeply at odds with the prevailing zeitgeist yet vitally relevant and uplifting in our age of discontent, remain largely and undeservedly unexplored in English-speaking countries.
Panpsychism, coined by Francesco Patrizi, is the view that mind is a fundamental component of all reality. It is reconsidered in light of materialism's inability to account for the emergence of mind from matter.
Gustavo Rol's long and eventful life was constellated by prodigious events whose origin and nature remain mysterious. His commanding personality, spiritual views, and the debate surrounding his paranormal powers are a source of unabated fascination for many in his native Italy and abroad.
Gustavo Adofo Rol (1903-1994), to whom many famous persons and others attributed nearly unlimited paranormal powers, is one of the 20th century's enigmatic figures. Yet, he is mostly unknown in English-speaking countries.
Materialism's persistent inability to account satisfactorily for origin, nature, and the role of mind and consciousness in nature suggests that this view of the world may be wrong.
Materialism is the ontology adopted by a majority of intellectuals for a number of reasons. Analyzing them can help one decide whether they are compelling enough to justify materialism's exalted position.
Remarkable phenomena took place in the summer of 1901 in Genoa during ten seances led by the redoubtable medium Eusapia Palladino. Prof. Morselli was in attendance. He left us a very detailed description of what transpired at the Minerva Circle on those memorable evenings. What are we to make of it?
Physicist Steven Weinberg, paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, and primatologist Jane Goodall hold different views about the place for a Deity in an age of science.
'At a remote age in the heart of Italy, a fiery tragedy' was repeatedly enacted: thus wrote Frazer in 'The Golden Bough' about the priesthood of Nemi. His words led to this tale.
Can one rationally embrace the hypothesis of an afterlife based upon decades of research on this subject? In one word: Yes.
Arguably, both intellectually and physiologically our species, Homo Sapiens, may be fast reaching the limits of its potential. What may come next?
Experience how minimal motion information enables your visual brain to perform complex cognitive tasks.
A number of psychophysiological studies suggest that our bodies seem to anticipate, and prepare for, unpredictable events about to occur
It is argued that an open-minded examination of the full range of human experience, both ordinary and not, may uncover pointers to a reality that transcends the purely physical domain.
Persisting difficulties in accounting for the emergence of mind from nature from a strictly materialistic perspective open the way for a re-examination of alternative views of the mind-body problem
Some of the deepest scientific questions so far have not yielded to our most inquisitive minds. Will they be answered as science progresses, or will they forever elude our cognitive reach?
New findings point to a strong association between the reading of books and longevity. But the gift of time is just one of the many that a life of good readings affords.
Eliphas Levi, a renowned occultist, underwent a traumatic experience while attempting to evoke the spirit of an ancient sage
Modern psychology is decidedly naturalistic in its outlook. Yet, the reading of influential psychologists reveals a surprising variety of perspectives on the mystery of death.
Great psychologists argued that the manner in which we face our mortality has a profound impact on our attitude toward life and our overall psychological well-being.
Ostensibly paranormal deathbed phenomena are widely reported across cultures. Palliative care teams in hospices and nursing homes are also witness to a broad spectrum of perplexing occurrences.
It is generally assumed that as we get older our creative abilities decline substantially. Empirical studies show that the age-creativity relationship is in fact quite complex
Reports on the demise of the view of human consciousness as immaterial and non-reducible to brain activity are greatly exaggerated.
The question of God's existence led three supreme scientists to differing answers, all pervaded by an awareness of the limitations of the human mind as it faces ultimate reality
A story about 'the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns': Or do they?
A tale of the impossible
In the case of vision as of all other senses, we do not directly apprehend the physical world; we merely perceive what the brain makes of it.
Blaise Pascal's genius expressed itself in a nearly unique blend of brilliance in science and mathematics, depth of insight into the human condition, and profound religious sensitivity.
Sometimes, dreams can open up startling vistas into our lives
Science is a wondrous achievement. But some of its practitioners and ideological advocates fail us all when succumbing to dogmatic, absolutist, and authoritarian temptations, some examples of which are presented here.
Do we become more or less intelligent as we transition from early to late adulthood? And what factors can best account for the relationship between intelligence and age?
To grant meaning and integrity to the later seasons of life we must consciously embrace the experience of aging, for it can bring profound psychological rewards. As C. G. Jung well understood.