I try to distinguish Sheldrake’s original ideas from his discussion of philosophy. I find his philosophical perspective to be of incredible significance, and am far less interested in his original theories. But, I also try to go out of my way to not permit myself to formulate certainty on the issue, for the very reason that I understand that my knowledge on this topic remains unorganized and unsupported by an appreciation for the argumentation.
What he says about the mechanistic worldview is, based upon my own observations of people online, spot on. This problem is not only pertinent to astrophysics & cosmology. A review of the work of Gerald Pollack of the University of Washington reveals that it also dominates in biology – and this should be of critical importance to people, for our medical practices are founded on this notion that the body is fundamentally a mechanical device. The very idea that every cell membrane contains miniature ionic pumps and channels is truly a quaint idea, given what we know about gels and polymers today. There are many, many strong arguments which can be put forth against it. The study of water has unfortunately been cast away as serious science, due to the polywater debacle. That perception problem ultimately obscures the fascinating, unconventional science underlying water. Pollacks’ YouTube talks are very thought-provoking.
Electricity is extraordinarily efficient when it comes to the behavior of gels – which the body is. Eyebrows should naturally raise when somebody suggests that it takes a mechanical device to move electricity. That’s not saying much for evolution, for we can make far more efficient systems in the laboratory with polymer phase transitions. There seems to be a willingness to think that we can create things in the laboratory which mother nature is blind to. That’s probably human arrogance talking.
