Brain and
Consciousness
Science, Pseudoscience
and Protoscience
4/13/2015
1
Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00
Sun
Sept
Sept
Monday
Tuesday
11: Paradigms
Wed
Thursday
Friday
Sat
13: Brain
Development
Mongolia Conference
Sept
Yom Kippur
27:
Sleeping
Oct
2: Science and
Pseudoscience
4: Other
Meditations
Oct
9: Cosmic
Consciousness
28: TM
and TC
Drfredtravis.com-> Presentations and Videos-> Power
Points->Brain and Consciousness for lecture power points
Wholeness
Pseudoscience poses as science,
but does not follow the steps of
conducting science—evidencedbased testing of model-derived
research hypotheses. Protoscience
follows the steps of science to
investigate new models. These
distinctions can be used to
appreciate the nature of Maharishi
Vedic Science.
Definitions of Science
“Science does not purvey absolute truth,
science is a mechanism. It’s a way of
trying to improve your knowledge of
nature, it’s a system for testing your
thoughts against the universe and
seeing whether they match.”
Isaac Asimov
“Science is a way of thinking much more
than a body of knowledge.”
Carl Sagan
Research Methods Circle
Global
Model
Knower
Discussion
Introduction
Generate
Hypothesis
Acquire and
Analyze Data
Results
Known
Knower
Method
Subjects
Procedure
Test
Instruments
Design
Study
Known
Signs of Science: Which
stand out for you?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Is logical, reasonable
Makes evidence based claims
Is parsimonious
Hypotheses can be falsified in
repeatable experiments.
5. Attempts to be objective, and
honest use of scientific method
and truthful reports
Signs of Pseudoscience:
Which stand out?
1. Evidence for a discovery is anecdotal.
2. The scientific effect involved is always at
the very limit of detection (is very small).
3. … says that a powerful establishment is
trying to suppress his or her work.
4. … must propose new laws of nature to
explain an observation.
5. … says a belief is credible because it has
endured for centuries.
6. The discoverer has worked in isolation.
Is this Pseudoscience?
“You mentioned in your book how you would type
out words on a piece of paper and paste these
written words onto a bottle, and see how the water
reacted to the words.”
I will kill you.
Mother
Theresa
Love and
Appreciation
Adolf Hitler
Heavy Metal
Dr. Emoto: http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/research_emoto.htm
http://www.aulterra.com/
• The Neutralizer: energetic information imprinted
in Aulterra's homeopathic preparation.
• Electromagnetic fields in their natural form are
harmless. When manmade they disrupt the
energy patterns of the human body. The
Neutralizer contain a proprietary blend of
natural materials (powdered rocks) which
neutralize harmful emissions. The power of this
material was first discovered when it was used
to neutralize and remove lead and zinc from a
landfill during an environmental cleanup project.
Do You Wear Glasses?
http://www.naturalperfectvision.com/
• Let’s look at TM.org
http://www.tm.org/
Protoscience vs Pseudoscience
• Protoscience
• Statements that are outside of the
current paradigm but are:
• Generated by a self-consistent model
• Can be scientifically tested
• Are open to be scientifically tested.
• They are the driving force of shifts
in paradigm
Are these statements based in
Pseudoscience, Protoscience or
Science?
1. TM practice can lower blood
pressure.
2. Group practice of the TM-Sidhi
program leads to improvement in
positive trends in society.
3. If you have a house with a south
entrance, your health and wealth
will be worse and your sleep will
be less restful.
Main Point
The steps of science are rules to
determine the validity of knowledge
gained—be it through subjective or
objective means of gaining knowledge.
Pseudoscience violates these rules.
Some of the technologies of Maharishi
Vedic Science have been extensively
tested by science; some are just
beginning to be tested; and others have
not yet been tested.
Can Everything Be Tested By Science?