Science

Connecting Science to Perennial Wisdom

Connecting science to the perennial wisdom and primordial traditions would include some additional notions about the nature of reality and our relationship to it. Some important concepts might include the idea that nature is conceived and manifest by a higher intelligence or mind; that all minds are interconnected in one universal mind or source; that certain mental and physical rituals can be effective in their intentions; that prayer, thought and visualizations can be effective in healing physical and mental ailments; and that the individual has an intrinsic desire to discover and identify with a higher self and purpose. The fact that these practices have been in existence far longer than science, would indicate validity for their utility and the negation of any notion that their manifestations might be inconsequential.

The sharpest division between science and science as wholeness can be seen in the dichotomy of objective and subjective reality. Objective reality (verifiable facts via sensory data) is understood in terms of cause and effect while subjective reality (mind, consciousness, spirit) is considered more in terms of complementary aspects.

But the idea of a plan before an action, a vision and mission statement to empower successful strategies in organizations and vision before creation are common patterns of thinking and action in all our world cultures. Even scientists have repeatedly used terms such as more elegant solutions and mathematical beauty to explain their rationale for arriving at theories and solutions to perplexing inquiries. As much as science has attempted to look professional and adhere to logic and reason, it has always had to contend with the subjective as an integral part of its ontology.

Comparison of Traditional Science to a Science of Wholeness

Traditional science has been built upon the notions of human separateness from nature and that physical observation and replication of phenomenon in the universe are the only reliable means of acquiring true knowledge about the nature of reality. 

Wholeness science would be constructed upon the concepts of oneness, unity, interconnectedness and the assumption that both objective and subjective venues can be employed to understand reality. This would include the scientific method of observation and replication, the use of intuition and the recognition and appreciation of elegance and beauty in the natural world and in the larger context of the universe. 

Concepts of Traditional Science

The universe is comprised of fundamental particles and quanta that are distinct from one another except in the case of specific relationships.

Natural phenomenon in the universe can be explained by relating it to general or basic relationships by utilizing what we call scientific theories, laws, or mathematical formulas. These theories are usually directed at the motions and interactions of fundamental particles or quanta that are interrelated. The focus on explaining the basic rudiments of matter is considered a significant and highly sought-after part of scientific inquiry.

Physical sense data from human reporting is that on which, most if not all, scientific knowledge has been based and is therefore considered reliable and quantifiable.

A person engaged in scientific study is said to provide reliable data when they act in an objective manner with as little human bias as possible. It is also acknowledged that some human error can enter into data collection as well as in interpretive processes. 

The universe is attributed to be deterministic.

The Big Bang, initiated through random physical processes, is the present accepted theory regarding the creation and consequent evolution of the physical universe. Life eventually evolved, governed by the processes of mutation and natural selection. Consciousness, still not clearly defined, is believed to have developed via the evolutionary process as well.

The universe is said to have no specific design, motive or purpose. The survival instinct is a function of natural selection. Those fauna and flora that did not have that ability were selected out and became extinct.

Coincidences that do not coincide with a definite physical connection are defined as coincidental even if there appears to be some kind of non-physical or abstract plausible relationship.

States of consciousness that are related to emotions, intuitions and other unorthodox states, are not thought to be in the domain of scientific inquiry and must be addressed through other disciplines such as psychology, sociology and mysticism. Science often considers these altered states pathological and or behaviorally related.

The understanding of ontogenesis, morphogeneis, regeneration and other related biological phenomenon should be obtained through the study of genetics.