Customer Reviews

Measuring the Immeasurable: The Scientific Case for Spirituality

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book provides an excellent introduction to a broad range of scientific studies and on-going research efforts exploring spirituality. Science has not yet provided a complete testable model of a `spiritual universe'. However, this book does forge new ground in summarizing scientific evidence on the value of certain practices with spiritual / religious connections: prayer, meditation, compassion, and transformational practices. In addition, it also presents some very thought-provoking studies, for example on 'distant healing' and 'low-energy neurofeedback', that really challenge our conventional understanding of the mind and reality. This book does introduce some concepts in modern science such as quantum entanglement that may provide a scientific basis for `distant healing'. (Now, does 'quantum entanglement' between people in close relationships really occur and is this phenomena equivalent to religious perspectives on `spirit' and 'boundless love' that ties us together under `god'? Clearly, more work is needed.)

What I really appreciated most in the book was that it brought a breadth of insightful authors together in one place. I've been interested in a number of them, and this book provides a concise introduction to many of their works. Not to mention, with the extensive bibliography / notes section, it's a great starting place for further study. For further reading, I also recommend Dean Radin's two books " The Conscious Universe" and "Entangled Minds".

Note, this book does not address topics that typically have more obvious spiritual connotations. For example, out-of-body experiences (OBEs) were not addressed in this book. (For solid works investigating OBEs, the books of Robert Monroe are recommended for starters.)

Lastly, after reading this book and appreciating its depth and quality, I am somewhat surprised this book has not been more widely appreciated. For some reason, books rehashing the long debate on evolution sell better and populate the annual `best of' science book lists. I only wish more people could discover a book like this that really breaks new ground for both individuals who practice the scientific method and people of faith.

A wonderful book. I am only halfway through and I know this. I have even put into practice some of the glowing bits of wisdom which pop up here and there. Covered is a rather wide range of subject matter, most essays are quite approachable and the level of "scientific acumen" generally called on is quite within the scope of most readers, in my opinion. Anyone who feels spiritual and who also appreciates science should get much from even a first reading, and the references are useful for broadening one's reading in the area. In many ways a "must have"... the lens of science gets applied deftly and aptly, but the subject does not die; or get preserved; or get destroyed in the process.Measuring the Immeasurable: The Scientific Case for Spirituality

This is an impressively fat volume covering lots of ground relating to applying science to the spiritual. I've only read one chapter so far on meditation and a review of scientific studies done on meditation. I've read lots about meditation and found references and info I'd never seen before. That alone has made the book worthwhile, even if I don't read anything else!

Make no mistake, the depths of the oceans nor the farthest reaches of the universe, are not and never were the final frontier. The ultimate journey into uncharted territory is a trek into inner space. "Measuring the Immeasurable" is a compendium style work that serves like a round table discussion with a host of today's most prominent internauts (my new word that means: those whom travel inside consciousness.) As I have mentioned in other reviews, I'm not a big fan of collected essay style works, but this is one of the very few that I picked up and couldn't put down. Some chapters dealt heavily with a more narrative focus on the prospects of consciousness, remote healing, intercessional prayer/meditation; while others were laden with more rigorous scientific, neurophysiologic and ancillary statistical data, which in my opinion may leave many lay readers a bit nonplussed.

Not that it matters too much, but I can't help but wonder whom the target audience for this work was supposed to be, in that it seems to suffer from a mild Jekyll and Hyde personality. This book is perhaps too rich in scientific language for the average lay reader and too lean for the advanced scientist, although for me it struck a distinctly happy medium. As I suspect with many books of this ilk, very broad swaths are painted but are not particularly deep, nor are they meant to be. All things being equal - a fine read: 4 stars on the board with a real 3 and ½ from me today.

Editorial comment: I think that consciousness study is a very worthwhile endeavor, but I truly do not understand how measuring the effects of consciousness will help us to comprehend consciousness itself. After all, consciousness is not tangible, one cannot employ the use of EEG's, GSR recorders, compasses, protractors and slide rules and proclaim - "there it is, there is consciousness!" A paradigm shift with respect to scientific observation is in order.

The book addresses the ideas of a "spiritual" subculture and it uses data developed in relatively small samples to make, in some cases, arguments that are hard to accept. The "inner universe" of the human brain is indeed mysterious, and our very existence, by definition, resides only therein. Thus, for the most part, the conclusions require a measure of acceptance/faith not entirely supported by objective reasoning. On the other hand, the book offers opportunities for self improvement if some of the ideas are used wisely. In a nutshell, it's not voodoo, nor is it rocket science.

This book is a must have if you are interested in consciousness and the development thereof. It is a dry read in some places...But very thought provoking

A trully valuable book that brings together the science and the spirituality in a serious way. If you want to put foundations under your "spiritual castles", this may be the book to do it.