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Rodney Bartlett
Mental illness and quantum-mechanical distance healing
Here's something for us all to think about – is mental illness really mental illness? Perhaps it is and isn't at the same time. Let me explain -
In 1911 Vladimir Vari?ak asserted that length contraction is ?real? according to Lorentz, while it is ?apparent or subjective? according to Einstein <sup class="footnote">1</sup>. Einstein replied: ?The author unjustifiably stated a difference of Lorentz?s view and that of mine concerning the physical facts. The question as to whether length contraction really exists or not is misleading. It doesn?t ?really? exist, in so far as it doesn?t exist for a comoving observer; though it ?really? exists, i.e. in such a way that it could be demonstrated in principle by physical means by a non-comoving observer.? <sup class="footnote">2</sup>
The trend of discoveries in physics is towards unification of the whole universe, and all time, into one thing ... one event. Start with 19th century scientist James Clerk Maxwell uniting electricity and magnetism into electromagnetism. Then consider Albert Einstein's attempt in the 20th century to unite electromagnetism with gravitation and produce a Unified Field Theory. Lastly, think of modern physics' dream to unite everything into the TOE (Theory of Everything). One day, the Unified Field or TOE will be successfully achieved and it might extend far beyond the wildest hopes of today's science.
Just suppose that what we call mental illness results from insights into the unification, with the insights producing inability – to a greater or lesser degree – to cope with what society deems normal activity. For example – look at the conditions listed in "In the blink of an I" by Douwe Draaisma (Nature journal – 6 August 2015). (This article is a review of the book "The Man Who Wasn't There" by Anil Ananthaswamy – Dutton, 2015.)
An epileptic seizure originating in the brain's temporal lobe and giving an ecstatic feeling of oneness with the world might be a link to the true nature of reality: an insight into the unification of space-time that is unfortunately accompanied by a change in brain waves that is not compatible with normal activity. The loss of self in Alzheimer's, and scrambling of self in schizophrenia, could similarly result from insight into universal unification in which the self has no existence separate from anything or any other self. Regrettably, the knowledge of the schizophrenia or Alzheimer's patient has come too soon – before they can understand it, or integrate it into their life. Their psychology and social lives are ruined – their hormones and biochemistry are upset. As for autism, how can anyone easily intuit the mental states of others when torn between society's belief that there is no other way and reality telling them only one mind can ever exist when all time and the entire universe are unified.
Someone living in the far future would have incorporated unification into the daily life they lead as a seemingly distinct individual. Returning to the early paragraph about Einstein explaining length contraction – they could therefore be seen as a co-moving observer with unification, and mental illness could not really exist in their eyes. There would be a different evaluation of what we term illness. Not just mental, but also physical disease or injury, must necessarily be viewed alternatively if every mind and body is part of one thing and one event, and can never possess the separateness our unreliable senses attribute to them.
This different evaluation and alternative view relate to the process being more holistic. In today's medicine, PNI (psychoneuroimmunology) is interaction of a person's psychology, neurology and immunology ie of the mind, nervous system and immune system. PNI can be regarded as a more holistic approach than any one of its 3 components. Similarly, the non-separateness of minds and bodies represents an even more holistic quantum-mechanical approach in which healing can be conducted without consideration of distance (neither space's light-years nor time's centuries are impenetrable barriers).
Einstein always maintained that quantum mechanics (QM), though not incorrect, is incomplete. He famously called its ideas "spooky action at a distance" and would likewise have denied medicine's potential to heal at a distance. However, the decades since his death have repeatedly seen quantum mechanics confirmed experimentally. While our understanding of QM may indeed be incomplete, I like to think that Einstein in his afterlife has decided that '"spooky action at a distance" is possible after all ... and so is distance healing.
To a non-comoving observer (such as someone living today, who has not seen unification verified), mental and physical illness truly exist – that is, in such a way that they could be demonstrated in principle by physical means (like, in the early 21st century, a test in a hospital or an experiment in a lab).
References
<sup class="footnote">1</sup> Miller, A.I. <sup class="footnote">1981</sup>, ?Vari?ak and Einstein?, Albert Einstein?s special theory of relativity. Emergence (1905) and early interpretation [1905?1911], Reading: Addison? Wesley, pp. 249?253.
<sup class="footnote">2</sup> Einstein, Albert <sup class="footnote">1911</sup>. ?Zum Ehrenfestschen Paradoxon. Eine Bemerkung zu V. Vari?aks Aufsatz?. Physikalische Zeitschrift 12: 509?510
Rodney Bartlett
Mental illness and quantum-mechanical distance healing
Here's something for us all to think about – is mental illness really mental illness? Perhaps it is and isn't at the same time. Let me explain -
In 1911 Vladimir Vari?ak asserted that length contraction is ?real? according to Lorentz, while it is ?apparent or subjective? according to Einstein <sup class="footnote">1</sup>. Einstein replied:
?The author unjustifiably stated a difference of Lorentz?s view and that of mine concerning the physical facts. The question as to whether length contraction really exists or not is misleading. It doesn?t ?really? exist, in so far as it doesn?t exist for a comoving observer; though it ?really? exists, i.e. in such a way that it could be demonstrated in principle by physical means by a non-comoving observer.? <sup class="footnote">2</sup>
The trend of discoveries in physics is towards unification of the whole universe, and all time, into one thing ... one event. Start with 19th century scientist James Clerk Maxwell uniting electricity and magnetism into electromagnetism. Then consider Albert Einstein's attempt in the 20th century to unite electromagnetism with gravitation and produce a Unified Field Theory. Lastly, think of modern physics' dream to unite everything into the TOE (Theory of Everything). One day, the Unified Field or TOE will be successfully achieved and it might extend far beyond the wildest hopes of today's science.
Just suppose that what we call mental illness results from insights into the unification, with the insights producing inability – to a greater or lesser degree – to cope with what society deems normal activity. For example – look at the conditions listed in "In the blink of an I" by Douwe Draaisma (Nature journal – 6 August 2015). (This article is a review of the book "The Man Who Wasn't There" by Anil Ananthaswamy – Dutton, 2015.)
An epileptic seizure originating in the brain's temporal lobe and giving an ecstatic feeling of oneness with the world might be a link to the true nature of reality: an insight into the unification of space-time that is unfortunately accompanied by a change in brain waves that is not compatible with normal activity. The loss of self in Alzheimer's, and scrambling of self in schizophrenia, could similarly result from insight into universal unification in which the self has no existence separate from anything or any other self. Regrettably, the knowledge of the schizophrenia or Alzheimer's patient has come too soon – before they can understand it, or integrate it into their life. Their psychology and social lives are ruined – their hormones and biochemistry are upset. As for autism, how can anyone easily intuit the mental states of others when torn between society's belief that there is no other way and reality telling them only one mind can ever exist when all time and the entire universe are unified.
Someone living in the far future would have incorporated unification into the daily life they lead as a seemingly distinct individual. Returning to the early paragraph about Einstein explaining length contraction – they could therefore be seen as a co-moving observer with unification, and mental illness could not really exist in their eyes. There would be a different evaluation of what we term illness. Not just mental, but also physical disease or injury, must necessarily be viewed alternatively if every mind and body is part of one thing and one event, and can never possess the separateness our unreliable senses attribute to them.
This different evaluation and alternative view relate to the process being more holistic. In today's medicine, PNI (psychoneuroimmunology) is interaction of a person's psychology, neurology and immunology ie of the mind, nervous system and immune system. PNI can be regarded as a more holistic approach than any one of its 3 components. Similarly, the non-separateness of minds and bodies represents an even more holistic quantum-mechanical approach in which healing can be conducted without consideration of distance (neither space's light-years nor time's centuries are impenetrable barriers).
Einstein always maintained that quantum mechanics (QM), though not incorrect, is incomplete. He famously called its ideas "spooky action at a distance" and would likewise have denied medicine's potential to heal at a distance. However, the decades since his death have repeatedly seen quantum mechanics confirmed experimentally. While our understanding of QM may indeed be incomplete, I like to think that Einstein in his afterlife has decided that '"spooky action at a distance" is possible after all ... and so is distance healing.
To a non-comoving observer (such as someone living today, who has not seen unification verified), mental and physical illness truly exist – that is, in such a way that they could be demonstrated in principle by physical means (like, in the early 21st century, a test in a hospital or an experiment in a lab).
References
<sup class="footnote">1</sup> Miller, A.I. <sup class="footnote">1981</sup>, ?Vari?ak and Einstein?, Albert Einstein?s special theory of relativity. Emergence (1905) and early interpretation [1905?1911], Reading: Addison? Wesley, pp. 249?253.
<sup class="footnote">2</sup> Einstein, Albert <sup class="footnote">1911</sup>. ?Zum Ehrenfestschen Paradoxon. Eine Bemerkung zu V. Vari?aks Aufsatz?. Physikalische Zeitschrift 12: 509?510