The Nature of Mind ― Parapsychology and the Role of Consciousness in the Physical World

Western science teaches that our beings are governed by the laws of physics and our minds play no part. There are, however, flaws in this thinking, most prominently unexplained paranormal phenomena that defy explanation by modern theories of physics. Collected by parapsychologists, these data include extrasensory perception (ESP), poltergeist occurrences, and psychokinesis. Much of the current data in parapsychology and their implications for understanding the true nature of the self are examined here. Beginning with a consideration of several instances of spontaneous psi, the book examines the theoretical explanations of paranormal phenomena. It covers the hypothesis and evidence that minds contain the so-called hidden variables that determine the outcomes of the quantum process, thus interweaving parapsychology with modern physics. The reader is also forced to consider in detail the relationship between the conscious mind and the physical brain and the evidence that minds survive the death of bodies.

Mathematical psychologist Douglas M. Stokes is a former associate editor of the Journal of Parapsychology and has contributed to various journals and publications on the subject. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.