tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post115438107096964299..comments2024-03-29T05:19:17.638-07:00Comments on The Neurocritic: Neural Correlates of a Mystical Experience in Carmelite NunsThe Neurocritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-83949347499290371682011-08-20T12:33:51.431-07:002011-08-20T12:33:51.431-07:00Mystical states are what is called 'state-spec...Mystical states are what is called 'state-specific'. In other words, one can not recreate the mental state by memory any more than one can be drunk by remembering a time when they actually were drunk. There has been much criticism of the arguably pseudoscientific or unscientific conclusions that Beauregard has drawn from his already highly questionable neuroimaging experiments. Indeed, his book "The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul" (co-authored by Denyse O'Leary) seems to lack sound logic and ignores basic scientific reasoning with an unvalidated anti-materialist bias. Both his experimental set-up and his book seem to defeat his argument.Eris Dulighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05322711483117578528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1165214110820053442006-12-03T22:35:00.000-08:002006-12-03T22:35:00.000-08:00Thanks for the clarification on Carmelite orders, ...Thanks for the clarification on Carmelite orders, Anonymous. I did think their website was a little outward-looking...<BR/><BR/>PulpSpy - yes, I <B>was</B> making the sexual/mystical union comparison, even though the nuns are celibate. I would imagine it's very difficult to eradicate all traces of sexual desire. Such a discussion is a taboo topic, especially regarding Catholic nuns.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.ejhs.org/volume1/fisher/nun70.htm" REL="nofollow">SELF-PLEASURE OR SIN</A><BR/><BR/>Hmm...The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1165198079866328042006-12-03T18:07:00.000-08:002006-12-03T18:07:00.000-08:00True, the mystical state cannot be manufactured at...True, the mystical state cannot be manufactured at our whim. So, the researchers worked on memory which is a different animal from the actual. I am not sure what that is supposed to tell us. Is this relavant? It is not a God-induced state which is what we really want to see. But it does have its interesting point. Also, the web site you linked was for O.Carms. Their nuns are not cloistered. That is the other branch, Discalced Carmelites. I am certain that was the branch of Carmelite nuns studied in this research.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1163801098063376222006-11-17T14:04:00.000-08:002006-11-17T14:04:00.000-08:00In response to the Mystical versus Control recolle...In response to the Mystical versus Control recollections, I think another point is important to make. The test subjects are Carmelites, which means they are celibate. Therefore, given the definition of the control (union with human while affiliated with the order), it will exclude any sexual experiences.<BR/><BR/>I would suspect that the closest naturalistic experience to mysticism would be sexual. I have no data to back this up--it is a mere hypothesis tested. But one neither verified nor falsified by this particular experiment.Jeremy Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16115067516429318879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1156556014099247602006-08-25T18:33:00.000-07:002006-08-25T18:33:00.000-07:00How about ayahuasca?How about <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayahuasca" REL="nofollow">ayahuasca</A>?The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1156538040206192452006-08-25T13:34:00.000-07:002006-08-25T13:34:00.000-07:00If you think the movie the Matrix was cool you pro...If you think the movie the Matrix was cool you probably can't wait for the drug that simulates the reality of Carmel.<BR/><BR/>Better living through neural stims.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1155747730614116082006-08-16T10:02:00.000-07:002006-08-16T10:02:00.000-07:00Boring? Well then, I shall submit my hypothesis to...Boring? Well then, I shall submit my hypothesis to The Journal of Reverse Inference AND The Journal of Ecstatic Religious Studies...The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1155698015318948002006-08-15T20:13:00.000-07:002006-08-15T20:13:00.000-07:00BUT it's not up to me to engage in reverse inferen...<I><BR/>BUT it's not up to me to engage in reverse inference here...<BR/></I><BR/>Why not? they do that in all of the best journals, these days. I swear, neurocritic, you can be so boring sometimes. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1154972046555568502006-08-07T10:34:00.000-07:002006-08-07T10:34:00.000-07:00My friend was saying it's actually a function of d...<I>My friend was saying it's actually a function of dosage.</I><BR/><BR/>That's an interesting perspective. I wonder if one could do a dose-response study...The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-1154904831932568122006-08-06T15:53:00.000-07:002006-08-06T15:53:00.000-07:00>>The title of this article by Beauregard and Paqu...>>The title of this article by Beauregard and Paquette is a little misleading, because "God can’t be summoned at will."<BR/><BR/>My friend was saying it's actually a function of dosage. - VAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com