Is there an ultimate reality? And if so, can it be accounted for by science? A debate

[Joey McGee]

A debate on the nature of reality, consciousness and modern science. Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine, Leonard Mlodinow the theoretical physicist and Deepak Chopra the Quantum Woo Master are among the 10 people on the interdisciplinary panel.


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Hosted in Orange, CA at Chapman University

The interdisciplinary panel "The Nature of Reality" took place on March 31, 2011

The panel discussion started by asking two questions, "Is there an Ultimate Reality?" and if yes, "Can it be accounted for by science such as mathematics, biology and physics?" The panelists addressed the questions and were given a chance to respond to each other and interact. Finally, the floor was opened up to Q&A from the audience.

A variety of views from science and philosophy were presented and the event was lively and informative. The panelists are practicing scientists, authors, health professionals as well as experts in philosophical systems from different fields. As the two main paradigms in science are, in a broad sense, the physical and the biological, these questions were addressed by physicists, biologists, medical doctors, as well as other experts.

So, "Is there an Ultimate Reality?" and if yes, "Can it be accounted for by science such as mathematics, biology and physics?"

 

[Dancing David]

Um, when they show something that they can really point to, I can discuss it, but reality is good enough for me.

 

[Bikewer]

Essentially the way I feel; the reality that I live in, the one you can measure and observe and feel, seems pretty substantial, and there's essentially no evidence whatever for any "other" reality.
We have all this tantalizing speculation about multiverses and alternate universes and multiple dimensions and whatever... All still speculation at this point.

 

[punshhh]

A debate on the nature of reality, consciousness and modern science. Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine, Leonard Mlodinow the theoretical physicist and Deepak Chopra the Quantum Woo Master are among the 10 people on the interdisciplinary panel.


Download Free Podcast through iTunes




So, "Is there an Ultimate Reality?" and if yes, "Can it be accounted for by science such as mathematics, biology and physics?"

Great debate, I wasn't impressed by Michael Schermer's skeptical contribution. It seems to me that the other members of the panel already adopted an attitude of a healthy skepticism and balance of their own positions in the debate. His talents would be of more use in taking on more dogmatic religious commentators on such issues, such as intelligent design.

I was impressed by the anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff's ideas regarding the functioning of consciousness. It gave me some interesting areas of enquiry.

I sympathise with Depak Chopras position as he has a mountain to climb, in translating eastern philosophy into something palatable for science or materialism.

As for my position, I prefer the approach that there is an ultimate reality. Of which science has barely scratched the surface. Perhaps science should from time to time avert its gaze from reductionism and take a few hints from philosophies which have addressed this question for millenia, albeit in an old fashioned form.

However science(generally) and materialism is not concerned with such triffles as this, as has been pointed out to me a few times on this forum.

More pertinent as can be gleaned from this debate is a language(way of thinking) barrier between the two positions. Which I have also witnessed on this forum.

 

[leonAzul]

So, "Is there an Ultimate Reality?"

Yes, there is. This is it.

The more interesting question is whether anyone knows or even can know the ultimate answer to all that it is as it is.

Fortunately, no; otherwise this would be very tedious life indeed.

"Can it be accounted for by science such as mathematics, biology and physics?"

That all depends on what you're looking for, sailor. If you seek a more or less self-correcting system that yields an ever better understanding of reality, then science is your methodology of choice.