A web archive for the transcendent experiences of scientists -- ECOSUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

Click here for an easy and free way to help protect endangered habitat at The Rainforest Site! Non-profit ad by Voyager

05/19/13 17:37 [ VoyUser Login optional ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4] ]

Subject: A web archive for the transcendent experiences of scientists

Author:
Charles T. Tart, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]
Date Posted: 12/ 5/02 6:13
Author Host/IP: dialup-75.33.221.203.acc13-dryb-mel.comindico.com.au/203.221.33.75
A web archive for the transcendent experiences of scientists

This scheme won the year 2000 Social Innovations Award in the Science category. The following is summarised from the Taste website (at: http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/tart/taste/ and http://www.issc-taste.org).
A website called The Archives of Scientists' Transcendent Experiences (TASTE) has been designed to allow scientists from all fields to share their personal transcendent experiences. The site is a safe, anonymous, but quality controlled space that scientists and the general public can have ready access to.

'For fear of adverse effects on their career, scientists refrain from making public their transcendent experiences'
For fear of ridicule from their colleagues and fear of adverse, prejudicial effects on their career, scientists refrain from making public their transcendent experiences. Such fears have, unfortunately, too much of a basis in fact. It is not that there are a lot of scientists deliberately trying to suppress their colleagues, it is just the social conditioning of our times. This website, edited by Professor Charles Tart, of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and the University of California at Davis, seeks to change this culture.

As Tart puts it: "Over the years, many scientists, once they've realised I'm a safe person to talk to, have told me about unusual and transcendent experiences they've had. Too often, I'm the first and only person they've ever spoken to about their experiences, for fear of ridicule from their colleagues."

'Scientists today often occupy a social role similar to that of high priests, telling lay people and each other what is and is not 'real', and, consequently, what is and is not valuable and sane'
Scientists today often occupy a social role similar to that of high priests, telling lay people and each other what is and is not 'real', and, consequently, what is and is not valuable and sane. Unfortunately, the dominant materialistic and reductionist psychosocial climate of contemporary science (which sociologists long ago named 'scientism', an attitude different from the essential process of science) rejects and suppresses both the having and the sharing of transcendent, transpersonal, altered, spiritual or psychic states and experiences.

From Professor Tart's perspective as a psychologist, though, this prejudicial suppression and rejection psychologically harms and distorts both scientists' and lay persons' transcendent (and other) potentials. It also inhibits the development of a genuine scientific understanding of the full spectrum of consciousness. A denial of any aspects of our nature, whatever their ultimate reality status, is never psychologically or socially healthy.

TASTE is intended to help change this restricted and pathological climate. Specifically TASTE:

(1) enables individual psychological growth in the contributing scientists by providing a safe means of expression of vital experiences;

(2) leads toward a more receptive climate within the scientific professions to the full range of our humanity - which, in turn, would benefit world culture;

(3) provides research data on transcendent experiences within a highly articulate and conscientious population, that of scientists;

(4) facilitates the development of a full spectrum science of consciousness by providing both data and psychological support for the study of transcendent experiences;

(5) helps bridge the unfortunate gaps between science and the rest of culture by illustrating the humanity of scientists.

Charles T. Tart, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, 744 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA (fax 630 604 3279; e-mail: cttart@ucdavis.edu).

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

[ VoyUser Login ] Not required to post.
Post a public reply to this message | Go post a new public message
* HTML allowed in marked fields.
* Message subject (required):

* Name (required):

Expression ^{(Optional mood/title along with your name) Examples: (happy, sad, The Joyful, etc.) help)}

E-mail address (optional):

* Type your message here:
>A web archive for the transcendent experiences of >scientists > >This scheme won the year 2000 Social Innovations Award >in the Science category. The following is summarised >from the Taste website (at: >http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/tart/taste/ and >http://www.issc-taste.org). >A website called The Archives of Scientists' >Transcendent Experiences (TASTE) has been designed to >allow scientists from all fields to share their >personal transcendent experiences. The site is a safe, >anonymous, but quality controlled space that >scientists and the general public can have ready >access to. > > >'For fear of adverse effects on their career, >scientists refrain from making public their >transcendent experiences' >For fear of ridicule from their colleagues and fear of >adverse, prejudicial effects on their career, >scientists refrain from making public their >transcendent experiences. Such fears have, >unfortunately, too much of a basis in fact. It is not >that there are a lot of scientists deliberately trying >to suppress their colleagues, it is just the social >conditioning of our times. This website, edited by >Professor Charles Tart, of the Institute of >Transpersonal Psychology and the University of >California at Davis, seeks to change this culture. > >As Tart puts it: "Over the years, many scientists, >once they've realised I'm a safe person to talk to, >have told me about unusual and transcendent >experiences they've had. Too often, I'm the first and >only person they've ever spoken to about their >experiences, for fear of ridicule from their >colleagues." > > >'Scientists today often occupy a social role similar >to that of high priests, telling lay people and each >other what is and is not 'real', and, consequently, >what is and is not valuable and sane' >Scientists today often occupy a social role similar to >that of high priests, telling lay people and each >other what is and is not 'real', and, consequently, >what is and is not valuable and sane. Unfortunately, >the dominant materialistic and reductionist >psychosocial climate of contemporary science (which >sociologists long ago named 'scientism', an attitude >different from the essential process of science) >rejects and suppresses both the having and the sharing >of transcendent, transpersonal, altered, spiritual or >psychic states and experiences. > >From Professor Tart's perspective as a psychologist, >though, this prejudicial suppression and rejection >psychologically harms and distorts both scientists' >and lay persons' transcendent (and other) potentials. >It also inhibits the development of a genuine >scientific understanding of the full spectrum of >consciousness. A denial of any aspects of our nature, >whatever their ultimate reality status, is never >psychologically or socially healthy. > >TASTE is intended to help change this restricted and >pathological climate. Specifically TASTE: > >(1) enables individual psychological growth in the >contributing scientists by providing a safe means of >expression of vital experiences; > >(2) leads toward a more receptive climate within the >scientific professions to the full range of our >humanity - which, in turn, would benefit world >culture; > >(3) provides research data on transcendent experiences >within a highly articulate and conscientious >population, that of scientists; > >(4) facilitates the development of a full spectrum >science of consciousness by providing both data and >psychological support for the study of transcendent >experiences; > >(5) helps bridge the unfortunate gaps between science >and the rest of culture by illustrating the humanity >of scientists. > >Charles T. Tart, Institute of Transpersonal >Psychology, 744 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, >USA (fax 630 604 3279; e-mail: cttart@ucdavis.edu).
Choose Message Icon: [ View Emoticons ]

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.
The Voy.com User Agreement applies to all visitors.

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT+10
VF Version: 2.94, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums^(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2012 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.