Abstract
Chicks can be conditioned to avoid yellow LEDs but allowed to peck at silver beads. Chicks later, not having been so conditioned, would also tend to avoid the yellow LEDs and favor the silver beads.
Rats, poisoned, seem to add to the “morphic resonance field” such that subsequent rats, not yet poisoned, also somehow “know” to avoid the same poisons (i.e., bait with some particular flavor) that worked before on other rats. For this reason, warfarin, which causes bleeding and death days later (thus breaking association between poison and death) has become the preferred poison because it works on all rats, even those who have become “bait-shy”. This morphic resonance isn’t local but spans miles and miles area.
Bass fishing lures are also under constant development, presumably for the same reason.
Content
Published on Sep 17, 2014
Rupert Sheldrake is an author, lecturer, and researcher in the field of parapsychology, known for his long-ago proposed theory of morphic resonance.
The music part begins at about 45:00 into video, but the stuff before it is exceptional and vital.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZklRSn92ek4
Rupert Sheldrake is a British biologist and author known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance, a concept he introduced in his 1981 book, “A New Science of Life.” Sheldrake’s work sits at the fringes of mainstream scientific research, challenging conventional scientific paradigms with ideas that extend into the realms of parapsychology, spirituality, and the science of consciousness.
### Morphic Resonance
The central idea of morphic resonance is that similar patterns of activity, behavior, and thought process influence across time and space through a kind of invisible field Sheldrake calls the “morphic field.” According to Sheldrake, these fields enable telepathy-like interconnections among organisms and collective memories within species, a theory that suggests memory is inherent in nature itself rather than stored within the brain.
### Key Concepts and Contributions
– **”Morphic Fields”**: Sheldrake proposes that everything in nature, from crystals to human societies, is organized by these fields, which shape the patterns of development and behavior.
– **”Formative Causation”**: Sheldrake’s theory suggests that the laws of nature are more like habits than immutable rules, evolving over time through morphic resonance.
– **Critique of Mechanistic Science**: Sheldrake argues that the mechanistic model of science, which sees the universe as a machine, is limited and needs to be expanded to incorporate phenomena such as consciousness, intention, and telepathy.
### Reception and Criticism
Sheldrake’s ideas have been controversial and met with significant skepticism and criticism from the scientific community. Critics argue that morphic resonance is not a testable scientific hypothesis in a conventional sense because it does not provide falsifiable predictions. Additionally, they contend that many phenomena Sheldrake attributes to morphic fields can be explained through established scientific theories.
Despite this, Sheldrake’s work has found a receptive audience outside of the traditional scientific establishment, particularly among those interested in alternative science, spirituality, and new age philosophies. His lectures and books have sparked discussions about the nature of science, consciousness, and the potential limitations of the current scientific paradigm.
### Publications and Public Engagement
Rupert Sheldrake has written several books expanding on his theories, including “The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Habits of Nature” and “Science and Spiritual Practices: Transformative Experiences and Their Effects on Our Bodies, Brains, and Health.” He is an active speaker and participant in conferences and debates concerning the intersection of science and spirituality.
### Conclusion
Rupert Sheldrake’s work challenges conventional scientific boundaries, advocating for a more inclusive view of science that acknowledges phenomena beyond physical measurement and reductionist explanations. Whether one views his theories as groundbreaking or unfounded, Sheldrake undeniably contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the nature of scientific inquiry, the limits of our understanding, and the mysteries of consciousness and connectivity in the universe.