Spiritualità Scientifica

Why "Scientific Spirituality" ?

What is the structure that links

the crab to the lobster,

the orchid to the primula

and all four of them to myself?

And me to you?

And all of us with amoeba on the one hand

and schizophrenics on the other?

(Gregory Bateson, Mind and Nature: a Necessary Unity, 1979)

"Scientific Spirituality "... an oxymoron or a real Opportunity to attain our Right&Duty  to Happiness and Wellness ? I would opt for the second answer!

Gregory Bateson encourages us, for reaching such final existential target,. towards a  "necessary unity",  which different "Knowledge Ways" for reaching it are altogether called "Spirituality".

The history of Science (Physics, Biology...), of Philosophy and of Mathematics (Game Theory) has taught  us how and when significant Progress sprung forth from the Reconciliation of the Irreconcilable, from  Identity of (presumed) Opposites and from conscious "Mixed Strategies" between incommensurable behaviours: Matter & Energy, the wave & particle nature of Light, Chance & Necessity, Rationality & Irrationality...

Similar confirmation comes from Mythology and ancient Oriental Philosophy: Plato's Androgyne, Yin&Yang, the Reality beyond Maya's Veil...

This is Complexity’s prime Duty: to allow for the "apocalypse" (= unveiling) of the simple, clear and deep "attractors" underlying not only unpredictable dynamics but also the phantasmagoric variety of Reality.   In this way,  the stable and simple Laws which rule our Existences are made intelligible to everybody by piercing Maya's Veil, which transforms Unity and Simplicity into Multiplicity and Complexity, in order to free us from both unhappiness and memes ("mental viruses") which denaturalize and enslave us all.

Is it perhaps the right moment (kairòs...) for ultimate Human Progress to (supposedly…)  reconcile irreconcilable Science and Spirituality, so that the latter is no longer an exclusive prerogative of Religions but rather a common asset of a vast Community of People who.... RAISE QUESTIONS (much more valuable than all possible answers !)...?

The Sciences have always attempted to extract simplicity from complexity based on experiences (“experiments”) that are intelligible to those who know how to use logic; experiences that are repeatable and capable of being shared by other Human Beings thanks to a democratic attitude and, above all, “falsifiable” (in the Popperian sense).  In a nutshell: for undersatnding you must argue!

Spiritualities have always attempted to solve Complexity by getting to the root of its presumed Unity based on experiences that are intelligible to those who know how to meditate and to pray; experiences that are repeatable and capable of being shared prevalently within esoteric communities (“for a few” initiated) and, above all, not “falsifiable” (in the Popperian sense).  In a nutshell: for understanding you must believe!

Religions have always attempted to nullify Complexity by categorizing each aspect of Life in an “eternal”  status quo based on experiences prevalently “granted” by Divine faith, intelligible to those who know how to meditate or pray in this state of grace and, above all, intolerant to any attempt of “falsification” (in the Popperian sense). In a nutshell: you must obey the truth of faith - without willing to understand.

The right moment (kairòs) has come  to say Enough!  to irreconcilable  contrasts "Believers – Non- Believers”, "Lay People - Ecclesiastics", "Spiritual beings - Scientists" to give both space and time to the cross-sectional Human Community of those people who… ASK QUESTIONS (much more valuable than all possible answers!).

In this we trust!

The Editorial Staff of ComplexLab

For information or to contribute to the “Scientific Spirituality” Project: redazione@complexlab.it