Cover Image: December 2005 Scientific American Magazine See Inside

Mr. Skeptic Goes to Esalen

Science and spirituality on the California coast















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That is spiritual gold.



This article was originally published with the title Mr. Skeptic Goes to Esalen.



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  1. 1. zemoxian 03:24 PM 11/20/08

    It's funny how anytime I read a quote from Sagan, I hear that familiar distintive voice like a movie voice over.

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  2. 2. bostonprof 03:08 PM 2/11/10

    I'm glad you included Carl Sagan in your article. His elegance on this topic is "inspirational" if you'll forgive the use of that term. More seriously, a book of his lectures on this topic, published posthumously and titled "The Varieties of Scientific Experience," is my own personal favorite. It is a serious exploration of science and spirituality. I have given away numerous copies to friends considering such issues, and return to the work myself sometimes.

    Thanks for the article.

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  3. 3. mye 07:52 PM 2/12/10

    Not to suggest relavatism (sp?), but those people really do have those experiences... I guess they apply a certain objectivity to them that may be inappropriate, but nonetheless, it "happened" to them, right? I think agnosticism is just about the only rational response to reality. I can only take the existence of the chair I'm sitting on on faith- nervous systems are notoriously inaccurate. So "maybe" the chair exists... "maybe" blue light beings entered her womb. It certainly seemed that way to her.

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