Showing results by author "David Christopher" in All Categories

This small audiobook includes a remarkable 1990 interview with the famous professor of philosophy, Patricia Churchland, from the University of California, San Diego, who produced the groundbreaking book Neurophilosophy. Conducted by Meredith Doran and edited by David Christopher Lane. Also includes an essay by Professor Lane on the multi-level perspective on consciousness.

The true story of how famed K2 mountain climber Paul Petzoldt killed his friend and mentor, Dr. Julian P. Johnson at a spiritual ashram in India. Explores the controversy surrounding what happened on that fateful night on January 25, 1939, and the spiritual scandal that ensued in the Punjab.

This book critically examines the issue of gurus and asks a series of penetrating questions about their status and our supposed need to follow them. The author is a well-known expert in researching shabd yoga gurus and has traveled to India nine times, interviewing some of the most famous masters in the tradition, including Tripta Devi, Agam Prasad Mathur, Darshan Singh, and Baba Faqir Chand.

One of the first books ever published to objectively study the life and work of Franklin Jones, also known as Bubba Free John, Da Free John, Adi Da, an infamous cult leader who attracted both devotees and detractors. Contains original essays by Professor Scott Lowe (University of Wisconsin) and Professor David Lane (Mt. San Antonio College).

This book explores the philosophical work of Patricia Churchland and her groundbreaking studies in neurophilosophy, a field she helped to create. Includes a critical analysis of her latest work on near-death experiences and some of her controversial findings. Also included is a special interview conducted by Professor Meredith Doran dating back to 1990 which details Churchland's work on consciousness and the brain.

Although Plato didn’t know about virtual reality headsets or what such a new-fangled technology could evoke, he did understand better than most that humans do not see reality as it is, but rather how we filter it, moment to moment.

Although there is now a plethora of books by and about Rumi, I thought it might be instructive to republish a small portion of Edward Henry Whinfield's English translation of Rumi's Persian masterpiece. I think it is vitally important in today's social climate to focus on those aspects of Islam which elevate humankind and I can think of no better place to start than with the Sufi mystics of Islam, of which Rumi is the most famous (and perhaps finest) example.

This audiobook explores the ancient Indian concept of Maya. Utilizing the latest research in neuroscience and physics, this work explains why Maya (or the notion of illusion) is an important concept and better understood today in light of science, even though ancient rishis had glimpsed its importance thousands of years ago.

Presents a critical overview of guru succession in the Radhasoami tradition from its inception in the mid-1850s up until early 1991. Provides vital information for anyone interested in the politics behind guru succession in general. Includes extensive notes and an exhaustive bibliography.

Describes the famous 14 dreams of Queen Trishala, the mother of Mahavira, one of the key spiritual figures in Jainism.

Brand Management. Bernice Summerfield needs a job. Professor Harry Burtenshaw thinks she’s just the ticket. But with the people of Lyndyaz celebrating their most important festival and the ruling Dominicci Corporation maintaining control with draconian glee, has Bernice turned up in the wrong place at the wrong time? Bad Habits. Meet Sister Bernice - newest initiate into the order of Saint Celestion.

This book is one of Betrand Russell’s more famous essays on the importance of science in education and why it should be more emphasized in school and not disdained.

I recently came upon an old book entitled Famous Men in Science by Sarah Knowles Bolton that was first published in 1889. In her enjoyable and easy to read text, Bolton provides a glimpse of 14 distinguished thinkers, ranging from such luminaries as Carl Linnaeus to Louis Agassiz. Since the book is not readily available, here at the MSAC Philosophy Group we thought it might be helpful to select four biographies from Famous Men in Science and republish them in a new and readable format.

What is it like to work in the sky? The true story of what happens after years of career development in a demanding aviation industry, when a flight instructor gets a high-stakes interview with an airline for a dream job. Will it be an end to the exhausting work of teaching students how to takeoff, land, fly, and stay alive? Hear about how and what pilots learn and why.

August Weismann is regarded by many biologists, including Ernst Mayr from Harvard University, to be second only to Charles Darwin for progressing our understanding of evolution by natural selection. In this book, excerpted from the larger commemorative tome Darwin and Modern Science, edited by A. C. Seward and others, Weismann tackles many of the difficult questions confronting natural selection. In the process, Weismann offers a penetrating critique of Lamarck and provides the listener with rich and robust understanding of evolutionary theory.

This audiobook contains a series of essays on virtual reality and its future implications; how VR can usher in new tools for progressive meditational experiences; why science is a practical endeavor and should not be conflated with unnecessary metaphysics; why Darwinian evolution can best explain the Albert Camus dilemma; and finally, it touches upon the importance of Faqir Chand on understanding religious experiences.

This audiobook contains distinct essays on Darwinian epistemology, the future of shabd yoga, Ken Wilber's Atman Project, Clarence Darrow's agnostic philosophy, and the debate between Richard Feynman and John Lilly over the reality/non-reality of out-of-body experiences. Excerpt from one of the chapters: I think it is important to distinguish methodological naturalism from a philosophically absolutist position, since trying to ground all things down to the empirical realm and testable realm is a practical process and doesn't necessarily mean that nothing else exists beyond what we can scientifically discern.

The moral imperative behind vegetarianism is precisely this: to imagine the pain of an animal and then to ask yourself one straightforward question: Do I need to kill it in order to live? And, if you do not need to eat animals to live a good life, then ask yourself the following, and perhaps more pertinent, questions: Is slaughtering a cow, beheading a chicken, or hooking a fish necessary? Is my palate the driving force behind my ethical values?

Habits make us who we are and hold significant power in our lives. The things we do consistently and daily determine who we genuinely are, our beliefs, and our overall character. As a result, learning how to form good or wholesome habits and eliminate bad ones is a vital technique for life and, in turn, happiness. This book acts as a guide and is infused with basic instructions on how to create healthy habits and rid yourself of negative ones in order to understand the fundamentals of a positive and successful lifestyle.

This is the first of a three-part series centering on my personal remembrance of Charan Singh (1916-1990), who was the spiritual leader of Radha Soami Satsang Beas from 1951 to 1990. As such, it isn’t a biography, but rather partial glimpses of my own recollection of how I came to know of Charan, and why I eventually took initiation from him into the meditational practice of Surat Shabd Yoga. I didn’t write this as a devotional eulogy to my deceased spiritual teacher, but more selfishly as a way for me to write down key moments of my association with him...for over four decades.