EFTA02456956.pdf

From: Deepak Chopra Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2016 12:26 PM To: Jeff Epstein Subject: Fw: My chapter on you In case you are interested my feedback to Michael Shermer who was k=nd enough to share his chapter on me in his next book xoxo 2013 Costa Del Mar Road Carlsbad, CA 92009 The C=opra Foundation <http://www.choprafoundation.org/> <http://www.choprafoundation.=rg/> <http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/l/51ryZ4SaSrL_S=500_SS115_.jpg> <http://www.amazon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being=dp/0804140138/deepakchcom07-20> chttp://www.amazon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being=dp/0804140138/deepakchcom07-20> Super Genes: Unlock the Astonishing Power of Your DNA for Optimum Health and Wel=being <http://www.am=zon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being/dp/0804140138/deepakchc=m07-20> <=span> From: Deepak Chopra Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 9:01 AM To: Michael Shermer Subject: Re: My chapter on you EFTA_R1_01560478 EFTA02456956 Dear Michael, Your chapter reads well and is certainly more than fair about me, given=the general unfairness I've experienced from militant atheists and hard-bo=led skeptics. Thanks for being so open-minded. My only comments have to do with making a difficult subject more access=ble to your readers. 1. I'd slow down at the passage about "redness" and spell out=that the brain is dark but we see light' the brain is silent, but we hear=the brain contains no pictures, but we see full-blown three-dimensional images. Then open up how a neuron works, firing the same=chemical signals as any other cell with small modifications. So how =oes a brain cell, born of the same strand of DNA as a stomach o liver cell= think? It seems to me that a brain cell cannot think. 2. On a basic chemical level, the sugar in a sugar cube or the gl=cose in the bloodstream has no special properties; the molecules do not pa=ticipate in mental activity until they enter the brain. You might want to point out this mystery and also note that mat=rial monists must show the exact point when molecules exhibit mind-like be=avior. 3. Freeman Dyson, among other physicists, cites the mind-like behavior =f subatomic particles as they "choose" and "decide" wh=t state in the wave-particle duality to exist in. Here's a nice quote from Dyson: "It would not be surprising that the =rigin and destiny of the energy in the universe cannot be complete,= understood in isolation from the phenomena of life and consciousness--It is=conceivable---that life may have a larger role to play than we have imagined..quot; "Life may have succeeded against all&=bsp;odds in molding a universe to its purposes. And the design of the inan=mate universe may not be as detached from the potentialities of life =nd intelligence as scientists of the 20th century have ten=ed to suppose" 4. You say that choosing between materiali=t monism and consciousness monism isn't the point, but it is. Consciousnes= monism or "mind first" must show how mind turns into matter. Ma=erialistic monism or "matter first" must do the opposite, demonstrating how matter can produce mind. Even though the &=uot;matter first" crowd are far ahead in scientific acceptance, in fa=t we see mind produce matter every time a synaptic gap is crossed by neuro=ransmitters or hormones are triggered by experience. A person who is phobic sees a spider and reacts violently at t=e level of stress hormones, elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, =tc. This physical state is entirely produced by a mental interpretation th=t a harmless insect is cause for panic. 5. I'm not sure about how you introduce mo=ism. There are famous Western monists among idealistic philosophers =ho are a) not materialists and b) not" Eastern". Since "mon=d" as a philosophical term is associated with Leibnitz, you'll see that it refers to an indivisible "substance," which m=y seem materialistic, until you discover that one order of this substance =s the soul. "The basic order is three-tiered: (1) entelechies or created monads =548), (2) souls or entelechies with perception and memory (519), and (=) spirits or rational souls (582). " (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monad=logy#The_metaphysics_of_The_Monadology) Other Western monists who are definitely n=t materialistic include Spinoza, Hegel, Girdano Bruno, and Schopenhauer. (=ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MonismaMonistic_philosophers) 2 EFTA_R1_01560479 EFTA02456957 In fact, if you can find a materialistic m=nist in the West who ranks with these philosophers, please mention him by =ame while acknowledging the main idealistic tradition. Thanks for letting me review this chapter-=it was very generous. Love, Deepak 2013 Costa Del Mar Road Carlsbad, CA 92009 The C=opra Foundation <http://www.choprafoundation.org/> <http://www.choprafoundation.=rgf> <http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/l/SlryZ4SaSrL._S=500_SS115_.jpg> <http://www.amazon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being=dp/0804140138/deepakchcom07-20> chttp://www.amazon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being=dp/0804140138/deepakchcom07-20> Super Genes: Unlock the Astonishing Power of Your DNA for Optimum Health and Wel=being <http://www.am=zon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being/d00804140138/deepakchc=m07-20> <=span> From: Michael Shermer Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2016 9:43:37 AM To: Deepak Chopra Subject: Re: My chapter on you No rush at all. My manuscript is not due for many months. Michael Michael Shermer Skeptic Magazine Scientific American P.O. Box 338 Altadena, CA 91001 3 EFTA_R1_01560480 EFTA02456958 Follow me on Facebook and Twitter: http://www.facebook.com/Michael.Brant.Sher=er <http://www.facebook.com/M=chael.Brant.Shermer> http://www.facebook.com/Skeptic.magazine <http://www.facebook.com/S=eptic.magazine> http://twitter.com/MichaelShermer <http://twitter.com/Michae=Shermer> This private email message is for the sole use of the intended recipients= and may contain confidential information. Any unauthorized publ=cation, broadcast, review, use, disclosure or distribution of its con=ent, substance or meaning, by email, social media or any other means, is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient= contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies o= the original message. On Jul 14, 2016, at 6:39 AM, Deepak Chopra wro=e: Thanks Michael&=bsp; I'm teaching a =ourse but will address it ASAP Do you have a d=adline ? Love and thanks=nbsp; 2013 Costa Del Mar Road Carlsbad, CA 9200= The Chopra Foundation <http://www.choprafoundation.org/> <http:/=www.choprafoundation.org/> <http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/l/SlryZ4SaSrLS=500_SS115_.jpg> <http://www.amazon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being=dp/0804140138/deepakchcom07- 20> <http://www.amazon.com/Super-Genes-Astonishing-Optimum-Well-Being=dp/0804140138/deepakchcom07- 20> Super Genes: Unlock the Astonishing Power of Your DNA for Optimum Health and Wel=being </=ont> From: Michael Shermer Sent: T=ursday, July 14, 2016 9:36:07 AM To: Dee=ak Chopra Subject: My chapter on you Hi Deepak, 4 EFTA_R1_01560481 EFTA02456959 For my next book, Heavens on Earth, I have expanded that Scientific America= column into a full-length chapter. Could you do me a big favor and read i= and let me know if I have fairly represented your position and that of th= Eastern Wisdom Traditions? Please feel free to turn on the track changes and change the wording of how you w=uld say something, if you prefer. I used many sources: your emails, articl=s, blogs, talks, debates, books, etc. Or even my own words if I have misde=cribed what you believe or that of the Eastern Wisdom Traditions. 5 EFTA_R1_01560482 EFTA02456960