1 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:23,149 this morning I talked about some of the 2 00:00:20,390 --> 00:00:26,028 dogmas of science and what happens when 3 00:00:23,149 --> 00:00:27,829 you turn them into questions and this 4 00:00:26,028 --> 00:00:33,189 afternoon I'm going to start with the 5 00:00:27,829 --> 00:00:33,189 dogma that the laws of nature are fixed 6 00:00:33,549 --> 00:00:41,449 this Dogma has a long history and it 7 00:00:37,340 --> 00:00:43,220 really goes back to ancient Greece the 8 00:00:41,450 --> 00:00:46,660 ancient Greek philosophers were 9 00:00:43,219 --> 00:00:50,769 concerned with the nature of reality and 10 00:00:46,659 --> 00:00:52,789 they thought reality was eternal 11 00:00:50,770 --> 00:00:55,250 probably they arrived at that idea 12 00:00:52,789 --> 00:00:57,469 through mystical experience many mystics 13 00:00:55,250 --> 00:00:59,840 have the experienced as a timeless realm 14 00:00:57,469 --> 00:01:02,750 which is more real than the world we 15 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:05,618 live in and in ancient Greece they tried 16 00:01:02,750 --> 00:01:07,819 to turn this into a philosophical Theory 17 00:01:05,618 --> 00:01:11,469 different philosophers had different 18 00:01:07,819 --> 00:01:14,118 answers to the nature of eternal reality 19 00:01:11,469 --> 00:01:17,629 Pythagoras and his school thought the 20 00:01:14,118 --> 00:01:19,998 eternal reality was mathematical it was 21 00:01:17,629 --> 00:01:22,908 outside space and time there was a world 22 00:01:19,998 --> 00:01:24,468 of numbers ratios and proportions that 23 00:01:22,909 --> 00:01:26,920 were the basis of everything that 24 00:01:24,468 --> 00:01:32,390 happens in the world 25 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:35,030 Plato generalized this idea to the idea 26 00:01:32,390 --> 00:01:38,090 of an eternal realm of forms or ideas 27 00:01:35,030 --> 00:01:40,009 beyond space and time everything in this 28 00:01:38,090 --> 00:01:46,310 world is a reflection of these eternal 29 00:01:40,009 --> 00:01:49,188 archetypes the materialists are Epicurus 30 00:01:46,310 --> 00:01:51,319 and Democritus said that eternal reality 31 00:01:49,188 --> 00:01:57,498 was matter made up of lots of little 32 00:01:51,319 --> 00:02:00,289 bits the atoms in the 17th century the 33 00:01:57,498 --> 00:02:02,568 both animism and Platonism were revived 34 00:02:00,289 --> 00:02:07,968 and built into the foundation of modern 35 00:02:02,569 --> 00:02:10,909 science the idea was that God created 36 00:02:07,968 --> 00:02:14,030 the world machine and in it he placed in 37 00:02:10,909 --> 00:02:16,909 numerable atoms which were eternal and 38 00:02:14,030 --> 00:02:20,770 were permanently present and would 39 00:02:16,909 --> 00:02:24,500 remain the same forever God also gave 40 00:02:20,770 --> 00:02:27,019 the laws to nature and the laws of 41 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:27,419 nature were eternal ideas and the mind 42 00:02:27,019 --> 00:02:29,879 of 43 00:02:27,419 --> 00:02:33,958 odd mathematical ideas in the eternal 44 00:02:29,879 --> 00:02:35,729 mathematical mind of God the reason that 45 00:02:33,959 --> 00:02:39,319 science achieved such an enormous 46 00:02:35,729 --> 00:02:41,879 prestige in the 17th and 18th centuries 47 00:02:39,318 --> 00:02:45,419 was because people thought that through 48 00:02:41,879 --> 00:02:48,109 science men were directly finding out 49 00:02:45,419 --> 00:02:51,179 the inner mind of God 50 00:02:48,110 --> 00:02:54,330 science was superior to religion because 51 00:02:51,180 --> 00:02:57,750 it gave an absolute insight into the 52 00:02:54,330 --> 00:02:59,640 ultimate truths of nature people didn't 53 00:02:57,750 --> 00:03:02,969 think that Newton's law of gravitation 54 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:05,129 was a man-made hypothesis that just 55 00:03:02,969 --> 00:03:07,080 temporarily fitted the facts they 56 00:03:05,129 --> 00:03:09,150 thought Newton had actually seen into 57 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,489 the mind of God and that science was 58 00:03:09,150 --> 00:03:13,200 revealing an absolute truth deeper and 59 00:03:11,489 --> 00:03:15,989 more important than that of religion 60 00:03:13,199 --> 00:03:20,189 which was always based on conflicts and 61 00:03:15,989 --> 00:03:24,000 interpretations of dogma so this gave 62 00:03:20,189 --> 00:03:27,180 the idea of eternal laws of nature in 63 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:29,639 the 19th century most scientists thought 64 00:03:27,180 --> 00:03:31,829 the whole universe was eternal they got 65 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:34,048 rid of the idea of a Creator God by 66 00:03:31,829 --> 00:03:36,269 saying matter and energy have always 67 00:03:34,049 --> 00:03:41,189 been there and the laws that govern it 68 00:03:36,269 --> 00:03:44,219 have always been there but in 1966 there 69 00:03:41,189 --> 00:03:46,639 was a huge revolution in cosmology with 70 00:03:44,219 --> 00:03:49,769 the acceptance of the Big Bang Theory 71 00:03:46,639 --> 00:03:52,229 the universe was that now believed to 72 00:03:49,769 --> 00:03:55,789 believe it begin about fourteen billion 73 00:03:52,229 --> 00:03:58,560 years ago very small and very hot and 74 00:03:55,789 --> 00:04:03,239 it's been growing and expanding ever 75 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:06,329 since so this raises the question of the 76 00:04:03,239 --> 00:04:09,329 laws of nature if we live in a radically 77 00:04:06,329 --> 00:04:13,430 evolutionary universe what about the 78 00:04:09,329 --> 00:04:16,470 laws of nature could they also evolve 79 00:04:13,430 --> 00:04:20,910 well this is not a possible question if 80 00:04:16,470 --> 00:04:23,729 you assume the laws are fixed but as 81 00:04:20,910 --> 00:04:27,120 soon as you begin to think about it you 82 00:04:23,728 --> 00:04:29,219 can question the very idea of law the 83 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,740 idea of law of nature is obviously a 84 00:04:29,220 --> 00:04:35,430 metaphor it's an anthropocentric 85 00:04:31,740 --> 00:04:39,780 metaphor only humans have laws in fact 86 00:04:35,430 --> 00:04:43,389 only civilized societies tribes have 87 00:04:39,779 --> 00:04:46,179 so in the 17th century the metaphor was 88 00:04:43,389 --> 00:04:49,329 explicit God was like the cosmic Emperor 89 00:04:46,180 --> 00:04:49,959 and he was also like the cosmic police 90 00:04:49,329 --> 00:04:52,389 force 91 00:04:49,959 --> 00:04:55,468 because he was omnipotent and made sure 92 00:04:52,389 --> 00:04:57,879 that everything abate the laws of nature 93 00:04:55,468 --> 00:05:00,038 for many scientists today who are 94 00:04:57,879 --> 00:05:02,199 atheists they can no longer believe in 95 00:05:00,038 --> 00:05:05,800 God as the source of the laws of nature 96 00:05:02,199 --> 00:05:10,330 or the cosmic police force but these 97 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:12,460 metaphors have persisted of course the 98 00:05:10,329 --> 00:05:15,310 source of these metaphors is human laws 99 00:05:12,459 --> 00:05:16,899 and human laws do evolve the laws of 100 00:05:15,310 --> 00:05:20,468 Germany today are different from the 101 00:05:16,899 --> 00:05:24,250 laws a hundred years ago but I think a 102 00:05:20,468 --> 00:05:27,370 much better metaphor is habit I think 103 00:05:24,250 --> 00:05:29,348 the universe has habits not laws and I 104 00:05:27,370 --> 00:05:31,598 think the regularities of nature depend 105 00:05:29,348 --> 00:05:37,418 on what's happened before does a kind of 106 00:05:31,598 --> 00:05:40,000 memory in nature this is not just my own 107 00:05:37,418 --> 00:05:42,549 idea it was put forward in the 19th 108 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,918 century by several different 109 00:05:42,550 --> 00:05:46,629 philosophers and most clearly at the 110 00:05:44,918 --> 00:05:49,899 beginning of the 20th century by the 111 00:05:46,629 --> 00:05:54,550 American philosopher CS purse it was 112 00:05:49,899 --> 00:05:56,888 also suggested by William James and as 113 00:05:54,550 --> 00:06:03,939 an idea I think it's a much better idea 114 00:05:56,889 --> 00:06:07,028 than the idea of fixed laws my own 115 00:06:03,939 --> 00:06:09,848 hypothesis of morphic resonance is a way 116 00:06:07,028 --> 00:06:12,759 of explaining the habits of nature and I 117 00:06:09,848 --> 00:06:14,949 shall come back to that in a minute but 118 00:06:12,759 --> 00:06:17,830 the advantage of evolving habits of 119 00:06:14,949 --> 00:06:20,919 nature is that we don't have to say they 120 00:06:17,829 --> 00:06:21,538 were all fixed at the beginning at the 121 00:06:20,918 --> 00:06:24,250 moment 122 00:06:21,538 --> 00:06:26,829 scientists have tied themselves into 123 00:06:24,250 --> 00:06:30,579 knots because of the assumption the laws 124 00:06:26,829 --> 00:06:32,490 are fixed at the beginning many of you 125 00:06:30,579 --> 00:06:37,240 will have heard of the cosmological 126 00:06:32,490 --> 00:06:39,778 anthropic principle this argument has 127 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:43,079 been going on for about thirty years and 128 00:06:39,778 --> 00:06:46,180 some scientists have pointed out that 129 00:06:43,079 --> 00:06:47,588 the laws and constants of nature could 130 00:06:46,180 --> 00:06:49,930 have been different from what they are 131 00:06:47,588 --> 00:06:52,540 and if they'd been even slightly 132 00:06:49,930 --> 00:06:55,990 different life would not have evolved 133 00:06:52,540 --> 00:06:58,510 and we wouldn't be here to discuss it so 134 00:06:55,990 --> 00:07:00,670 the fact that we exist and that we're 135 00:06:58,509 --> 00:07:03,539 talking about the nature of nature is 136 00:07:00,670 --> 00:07:07,240 itself telling us something about nature 137 00:07:03,540 --> 00:07:09,879 because we could only exist if it's just 138 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:11,800 right for us and of all the possible 139 00:07:09,879 --> 00:07:15,909 laws and all the possible values of the 140 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:18,060 constants they're just right for us so 141 00:07:15,910 --> 00:07:20,370 the argument starts from that assumption 142 00:07:18,060 --> 00:07:22,780 then there are two schools of thought 143 00:07:20,370 --> 00:07:24,759 everything was exactly right at the 144 00:07:22,779 --> 00:07:27,969 moment of the Big Bang so that we can 145 00:07:24,759 --> 00:07:30,699 evolve so there are two possibilities on 146 00:07:27,970 --> 00:07:33,010 this argument one is there's a creator 147 00:07:30,699 --> 00:07:35,949 god who's like a mathematician and 148 00:07:33,009 --> 00:07:37,539 engineer who fine-tunes the laws and 149 00:07:35,949 --> 00:07:39,459 constants of nature right at the 150 00:07:37,540 --> 00:07:43,689 beginning say it's exactly right for us 151 00:07:39,459 --> 00:07:46,049 to evolve that's a kind of neo deism the 152 00:07:43,689 --> 00:07:48,790 doctrine that God is a kind of creator a 153 00:07:46,050 --> 00:07:50,980 mathematical engineering creator who 154 00:07:48,790 --> 00:07:54,220 starts everything off presses the start 155 00:07:50,980 --> 00:07:58,450 button and then retires and everything 156 00:07:54,220 --> 00:08:00,820 goes on automatically after that and the 157 00:07:58,449 --> 00:08:02,589 alternative to that is the idea that 158 00:08:00,819 --> 00:08:05,680 there are billions trillions 159 00:08:02,589 --> 00:08:08,679 quadrillions of actual universes all 160 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:10,930 with different laws and constants and we 161 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,360 know about this one because this is the 162 00:08:10,930 --> 00:08:15,160 only one we can exist in so there's 163 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,050 nothing special about this one except 164 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:21,160 the fact we're in it all the others 165 00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:24,009 actually exist now believe it or not 166 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:26,350 most cosmologists at least in the 167 00:08:24,009 --> 00:08:29,170 english-speaking world are now believers 168 00:08:26,350 --> 00:08:31,390 in the multiverse theory that billions 169 00:08:29,170 --> 00:08:35,440 of universes for which there's not one 170 00:08:31,389 --> 00:08:38,019 shred of evidence I was discussing this 171 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:40,479 with Britain's astronomer royal Lord 172 00:08:38,019 --> 00:08:44,399 Rees who happens to be an old friend of 173 00:08:40,479 --> 00:08:47,350 mine and I said to him Martin I said 174 00:08:44,399 --> 00:08:49,899 surely this is the ultimate violation of 175 00:08:47,350 --> 00:08:51,519 Occam's razor Occam's razor is the 176 00:08:49,899 --> 00:08:53,980 principle you shouldn't proliferate 177 00:08:51,519 --> 00:08:56,049 entities unnecessarily and I said and 178 00:08:53,980 --> 00:08:59,050 you've proliferated quadrillions of 179 00:08:56,049 --> 00:09:03,159 universes and I said isn't this an 180 00:08:59,049 --> 00:09:04,899 extremely extravagant hypothesis and he 181 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:05,919 said well I agree it's a bit of a 182 00:09:04,899 --> 00:09:09,399 problem 183 00:09:05,919 --> 00:09:14,679 Occam's razor he said but this way we 184 00:09:09,399 --> 00:09:16,629 can get rid of God so I said you mean 185 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:18,939 you prefer to have quadrillions of 186 00:09:16,629 --> 00:09:21,299 unobserved universes to God you had yes 187 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:25,870 it's much better it's more scientific 188 00:09:21,299 --> 00:09:28,389 but of course as theologians have 189 00:09:25,870 --> 00:09:30,009 pointed out a God an infinite God could 190 00:09:28,389 --> 00:09:32,049 be the God of an infinite number of 191 00:09:30,009 --> 00:09:32,769 universes so they haven't even got rid 192 00:09:32,049 --> 00:09:37,000 of God 193 00:09:32,769 --> 00:09:39,700 they've just proliferated universes the 194 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:42,278 whole of this discussion just melts away 195 00:09:39,700 --> 00:09:44,410 if we assume that nature is based on 196 00:09:42,278 --> 00:09:47,019 habits that evolve things fit together 197 00:09:44,409 --> 00:09:49,958 because only successful habits can 198 00:09:47,019 --> 00:09:51,839 survive other ones die out only things 199 00:09:49,958 --> 00:09:54,189 that fit in with what's already there 200 00:09:51,839 --> 00:09:59,350 concern survive and can become new 201 00:09:54,190 --> 00:10:02,579 habits so this extraordinary scholastic 202 00:09:59,350 --> 00:10:07,089 argument about billions of universes vs. 203 00:10:02,578 --> 00:10:10,028 Deus tick creator is totally unnecessary 204 00:10:07,089 --> 00:10:12,430 if we adopt a truly evolutionary 205 00:10:10,028 --> 00:10:15,659 cosmology and think of the regularities 206 00:10:12,429 --> 00:10:15,659 as more like habits 207 00:10:19,029 --> 00:10:24,889 I'll come back to the nature of morphic 208 00:10:22,789 --> 00:10:26,779 fields through which I suppose these 209 00:10:24,889 --> 00:10:28,789 habits are expressed 210 00:10:26,779 --> 00:10:32,379 but first I'll just talk about this 211 00:10:28,789 --> 00:10:35,269 using plain language in terms of habits 212 00:10:32,379 --> 00:10:38,689 the theory of morphic resonance says 213 00:10:35,269 --> 00:10:41,720 that similar patterns of activity are 214 00:10:38,690 --> 00:10:44,510 influenced by similar past patterns that 215 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:46,639 happened before doesn't influence a kind 216 00:10:44,509 --> 00:10:49,429 of resonant influence of similarity 217 00:10:46,639 --> 00:10:52,909 across time and space from the past to 218 00:10:49,429 --> 00:10:55,389 the present what this means is that each 219 00:10:52,909 --> 00:10:58,969 kind of thing has a collective memory 220 00:10:55,389 --> 00:11:01,220 each baby giraffe as it develops as an 221 00:10:58,970 --> 00:11:03,680 embryo and grows into a bugger off is 222 00:11:01,220 --> 00:11:06,440 shaped by the memory of the form of 223 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:09,620 previous giraffes as it starts behaving 224 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:13,580 it Tunes into the habits of previous 225 00:11:09,620 --> 00:11:16,460 giraffes it has giraffe instincts so 226 00:11:13,580 --> 00:11:19,040 each species has a collective memory 227 00:11:16,460 --> 00:11:21,440 each individual draws upon that 228 00:11:19,039 --> 00:11:24,589 collective memory and contributes to it 229 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:26,450 in the human realm the side area is 230 00:11:24,590 --> 00:11:28,580 familiar from Jung's idea of the 231 00:11:26,450 --> 00:11:30,710 collective unconscious but I'm 232 00:11:28,580 --> 00:11:35,120 suggesting this is a basic principle of 233 00:11:30,710 --> 00:11:38,290 all nature it applies not only to living 234 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:41,539 organisms but also to crystals and 235 00:11:38,289 --> 00:11:44,990 proteins I'm suggesting that when you 236 00:11:41,539 --> 00:11:47,839 first make a new chemical compound when 237 00:11:44,990 --> 00:11:50,090 you first crystallized it there won't be 238 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:52,129 a pre-existing habit you have to wait 239 00:11:50,090 --> 00:11:55,220 for a new form to come into being in 240 00:11:52,129 --> 00:11:57,049 nature the second time you crystallize 241 00:11:55,220 --> 00:11:59,120 it anywhere in the world it should 242 00:11:57,049 --> 00:12:01,969 happen a bit easier because of the first 243 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:03,470 crystals the third time easier still 244 00:12:01,970 --> 00:12:05,779 because of the first and the second 245 00:12:03,470 --> 00:12:07,460 crystals as time goes on it should get 246 00:12:05,779 --> 00:12:12,199 easier to crystallize all around the 247 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:14,570 world is this true well it's well known 248 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,430 to chemists that new compounds are very 249 00:12:14,570 --> 00:12:18,830 difficult to crystallize to start with 250 00:12:16,429 --> 00:12:22,579 and as time goes on they get easier to 251 00:12:18,830 --> 00:12:24,980 crystallize all over the world and this 252 00:12:22,580 --> 00:12:27,740 is simply taken for granted in chemistry 253 00:12:24,980 --> 00:12:29,420 it's a common observation but chemists 254 00:12:27,740 --> 00:12:31,289 don't explain it in terms of morphic 255 00:12:29,419 --> 00:12:33,448 resonance they assume it happens because 256 00:12:31,289 --> 00:12:36,120 fragments of crystals were carried from 257 00:12:33,448 --> 00:12:38,129 laboratory to laboratory usually they 258 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:40,709 assume they're blown there is invisible 259 00:12:38,129 --> 00:12:42,448 dust particles in the air but I'm 260 00:12:40,708 --> 00:12:44,489 suggesting the same would happen even if 261 00:12:42,448 --> 00:12:48,539 you filter out these dust particles from 262 00:12:44,490 --> 00:12:50,399 the air this theory also predicts that 263 00:12:48,539 --> 00:12:52,588 the habit of the crystal will get 264 00:12:50,399 --> 00:12:54,929 stronger as time goes on it will become 265 00:12:52,589 --> 00:12:59,040 more stable and it would be harder to 266 00:12:54,929 --> 00:13:01,528 disrupt the kept the crystals harder to 267 00:12:59,039 --> 00:13:03,360 break them down the way you break 268 00:13:01,528 --> 00:13:06,269 crystals done is by heating them up 269 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:08,329 until they reach the melting point and 270 00:13:06,269 --> 00:13:11,250 then the crystal structure disappears 271 00:13:08,328 --> 00:13:13,888 this theory predicts that new compounds 272 00:13:11,250 --> 00:13:16,370 should have lower melting points as time 273 00:13:13,889 --> 00:13:19,709 goes on the melting point should rise 274 00:13:16,370 --> 00:13:21,720 with new compounds old compounds have 275 00:13:19,708 --> 00:13:23,939 probably already reached a stable state 276 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:26,910 but you see this happening with new ones 277 00:13:23,940 --> 00:13:29,910 that's the prediction do the melting 278 00:13:26,909 --> 00:13:32,278 points of new compounds increase well 279 00:13:29,909 --> 00:13:35,429 strangely enough they do seem to and 280 00:13:32,278 --> 00:13:38,578 I've documented these the data in my 281 00:13:35,429 --> 00:13:43,919 books a new science of life and the 282 00:13:38,578 --> 00:13:46,318 presence of the past the the data show 283 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:48,269 that the melting points of many 284 00:13:46,318 --> 00:13:50,939 compounds that have been crystallized in 285 00:13:48,269 --> 00:13:53,539 the 20th century for the first time have 286 00:13:50,940 --> 00:13:56,670 gone up by 10 degrees 15 degrees Celsius 287 00:13:53,539 --> 00:13:58,769 sometimes 20 degrees Celsius I'm talking 288 00:13:56,669 --> 00:14:05,088 big effects here not fractions of a 289 00:13:58,769 --> 00:14:08,370 degree this theory also applies to 290 00:14:05,089 --> 00:14:11,240 animal behavior it predicts that if you 291 00:14:08,370 --> 00:14:12,539 train rats to learn a new trick in 292 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:15,028 Frankfurt 293 00:14:12,539 --> 00:14:16,500 then rats all over the world should be 294 00:14:15,028 --> 00:14:18,480 able to learn the same trick quicker 295 00:14:16,500 --> 00:14:21,929 just because the rats have learned it 296 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:25,589 here by morphic resonance it's part of 297 00:14:21,929 --> 00:14:28,849 the collective memory of these rats now 298 00:14:25,589 --> 00:14:32,790 is this true well there's already 299 00:14:28,850 --> 00:14:34,680 evidence that animals do learn things 300 00:14:32,789 --> 00:14:37,889 quicker if others have already learned 301 00:14:34,679 --> 00:14:41,399 it one of the longest experiments in the 302 00:14:37,889 --> 00:14:44,100 history of rat psychology was carried 303 00:14:41,399 --> 00:14:47,370 out starting in the 1920s at 304 00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:49,199 bothered by William McDougall mcdougal 305 00:14:47,370 --> 00:14:52,019 was trying to find out if animals could 306 00:14:49,198 --> 00:14:53,929 inherit what that if children could 307 00:14:52,019 --> 00:14:57,000 inherit what their parents had learned 308 00:14:53,929 --> 00:14:59,370 he trained rats to escape from the water 309 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:01,129 maze and measured how many errors it 310 00:14:59,370 --> 00:15:03,870 took before they learned how to do it 311 00:15:01,129 --> 00:15:05,939 then he trained their children they 312 00:15:03,870 --> 00:15:09,028 learn quicker their grandchildren 313 00:15:05,940 --> 00:15:11,430 learned even quicker and this was of 314 00:15:09,028 --> 00:15:13,318 course very controversial at the time 315 00:15:11,429 --> 00:15:15,318 because it suggested there was an 316 00:15:13,318 --> 00:15:18,689 inheritance of acquired characteristics 317 00:15:15,318 --> 00:15:19,860 which was a taboo in Western science in 318 00:15:18,690 --> 00:15:22,560 the 20th century 319 00:15:19,860 --> 00:15:24,959 it's now been rehabilitated it's now 320 00:15:22,559 --> 00:15:27,979 mainstream it's called epigenetic 321 00:15:24,958 --> 00:15:31,828 inheritance since about the year 2000 322 00:15:27,980 --> 00:15:34,528 but the critics said to mcdougal his 323 00:15:31,828 --> 00:15:38,299 experiments must be wrong he must have 324 00:15:34,528 --> 00:15:40,528 been selecting the quicker learning rats 325 00:15:38,299 --> 00:15:41,939 unconsciously he selected them because 326 00:15:40,528 --> 00:15:43,980 they thought he wanted to hurry the 327 00:15:41,940 --> 00:15:46,920 experiment up so he picked the parents 328 00:15:43,980 --> 00:15:49,528 as the ones who'd learned quickest he 329 00:15:46,919 --> 00:15:52,110 hadn't done that but he agreed to test 330 00:15:49,528 --> 00:15:54,620 this and he then did a new experiment to 331 00:15:52,110 --> 00:15:57,600 confront his critics in every generation 332 00:15:54,620 --> 00:16:00,948 he selected as parent parents of the 333 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:03,240 next generation the most stupid rats so 334 00:16:00,948 --> 00:16:06,269 every generation they should have made 335 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:10,639 more and more errors instead of less and 336 00:16:06,269 --> 00:16:10,639 less what he found 337 00:16:18,389 --> 00:16:26,909 oh there we are and what he found was 338 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:29,190 that the total number of errors to start 339 00:16:26,909 --> 00:16:32,309 with was more than 230 before they 340 00:16:29,190 --> 00:16:36,110 learned and after 22 generations it was 341 00:16:32,309 --> 00:16:38,699 down to about 35 so it was a huge change 342 00:16:36,110 --> 00:16:41,129 this was such a big effect that his 343 00:16:38,700 --> 00:16:43,610 critics had to repeat this work it was 344 00:16:41,129 --> 00:16:52,200 repeated in Scotland and in Australia 345 00:16:43,610 --> 00:16:54,720 the Scottish and the Australian rats the 346 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,519 Scottish and the Australian rats started 347 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:59,278 more or less where the American ones had 348 00:16:56,519 --> 00:17:02,039 left off but the interesting results 349 00:16:59,278 --> 00:17:05,609 were from Australia because they found 350 00:17:02,039 --> 00:17:07,859 that they tested a control line of rats 351 00:17:05,609 --> 00:17:11,068 whose parents had never been exposed to 352 00:17:07,859 --> 00:17:14,338 this maze they got better - they found a 353 00:17:11,068 --> 00:17:16,259 progressive increase and the all of them 354 00:17:14,338 --> 00:17:19,019 got better so it wasn't anything to do 355 00:17:16,259 --> 00:17:20,039 with genes or modification of genes they 356 00:17:19,019 --> 00:17:22,168 were all getting better 357 00:17:20,039 --> 00:17:28,318 that's just what you would expect on the 358 00:17:22,169 --> 00:17:30,540 basis of morphic resonance now the same 359 00:17:28,318 --> 00:17:32,940 should apply to people it should be 360 00:17:30,539 --> 00:17:37,678 getting easier to program computers to 361 00:17:32,940 --> 00:17:40,110 learn wind surfing to play video games 362 00:17:37,679 --> 00:17:42,809 just because so many people have already 363 00:17:40,109 --> 00:17:45,479 done this and actually most of these 364 00:17:42,808 --> 00:17:47,220 things do seem to be getting easier but 365 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:50,240 of course there are many variables that 366 00:17:47,220 --> 00:17:52,679 affect us including media education 367 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:55,529 instructional videos on the internet and 368 00:17:52,679 --> 00:17:58,320 so on the only way you can get clear 369 00:17:55,529 --> 00:18:01,619 data is if you compare people's 370 00:17:58,319 --> 00:18:05,069 performance on the same test over years 371 00:18:01,619 --> 00:18:07,979 and fortunately this data does exist 372 00:18:05,069 --> 00:18:12,298 from data on average scores on 373 00:18:07,980 --> 00:18:14,339 intelligence tests in the 1980's I 374 00:18:12,298 --> 00:18:17,700 predicted that average scores on 375 00:18:14,339 --> 00:18:20,009 intelligence tests on IQ tests should be 376 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:22,500 going up not because people are getting 377 00:18:20,009 --> 00:18:24,210 more intelligent but because the tests 378 00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:27,329 are getting easier to do because so many 379 00:18:24,210 --> 00:18:29,370 people have already done them and it 380 00:18:27,329 --> 00:18:31,769 turned out that this is exactly what's 381 00:18:29,369 --> 00:18:34,528 happening all over the world 382 00:18:31,769 --> 00:18:36,599 the scores on intelligence tests the 383 00:18:34,528 --> 00:18:40,919 average scores are going up they've gone 384 00:18:36,599 --> 00:18:43,369 up by about 30% since 1918 when for 385 00:18:40,919 --> 00:18:45,899 intelligence tests were first developed 386 00:18:43,369 --> 00:18:48,148 this was discovered by a New Zealand 387 00:18:45,898 --> 00:18:52,979 scientist called James Flynn and it's 388 00:18:48,148 --> 00:18:55,379 now called the Flynn effect that shows 389 00:18:52,980 --> 00:18:59,339 the increase in average American 390 00:18:55,380 --> 00:19:01,140 intelligence since 1918 there's no other 391 00:18:59,339 --> 00:19:06,240 evidence that Americans have got more 392 00:19:01,140 --> 00:19:09,570 intelligent and everyone agrees about 393 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:12,200 that but there's a lot of discussion as 394 00:19:09,569 --> 00:19:15,740 to how to explain the Flynn effect 395 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:18,120 there's seven or eight rival our 396 00:19:15,740 --> 00:19:20,399 explanations and none of them explain it 397 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:22,500 but I think this is exactly what we 398 00:19:20,398 --> 00:19:33,089 would predict on the basis of morphic 399 00:19:22,500 --> 00:19:34,589 resonance so there are many people have 400 00:19:33,089 --> 00:19:37,439 done other tests for morphic resonance 401 00:19:34,589 --> 00:19:39,869 these are summarized in the new edition 402 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:42,330 of my book a new science of life which 403 00:19:39,869 --> 00:19:46,889 in German is - hopefully sure universal 404 00:19:42,329 --> 00:19:49,849 and I won't go into those now but there 405 00:19:46,890 --> 00:19:52,770 is more evidence for this it's still not 406 00:19:49,849 --> 00:19:54,658 obviously it's still a hypothesis it's 407 00:19:52,769 --> 00:19:56,879 still not completely proved and it's 408 00:19:54,659 --> 00:19:59,940 still very controversial but the 409 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:01,980 evidence suggests that this may well be 410 00:19:59,940 --> 00:20:05,970 right at least that's the way I 411 00:20:01,980 --> 00:20:08,069 understand the evidence and many more 412 00:20:05,970 --> 00:20:15,440 tests are possible and some are going on 413 00:20:08,069 --> 00:20:19,048 now so I think that morphic resonance is 414 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:25,230 a basic principle of nature it applies 415 00:20:19,048 --> 00:20:27,778 to anything that's self-organizing the 416 00:20:25,230 --> 00:20:30,210 most precise morphic resonance occurs 417 00:20:27,778 --> 00:20:32,849 when systems are very similar to each 418 00:20:30,210 --> 00:20:36,360 other and if we're thinking about human 419 00:20:32,849 --> 00:20:38,639 beings then when you ask the question 420 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,269 what human beings are most similar to 421 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:43,230 each other 422 00:20:39,269 --> 00:20:45,529 the answer is identical twins this 423 00:20:43,230 --> 00:20:47,269 theory predicts that identical twin 424 00:20:45,529 --> 00:20:48,859 would have a very strong morphic 425 00:20:47,269 --> 00:20:52,309 resonance with each other precisely 426 00:20:48,859 --> 00:20:54,439 because they are so similar the theory 427 00:20:52,309 --> 00:20:57,109 also predicts that if you separate 428 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,640 identical twins soon after birth they 429 00:20:57,109 --> 00:21:00,500 would still resonate with each other 430 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,720 even if they brought a brought up in 431 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:05,000 completely different environments 432 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:06,829 because they're so similar the theory 433 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:09,500 predicts that identical twins separated 434 00:21:06,829 --> 00:21:13,730 soon after birth would continue to be 435 00:21:09,500 --> 00:21:15,200 very similar for many years as you know 436 00:21:13,730 --> 00:21:18,230 there have been many studies on 437 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:20,390 identical twins because there's been a 438 00:21:18,230 --> 00:21:22,789 long debate in in science about the 439 00:21:20,390 --> 00:21:27,490 relative influence of genes and the 440 00:21:22,789 --> 00:21:27,490 environment or nature and nurture 441 00:21:28,569 --> 00:21:34,639 Studies on identical twins have shown 442 00:21:31,309 --> 00:21:36,700 remarkable similarities and this is 443 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,780 usually interpreted to mean 444 00:21:36,700 --> 00:21:42,470 therefore it's all genetically 445 00:21:38,779 --> 00:21:45,079 programmed in fact the whole edifice of 446 00:21:42,470 --> 00:21:48,589 genetic determinism which is so 447 00:21:45,079 --> 00:21:52,149 important today in people's thinking is 448 00:21:48,589 --> 00:21:54,409 based on these identical twin studies 449 00:21:52,150 --> 00:21:56,780 it's not that people have considered 450 00:21:54,410 --> 00:21:58,910 morphic resonance and ruled it out they 451 00:21:56,779 --> 00:22:01,250 haven't even considered it and I think 452 00:21:58,910 --> 00:22:04,090 this evidence actually effects morphic 453 00:22:01,250 --> 00:22:09,559 resonance much better than the genetic 454 00:22:04,089 --> 00:22:13,429 explanation if we pursue this line of 455 00:22:09,559 --> 00:22:16,429 thought about similarity and we ask the 456 00:22:13,430 --> 00:22:21,380 question who in the past is most similar 457 00:22:16,430 --> 00:22:24,560 to me or to you the answer is yourself 458 00:22:21,380 --> 00:22:26,810 or myself we're more similar to 459 00:22:24,559 --> 00:22:27,460 ourselves in the past than to anybody 460 00:22:26,809 --> 00:22:29,569 else 461 00:22:27,460 --> 00:22:31,789 therefore we should have the most 462 00:22:29,569 --> 00:22:35,000 specific morphic resonance with 463 00:22:31,789 --> 00:22:36,680 ourselves more than with anyone else 464 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:40,460 because we're not as similar to anyone 465 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:42,380 else that would mean that much of the 466 00:22:40,460 --> 00:22:45,500 influence working on us from the past 467 00:22:42,380 --> 00:22:48,860 both in form and behavior and memory 468 00:22:45,500 --> 00:22:51,200 would come through morphic resonance our 469 00:22:48,859 --> 00:22:53,359 bodies remain more or less the same 470 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:55,880 shape over many years people can still 471 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:58,219 recognize us when we meet them after 10 472 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,820 or 20 years but almost all the molecules 473 00:22:58,220 --> 00:23:00,528 in 474 00:22:58,819 --> 00:23:02,839 our bodies have changed and many of the 475 00:23:00,528 --> 00:23:04,940 cells have changed yet the form remains 476 00:23:02,839 --> 00:23:07,428 and I think this is because of self 477 00:23:04,940 --> 00:23:10,149 resonance we resonate with ourselves and 478 00:23:07,429 --> 00:23:14,080 this maintains a continuity of form I 479 00:23:10,148 --> 00:23:16,609 think this is also the basis of memory I 480 00:23:14,079 --> 00:23:18,589 think when you remember what you did 481 00:23:16,609 --> 00:23:21,048 yesterday or last year or when you were 482 00:23:18,589 --> 00:23:24,048 a child I don't think those memories are 483 00:23:21,048 --> 00:23:26,000 stored inside your brain I think that 484 00:23:24,048 --> 00:23:28,609 it's because you're similar to yourself 485 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:30,829 you're resonating with yourself in the 486 00:23:28,609 --> 00:23:34,250 past and the memories as it were leap 487 00:23:30,829 --> 00:23:36,528 across space from you in the past across 488 00:23:34,250 --> 00:23:38,599 space and time from you in the past to 489 00:23:36,528 --> 00:23:43,099 you present in the present by a kind of 490 00:23:38,599 --> 00:23:45,798 resonance now this brings me to another 491 00:23:43,099 --> 00:23:48,378 of the dogmas of materialism memories 492 00:23:45,798 --> 00:23:50,418 are stored in the brain this is simply 493 00:23:48,378 --> 00:23:52,699 taken for granted by scientists and 494 00:23:50,419 --> 00:23:54,379 indeed by most people because they 495 00:23:52,700 --> 00:23:55,970 usually take the view well they must be 496 00:23:54,378 --> 00:23:59,990 in the brain where else could they be 497 00:23:55,970 --> 00:24:01,730 um but people within science have tried 498 00:23:59,990 --> 00:24:03,710 to find memories in the brain for more 499 00:24:01,730 --> 00:24:07,509 than a hundred years and they've had an 500 00:24:03,710 --> 00:24:11,179 extremely disappointing time in the 501 00:24:07,509 --> 00:24:14,028 1940s and 50s an American scientist Karl 502 00:24:11,179 --> 00:24:16,730 Lashley trained rats to learn a whole 503 00:24:14,028 --> 00:24:18,679 variety of tricks and then he cut out 504 00:24:16,730 --> 00:24:20,649 bits of their brain to see if he could 505 00:24:18,679 --> 00:24:24,139 find out where the memories were stored 506 00:24:20,648 --> 00:24:25,878 to his surprise he found that it didn't 507 00:24:24,138 --> 00:24:27,888 really matter which bits of the brain 508 00:24:25,878 --> 00:24:29,750 you cut out you could cut out large 509 00:24:27,888 --> 00:24:32,359 areas of the brain the right the left 510 00:24:29,750 --> 00:24:34,669 the front the back and they still 511 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:36,619 remembered of course if you cut out the 512 00:24:34,669 --> 00:24:39,649 whole brain they couldn't behave anymore 513 00:24:36,619 --> 00:24:43,278 so he showed the brain as necessary for 514 00:24:39,648 --> 00:24:47,148 behavior and but not for specific 515 00:24:43,278 --> 00:24:50,089 memories and similar research with 516 00:24:47,148 --> 00:24:52,398 octopuses led to the same conclusion and 517 00:24:50,089 --> 00:24:54,709 the researchers who did that said that 518 00:24:52,398 --> 00:24:58,058 memory seems to be both everywhere and 519 00:24:54,710 --> 00:25:02,419 nowhere in particular within the brain 520 00:24:58,058 --> 00:25:03,980 car program neuroscientist reacted to 521 00:25:02,419 --> 00:25:07,399 these findings by suggesting that 522 00:25:03,980 --> 00:25:09,620 memories are stored holographically over 523 00:25:07,398 --> 00:25:10,649 large regions of the brain they're all 524 00:25:09,619 --> 00:25:12,149 there everywhere 525 00:25:10,650 --> 00:25:15,840 so if you cut out one bit they can 526 00:25:12,150 --> 00:25:17,519 survive somewhere else people have gone 527 00:25:15,839 --> 00:25:19,559 on trying to find memories in the brain 528 00:25:17,519 --> 00:25:24,059 and over and over again their 529 00:25:19,559 --> 00:25:25,879 experiments have drawn a blank some 530 00:25:24,059 --> 00:25:28,649 well-known research by Wilder Penfield 531 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:31,170 involved stimulating parts of people's 532 00:25:28,650 --> 00:25:33,600 brains during operations for epilepsy 533 00:25:31,170 --> 00:25:36,210 and he found he could sometimes evoke 534 00:25:33,599 --> 00:25:37,889 memories but that doesn't prove the 535 00:25:36,210 --> 00:25:40,980 memories are stored in that bit of brain 536 00:25:37,890 --> 00:25:43,950 and in fact Penfield himself came to the 537 00:25:40,980 --> 00:25:45,360 conclusion that they weren't it just 538 00:25:43,950 --> 00:25:49,069 shows that bit of the brain may be 539 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,069 involved in retrieving the memories 540 00:25:49,130 --> 00:25:53,280 philosophers have also pointed out that 541 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:56,880 memory storage in the brain is very 542 00:25:53,279 --> 00:25:58,649 problematic these standards areas that 543 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,510 memories are stored in the brain and 544 00:25:58,650 --> 00:26:02,280 when you need the memory a retrieval 545 00:26:00,509 --> 00:26:04,890 system then retrieves the memory from 546 00:26:02,279 --> 00:26:07,170 the store but as several philosophers 547 00:26:04,890 --> 00:26:09,750 have pointed out for the retrieval 548 00:26:07,170 --> 00:26:11,910 system to know which memory to retrieve 549 00:26:09,750 --> 00:26:13,740 from the store it has to have a memory 550 00:26:11,910 --> 00:26:16,560 itself to know what it's looking for 551 00:26:13,740 --> 00:26:18,569 and that must itself have another 552 00:26:16,559 --> 00:26:21,019 retrieval system and so you have an 553 00:26:18,569 --> 00:26:23,970 infinite regress 554 00:26:21,019 --> 00:26:26,220 but neither philosophical arguments nor 555 00:26:23,970 --> 00:26:28,440 the failure to find memory traces have 556 00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:30,480 made the slightest difference to the 557 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,430 conventional assumption in neuroscience 558 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:34,860 that memories are in the brain because 559 00:26:32,430 --> 00:26:36,930 people assume there's no alternative it 560 00:26:34,859 --> 00:26:40,019 must be the case even if we can't find 561 00:26:36,930 --> 00:26:41,910 them they must be there I think the 562 00:26:40,019 --> 00:26:45,569 failure to find them has a very simple 563 00:26:41,910 --> 00:26:47,220 explanation they're not there and it's 564 00:26:45,569 --> 00:26:48,779 rather like me coming along to your 565 00:26:47,220 --> 00:26:50,220 house and trying to find out what 566 00:26:48,779 --> 00:26:52,950 programs you watched on television 567 00:26:50,220 --> 00:26:55,470 yesterday by analyzing the wires and 568 00:26:52,950 --> 00:26:57,779 transistors of your TV set I wouldn't 569 00:26:55,470 --> 00:27:00,509 find any trace of those programs because 570 00:26:57,779 --> 00:27:03,269 that's not how it works and I think our 571 00:27:00,509 --> 00:27:06,299 brain is more like a TV receiver tuning 572 00:27:03,269 --> 00:27:11,579 into our memories not a video recorder 573 00:27:06,299 --> 00:27:16,519 storing them so this leads to a quite 574 00:27:11,579 --> 00:27:19,289 different interpretation of memory and 575 00:27:16,519 --> 00:27:22,190 one that I think makes much better sense 576 00:27:19,289 --> 00:27:22,190 of the facts 577 00:27:25,099 --> 00:27:31,980 I'm now going to come on to the details 578 00:27:28,919 --> 00:27:36,299 of my own hypothesis as to how morphic 579 00:27:31,980 --> 00:27:39,298 resonance works all of what I've said so 580 00:27:36,298 --> 00:27:41,668 far could work on a general theory of 581 00:27:39,298 --> 00:27:43,500 resonance without much detail I mean you 582 00:27:41,669 --> 00:27:45,809 could get as far as I've said with all 583 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:49,079 those tests without any more detailed 584 00:27:45,808 --> 00:27:51,839 theory but I myself started out as a 585 00:27:49,079 --> 00:27:55,649 developmental biologist interested in 586 00:27:51,839 --> 00:27:58,109 how plants develop and these 587 00:27:55,650 --> 00:28:01,169 considerations are very relevant to 588 00:27:58,109 --> 00:28:03,329 developmental biology and this again is 589 00:28:01,169 --> 00:28:05,429 one of the unsolved problems of biology 590 00:28:03,329 --> 00:28:09,960 no one really understands how organisms 591 00:28:05,429 --> 00:28:12,150 develop from a fertilized egg many 592 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:16,259 people naively assume that the genes 593 00:28:12,150 --> 00:28:19,440 explain this people talk of a genetic 594 00:28:16,259 --> 00:28:22,259 program or genetic instructions but 595 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:24,690 actually genes don't explain the shape 596 00:28:22,259 --> 00:28:27,779 of your face or the shape of your arms 597 00:28:24,690 --> 00:28:29,940 and your legs or your kidney watching 598 00:28:27,779 --> 00:28:32,460 this thing is destructive the sequence 599 00:28:29,940 --> 00:28:34,169 of amino acids in proteins that's what 600 00:28:32,460 --> 00:28:36,990 they do they code for the sequence of 601 00:28:34,169 --> 00:28:39,120 amino acids in proteins and some genes 602 00:28:36,990 --> 00:28:42,240 are involved in the control of protein 603 00:28:39,119 --> 00:28:45,029 synthesis they're not instructions for 604 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:47,159 your form behavior or instincts that's 605 00:28:45,029 --> 00:28:50,069 just a fantasy people have tried to cram 606 00:28:47,159 --> 00:28:52,159 all heredity into the genes because they 607 00:28:50,069 --> 00:28:55,139 think there's nowhere else it could be 608 00:28:52,159 --> 00:28:57,179 but if we inherit those things through 609 00:28:55,140 --> 00:29:00,330 morphic resonance then there's no need 610 00:28:57,179 --> 00:29:03,690 for them all to be in the genes genes 611 00:29:00,329 --> 00:29:07,079 are grossly overrated and the entire 612 00:29:03,690 --> 00:29:09,990 genome sequencing project the the 613 00:29:07,079 --> 00:29:12,298 genetic modification project at large 614 00:29:09,990 --> 00:29:14,538 chunks of modern biology biotechnology 615 00:29:12,298 --> 00:29:17,668 are based on this enormous 616 00:29:14,538 --> 00:29:19,619 overestimation of genes hundreds of 617 00:29:17,669 --> 00:29:22,350 billions of dollars have been wasted in 618 00:29:19,619 --> 00:29:24,329 research that has found out something 619 00:29:22,349 --> 00:29:26,339 but has certainly not revealed the 620 00:29:24,329 --> 00:29:30,119 secret of life as people originally 621 00:29:26,339 --> 00:29:33,269 promised I think that these are 622 00:29:30,119 --> 00:29:35,549 expressed through what I call morphic 623 00:29:33,269 --> 00:29:38,700 fields fields concerned with che 624 00:29:35,549 --> 00:29:48,119 or form and this is part of a holistic 625 00:29:38,700 --> 00:29:50,850 philosophy of nature and everything in 626 00:29:48,119 --> 00:29:52,799 nature is made up of levels of 627 00:29:50,849 --> 00:29:54,569 organization and at each level the whole 628 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:57,269 is more than the sum of the parts 629 00:29:54,569 --> 00:30:01,379 these small circles could be subatomic 630 00:29:57,269 --> 00:30:04,109 particles within atoms and then these 631 00:30:01,380 --> 00:30:07,140 atoms could be in molecules the 632 00:30:04,109 --> 00:30:09,269 molecules could be in a crystal at each 633 00:30:07,140 --> 00:30:11,009 level there's an organizational 634 00:30:09,269 --> 00:30:11,809 wholeness that's more than the sum of 635 00:30:11,009 --> 00:30:14,730 the parts 636 00:30:11,809 --> 00:30:18,059 all these could be organelles inside 637 00:30:14,730 --> 00:30:22,110 cells in tissues in organs in organisms 638 00:30:18,059 --> 00:30:24,690 in societies of organisms all holistic 639 00:30:22,109 --> 00:30:27,229 models of nature have this idea of 640 00:30:24,690 --> 00:30:30,779 nested hierarchies or whole our keys of 641 00:30:27,230 --> 00:30:33,269 organization my suggestion is that the 642 00:30:30,779 --> 00:30:35,399 wholeness at each level that's more than 643 00:30:33,269 --> 00:30:38,700 the sum of the parts is a morphic field 644 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:40,740 a form shaping field a field of form or 645 00:30:38,700 --> 00:30:43,590 pattern from the Greek word morphe 646 00:30:40,740 --> 00:30:45,690 meaning form and that these fields have 647 00:30:43,589 --> 00:30:47,669 a memory built into them through morphic 648 00:30:45,690 --> 00:30:50,190 resonance so at every level the 649 00:30:47,670 --> 00:30:51,630 wholeness has a kind of memory which is 650 00:30:50,190 --> 00:30:55,610 comes through morphic resonance 651 00:30:51,630 --> 00:30:55,610 expressed through these fields 652 00:30:59,970 --> 00:31:04,740 just to remind you of the primary source 653 00:31:02,519 --> 00:31:07,950 of this field concept which is magnetic 654 00:31:04,740 --> 00:31:10,500 fields the third the term field was 655 00:31:07,950 --> 00:31:13,140 introduced into science in the 1840s by 656 00:31:10,500 --> 00:31:16,009 Michael Faraday who was studying 657 00:31:13,140 --> 00:31:19,050 magnetic fields and electric fields and 658 00:31:16,009 --> 00:31:22,859 a field is scientifically defined as a 659 00:31:19,049 --> 00:31:25,639 region of influence the magnetic field 660 00:31:22,859 --> 00:31:28,229 around the magnet is inside the magnet - 661 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:30,750 but you don't see it normally but if you 662 00:31:28,230 --> 00:31:32,910 sprinkle iron filings then you see the 663 00:31:30,750 --> 00:31:41,329 shape the structure of the field as in 664 00:31:32,910 --> 00:31:43,650 this familiar picture here in the 1920s 665 00:31:41,329 --> 00:31:46,470 when people were thinking about 666 00:31:43,650 --> 00:31:49,890 developmental biology they came up with 667 00:31:46,470 --> 00:31:53,579 the idea of Morpho genetic fields fields 668 00:31:49,890 --> 00:31:56,670 that shape form the Greek words morphe 669 00:31:53,579 --> 00:31:59,579 and Genesis mean form and coming into 670 00:31:56,670 --> 00:32:02,100 being morphogenesis is the coming into 671 00:31:59,579 --> 00:32:04,559 being a form more for genetic fields of 672 00:32:02,099 --> 00:32:08,009 fields that shape the form of developing 673 00:32:04,559 --> 00:32:10,139 organisms as Mark I said this morning 674 00:32:08,009 --> 00:32:13,319 this idea was first put forward by 675 00:32:10,140 --> 00:32:16,890 Alexander Govich in Russia and Paul vais 676 00:32:13,319 --> 00:32:19,109 in Vienna and this field concept has 677 00:32:16,890 --> 00:32:22,050 become quite well established within 678 00:32:19,109 --> 00:32:24,179 biology these are biological or more for 679 00:32:22,049 --> 00:32:28,200 genetic fields that shape developing 680 00:32:24,180 --> 00:32:30,750 organisms the fields themselves are 681 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:32,279 organized in nested hierarchies there's 682 00:32:30,750 --> 00:32:35,190 a field for the whole body for the 683 00:32:32,279 --> 00:32:43,289 organs for the tissues for the cells and 684 00:32:35,190 --> 00:32:45,600 so on what are these fields their term 685 00:32:43,289 --> 00:32:47,970 is still widely used within biology and 686 00:32:45,599 --> 00:32:50,519 when I was doing research on 687 00:32:47,970 --> 00:32:52,559 developmental biology of plants I got 688 00:32:50,519 --> 00:32:56,490 interested in this concept because I was 689 00:32:52,559 --> 00:32:58,559 sure we needed something like that let 690 00:32:56,490 --> 00:33:02,519 me just explain a little bit more why we 691 00:32:58,559 --> 00:33:05,490 need this concept the chemistry of the 692 00:33:02,519 --> 00:33:07,920 genes and the proteins and bone and 693 00:33:05,490 --> 00:33:11,490 connective tissue is simply not enough 694 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:14,160 to explain form chemically your arms and 695 00:33:11,490 --> 00:33:16,559 your legs are identical they contain 696 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:19,590 identical genes and yet they have 697 00:33:16,559 --> 00:33:23,250 different forms so something else must 698 00:33:19,589 --> 00:33:25,619 be shaping the form it's rather like a 699 00:33:23,250 --> 00:33:30,210 building if you're trying to understand 700 00:33:25,619 --> 00:33:33,299 the house then of course it contains 701 00:33:30,210 --> 00:33:37,170 building materials bricks cement timber 702 00:33:33,299 --> 00:33:39,089 and so on but that doesn't completely 703 00:33:37,170 --> 00:33:41,279 explain the form of the house because 704 00:33:39,089 --> 00:33:43,829 there's the architects plan as well 705 00:33:41,279 --> 00:33:45,960 if you demolish the house you can 706 00:33:43,829 --> 00:33:48,569 analyze the materials in the house but 707 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:51,779 the plan disappears this is a bit like 708 00:33:48,569 --> 00:33:54,059 biochemistry and molecular biology which 709 00:33:51,779 --> 00:33:55,740 starts by killing organisms and grinding 710 00:33:54,059 --> 00:33:57,779 them up and then extracting the 711 00:33:55,740 --> 00:34:00,029 molecules when they do that the whole of 712 00:33:57,779 --> 00:34:01,920 the form disappears and it doesn't weigh 713 00:34:00,029 --> 00:34:03,539 anything it's not something you can 714 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:06,840 crystallize in a test tube 715 00:34:03,539 --> 00:34:08,639 it's simply ignored and therefore can 716 00:34:06,839 --> 00:34:10,679 never be explained just by looking at 717 00:34:08,639 --> 00:34:12,359 the building materials anymore than the 718 00:34:10,679 --> 00:34:14,639 building materials could explain the 719 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,470 form of a house now of course if you 720 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:18,329 have defective building materials you'll 721 00:34:16,469 --> 00:34:20,250 get a defective house so they have some 722 00:34:18,329 --> 00:34:23,340 influence but they don't explain the 723 00:34:20,250 --> 00:34:26,159 form the more for genetic fields are 724 00:34:23,340 --> 00:34:28,200 there to explain the form and in some 725 00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:30,329 way they're rather like Aristotle's idea 726 00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:32,279 of the soul which is the form of the 727 00:34:30,329 --> 00:34:34,949 body which attracts the developing 728 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:38,960 organism towards it but it's a more 729 00:34:34,949 --> 00:34:38,960 modern conception of a similar idea 730 00:34:39,260 --> 00:34:46,169 these fields are not in the nucleus and 731 00:34:43,550 --> 00:34:46,860 single cells have more for genetic 732 00:34:46,168 --> 00:34:49,859 fields 733 00:34:46,860 --> 00:34:52,650 these are radiolaria --nz single-celled 734 00:34:49,860 --> 00:34:55,349 organisms that have skeletons mineral 735 00:34:52,650 --> 00:34:57,860 skeletons these live in the sea each 736 00:34:55,349 --> 00:35:00,589 species has a completely different form 737 00:34:57,860 --> 00:35:02,789 each species has one nucleus and 738 00:35:00,590 --> 00:35:04,680 switching on and off genes couldn't 739 00:35:02,789 --> 00:35:06,659 possibly explain these forms there has 740 00:35:04,679 --> 00:35:10,139 to be a structure within the cell that 741 00:35:06,659 --> 00:35:12,509 somehow shapes them these are famous 742 00:35:10,139 --> 00:35:15,119 pictures of a dredge alarians by ernst 743 00:35:12,510 --> 00:35:17,520 haeckel the great german evolutionary 744 00:35:15,119 --> 00:35:21,750 biologist showing this extraordinary 745 00:35:17,519 --> 00:35:23,489 range of forms these are pollen grains 746 00:35:21,750 --> 00:35:25,289 of different species these again a 747 00:35:23,489 --> 00:35:30,349 single cells which have 748 00:35:25,289 --> 00:35:31,739 characteristic forms and this is 749 00:35:30,349 --> 00:35:34,559 acetabular ria 750 00:35:31,739 --> 00:35:37,679 it's a single-celled alga each of these 751 00:35:34,559 --> 00:35:40,500 is a single plant they're about five 752 00:35:37,679 --> 00:35:42,989 centimeters long and they have a cap and 753 00:35:40,500 --> 00:35:45,090 a stalk and then in the base they have a 754 00:35:42,989 --> 00:35:46,739 little root and the nucleus is in the 755 00:35:45,090 --> 00:35:48,570 root is just one nucleus it's a 756 00:35:46,739 --> 00:35:51,629 single-celled organism even though it's 757 00:35:48,570 --> 00:35:55,140 five centimeters long and again all that 758 00:35:51,630 --> 00:35:58,470 shape comes about from just one nucleus 759 00:35:55,139 --> 00:36:00,629 making the right proteins but it you 760 00:35:58,469 --> 00:36:02,789 can't explain this form by the nucleus 761 00:36:00,630 --> 00:36:04,710 being a kind of brain of the organism it 762 00:36:02,789 --> 00:36:06,420 isn't it's just the source of the right 763 00:36:04,710 --> 00:36:12,780 information for making the right 764 00:36:06,420 --> 00:36:14,970 proteins this is a bat embryo reminding 765 00:36:12,780 --> 00:36:16,860 us that in complex organisms there are 766 00:36:14,969 --> 00:36:19,469 many levels of organization there are 767 00:36:16,860 --> 00:36:21,329 the bones the organs the ribs the eyes 768 00:36:19,469 --> 00:36:23,250 and so forth each of these have their 769 00:36:21,329 --> 00:36:29,789 own more for genetic fields within the 770 00:36:23,250 --> 00:36:33,360 overall field of the whole organism one 771 00:36:29,789 --> 00:36:35,340 of the reasons why people put forward 772 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:39,690 the idea of more for genetic fields in 773 00:36:35,340 --> 00:36:41,309 the first place was because organisms 774 00:36:39,690 --> 00:36:45,659 have extraordinary abilities to 775 00:36:41,309 --> 00:36:49,769 regenerate fields have a holistic 776 00:36:45,659 --> 00:36:52,859 property unlike machines which means 777 00:36:49,769 --> 00:36:56,219 they can remain whole even if you break 778 00:36:52,860 --> 00:36:59,700 systems down if you cut a magnet in half 779 00:36:56,219 --> 00:37:02,819 you don't get to half magnets you get to 780 00:36:59,699 --> 00:37:06,509 small but complete magnets all field 781 00:37:02,820 --> 00:37:09,300 phenomena are intrinsically holistic now 782 00:37:06,510 --> 00:37:11,850 it's not true of machines if you cut a 783 00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:16,440 computer in half all you get is a broken 784 00:37:11,849 --> 00:37:18,869 computer but with living organisms if 785 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:20,639 you cut them into small parts the parts 786 00:37:18,869 --> 00:37:23,789 can often regenerate into a whole 787 00:37:20,639 --> 00:37:26,460 organism if you cut a willow tree into 788 00:37:23,789 --> 00:37:32,730 small cuttings each cutting can give you 789 00:37:26,460 --> 00:37:36,240 a whole new tree these are dragonfly 790 00:37:32,730 --> 00:37:38,730 eggs on the left is a normal dragonfly 791 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:41,759 egg with the embryo inside the egg 792 00:37:38,730 --> 00:37:44,579 case on the right it was tied in the 793 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:46,859 middle and the top half was killed the 794 00:37:44,579 --> 00:37:49,440 lower half now gives rise to a small but 795 00:37:46,858 --> 00:37:51,119 complete organism not the back end of an 796 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:53,789 organism but a small but complete 797 00:37:51,119 --> 00:37:56,700 organism this is rather like cutting a 798 00:37:53,789 --> 00:37:58,829 magnet in half and having to each half 799 00:37:56,699 --> 00:38:04,319 with its North and South Pole that still 800 00:37:58,829 --> 00:38:06,480 has a complete field and these show the 801 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:09,960 regeneration of the planaria the 802 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:12,480 flatworm which cut in various ways that 803 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:18,630 gives parts each of which can regenerate 804 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:21,179 a complete worm and this is acetabular 805 00:38:18,630 --> 00:38:24,900 area which I showed you a little while 806 00:38:21,179 --> 00:38:25,710 ago surprisingly if you cut out a bit of 807 00:38:24,900 --> 00:38:28,440 the stalk 808 00:38:25,710 --> 00:38:31,470 leaving behind the nucleus which is in 809 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:34,980 the root bit this stalk can regenerate 810 00:38:31,469 --> 00:38:37,439 and give a new cap to the acetabular 811 00:38:34,980 --> 00:38:39,179 area in the absence of any nucleus 812 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:42,179 showing it's not the nucleus that's 813 00:38:39,179 --> 00:38:43,799 controlling this process after a few 814 00:38:42,179 --> 00:38:45,960 weeks it dies because it needs the 815 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:48,420 nucleus to make new proteins to replace 816 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:54,630 proteins but the nucleus is not a brain 817 00:38:48,420 --> 00:38:57,510 controlling this process and this shows 818 00:38:54,630 --> 00:39:02,039 a very remarkable regeneration in the 819 00:38:57,510 --> 00:39:05,369 eye of a newt or salamander the lens was 820 00:39:02,039 --> 00:39:07,349 surgically removed and what happens now 821 00:39:05,369 --> 00:39:10,350 is that a new lens grows from the edge 822 00:39:07,349 --> 00:39:12,239 of the iris in normal development the 823 00:39:10,349 --> 00:39:15,150 lens grows from a folding in of the skin 824 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:18,259 on the outside but here it forms in a 825 00:39:15,150 --> 00:39:23,280 completely new way to regenerate a 826 00:39:18,260 --> 00:39:25,650 functioning eye so regeneration suggests 827 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:27,600 that things are not producing produced 828 00:39:25,650 --> 00:39:30,240 just mechanistically there's a holistic 829 00:39:27,599 --> 00:39:32,009 field which underlies this process and 830 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:33,868 this is one of the reasons that the idea 831 00:39:32,010 --> 00:39:37,650 of morphic genetic fields is widely 832 00:39:33,869 --> 00:39:39,450 adopted within biology but then the 833 00:39:37,650 --> 00:39:42,750 question is what are these fields and 834 00:39:39,449 --> 00:39:44,759 how do they work most biologists admit 835 00:39:42,750 --> 00:39:47,280 we need some kind of field but what they 836 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:49,380 say is well eventually we'll just 837 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:50,940 explain them in terms of conventional 838 00:39:49,380 --> 00:39:53,789 and chemistry we don't know how they 839 00:39:50,940 --> 00:39:55,650 work but let's assume it turns out that 840 00:39:53,789 --> 00:40:03,779 there nothing really new there's some 841 00:39:55,650 --> 00:40:06,630 conventional explanation other people 842 00:40:03,780 --> 00:40:09,210 usually ex mathematicians who've turned 843 00:40:06,630 --> 00:40:11,610 to biology say well if they exist they 844 00:40:09,210 --> 00:40:13,559 must have an equation and all we need to 845 00:40:11,610 --> 00:40:15,150 do is find out the field equation then 846 00:40:13,559 --> 00:40:16,889 we'll have explained it because they're 847 00:40:15,150 --> 00:40:18,690 basically platanus --ts and they think 848 00:40:16,889 --> 00:40:23,670 the ultimate explanation is going to be 849 00:40:18,690 --> 00:40:26,159 mathematical but I take a third view I 850 00:40:23,670 --> 00:40:27,960 don't think that they're just existing 851 00:40:26,159 --> 00:40:31,019 fields I think they're a new kind of 852 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:32,730 field and I don't think mathematical 853 00:40:31,019 --> 00:40:34,530 models would explain them we can make 854 00:40:32,730 --> 00:40:37,110 mathematical models of them but those 855 00:40:34,530 --> 00:40:39,330 are man-made models that illuminate some 856 00:40:37,110 --> 00:40:42,900 aspect of the field but the maths is not 857 00:40:39,329 --> 00:40:47,460 more real than the field the field is 858 00:40:42,900 --> 00:40:49,559 more real than the mathematical model so 859 00:40:47,460 --> 00:40:52,260 anyway my own theory is that these 860 00:40:49,559 --> 00:40:54,719 fields are a new kind of field they do 861 00:40:52,260 --> 00:40:56,730 shape and organize the organisms and 862 00:40:54,719 --> 00:41:00,929 they have a kind of memory within them 863 00:40:56,730 --> 00:41:02,699 in my books - chef Ayesha Universum a 864 00:41:00,929 --> 00:41:05,190 new science of life and the presence of 865 00:41:02,699 --> 00:41:08,789 the past which in German is des cadet 866 00:41:05,190 --> 00:41:10,500 NIST in a tour I talk about the way in 867 00:41:08,789 --> 00:41:12,509 which these fields work their 868 00:41:10,500 --> 00:41:14,969 probability structures like quantum 869 00:41:12,510 --> 00:41:18,110 fields they influence indeterminate 870 00:41:14,969 --> 00:41:20,549 events by restricting their into their 871 00:41:18,110 --> 00:41:23,280 indeterminacy to impose patterns upon 872 00:41:20,550 --> 00:41:26,550 them and I go into various details as to 873 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:30,180 how I think they might work but this 874 00:41:26,550 --> 00:41:37,080 just gives you a flavor of the kind of 875 00:41:30,179 --> 00:41:40,230 things they might be what I'm going to 876 00:41:37,079 --> 00:41:43,559 do now is talk about the morphic fields 877 00:41:40,230 --> 00:41:45,389 of social groups because fields apply 878 00:41:43,559 --> 00:41:48,000 not only to whole organisms and to 879 00:41:45,389 --> 00:41:49,710 organs within them but they apply to the 880 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:53,190 way that groups of organisms are 881 00:41:49,710 --> 00:41:58,349 organized here we see a flock of 882 00:41:53,190 --> 00:42:01,440 starlings and as they fly around these 883 00:41:58,349 --> 00:42:01,969 birds can change direction very rapidly 884 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:04,280 with 885 00:42:01,969 --> 00:42:05,419 bumping into each other it's a very 886 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,910 remarkable sight 887 00:42:05,420 --> 00:42:12,500 and we see something similar with 888 00:42:07,909 --> 00:42:15,829 schools of fish they are swimming in 889 00:42:12,500 --> 00:42:18,019 this direction and they can move very 890 00:42:15,829 --> 00:42:21,500 rapidly they can change direction very 891 00:42:18,019 --> 00:42:23,750 fast without bumping into each other the 892 00:42:21,500 --> 00:42:28,429 best computer models of these fields of 893 00:42:23,750 --> 00:42:30,289 these flocks and swarms are field models 894 00:42:28,429 --> 00:42:31,969 and I think what we have is a field of 895 00:42:30,289 --> 00:42:33,739 the whole group the members of the group 896 00:42:31,969 --> 00:42:38,480 are linked through a field which shapes 897 00:42:33,739 --> 00:42:41,139 the way the individuals behave I think 898 00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:45,260 social organization in ants and termites 899 00:42:41,139 --> 00:42:47,420 and bees and wasps and in many other 900 00:42:45,260 --> 00:42:52,000 animal groups in all animal groups is 901 00:42:47,420 --> 00:42:52,000 organized by morphic fields of the group 902 00:42:52,150 --> 00:42:57,829 normally when they Grouper together as 903 00:42:55,010 --> 00:42:59,540 in this case the field coordinates their 904 00:42:57,829 --> 00:43:03,650 immediate behavior in relation to each 905 00:42:59,539 --> 00:43:05,869 other but even if they move apart 906 00:43:03,650 --> 00:43:09,980 I think they remain connected through 907 00:43:05,869 --> 00:43:13,280 these morphic fields for example packs 908 00:43:09,980 --> 00:43:16,699 of wolves are bonded through their time 909 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:18,560 together as a pack but when the adult 910 00:43:16,699 --> 00:43:20,868 wolves go out hunting they leave the 911 00:43:18,559 --> 00:43:22,909 baby wolves the Cubs in a den usually 912 00:43:20,869 --> 00:43:25,010 with a babysitter and then they roam 913 00:43:22,909 --> 00:43:27,259 over hundreds of kilometres hunting I 914 00:43:25,010 --> 00:43:29,930 think the field that links them is not 915 00:43:27,260 --> 00:43:33,670 broken it stretches it stretches a bit 916 00:43:29,929 --> 00:43:36,829 like an invisible elastic band rotate 917 00:43:33,670 --> 00:43:39,769 connecting the separated members of the 918 00:43:36,829 --> 00:43:42,679 group another way of thinking about this 919 00:43:39,769 --> 00:43:44,960 is in terms of quantum nonlocality in 920 00:43:42,679 --> 00:43:47,269 quantum physics if particles have been 921 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:49,608 part of the same system when they move 922 00:43:47,269 --> 00:43:52,119 apart they can remain connected or 923 00:43:49,608 --> 00:43:54,909 entangled said that a change in one 924 00:43:52,119 --> 00:43:57,380 instantaneously affects the other 925 00:43:54,909 --> 00:43:59,989 Einstein thought quantum theory must be 926 00:43:57,380 --> 00:44:02,358 wrong because if it was true it would 927 00:43:59,989 --> 00:44:06,019 allow for what he called spooky action 928 00:44:02,358 --> 00:44:08,210 at a distance experiments show Einstein 929 00:44:06,019 --> 00:44:10,730 was wrong quantum theory is right there 930 00:44:08,210 --> 00:44:13,220 is spooky action at a distance however 931 00:44:10,730 --> 00:44:14,820 you interpret it and I think this 932 00:44:13,219 --> 00:44:17,489 provides the best analogy 933 00:44:14,820 --> 00:44:20,100 for connections between members of 934 00:44:17,489 --> 00:44:22,579 social groups I'm not saying it's 935 00:44:20,099 --> 00:44:26,190 homologous I'm saying it's analogous 936 00:44:22,579 --> 00:44:28,079 interestingly this connection in quantum 937 00:44:26,190 --> 00:44:30,300 nonlocality does not fall off with 938 00:44:28,079 --> 00:44:33,179 distance nor does the connection between 939 00:44:30,300 --> 00:44:35,310 members of social groups if you feel 940 00:44:33,179 --> 00:44:38,489 very fond of your parents or your 941 00:44:35,309 --> 00:44:40,469 children it you still feel fond of them 942 00:44:38,489 --> 00:44:42,539 and still feel attached to them even if 943 00:44:40,469 --> 00:44:45,179 their hundreds of kilometres away you 944 00:44:42,539 --> 00:44:49,440 don't get less fond of them as they get 945 00:44:45,179 --> 00:44:51,389 further away and in fact we have an 946 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:53,429 English proverb that suggests exactly 947 00:44:51,389 --> 00:45:02,339 the opposite absence makes the heart 948 00:44:53,429 --> 00:45:04,169 grow fonder and so the connection 949 00:45:02,340 --> 00:45:06,450 between members of social groups at a 950 00:45:04,170 --> 00:45:07,400 distance is I think the basis of 951 00:45:06,449 --> 00:45:09,739 telepathy 952 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:12,450 telepathy is a form of communication 953 00:45:09,739 --> 00:45:14,399 among members of social groups which can 954 00:45:12,449 --> 00:45:17,099 occur when they're beyond the range of 955 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:18,930 the normal senses I think it also occurs 956 00:45:17,099 --> 00:45:21,420 when they're close together but it's 957 00:45:18,929 --> 00:45:24,259 harder to separate it from body language 958 00:45:21,420 --> 00:45:27,269 and normal means of communication I 959 00:45:24,260 --> 00:45:29,910 think this is a normal not paranormal 960 00:45:27,269 --> 00:45:32,699 means of communication between members 961 00:45:29,909 --> 00:45:35,750 of animal groups because I think it's a 962 00:45:32,699 --> 00:45:38,699 basic feature of animal behavior I 963 00:45:35,750 --> 00:45:41,730 started my investigations with animals 964 00:45:38,699 --> 00:45:43,889 and I started them with the animals we 965 00:45:41,730 --> 00:45:47,099 know best dogs and cats and other 966 00:45:43,889 --> 00:45:48,779 animals and the starting point because 967 00:45:47,099 --> 00:45:50,880 there'd been no previous scientific 968 00:45:48,780 --> 00:45:53,610 research on telepathy and animals of 969 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:55,680 this kind my starting point was to ask 970 00:45:53,610 --> 00:45:56,550 people about their experience with dogs 971 00:45:55,679 --> 00:45:59,369 and cats 972 00:45:56,550 --> 00:46:06,150 I asked animal trainers police dog 973 00:45:59,369 --> 00:46:09,239 handlers vets pet owners blind people 974 00:46:06,150 --> 00:46:10,860 with Guide Dogs and so on about their 975 00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:14,719 experiences and I now have a database 976 00:46:10,860 --> 00:46:17,400 with more than 5,000 of these stories 977 00:46:14,719 --> 00:46:18,269 some people say you shouldn't listen to 978 00:46:17,400 --> 00:46:21,510 people's stories 979 00:46:18,269 --> 00:46:23,820 they're just anecdotes I heard that so 980 00:46:21,510 --> 00:46:27,660 often I looked up the word anecdote in 981 00:46:23,820 --> 00:46:31,109 the dictionary and I it literally means 982 00:46:27,659 --> 00:46:33,088 unpublished and in Greek is not ecto das 983 00:46:31,108 --> 00:46:35,250 is published an anecdote is an 984 00:46:33,088 --> 00:46:37,288 unpublished story as soon as it's 985 00:46:35,250 --> 00:46:39,838 published by definition it stops being 986 00:46:37,289 --> 00:46:42,630 an anecdote it's promoted to the rank of 987 00:46:39,838 --> 00:46:46,980 a case history and medicine is based on 988 00:46:42,630 --> 00:46:49,740 them and so for me the plural of 989 00:46:46,980 --> 00:46:51,719 anecdote is data and if you have 990 00:46:49,739 --> 00:46:54,118 hundreds of stories from people all over 991 00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:56,939 the world describing the same kind of 992 00:46:54,119 --> 00:46:59,519 phenomenon with their animals at least I 993 00:46:56,940 --> 00:47:01,380 think this means something's going on 994 00:46:59,519 --> 00:47:03,329 at least something's making people 995 00:47:01,380 --> 00:47:05,309 believe this their belief may be a false 996 00:47:03,329 --> 00:47:07,970 belief but at least many people are 997 00:47:05,309 --> 00:47:10,559 independently reporting similar thing 998 00:47:07,969 --> 00:47:12,838 most of my colleagues take the line that 999 00:47:10,559 --> 00:47:14,910 if thousands of ordinary people say 1000 00:47:12,838 --> 00:47:18,298 something's happening it must be untrue 1001 00:47:14,909 --> 00:47:19,920 I take the opposite opinion I think if 1002 00:47:18,298 --> 00:47:21,929 thousands of ordinary people say 1003 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:25,470 something's happening it's probably true 1004 00:47:21,929 --> 00:47:27,629 and it's worth investigating the 1005 00:47:25,469 --> 00:47:29,308 phenomenon I've investigated most is the 1006 00:47:27,630 --> 00:47:31,740 ability of dogs to know when their 1007 00:47:29,309 --> 00:47:33,660 owners are coming home many people have 1008 00:47:31,739 --> 00:47:36,919 found the dog waits at a door or window 1009 00:47:33,659 --> 00:47:39,858 when the person is on the way home and 1010 00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:43,289 sometimes 10 minutes or more before they 1011 00:47:39,858 --> 00:47:44,940 return dr. von normal told me this 1012 00:47:43,289 --> 00:47:47,490 morning at breakfast he had a dog that 1013 00:47:44,940 --> 00:47:48,990 did this and his wife knew when he was 1014 00:47:47,489 --> 00:47:51,629 going to come home because it was 1015 00:47:48,989 --> 00:47:54,358 waiting ten minutes beforehand it's a 1016 00:47:51,630 --> 00:47:56,220 very common phenomenon and let's just 1017 00:47:54,358 --> 00:47:58,500 see how many people in this room have 1018 00:47:56,219 --> 00:47:59,788 got now or have had dogs or cats or 1019 00:47:58,500 --> 00:48:04,889 other animals that know when they're 1020 00:47:59,789 --> 00:48:06,900 coming home yes thank you that's quite 1021 00:48:04,889 --> 00:48:09,989 quite a lot of people you see this is 1022 00:48:06,900 --> 00:48:12,389 not a rare phenomenon I've done 1023 00:48:09,989 --> 00:48:14,098 experiments to test what's going on the 1024 00:48:12,389 --> 00:48:16,710 skeptics say it's just routine 1025 00:48:14,099 --> 00:48:18,510 it's just hearing cars and that sort of 1026 00:48:16,710 --> 00:48:20,490 thing we've done experiments where we 1027 00:48:18,510 --> 00:48:23,339 film the dog the whole time the person 1028 00:48:20,489 --> 00:48:25,889 is out we know the exact time on the 1029 00:48:23,338 --> 00:48:28,469 film we have people come at random times 1030 00:48:25,889 --> 00:48:31,259 that they don't know in advance we have 1031 00:48:28,469 --> 00:48:33,868 them come by taxi or by other unfamiliar 1032 00:48:31,260 --> 00:48:37,260 vehicle and the dogs still know over and 1033 00:48:33,869 --> 00:48:40,320 over again this research is summarized 1034 00:48:37,260 --> 00:48:42,120 in my book which in English is called 1035 00:48:40,320 --> 00:48:44,580 dogs that know when their owners are 1036 00:48:42,119 --> 00:48:48,929 coming home in in German its desi 1037 00:48:44,579 --> 00:48:50,699 beaters in deer terror and so there's 1038 00:48:48,929 --> 00:48:51,269 now a lot of evidence that animals can 1039 00:48:50,699 --> 00:48:53,549 do this 1040 00:48:51,269 --> 00:48:55,829 telepathy and animals is quite common in 1041 00:48:53,550 --> 00:48:59,070 fact animals are much better at it than 1042 00:48:55,829 --> 00:49:01,069 most people but of course in the human 1043 00:48:59,070 --> 00:49:03,690 realm the same principles apply 1044 00:49:01,070 --> 00:49:05,670 telepathy occurs between people who are 1045 00:49:03,690 --> 00:49:07,470 socially or emotionally bonded it 1046 00:49:05,670 --> 00:49:09,780 doesn't usually happen with strangers 1047 00:49:07,469 --> 00:49:13,619 it happens with mothers and babies 1048 00:49:09,780 --> 00:49:16,650 mothers and children lovers husbands and 1049 00:49:13,619 --> 00:49:18,900 wives best friends therapists and 1050 00:49:16,650 --> 00:49:21,690 clients where there's a transference and 1051 00:49:18,900 --> 00:49:24,389 countertransference and people who and 1052 00:49:21,690 --> 00:49:28,590 close colleagues it doesn't happen with 1053 00:49:24,389 --> 00:49:35,960 insurance salesmen and other sort of 1054 00:49:28,590 --> 00:49:38,250 strangers so this phenomenon is widely 1055 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:39,720 experienced most people in the 1056 00:49:38,250 --> 00:49:42,469 population have had these experiences 1057 00:49:39,719 --> 00:49:45,719 and yet this is regarded as illusory 1058 00:49:42,469 --> 00:49:48,209 this is the dogma psychic phenomena are 1059 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:48,659 illusory dogma 9 that I referred to this 1060 00:49:48,210 --> 00:49:51,539 morning 1061 00:49:48,659 --> 00:49:54,149 I think telepathy is actually quite 1062 00:49:51,539 --> 00:49:56,639 common and I've studied it in the places 1063 00:49:54,150 --> 00:49:58,500 where it's most biological a lot of 1064 00:49:56,639 --> 00:50:01,289 parapsychology has been based on 1065 00:49:58,500 --> 00:50:04,079 extremely artificial situations people 1066 00:50:01,289 --> 00:50:07,949 guessing cards that random strangers are 1067 00:50:04,079 --> 00:50:11,179 looking at or sitting in rooms with 1068 00:50:07,949 --> 00:50:13,649 earphones on and dim red light trying to 1069 00:50:11,179 --> 00:50:16,819 think what somebody else is looking at 1070 00:50:13,650 --> 00:50:19,349 in another room usually with strangers 1071 00:50:16,820 --> 00:50:21,059 these experiments work much better with 1072 00:50:19,349 --> 00:50:23,009 people who are closely linked and indeed 1073 00:50:21,059 --> 00:50:26,940 parapsychology researchers have found 1074 00:50:23,010 --> 00:50:28,770 that out too I've looked at think things 1075 00:50:26,940 --> 00:50:31,800 that are much more common and everyday 1076 00:50:28,769 --> 00:50:33,710 many mothers for example claim that they 1077 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:36,480 can tell when their baby needs them when 1078 00:50:33,710 --> 00:50:38,070 nursing mothers are breastfeeding many 1079 00:50:36,480 --> 00:50:40,320 of them find that after they go back to 1080 00:50:38,070 --> 00:50:42,390 work or they start leaving their baby a 1081 00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:44,519 few months after the birth and they're 1082 00:50:42,389 --> 00:50:46,799 still breastfeeding they sometimes feel 1083 00:50:44,519 --> 00:50:49,170 their milk let down when they're at work 1084 00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:50,670 there's no sound of a baby nothing's 1085 00:50:49,170 --> 00:50:51,980 happening suddenly their breasts start 1086 00:50:50,670 --> 00:50:54,440 producing milk there 1087 00:50:51,980 --> 00:50:59,539 start tingling this is the milk letdown 1088 00:50:54,440 --> 00:51:01,340 reflex mediated by oxytocin and most 1089 00:50:59,539 --> 00:51:03,800 mothers when that happens assume that 1090 00:51:01,340 --> 00:51:05,420 their baby needs them and they ring home 1091 00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:07,760 on their mobile phone and they're 1092 00:51:05,420 --> 00:51:09,800 usually right I've done a detailed study 1093 00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:11,780 on nursing mothers and their babies and 1094 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:13,340 I found that the odds against chance of 1095 00:51:11,780 --> 00:51:15,680 this happening are about a billion to 1096 00:51:13,340 --> 00:51:17,539 one it's a highly significant effect and 1097 00:51:15,679 --> 00:51:21,259 it's not just explained by synchronized 1098 00:51:17,539 --> 00:51:24,170 rhythms this is a very basic biological 1099 00:51:21,260 --> 00:51:26,720 form of telepathy and I'm sure natural 1100 00:51:24,170 --> 00:51:28,579 selection would have favored it mothers 1101 00:51:26,719 --> 00:51:30,589 who could tell when their child or their 1102 00:51:28,579 --> 00:51:32,480 baby needed them when they were far away 1103 00:51:30,590 --> 00:51:35,119 from it beyond the range of hearing and 1104 00:51:32,480 --> 00:51:36,889 crying would have babies that would 1105 00:51:35,119 --> 00:51:38,960 survive better than mothers that didn't 1106 00:51:36,889 --> 00:51:41,000 know and I think that'd be a very good 1107 00:51:38,960 --> 00:51:42,530 reason natural selection would favour 1108 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:47,539 the developments of these abilities 1109 00:51:42,530 --> 00:51:49,700 especially in women but the Communists 1110 00:51:47,539 --> 00:51:51,590 kind of telepathy by far with in the 1111 00:51:49,699 --> 00:51:53,659 modern world occurs in connection with 1112 00:51:51,590 --> 00:51:57,470 modern technology namely 1113 00:51:53,659 --> 00:51:59,239 telephone telepathy many people have had 1114 00:51:57,469 --> 00:52:01,969 the experience of thinking of someone 1115 00:51:59,239 --> 00:52:05,419 who then rings and they say that's funny 1116 00:52:01,969 --> 00:52:08,719 I was just thinking about you I've done 1117 00:52:05,420 --> 00:52:14,349 surveys on this phenomenon in various 1118 00:52:08,719 --> 00:52:17,089 countries and they've shown that about 1119 00:52:14,349 --> 00:52:18,409 95 percent of women say they've had this 1120 00:52:17,090 --> 00:52:21,980 experience compared with about 1121 00:52:18,409 --> 00:52:23,659 seventy-two percent of men now many more 1122 00:52:21,980 --> 00:52:25,519 women than men have had this telephone 1123 00:52:23,659 --> 00:52:28,460 telepathy but even the majority of men 1124 00:52:25,519 --> 00:52:31,429 have had it I've done these surveys in 1125 00:52:28,460 --> 00:52:34,670 Germany Britain North America and South 1126 00:52:31,429 --> 00:52:37,579 America in Argentina women everywhere 1127 00:52:34,670 --> 00:52:39,550 come on to around 95% there are more 1128 00:52:37,579 --> 00:52:41,599 national differences between men 1129 00:52:39,550 --> 00:52:47,420 Argentinian men are the most sensitive 1130 00:52:41,599 --> 00:52:51,858 and British men the least and these are 1131 00:52:47,420 --> 00:52:54,470 other kinds of telepathy and these are 1132 00:52:51,858 --> 00:52:55,099 other kinds of telepathy again women 1133 00:52:54,469 --> 00:52:57,730 more than men 1134 00:52:55,099 --> 00:53:00,349 but much less than telephone telepathy 1135 00:52:57,730 --> 00:53:04,260 so this is the commonest kind in the 1136 00:53:00,349 --> 00:53:06,690 modern world now 1137 00:53:04,260 --> 00:53:10,440 skeptics for a long time have dismissed 1138 00:53:06,690 --> 00:53:12,750 this phenomenon by saying well it's just 1139 00:53:10,440 --> 00:53:14,490 coincidence you think of people all the 1140 00:53:12,750 --> 00:53:15,869 time if one of them rings you imagine 1141 00:53:14,489 --> 00:53:18,899 it's telepathy and you forget the 1142 00:53:15,869 --> 00:53:19,680 millions of times you're wrong now for a 1143 00:53:18,900 --> 00:53:21,510 hundred years 1144 00:53:19,679 --> 00:53:23,569 they've got away with that as a 1145 00:53:21,510 --> 00:53:26,820 hypothesis without a shred of evidence 1146 00:53:23,570 --> 00:53:30,450 but I set up experiments to test this in 1147 00:53:26,820 --> 00:53:32,519 my experiments the subject picks for 1148 00:53:30,449 --> 00:53:35,699 people they know well friends or family 1149 00:53:32,519 --> 00:53:38,759 members they sit at home on a landline 1150 00:53:35,699 --> 00:53:40,348 telephone they're filmed to make sure 1151 00:53:38,760 --> 00:53:42,839 they're not getting emails or other 1152 00:53:40,349 --> 00:53:46,829 phone calls we pick one of the four 1153 00:53:42,838 --> 00:53:48,539 callers at random by throwing a dice we 1154 00:53:46,829 --> 00:53:51,690 ring them up and ask them to call the 1155 00:53:48,539 --> 00:53:53,789 subject the phone rings they know it's 1156 00:53:51,690 --> 00:53:55,710 one of these four people before they 1157 00:53:53,789 --> 00:53:58,469 pick it up they have to say who it is I 1158 00:53:55,710 --> 00:54:01,650 think it's Mary they pick it up hello 1159 00:53:58,469 --> 00:54:06,149 Mary by chance you'd be right one time 1160 00:54:01,650 --> 00:54:09,059 in for 25% in these experiments the 1161 00:54:06,150 --> 00:54:12,420 actual hit rate here's the chance rate 1162 00:54:09,059 --> 00:54:15,509 of 25 percent the actual hit rate was 45 1163 00:54:12,420 --> 00:54:17,430 percent and the p-value for this this 1164 00:54:15,510 --> 00:54:19,650 was done with hundreds of trials the 1165 00:54:17,429 --> 00:54:22,379 probability value is 1 times 10 to the 1166 00:54:19,650 --> 00:54:24,960 minus 12 for those of you who are into 1167 00:54:22,380 --> 00:54:27,088 statistics I should point out this makes 1168 00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:34,019 it more likely than the existence of the 1169 00:54:27,088 --> 00:54:35,519 Higgs boson and we also did these tests 1170 00:54:34,019 --> 00:54:38,280 we're two of the four callers were 1171 00:54:35,519 --> 00:54:40,230 familiar people and the other two were 1172 00:54:38,280 --> 00:54:42,480 unfamiliar people that they'd never met 1173 00:54:40,230 --> 00:54:45,690 and this showed very clearly as it works 1174 00:54:42,480 --> 00:54:48,500 with familiar but hardly at all with 1175 00:54:45,690 --> 00:54:48,500 unfamiliar people 1176 00:54:52,369 --> 00:54:56,690 and this just summarizes some of the 1177 00:54:54,409 --> 00:54:58,548 results it's a new way of testing for 1178 00:54:56,690 --> 00:55:01,039 telepathy highly significant positive 1179 00:54:58,548 --> 00:55:02,690 results no effective distance we did 1180 00:55:01,039 --> 00:55:05,390 these experiments between Britain and 1181 00:55:02,690 --> 00:55:07,849 Australia we recruited young Australians 1182 00:55:05,389 --> 00:55:09,798 and New Zealanders in Britain and we 1183 00:55:07,849 --> 00:55:12,710 tested with two callers they'd recently 1184 00:55:09,798 --> 00:55:15,318 met in Britain and two people back home 1185 00:55:12,710 --> 00:55:17,630 their mothers people they were close to 1186 00:55:15,318 --> 00:55:20,358 and it worked actually better with the 1187 00:55:17,630 --> 00:55:22,099 people in Australia because they were 1188 00:55:20,358 --> 00:55:25,190 closer to them emotionally even though 1189 00:55:22,099 --> 00:55:26,630 they were further physically it's been 1190 00:55:25,190 --> 00:55:28,608 replicated at the University of 1191 00:55:26,630 --> 00:55:32,059 Amsterdam and at the University of 1192 00:55:28,608 --> 00:55:34,038 Freiburg in Germany it's a very good for 1193 00:55:32,059 --> 00:55:37,309 student projects and it agrees with 1194 00:55:34,039 --> 00:55:40,460 common experience I've done similar 1195 00:55:37,309 --> 00:55:43,759 experience with emails SMS messages and 1196 00:55:40,460 --> 00:55:46,759 I'm about to launch a new application on 1197 00:55:43,759 --> 00:55:49,460 Facebook so people can do this through 1198 00:55:46,759 --> 00:55:51,858 social media I also have an automated 1199 00:55:49,460 --> 00:55:54,139 telepathy test working on mobile phones 1200 00:55:51,858 --> 00:55:56,598 not yet in Germany it works in Britain 1201 00:55:54,139 --> 00:55:58,460 and America where people can just do 1202 00:55:56,599 --> 00:56:01,099 this experiment at any time with their 1203 00:55:58,460 --> 00:56:03,048 friends so this research can now break 1204 00:56:01,099 --> 00:56:06,019 out of the laboratory and become part of 1205 00:56:03,048 --> 00:56:07,818 ordinary life and in fact in this 1206 00:56:06,018 --> 00:56:10,038 research on telepathy I've concentrated 1207 00:56:07,818 --> 00:56:12,139 on what I call the mysteries of everyday 1208 00:56:10,039 --> 00:56:15,289 life because these things are happening 1209 00:56:12,139 --> 00:56:18,170 all the time and yet the dogmatic 1210 00:56:15,289 --> 00:56:20,960 assumptions of materialism have managed 1211 00:56:18,170 --> 00:56:22,818 to deny so much of our own experience 1212 00:56:20,960 --> 00:56:24,889 first of all they've denied that our 1213 00:56:22,818 --> 00:56:27,170 images are out there where they seem to 1214 00:56:24,889 --> 00:56:29,210 be secondly they've made people say oh 1215 00:56:27,170 --> 00:56:31,639 our pets aren't really psychic that's 1216 00:56:29,210 --> 00:56:34,548 just coincidence they deny the sense of 1217 00:56:31,639 --> 00:56:38,179 being stared at they deny telepathy they 1218 00:56:34,548 --> 00:56:40,429 deny the importance of belief on our 1219 00:56:38,179 --> 00:56:42,139 behavior and indeed in medicine although 1220 00:56:40,429 --> 00:56:46,338 that's now accepted through the placebo 1221 00:56:42,139 --> 00:56:48,199 effect but if we sweep away these dogmas 1222 00:56:46,338 --> 00:56:49,969 and look at things in an open-minded way 1223 00:56:48,199 --> 00:56:52,808 the scientific evidence actually 1224 00:56:49,969 --> 00:56:55,519 supports the reality of these 1225 00:56:52,809 --> 00:56:58,339 experiences which most of us have have 1226 00:56:55,518 --> 00:57:00,528 had personally and I think when we admit 1227 00:56:58,338 --> 00:57:02,778 the reality of these things we learn 1228 00:57:00,528 --> 00:57:05,329 something important we are connected 1229 00:57:02,778 --> 00:57:05,989 with each other at a distance our minds 1230 00:57:05,329 --> 00:57:08,480 do 1231 00:57:05,989 --> 00:57:11,389 stand beyond our brains our intentions 1232 00:57:08,480 --> 00:57:13,280 affect other people a dog isn't affected 1233 00:57:11,389 --> 00:57:15,500 by your intention to come home it's a 1234 00:57:13,280 --> 00:57:17,930 measurable effect people are affected by 1235 00:57:15,500 --> 00:57:19,610 your intention to telephone them that's 1236 00:57:17,929 --> 00:57:22,730 why they think about you just before the 1237 00:57:19,610 --> 00:57:25,070 call comes that our intentions can 1238 00:57:22,730 --> 00:57:27,019 affect people at a distance all these 1239 00:57:25,070 --> 00:57:30,289 are things that almost everybody knows 1240 00:57:27,019 --> 00:57:32,630 already and sometimes people say to me 1241 00:57:30,289 --> 00:57:34,820 unsophisticated people sometimes say to 1242 00:57:32,630 --> 00:57:36,710 me why do you waste your time trying to 1243 00:57:34,820 --> 00:57:42,019 prove things that everyone already knows 1244 00:57:36,710 --> 00:57:43,610 and and it's true that most people do 1245 00:57:42,019 --> 00:57:45,500 already know these things but the 1246 00:57:43,610 --> 00:57:47,360 intellectual educated part of them is 1247 00:57:45,500 --> 00:57:47,989 forced to deny it because if you don't 1248 00:57:47,360 --> 00:57:49,849 deny it 1249 00:57:47,989 --> 00:57:53,149 people think you're stupid or uneducated 1250 00:57:49,849 --> 00:57:55,849 or superstitious I think the real 1251 00:57:53,150 --> 00:57:58,010 superstition is this dogmatic belief in 1252 00:57:55,849 --> 00:58:01,130 materialism it's hung over from a 1253 00:57:58,010 --> 00:58:03,080 previous age it's not appropriate to the 1254 00:58:01,130 --> 00:58:06,170 facts as we know them and I think 1255 00:58:03,079 --> 00:58:08,809 science liberated from these dogmas can 1256 00:58:06,170 --> 00:58:10,820 become more scientific not less so I 1257 00:58:08,809 --> 00:58:14,980 think you'll become more interesting and 1258 00:58:10,820 --> 00:58:14,980 more fun thank you 1259 00:58:22,480 --> 00:58:24,539 you