Preface

If you do not getschwindlig[dizzy] sometimes when you think about these things then you have not really understood it [quantum theory].

Niels Bohr

One of the most surprising discoveries of modern physics is that objects aren't as separate as they may seem. When you drill down into the core of even the most solid-looking material, separateness dissolves. All that remains, like the smile of the Cheshire Cat fromAlice in Wonderland, are relationships extending curiously throughout space and time. These connections were predicted by quantum theory and were called "spooky action at a distance" by Albert Einstein. One of the founders of quantum theory, Erwin Schrödinger, dubbed this peculiarityentanglement, and said "I would not call thatonebut ratherthecharacteristic trait of quantum mechanics."

The deeper reality suggested by the existence of entanglement is so unlike the world of everyday experience that until recently, many physicists believed it was interesting only for abstract theoretical reasons. They accepted that the microscopic world of elementary particles could become curiously entangled, but those entangled states were assumed to be fleeting and have no practical consequences for the world as we experience it. That view is rapidly changing.

Scientists are now finding that there are ways in which the effects of microscopic entanglements "scale up" into our macroscopic world. Entangled connections between carefully prepared atomic-sized objects can persist over many miles. There are theoretical descriptions showing how tasks can be accomplished by entangled groups without the members of the group communicating with each other in any conventional way. Some scientists suggest that the remarkable degree of coherence displayed in living systems might depend in some fundamental way on quantum effects like entanglement. Others suggest that conscious awareness is caused or related in some important way to entangled particles in the brain. Some even propose that the entire universe is a single, self-entangled object.

If these speculations are correct, then what would human experience be like in such an interconnected universe? Would we occasionally have numinous feelings of connectedness with loved ones, even at a distance? Would such experiences evoke a feeling of awe that there's more to reality than common sense implies? Could "entangled minds" be involved when you hear the telephone ring and somehow know -- instantly -- who's calling? If we did have such experiences, could they be due to real information that somehow bypassed the usual sensory channels? Or are such reports better understood as coincidences or delusions?

These are the types of questions explored in this book. We'll find that there's substantial experimental evidence for a few types of genuine psi phenomena. And we'll learn why, until very recently, science has largely ignored these interesting effects. For centuries, scientists assumed that everything can be explained by mechanisms analogous to clockworks. Then, to everyone's surprise, over the course of the twentieth century we learned that this commonsense assumption is wrong. When the fabric of reality is examined very closely, nothing resembling clockworks can be found. Instead, reality is woven from strange, "holistic" threads that aren't located precisely in space or time. Tug on a dangling loose end from this fabric of reality, and the whole cloth twitches, instantly, throughout all space and time.

Science is at the very earliest stages of understanding entanglement, and there is much yet to learn. But what we've seen so far provides a new way of thinking about psi. No longer are psi experiences regarded as rare human talents, divine gifts, or "powers" that magically transcend ordinary physical boundaries. Instead, psi becomes an unavoidable consequence of living in an interconnected, entangled physical reality. Psi is reframed from a bizarre anomaly that doesn't fit into the normal world -- and hence is labeledparanormal-- into a natural phenomenon of physics.

The idea of the universe as an interconnected whole is not new; for millennia it's been one of the core assumptions underlying Eastern philosophies. What is new is that Western science is slowly beginning to realize thatsomeelements of that ancient lore might have been correct. Of course, adopting a new ontology is not to be taken lightly. When it comes to serious topics like one's view of reality, it's sensible to adopt the conservative maxim, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." So we're obliged to carefully examine the evidence and see if psi is real or not. If the conclusion is positive, then previous assumptions about the relationship between mind and matter are wrong and we'll need to come up with alternatives.

As we explore the concept of psi as "entangled minds," we'll consider examples of psi experiences in life and lab, we'll take a survey of the origins of psi research, we'll explore the outcomes of thousands of controlled laboratory tests, and we'll debunk some skeptical myths. Then we'll explore the fabric of reality as revealed by modern physics and see why it's becoming increasingly relevant to understanding why and how psi exists. At the end, we'll find that the nineteenth century English poet Francis Thompson may have said it best:

All things by immortal power,

Near and Far

Hiddenly

To each other linked are,

That thou canst not stir a flower

Without troubling of a star

Copyright ©2006 by Dean Radin, Ph.D.

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Excerpted from Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality by Dean Radin
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.