- Mark Gober studied economics at Princeton before working as an investment banker.
- He became interested in phenomena that science can’t explain, like near-death experiences.
- He believes that scientific proof shows there’s a collective consciousness we don’t understand.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mark Gober, author of “The End to Upside Down Thinking: Dispelling the Myth That the Brain Produces Consciousness, and the Implications for Everyday Life.” It has been edited for length and clarity.
My life, in the beginning, followed a traditional path. I studied economics at Princeton and worked as an investment banker after graduation. Later, I became a consultant in Silicon Valley.
Despite my academic and analytical world, I always had a fascination with life’s big questions. I pondered the universe and our existence, questioning the meaning of it all.
Although humans can find personal meaning in life, I believed that in the grand scheme of things, life had no inherent meaning. I thought those who believed otherwise were just comforting themselves. I believed that science was leading us away from religious and superstitious beliefs about life after death.
Discovering the reality of psychic phenomena through scientific proof
We often dismiss individual anecdotal experiences of people who have witnessed their life flash before their eyes or have had premonitions about accidents. These stories are easy to ignore since they are considered one-time occurrences.
However, as I delved deeper into the unexplained, I noticed patterns. Different experts, who weren’t collaborating, were uncovering similar results that defied scientific explanation. This included near-death experiences and psychic phenomena.
One fascinating source I explored was documents from a CIA program where individuals were able to transmit their thoughts to others using only their minds. The program concluded that there was a statistically significant success in these transmissions.
I also came across multiple accounts of near-death experiences where blind individuals were able to see or deaf individuals could hear. Additionally, I discovered stories of children who recalled past lives and spoke languages they had never been taught in their current lifetime.
Through interviews with scientists and examining primary sources, I felt like I had opened Pandora’s box. My previous belief that science moved us away from the paranormal was shattered. I became convinced that science was revealing a greater reality that couldn’t be explained by our current understanding of the universe.
Consciousness: The missing piece of the puzzle
Mainstream science currently teaches that consciousness originates from the brain. According to this view, our biological and physical makeup determines who we are and how we experience the world. However, this perspective fails to explain psychic phenomena and other mysteries.
Researchers refer to this issue as the hard problem of consciousness: How do the neurons in our brain account for our subjective experience of the world?
I was astonished to learn that there are respected academic institutions dedicated to studying this problem. One example is the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies, which investigates phenomena that challenge mainstream scientific paradigms regarding human consciousness.
Personally, I have come to believe in non-local consciousness, that is, consciousness originating outside of our physical bodies and beyond our brains. To me, this explanation is the most scientifically sound.
I often consider the perspective of skeptics, as I used to be one myself. There is a tendency to dismiss anomalies that don’t fit into our current understanding of the world, just as I did with unexplainable anecdotes.
Awaiting a paradigm shift
The mainstream scientific paradigm is resistant to change. Throughout history, we have witnessed instances where previously held beliefs were debunked, such as the idea that the Earth is flat or embracing the theory of relativity. Every time science encounters something it cannot explain, it necessitates expanding or adjusting our scientific understanding.
I believe there is a spiritual dimension in the universe that surpasses our conventional senses. This belief is not rooted in comfort but in the scientific evidence that has guided me to this point.
Previously, I considered anything related to spirituality or religion as primitive superstitions. Now, I recognize that there is inherent meaning woven into the fabric of reality, and our lives hold purpose. I don’t claim to possess all the answers, but I sense that spiritual and religious traditions tap into something fundamental.
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. However, one thing I am certain of is that there is still much for science to uncover.
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