"There are Reasons Behind Reason"

There are Reasons Behind Reason
By anthonynorth on January 14, 2009

The sceptical assault against the paranormal is unrelenting. Just writing about the subject, even if you’re offering reasoned ideas, is enough for a tide of ridicule. This is done in the name of ‘reason’, but is increasingly being seen as unreasonable.
Why is there such a loathing for the paranormal from science? Well, I think it goes back to the purpose of knowledge. If we go back to religious knowledge, it is said to be unreasonable.

This is not the case.

I’ve spoken to enough religious people to know that they consider their faith to be reasonable and reasoned, and they find evidence of the truth of their faith all around them.

The difference between religious knowledge and modern, scientific knowledge is that the scope of reason has shifted. It has changed from a holistic view of the world to a specialised and reductionist view.

Is this reasonable?

In one sense, certainly not. It is reasonable to summise that there is never a definite single way of thinking or doing things. If this is so, then the scientific mind-set makes the same mistake as the religious. It suggests only one way of thinking. However, in order to get to grips with the reality of knowledge, I think we have to ask an important question. With all knowledge systems we must ask: is there a reason behind reason?

Consider the Big Bang.

‘Evidence’ suggests Big Bang is an increasing reality. Yet this ignores the argument that there is never just one definite answer. But it is enough to ridicule counter-theories such as Steady State.

What is the reason behind the reasoning? Steady State does not require a beginning and an end. Big Bang does. In other words, Big Bang better reflects our linear mind-set that things do not go in cycles, but advance or decline along a straight line from a beginning to an end.

Some things are taboo.

It is against the scientific mind-set to consider anything that does not fall in line with an atheist, materialist, linear system of thought. The paranormal seems to break this, even though I’m not sure it does.

But it does demand a more holistic way of looking at the world. Indeed, fringe science is already going in this direction. Quantum and chaos theory, ecology and even relativity suggest the present view of science is coming to an end. And here lies the possible reason for such extreme scepticism and ridicule.

The present paradigm is approaching its fall. The same thing happened in the early years of the 20th century, and die-hard defenders of the old system went to their grave denying the new.

The same is happening today – and paranormal research is at the forefront of the assault. Hence, the more they squeal, the closer comes the time when a new mind-set is let loose to range over the beauty of knowledge.