Peter Russell - What is Consciousness? Consciousness just IS.

When Peter Russell says that science will never prove that consciousness just emerges from inanimate matter, his opinion carries the weight of an impressive and eclectic career. During the last decades, his studies have taken him deep into the worlds of mathematics, theoretical physics, and experimental psychology. Add to that Russell's knowledge of Eastern philosophy and his experiential understanding of expanded states of consciousness, and it becomes clear why he is uniquely positioned to be a major player in the great consciousness debate.

In this dialogue with EnlightenNext's Craig Hamilton, Russell challenges the notion that material objects don't posses consciousness (rudimentary though it may be), considers the implications of altered states and near-death experiences on our understanding of the brain/consciousness connection, and speculates on what a post-materialistic science might look like. And while he cheerfully concedes that neuroscience has effectively done away with the mythical God, Russell insists that it will never reduce or explain away the mystery and significance of the human mystical experience.

BIO

Peter Russell, MA, DCS., is the author of ten books and producer of two award-winning videos. His work integrates Eastern and Western understandings of the mind, exploring their relevance to the world today and to humanity's future.

He has degrees in theoretical physics, experimental psychology, and computer science from the University of Cambridge, England. In India, he studied meditation and Eastern philosophy, and on his return took up research into the psychophysiology of meditation at the University of Bristol.

He was one of the first people to introduce human potential seminars into the corporate field, and for twenty years worked with major corporations on creativity, learning methods, stress management, and personal development.

His principal interest is the inner challenges of the times we are passing through. His books include The Global Brain, Waking Up in Time, and most recently From Science to God. Currently he is producing a film on the awakening of Buddha.