David Bohm, a groundbreaking quantum physicist, is featured alongside Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon, who delve into his revolutionary ideas. They discuss Bohm's dramatic life and conflicts with the scientific elite, drawing parallels to his philosophical explorations with Krishnamurti. Interesting insights include Bohm's concept of implicate order and its relation to morphic fields. The conversation also examines the holistic understanding of reality and consciousness, urging a dynamic approach to existence, supported by the newly released film on Bohm's life.
David Bohm's revolutionary interpretation of quantum theory emphasizes interconnectedness and underlying guiding fields influencing observed phenomena rather than randomness.
Bohm's dialogues with Jiddu Krishnamurti explore the relationship between the observer and the observed, highlighting the necessity of a multidimensional perspective in understanding reality.
Deep dives
The Life and Ideas of David Bohm
David Bohm, while not as famous as Einstein, is recognized as a pivotal figure in quantum physics, contributing deeply to our understanding of reality and consciousness. Bohm proposed a revolutionary interpretation of quantum theory, suggesting that phenomena could be influenced by underlying guiding fields rather than being purely random, a concept highlighted in the film 'Infinite Potential.' His relationship with Robert Oppenheimer and other notable physicists is significant; when they were unable to refute Bohm's groundbreaking theories, they chose to exclude him from mainstream scientific discourse instead. This ostracism eventually led him to explore profound questions about consciousness, culminating in enriching dialogues with philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti that are skillfully captured in the documentary.
The Interconnection Between Science and Consciousness
The podcast discusses how Bohm's work illustrates the interconnectedness of science and consciousness, emphasizing that physicists' views on reality influence their interpretation of quantum mechanics. Notably, Bohm’s dialogues with Krishnamurti delve into the relationship between the observer and the observed, proposing that understanding quantum phenomena requires a multidimensional perspective. This contrasts sharply with other leading figures like Niels Bohr, who adopted a more calculative and less philosophical approach, indicating how personal beliefs shape scientific inquiry. Through Bohm’s insights and the film's effective presentation, it becomes clear that a holistic view of reality is vital for understanding both quantum physics and consciousness.
Reinventing Concepts and Language in Science
Bohm's endeavor to develop new languages and concepts reflected his belief in the fluidity of reality and the need for a more dynamic understanding of existence. His influential work, particularly 'Wholeness and the Implicate Order,' attempts to capture the essence of reality as a flowing entity, challenging conventional static interpretations in both science and philosophy. Interestingly, despite his deep inquiries, Bohm often seemed detached from existing philosophical frameworks, leading some to feel he was reinventing concepts without contextual grounding. This notion of flow, connecting back to Bohm's dialogues with Krishnamurti and his later conversations with Owen Barfield, signifies a broader pursuit of understanding how imagination and insight can shape scientific discovery, moving beyond rigid and reductionist paradigms.
A new film, Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm – https://www.infinitepotential.com – has just been released for free online. In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon discuss its excellent telling of the dramatic life and revolutionary insights of this deep scientific thinker. Rupert first met Bohm in 1982 soon after the publication of his book A New Science of Life precipitated a negative reaction from the militant materialists; the editor of the leading scientific journal Nature tried to excommunicate him. Bohm had a similar experience forty years earlier with the quantum physics community. Mark and Rupert talk about what Bohm drew from Krishnamurti, and how the formalisms of quantum theory are influenced by psychological and spiritual perceptions. They also explore the ways in which Bohm’s notion of an implicate order resonates strongly with that of morphic fields, and discuss Bohm’s engagement with the ideas of Owen Barfield, about whom Mark has written. They highly recommend the film.
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