Resonance Theory In Sheldrake's Science Set Free

Does the fish know that it is in water? That is a saying that really strikes thought into one’s mind. Can an organism be truly aware of something that is beyond itself, or something that has been a given truth since its birth? This thought provoking remark indeed that bears a lot of resemblance to the overall theme in Science Set Free, written by award winning novelist and heavily respected biologist, Dr. Rupert Sheldrake. Within the book, Sheldrake’s main concern is that modern day scientific beliefs are plagued by ten major dogmas explained later in the paper. The problem with these dogmas is that they’re purely assumption. This is damaging to the fabric of modern day science, and even more so the future of the sciences. These dogmas

Is biological inheritance material, are memories material, are our minds confined to the brain? Sheldrake provides his own resonance theory that supports the dogmas six and seven. The resonance theory is the belief that organisms can pass data with each other as if resonating with one another. Example provided by Sheldrake, “There is already evidence that this actually happens...For example, if millions of people take standard tests, like IQ tests, the tests should become progressively easier, on average, for people to do” (pg. 211). This is a theory that has evidence of this occurring in people. This isn’t a material inheritance. You don’t get anything physical from this. It’s not a “memory” in people that’s stored in the brain, it’s a phenomenon that somehow passes down this “memory” to be inherited by others in similar situations. The mind is nothing physical, the mind is beyond the brain. Our mind cannot be described as simply this or that, but it can be what’s around us. When we see visions, we see what’s around us and process images as a result. Sheldrake gives even better examples like, “Most people say they have felt someone looking at them from behind, and claim to have made people turn around by looking at them. The ability to detect stares seems to be real, as shown in many scientific tests” (pg.

Not much is said in the chapter other than the phenomenon has been deemed false, but statistics show signs of telepathy for reasons unknown. Telepathy between people tend to be with those closely bonded, but there are other types such as predictions like animals who can detect disasters before they occur. Dogma ten deals with mechanistic medicine and whether it’s the only kind to work. Sheldrake supports mechanistic medicine saying it’s had great success, but it disregards the mind and being of the patient. Placebo effects play a big role in people’s recovery since a lot can be achieved with solely the mind. People who tend to be in situations that support their welfare will tend to heal or stave off illness overall. People that have pets, or loved ones, or practice yoga, all that sorts of stuff. Sheldrake’s main point isn’t that mechanistic medicine doesn’t work, just that the mind and well being can do a lot of healing in place of