JRE #550 – Rupert Sheldrake

9/16/2014

This episode of the Joe Rogan Experience features Rupert Sheldrake, a biologist and author known for his controversial theory of morphic resonance. The conversation delves into fascinating and thought-provoking topics, ranging from the nature of memory and learning to the existence of telepathy and the role of psychedelics in human consciousness.

Here are some of the major topics discussed:

Morphic Resonance

• Sheldrake’s theory of morphic resonance posits that the universe has a kind of collective memory, not just through genes but through a more holistic, interconnected process. This memory allows for patterns and behaviors to spread rapidly across space and time, influencing individuals and species as a whole.
• Sheldrake provides evidence for morphic resonance by citing experiments on rats, blue tits, and even the rat poison industry, where patterns of learning and aversion seem to transcend individual experience and spread across populations.
• The theory challenges conventional scientific explanations for inheritance, memory, and learning, suggesting that these processes are not entirely governed by genes and molecular biology but involve a more dynamic and interconnected force.
• Sheldrake argues that morphic resonance can explain phenomena like the inheritance of acquired characteristics, the rapid spread of learned behaviors in animals, and even the intuitive understanding of skills like martial arts by children of practitioners.

Epigenetics and the Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

• The podcast explores the recent scientific discoveries in epigenetics, which have challenged the long-held belief that inheritance is solely determined by genes. This field suggests that environmental factors can influence the expression of genes, and some of these changes can be passed down to subsequent generations.
• Sheldrake highlights experiments on mice that inherited fear of a specific smell from their fathers, despite never having experienced it themselves, as evidence for the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
• This discovery has opened up new avenues for understanding biological inheritance and has led to the “missing heritability problem” – the inability of gene sequencing to fully account for traits and diseases observed in populations.
• The discussion emphasizes the ongoing evolution of scientific understanding, highlighting how the acceptance of epigenetics has shifted the scientific landscape, creating more openness towards non-genetic explanations for inheritance.

Psychedelics and Consciousness

• Sheldrake describes his personal experience with LSD in the 1970s, which led him to question the limitations of a purely materialistic worldview and sparked his interest in exploring consciousness beyond the confines of the brain.
• The podcast touches on the potential of psychedelics to facilitate a deeper understanding of the mind and reality, providing insights into other realms of consciousness that are not limited to our physical brains.
• Sheldrake suggests that psychedelics can contribute to a more comprehensive view of the nature of consciousness and may even help bridge the gap between science and spirituality.
• The discussion on psychedelics highlights the potential of these substances to challenge conventional paradigms and expand our understanding of human experience, while acknowledging the need for responsible and ethical exploration.

Telepathy and the Sense of Being Stared At

• Sheldrake discusses his research on the sense of being stared at, which has long been dismissed as a mere superstition. However, his research suggests that this phenomenon is real and can be measured scientifically, particularly in children.
• Sheldrake’s experiments involve blindfolded individuals attempting to detect when someone is looking at them, with results showing that people often score above chance.
• He argues that this phenomenon supports his theory of morphic resonance, as it suggests that our minds are not confined to our brains but extend outward, influencing and being influenced by others.
• The podcast explores the implications of this research for understanding human perception, communication, and the potential for training individuals to become more sensitive to their surroundings.

Telepathy and Dogs

• Sheldrake shares his research on dogs that seem to know when their owners are coming home, despite no obvious cues or patterns. This phenomenon, often dismissed as mere coincidence or learned behavior, is supported by statistically significant evidence from his own experiments and those of other researchers.
• Sheldrake attributes this ability to telepathic communication, suggesting that dogs can pick up on their owners’ intentions and emotions.
• This research further challenges the limitations of conventional scientific explanations and highlights the potential for animals to communicate in ways we don’t fully understand.
• Sheldrake emphasizes the importance of recognizing and researching these seemingly paranormal phenomena, particularly in light of the emotional bond between humans and animals.

Telephone Telepathy

• The podcast delves into Sheldrake’s research on telephone telepathy, where individuals are able to guess who is calling them before answering, even when the caller is chosen randomly.
• Sheldrake argues that this phenomenon is a real effect, particularly between individuals with strong emotional connections, and suggests that it is facilitated by the morphic field of the social group.
• This research challenges the limitations of conventional communication models and suggests that our minds may be interconnected in ways that are not entirely explained by our current understanding of physics and biology.
• Sheldrake explores the potential for telepathy to evolve alongside technology, highlighting how the development of telephones and other communication devices may have amplified and modified our innate telepathic abilities.

Precognition and the Future

• The podcast discusses research on precognition, the ability to perceive future events. Sheldrake cites the work of Daryl Bem, who conducted experiments suggesting that individuals can respond to emotionally arousing stimuli before they occur.
• Sheldrake and Rogan discuss the implications of this research for understanding human perception and reaction times, particularly in fast-paced activities like sports and driving.
• They explore the potential for precognition to be harnessed for practical applications, such as improving performance in sports, enhancing safety in driving, and even aiding in military operations.
• The discussion on precognition highlights the ongoing exploration of the boundaries of human consciousness and the potential for our minds to interact with time in unexpected ways.

The Role of Religion

• Sheldrake shares his own journey from atheism to Christianity, highlighting the influence of psychedelics, meditation, and his experiences in India on his spiritual development.
• He criticizes the dogmatism of both atheism and religious fundamentalism, arguing that both can be limiting and restrictive, preventing genuine exploration of the universe and human consciousness.
• Sheldrake advocates for a more inclusive and open approach to spirituality, emphasizing the common ground shared by different religious traditions and the importance of personal experience in spiritual growth.
• He connects his Christian beliefs with his scientific work, suggesting that a broader understanding of the universe, including the possibility of morphic resonance and telepathy, can enrich our spiritual understanding.

The American Civil War and Fundamentalism

• Sheldrake explores the historical roots of American fundamentalism, connecting its rise to the American Civil War and the use of biblical texts to justify slavery.
• He argues that the literal interpretation of the Bible, prevalent in Southern Baptist and other fundamentalist groups, emerged as a way to justify a specific political agenda and has led to a polarized and often hostile approach to science and other perspectives.
• The discussion highlights the impact of historical events on the development of religious ideologies and the importance of critically examining the motivations and biases underlying different belief systems.
• Sheldrake contrasts the more inclusive and open approach to Christianity in England, suggesting that the American brand of fundamentalism is a unique phenomenon rooted in specific historical and political contexts.

The Future of Human Consciousness

• The podcast concludes with a discussion on the potential for human consciousness to evolve and develop. Sheldrake suggests that our innate telepathic abilities and other seemingly paranormal phenomena may become more pronounced in the future.
• He highlights the importance of recognizing and investigating these abilities, particularly in the context of rapidly evolving technology and changing social norms.
• Sheldrake emphasizes that our understanding of the universe and our place within it is constantly evolving, and that we must be open to new possibilities and challenge our existing paradigms.
• The final conversation on the future of human consciousness offers a hopeful vision for a more connected and expanded understanding of human potential, emphasizing the importance of embracing the mysteries of the universe and the ongoing journey of human evolution.

Memorable Quotes

• “Each individual in this species draws on a collective memory and contributes to it. It works on the base of similarity. Any pattern of activity that’s similar to a later pattern of activity in a self-organizing system influences it across space and time.” – Sheldrake describes the core concept of morphic resonance, highlighting the interconnectedness of all living things.
• “What genes do is code for the sequence of amino acids in proteins, protein molecules which make up our muscles and the blood cells and they have the enzymes and so on a major part of life. Coded for by genes. But there’s a huge difference between making the right proteins and the shape of your nose, for example, or the instincts of a spider to spin a web.” – Sheldrake illustrates the limitations of genetic explanations for complex biological phenomena, emphasizing the role of other factors like morphogenetic fields.
• “The body, the heart keeps beating faster. The fight or flight response, so you know the adrenaline kind of response kicks in. So when the when the stimulus occurs, the body’s already sort of revved up with this emotional response.” – Rogan describes the findings of research on precognition, illustrating how our bodies may anticipate emotionally arousing events before they occur.
• “I don’t want to be manacled to time.” – Sheldrake explains his preference for a pocket watch, highlighting his dislike for being constantly tied to a specific schedule.
• “If you have a breakthrough psychedelic experience and you’re like, ‘That was nothing,’ well, then you’re a unique person, because everybody I’ve ever met that has a breakthrough psychedelic experience like a DMT trip, they have to step back and go, ‘Okay, I didn’t even know that was possible.'” – Rogan reflects on the transformative nature of psychedelic experiences and the potential for them to challenge our preconceived notions of reality.