Hatrack River Forum: Is Deepak Chopra on the level about this?

This is topic Is Deepak Chopra on the level about this? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=044553

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

There was an interview published in my local paper, in which Mr. Chopra gave his views on a number of topics. In addition to the usual stuff, he dropped a little bombshell- "Science has proven that the spirit, or soul is physically real. It exists, and no one today denies it."

He went on at length about how this shows we don't need religion anymore to define such things (and how religion is evil anyway)...but I was still stunned by his opener.

Science has proven that the human soul exists? [Eek!]

That's huge news. We're talking world-shaking news.

He didn't explain or give detail...so I must ask- Was there actually something behind that? Has one of the biggest discoveries in human history happened, and it just didn't cause much of a buzz?

Or was he just giving his own spin to something far more mundane?

[ August 21, 2006, 12:52 PM: Message edited by: Puffy Treat ]

Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :

Probably the latter.

Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :

Does this go back to those "how much does a soul weigh" experiments, where they mathematically assigned a weight to one's soul when it leaves the body after death?

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Nighthawk:
Does this go back to those "how much does a soul weigh" experiments, where they mathematically assigned a weight to one's soul when it leaves the body after death?

Do you mean? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_MacDougall

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

I know many people who find Deepak Chopra to be intriguing, especially his claim that one does not need to age. As for myself, I've never felt much confidence in him.

I'm finding the Wikipedia article on him to be informative on current controversies that surround him and a good source for further links.

Posted by Tresopax (Member # 1063) on :

Science can't prove anything is physically real. That's not the domain of science.

I suspect that what science has actually done is shown that various physical things behave in a manner that is consistent with some theory of Deepak Chopra's that includes a soul.

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

Yeah, I got a bit of a raised brow over how he condemned current medicine for "killing" cancer cells in the interview.

Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :

quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:

quote:
Originally posted by Nighthawk:
Does this go back to those "how much does a soul weigh" experiments, where they mathematically assigned a weight to one's soul when it leaves the body after death?
Do you mean? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_MacDougall

Yeah, that's what I was thinking about. That's the only arguably scientific attempt to quantify it that I know of.

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Nighthawk:

quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:

quote:
Originally posted by Nighthawk:
Does this go back to those "how much does a soul weigh" experiments, where they mathematically assigned a weight to one's soul when it leaves the body after death?
Do you mean? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_MacDougall
Yeah, that's what I was thinking about. That's the only arguably scientific attempt to quantify it that I know of.

I think Mortal Kombat clearly showed the reality of the soul [Wink]

That too is the only attempt I have seen to scientifically quantify the soul.