>
> I reckon there's a lot of room for a modern, scientific, rational form of
> mysticism that gets the experiences without the hypno-hype and extra
> cosmological baggage.
>
> Dennett's work makes a great foundation for this, IMHO. Seeing the
> self as a 'virtual captain of the crew' is almost half way there!
>
Oops! sorry to give you the wrong impression.The exact opposite of what I
meant, mysticism.
I was talking about a form of thinking that explans "spiritualism" in human's
mind. A sustained low focus type, often mistaken for mysticism, exploited by
religions of the world, but nothing mysterious, just under-researched.
I suggested it was a part of our natural cognitive state.
> (Why bother? Believe me, there is *nothing* like that experience; even
> psychedelics give merely a weedy little echo of the 'cosmicness' of it.
> And I think that sentient beings who *lived* from that perspective could
> be immensely powerful and joyful creatures. Easily able to re-program
> themselves, to morph, etc. - in fact, Transhuman!)
>
Drug experiences may have some effect on this process by shutting down high
focus thought ( sometimes permanently ; - ), but your so called 'mystics'
have found meditation does it also. Also exercise seems to help and mindless
simple things like shaving... driving....
This process helps with creativity also.