The Science of Reality

                      By Mark A. Foster, Ph.D.

This essay will briefly summarize some of my ideas on the science of
reality (a.k.a. Alethionomy [SM]), including spiritual science (a.k.a.
Pneumaticonomy [SM]) and material science (a.k.a. physiconomy [SM).
I regard the science of reality as the basis for a philosophy of science 
- an antidote for positivism and logical positivism, on the one hand,
and humanism, on the other. 

As a sociologist specializing in the study of alternative religious 
movements and religious organizational typology, I was much influenced 
by Harvard sociologist, Pitirim Sorokin who, in his numerous works, such 
as the three-volume _Social and Cultural Dynamics_, advanced a new  
philosophy of science which he called "integralism." According to this 
approach, there are three levels of reality: the sensate (or empirical), 
the ideational (or spiritual), and the idealistic (or integral). Later in 
his career, Sorokin predicted the coming of a new integral age (a blend 
of the best of sensatism and ideationalism) which would be characterized
by creative altruism and super-conscious intuition.

According to Sorokin, the scientific method should admit the study of
spiritual reality. This view was contrary to the logical positivism
of the Vienna Circle, much in vogue at the time (early to middle
twentieth century). Sociology was struggling to establish itself as a
legitimate science, and Sorokin's integralism was regarded by some of
his colleagues as contradicting that goal.

In my own formulations, I have also developed a threefold scheme:

1. Spiritual Reality: The level of purposeful power - the animating
principle of reality (spirit) - knowing power and loving/linking power

2. Rational Reality: The level of rational accomplishment in time - with
an origin, a life pattern, and an end objective

3. Material Reality: The level of immediate acts and attributes

All forms of existence can be seen at any of these three levels of reality:

1. The spiritual reality of humans is based on his spiritual power to
know and to love, which, at the highest level, is knowledge of the Akasha 
(the spiritual world) and unconditional love. Man's rational reality is
progressing through a life pattern leading to union with the Cosmic Source. 
Finally, his material reality are the qualities that he manifests on the
physical/material plane - either a reflection of spiritual reality or
self-will.

2. The spiritual reality of animals is based on their knowing power 
(instinct) and their loving/linking power (the power to link with the 
material world, as through mating - a type of feeling, through the five 
senses). Their rational reality is a pattern of sense-memory utilization. 
Finally, their material reality is expressed in sensation and mating.

3. The spiritual reality of vegetables/plants is based on their knowing
power (innate knowledge of how to grow) and their loving/linking power
(linking with natural elements and the sun resulting in growth). Their
rational reality is a pattern of growth. And, finally, their material
reality is the qualities that they manifest (beauty and color, for
instance) in the moment.

4. And lastly, the spiritual reality of minerals is based on their knowing
power (innate knowledge of cohesion) and their loving/linking power
(the power of cohesion - a linking of elements). The entire physical 
universe exists on this mineral level with gravitation being a form of
cohesion. Their rational reality is the changing structure of rocks and
minerals over time. And, finally, their material reality is the qualities
manifested by different varieties of rocks, gems, and minerals.

The cosmological paradigm of the science of reality is "the worlds of
existence":

I. The Spiritual World Essential: This is the condition of ultimate 
   origins - the First Cause of all the other conditions of existence - 
   sometimes referred to as "God." The Source World contains the Essence 
   of spirituality. It is the condition of the Universal Mind

II. The Spiritual World Manifested: This is the absolute condition of 
    spiritual Manifestation. The Attributes of spirituality appear in 
    this condition, e.g., Perfect Love, Supreme Knowledge, Creativeness,
    and Absolute Compassion. Certain Beings (Avatars) have appeared 
    throughout history who have embodied the Universal Mind.

III. The Spiritual World Beyond: This is the spiritual condition of
     departed souls.

IV.  This World: Before death

     A. The Spiritual World Within: This is the spiritual condition in 
        which souls may live while still in This World - by connecting
        with the Spiritual World Manifested.

        1. The Spiritual World Order: This is the future condition of the
           Human World (see below) as humans begin to live in the 
           Spiritual World Within. It will mark the beginning of the new
           Integral Age, anticipated by Sorokin.
     
     B. The Human World: The ever-evolving condition of humanity - now
        about to become a Spiritual World Order, as humans begin to 
        connect with the Spiritual World Within.

        1. The World of Human Imperfection: This is the condition of the
           Human World when people attach themselves to the World of
           Matter (see below). The human imperfections include: jealousy,
           greed, impatience, selfishness, etc.

        2. The Rational World: This is the condition of rational 
           accomplishment in time. The mind "sees" reality on this
           level. It is the realm of the intellect.

     C. The World of Matter: The condition of outward appearances -
        manifested spirit in form.

        1. The World of Sensation: Animal condition

        2. The World of Growth: Vegetable condition

        3. The World of Cohesion: Mineral condition

Now, spiritual science (Pneumaticonomy [SM]) is essentially the study of 
the worlds of existence and also includes an applied field, called the 
Four-Point Solution [SM], viz., prayer, meditation (on relating all forms 
of reality to the worlds-of-existence paradigm), the study of spiritual 
science, and self-sacrificial service. The essential goal of this spiritual 
science is to become conscious of when one is functioning in the Spiritual 
World Within (the highest level of soul consciousness in This World) and 
when one is functioning in the World of Human Imperfection (attachment of 
the mind to the World of Matter and the human body). The Four-Point Solution 
[SM] is designed as a technology to help one more consistently live in 
the Spiritual World Within. 

The essence of all reality is spirit (purposeful power). Whenever we connect
with any existential reality, we are, in effect, "channeling" the spiritual
energy, the purposeful power, of that existence. Spiritual love and
knowledge are, for instance, an expression of the heavenly spirit (living
in the Spiritual World Within); mind is an expression of the human spirit
(the power of rational accomplishment; the animal is an expression of
the animal spirit (the power of sensation); the vegetable is an expression
of the vegetable spirit (the power of growth); and the mineral is a
expression of the mineral spirit (the power of cohesion). In eating a
piece of fruit, for instance, we are channeling the manifested energy 
(the fruit) of the vegetable spirit. In magnetic healing, one channels
the manifested energy of the animal spirit (animal magnetism/love/linking).

The material sciences (biology, psychology, physics, sociology, chemistry,
astronomy, etc.), as conceived by the science of reality (Alethionomy [SM]),
should be viewed from within the framework of the worlds-of-existence
paradigm. IOW, a material scientist should recognize that what s/he is
studying (whether the mind/brain, society, or some aspect of the World of
Matter) is an emanation of the Spiritual World, i.e., of spirit - the
purposeful power (knowing power and loving/linking power) underlying all
of existence. What the material scientist studies is then put into its
proper perspective.

Science is a method - the deductive-inductive method. Its subject matter
need not be limited to materiality. In the new Integral Age, we must
rid ourselves of all aspects of the old Cartesian paradigm (a relic of
an earlier stage in the evolution of the Human World) and fully embrace
the emerging nonlinear, holistic paradigm. It is toward the development
of such a paradigm that this essay is offered.

Humbly submitted,

Mark A. Foster

Please note: The ideas presented in this essay are soley my own and any 
errors should be attributed only to me. Please contact me for any further
information or if you just want to discuss some of the concepts of the
science of reality.

Copyright 1994 by Mark A. Foster, Ph.D.

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