Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality
Book Review
by
Dvija Govinda Das
Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality" is a remarkable work that challenges the long-dominant worldview of materialism. Edited by Edward F. Kelly, Adam Crabtree, and Paul Marshall, the book gathers scholarly conclusions from various disciplines which recognize that consciousness cannot be reduced to mere brain chemistry and physical processes.
From the viewpoint of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), this is an important and welcome development. For centuries, Vedic wisdom has taught that life is not a product of matter but that matter is enlivened and directed by life — the eternal, conscious soul (ātmā). In Bhagavad-gītā (7.5), Śrī Krishna clearly distinguishes between the inferior material energy and the superior energy, which consists of living entities.
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One of the most compelling aspects of “Beyond Physicalism” is its serious treatment of psi-phenomena — experiences and abilities such as telepathy, precognition, remote viewing, and other forms of extra-sensory perception. The book does not dismiss such reports as mere superstition or experimental error, but instead presents a growing body of peer-reviewed research suggesting that consciousness can operate beyond the ordinary limits of the brain and the senses.
From an ISKCON perspective, this is entirely consistent with the Vedic view that the living entity is a conscious spiritual being, distinct from the gross and subtle material bodies, and therefore capable of perception not limited by physical organs. Śrīla Prabhupāda often cited such phenomena as evidence that consciousness is not a by-product of matter, but rather the symptom of the eternal soul.
The editors and contributors of this volume unambiguously affirm that mind and consciousness are fundamental realities, not by-products of the brain. Although they arrive at this conclusion through different philosophical and empirical pathways, the result resonates with the Vedic understandingthat consciousness is irreducible, eternal, and not dependent on matter for its existence. Furthermore, the book’s call for reconciliation between science and spirituality mirrors the ISKCON mission of promoting a holistic, God-centered worldview that harmonizes empirical investigation with higher truths revealed in scripture. Just as Śrīla Prabhupāda asked scientists to re- examine the assumptions of materialism, Beyond Physicalism invites the academic world to broaden its horizons.
In summary, “Beyond Physicalism” is a thoughtful, rigorous, and inspiring book. For the followers of the bhakti tradition, it represents a sign that modern thought is slowly moving closer to timeless Vedic truths — especially the understanding that we are not these bodies, but eternal souls which are part and parcel of the highest reality, Supreme Person Śrī Krishna.
Dvija Govinda das
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