The Implicate Order of Natural Intelligence
A (first-draft) excerpt from my forthcoming book on Real Health. What are the origins of Natural Intelligence? How does this emerge within the human body, and in-form the human being with Health.
Contrary to popular belief, that which modernised humans relate to as intelligence is actually an inherent attribute of nature, and of what we refer to as the universe or the cosmos. The unseen or metaphysical realm from which the material universe emerges is inherently intelligent. Sentience and the associated complex sensory faculties we have as humans are also inherent to nature, and to the universe as a whole. They are properties of the material universe for the simple reason that they are properties of the metaphysical dimension from which the physical dimension emerges. Quantum physics is the modern exploration of the liminal boundary, a quantum dimension, between these two realms, the physical and the metaphysical.
From my perspective, on a level that is imperceptible to modernised humans, sub-atomic particles and atoms contain the same sentient qualities we recognised and typically only attribute to more complex multicellular organisms. Sentience at an atomic level is expressed or exhibited in such a rudimentary way that we don’t perceive or recognise it. As atoms coalesce into elements their inherent sentience and intelligence becomes imperceptibly more complex, yet still too simple for most humans to recognise it.
Over 120 years ago, one brilliant man, a genius and polymath from India recognised it. He achieved this, in part, through a machine he invented called the crescograph, an early oscillating recorder using clockwork gears and a smoked glass plate to measure the growth and movements of any subject in increments as small as 1/100,000 of an inch. Using the crescograph Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858 to 1937) demonstrated that plants are sentient. That they react to pain, and even to the human intention to inflict pain on the plant. I highly recommend familiarising yourself with his remarkable discoveries.
In the material dimension, intelligence and sentience arise on a spectrum from the most rudimentary to the highly complex traits possessed by humans and other complex animals. As matter becomes increasingly complex, such as seen in multicellular organisms from the most basic through to those as complex as human beings, the tell-tail signs of sentience and intelligence become increasingly apparent and recognisable to human perception. There are still many people today who would argue that plants don’t have feelings, and yet over 120 years ago Bose demonstrated that they do. Determined to unveil the remarkable capabilities of plant perception, Bose meticulously detailed his groundbreaking experiments and findings in his 1902 paper, "Responses in the Living and Non-Living." He documented how plants exhibited accelerated growth when exposed to soothing music and gentle murmurs, while their growth was stunted in the presence of jarring music and loud voices.
Bose also observed that plants exhibited signs of distress when subjected to polluted air and diminishing light. In essence, his pioneering research provided compelling evidence that plants are capable of experiencing both pleasure and pain. What’s lesser known about Bose’s work, is that he also demonstrated this same sentience, albeit very rudimentary, with basic elements, such as a piece of tin. One of his experiments involved applying a drop of acid to a piece of tin, in which he demonstrated the tin reacting to the acid in a same way a n organism would react to pain. Later in this experience, even him approaching the tin to apply acid would invoke the same reaction, before the acid came into contact with the tin.
In more recent years a great deal of research has show that plants are sentient (they have the capacity to feel, to respond with pleasure and pain). Recent studies have profoundly challenged our traditional views of plants, revealing a world far more complex and dynamic than previously imagined. Researchers like Segundo-Ortin and Calvo have argued for the cognitive capacities and potential sentience of plants, highlighting behaviors such as communication, kin recognition, decision-making, risk sensitivity, anticipatory behavior, learning, and memory. These behaviors suggest that plants can process information and respond to their environment in sophisticated ways.
Further exploration by Calvo and Lawrence has shown that plants engage in complex interactions with their surroundings, exhibiting cognitive capacities without a nervous system. Through electrical signaling and chemical pathways, plants can adapt to changing conditions, demonstrating intelligent behavior. This intelligence is not confined to organisms with nervous systems; instead, it is comparable to the intelligent behaviors observed in single cells and bacteria. Trewavas's work emphasizes that plants can exhibit such behaviors through mechanisms like Ca²⁺ signaling.
The sophistication of plant intelligence extends to their environmental sensing abilities. Stefano Mancuso's research has demonstrated that each root tip of a plant can detect and monitor multiple chemical and physical parameters, allowing plants to adapt and respond dynamically to their surroundings. The Society for Plant Neurobiology has further explored this sophisticated behavior, revealing that plants can move intentionally, orient leaves to follow light, and exhibit complex behaviors such as altruism and kin recognition.
In examining the molecular basis of plant intelligence, researchers at the MINT Lab at Universidad de Murcia have identified intelligence-related proteins in plants. This supports the idea that plants possess molecular mechanisms underlying their intelligent behaviors. Integrating insights from biology, cognitive science, and philosophy, this research delves into the possibility of plant consciousness.
However, the notion of plant sentience remains controversial. Ricard Solé's commentary on the work of Segundo-Ortin and Calvo acknowledges the cognitive potential of plants but calls for more solid theoretical foundations to support the idea of plant sentience. While the debate continues, the complexity of plant behavior is undeniable.
Plants utilize electrical and chemical signaling systems to coordinate responses and exhibit behaviors that suggest memory and decision-making. These systems enable plants to exhibit brainy behavior even in the absence of brains. Research into plant bioacoustics by Gagliano and colleagues suggests that plants might have sensory perceptions akin to hearing or feeling vibrations, opening new possibilities for understanding how plants interact with their environment.
Finally, integrating Indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge provides a richer understanding of plant intelligence and communication. Robin Wall Kimmerer's work emphasizes listening to plants and recognizing their agency within ecosystems. This blend of perspectives reveals that plants are not passive organisms but active participants in their environments.
Collectively, these studies, and many more, unveil a world where plants exhibit cognitive-like processes, sophisticated environmental sensing, and intelligent behaviors. While the concept of plant sentience remains debated, the evidence suggests that plants have intricate mechanisms for processing information and interacting with their environment. This challenges our traditional view of plants and opens new avenues for understanding the complexity of life on Earth.
From my perspective, it is only a matter of time before modern humans and consensus science wake up to what indigenous and mystical wisdom have recognised for millennia. In simple terms, that we exist in an intelligent, living matrix arising from a humanly ineffable field of consciousness, a vast and complex “mind”. Matter doesn’t produce consciousness, rather matter emerges out of consciousness and provides the necessary structure—the intelligent the organisation of matter—to act as an attenuating conduit or conductor for consciousness to express into and through the material dimension.
The key point to take in here is this: our modern belief that matter is lifeless and devoid of any significant attributes such as consciousness, intelligence, and sentience is a mis-taken view of reality. Once we realise this mistake, it is only logical to also realise that there is a great deal more to the material universe than meets the eye. There is an intelligent and self-organising field of consciousness, what some physicists such as David Bohm have referred to as the 'implicate order,' underlying the visible, tangible world. This perspective invites us to reconsider our understanding of all matter, recognizing that intelligence and consciousness are inherent in the very fabric of the universe. This means seeing plants not as passive organisms but as dynamic entities capable of complex behaviors, communication, and decision-making. It also means acknowledging that what we perceive as inanimate matter may be part of a vast, interconnected web of life and intelligence. By embracing this broader view, we open ourselves to a richer, more interconnected understanding of life and the universe, one that honors the intrinsic wisdom and complexity inherent in all forms of existence.
I realize that what I’m proposing here may be judged as total hogwash to the more incredulous materialists among us. I’m okay with that. Such opinions stand in contradiction to millennia of ancestral and spiritual wisdom, as well as to a wealth of modern scientific research. For those seeking Real Health in a world overflowing with chronic illness, it is crucial not to let the errors embedded in consensus belief systems bind us to the same path of persistent disease. Embracing a broader understanding of consciousness and the intelligent nature of all matter invites us to explore new paradigms for health and well-being.
Next we will look into what I refer to as the spectrum of natural intelligence, and how you can personally draw upon this trove of living wisdom for restoring the intelligence and implicate order of your body and psyché.
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