“Spiritual Psychology”

Josh Cooper

Psychology 499

Theistic vs. Atheistic Science

Today, science functions from the atheistic perspective. That is, it prohibits the use of God as an explanatory concept. It is under the assumption that either there is no God, or if there is one, then God in no way intervenes with the maintenance, or functioning of the universe. This assumption comes from science being strictly monistic and materialistic. It’s explanatory concepts come only from empirical evidence in the physical world. From this perspective, all things in the universe are caused by and can only be explained by physical and material things. However, because this assumption cannot be proven, it is called the negative bias. (Dr. James ref.)

Theistic Science is the diametric opposite of atheistic science. It uses the works of 18^th century scientist Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), who, at the age of 57 suddenly found himself in dual consciousness of both the natural and spiritual worlds. For the next 27 years he kept records about all of his investigations in spiritual world. These records were collected and written into a group of books known as The Writings. These writings are scientific revelations. Theistic science uses Swedenbrog’s scientific revelations to explain the operation of the world in both its largest and smallest details. It describes God's role in the creation, maintenance, and functioning of the universe, including all physical and material aspects. This includes the laws of correspondences, which specify the mechanisms by which the natural world and events are caused by the spiritual world and events. Theistic science thus operates within dualism instead of monism.

However, the dualism of theistic science is a substantive dualism and is much different than other classes of dualism. Cartesian dualism theorizes a distinct separation between the mind and body, and sees both of them as being composed of completely different and separate substances. To Descartes, the body was made up of matter, and its properties and characteristics are completely different than the thinking substances of the mind. (Odhner The Human Mind 6). From his own speculation Descartes believed that there were two worlds that made-up a person: an internal, mental world composed of thinking substances, and the external, physical world where the body dwelled, which was composed of matter. Where Cartesian dualism falls short is in failing to explain the specific substances that make up the mental world, and how the mind and body are able to interact if they are made from completely different, incompatible, substances.

Substantive dualism also has a separation of the mind and the physical body. The world of the mind, which is in the spiritual world, is a distinctly separate place, which is composed of specific substances and laws. The two worlds: the spiritual world, and the natural world are connected as cause and effect are. The difference between substantive and Cartesian dualism is that the former recognizes and defines specific substances, laws, and modes of operation, while the latter does not. Cartesian dualism recognizes that there are substances and laws that make up the mental world, but it does not have any details as to what they are. In substantive dualism the mind is the spiritual organ, which is the spiritual body, for the disembodied mind cannot function. This spiritual body is composed of the spiritual substances good and truth, which operate through Divine laws of influx and correspondence. With a detailed analysis of Swedenborg’s substantive dualism, the two questions, which Descartes failed to answer, are answered. The thinking substances that Descartes refers to are defined in substantive dualism as good and truth, as well as their modes of operation through the Divine process of influx, which is the Divine order that all substances in the spiritual and physical world are created and maintained, by God. Swedenborg also describes how the Divine law of correspondences define the ways in which the mind and physical body interact. Matter in the physical world and body are directly correspondential and caused by the spiritual world, where the mind dwells. The body is not matter disconnected from the mind and its substances, it is the effect of the mind and spiritual substances.

The main reason for this substantial difference relates to the way the theories were generated. All the information and description of the world’s dualistic nature in substantive dualism was derived from empirical observations of the spiritual world by Emanuel Swedenborg. Cartesian dualism has no empirical, observational data on which to base its ideas. It was formed simply from speculation.

Because substantive dualism was formed by observational data, it is a scientific dualism rather that a philosophical theory. Its concepts and descriptions are scientifically sound and are based on the observational data of the spiritual world collected by Emanuel Swedenborg. This is what elevates substantive dualism above all other classes of dualism and makes it scientifically significant.

Theistic science is the incorporation of the works of Emanuel Swedenborg into science. It is from the information that he gathered from his discussions, observations, and experiments in the spiritual world that science is able to rationally make a paradigm shift from the atheistic to the theistic perspective.

Positive and Negative Bias

There are two ways to approach the idea of God in science. One approach is from the negative bias, while the other is from the positive bias. Discerning between the two is imperative for one to make an objective and accurate investigation of the matter.

In a word, the negative bias is under the assumption that there is no God, or God does not intervene with natural laws. The positive bias takes no such assumptions. It accepts the idea that God can be used as a possible explanatory concept. When approaching the subject of God in science it is important to approach it from the positive bias rather than the negative one, for the latter does not allow one to examine the evidence, while the former does.

The Negative Bias

Science presently functions from the negative bias. It is under the assumption that there is no God or if there is one, than God in no way intervenes with the natural laws. However, neither the positive nor the negative bias can be proven until the evidence has been examined. They are only biases. Science is functioning from the negative bias due to a number of reasons. A major political reason stems from science serving as a distinct entity from the church. Through the separation of church and state, and the separation of science and religion, the negative bias has been perpetuated and is often assumed to be proven. This separation comes from science seeing religion as mystical and irrational, and religion being unable to explain scientific findings religiously. This inability to combine science and religion is a major facilitator of the negative bias. So it is important to distinguish the negative bias from the historical opposition of science by the church, because the historical opposition of science and religion is a biased influence. The approach to the subject must be free from biased influences so that the subject can be examined from the positive bias.

As science remains atheistic, monistic, and materialistic there is a fear that the integration of God will jeopardize science, for the incorporation of God into science lies outside of its presently functioning paradigm. It is this irrational fear that perpetuates the negative bias.

The negative bias is further motivated by the fact that there is an overall uncertainty and ignorance about the spiritual world and God. This stems from the fact that science is unaware of any empirical evidence of the two. However, Swedenborg provides us with the empirical evidence of the spiritual world. He is the acting gap between science and God, for he performed the scientific investigation in the spiritual world. Because his works were performed in this empirical manner, for they constitute science. Because he was given, by God, dual consciousness of both the spiritual and natural world and was able to write about it, his works are considered revelations. Thus, the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg are scientific revelations.

Objections to Swedenborg

But in order to objectively discuss the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg as scientific revelations, one must first address the objections to his Writings. There are four main objections to Swedenborg's Writings: he was lying, he was delusional, his writings are simply figurative devices, and his works are not verifiable by other scientists.

The objection that Swedenborg was lying can only be validated by an investigation of his character. Through the findings of many biographies done on Swedenborg one can easily conclude that Swedenborg was a man of integrity and honesty. Throughout his 29 years in dual consciousness Swedenborg maintained a highly respectable social and professional life. So although he spoke of the unusual ability of dual consciousness in both the spiritual and natural world, he was still highly accepted and respected by his colleagues and peers because of the integrity of his character. These findings are not compatible with the objection that Swedenborg was a liar.

The objection that Swedenborg was delusional is also highly inconsistent with the data obtained by biographers. Given Swedenborg’s social life, professional life, and character descriptions, it doesn’t make sense to think that such a man could be considered psychotic.

The objection that Swedenborg Writings were simply figurative devices used to portray theological ideas is also invalid, for there are documents and letters telling otherwise. There are letters that Swedenborg wrote to people he respected that confirm that everything he wrote was in fact true.(Reference) The information that he obtained was through observations and experiments. His Writings were not literary, but scientific.

The final main objection to Swedenborg is that his works are not verifiable by other scientists. However, this objection is not consistently practiced in science today. Many theories cannot be verified by other scientists, for they are single incidents that have occurred in history and cannot be repeated. To object to the works of Swedenborg on the grounds that they are not verifiable would require the rejection of many more presently accepted scientific theories.

Theories in science are not stable, ubiquitously verifiable, proven theories. What science accepts as proof is not 100% proof. Proof is found when data is statistically significant at the 95% level. It is almost never the case that it is 100%, for there is almost always 5% that does not reject the null hypothesis. Because of this science rarely generates fully proven theories.

The accurate investigation and verification of another scientist's data also requires the use of the right equipment. His data can only be obtained in the state he was in. In order to verify his data, one needs to have the spiritual consciousness that Swedenborg possessed. This can and will be given to everyone when they die and pass on into the spiritual world.

In a word, science is the rational account of empirical evidence. Swedenborg's data on the spiritual world is empirical and was obtained by systematic observations and experiments. The description of his observations and experiments in his Writings are done in a logical, coherent, understandable, and rational way. Throughout his works, Swedenborg does not contradict himself, common sense, or scientific reasoning. Because of all this his works are scientific. From all this it is important to recognize that the negative bias is not proven. The non-existence of God in science has never been proven: it is just a bias. And to assume that God cannot be used in science is a biased assumption and is not proven.

The Positive Bias

One cannot negate a scientist’s data without looking at it first. In order to objectively look at Swedenborg's data, one needs to approach it from the positive bias. This means that one accepts that Swedenborg's findings on God and the spiritual world can be used as explanatory concepts. This does not mean that one blindly accepts his Writings as true. But rather, one is open to everything that is being discussed and accepts that it may be true. This allows one to accurately and objectively investigate the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. Whereas the negative bias closes off the possibility of Swedenborg's Writings because of its bias towards the subject of God and the spiritual world. By closing off oneself and taking on the negative bias one is under a false presupposition that does not allow for an objective investigation of Swedenborg's Writings.

Accepting the negative bias prevents a rational investigation of the evidence. For it has not been proven that God cannot be used as an explanatory concept. The positive bias can be accepted and science can remain rational and scientific, for the acceptance of God in science can be proven with the works of Swedenborg, and when we pass on to life in the spiritual world and experience and see it for ourselves.

Mind-Body Distinction

Everyone is born with both a natural and spiritual body. The natural body includes the physical body and brain, which exists in the natural world and is made up of physical matter. The spiritual body is our mind which is composed of the spiritual substances of good and truth, and is also called a spiritual organ. It exists in the spiritual world and is not restricted to the physical laws of time, matter, and space. This is called substantive dualism.

Therefore, because the mind, or spiritual organ isn’t restricted to time and is composed of eternal spiritual substances, it is immortal. The physical body and brain are temporal and are no longer used after physical death. When death occurs in the natural world, the mind, or spiritual body is freed from its binding to the natural world and continues to exist to eternity in the spiritual world, because it is made up of eternal spiritual substances.

Thus, every individual has dual existence: the spiritual existence is the mind, which is the spiritual body, and the physical existence is the physical body and brain. The former is the immortal part of the individual and can be called the “interior body” of the individual. The physical body and brain can be called the external, physical body of the individual.

Everything in the natural world has an internal, spiritual existence and a physical external, or natural existence. These two are related by correspondence. Every object in the natural world is of a particular form and function, which directly corresponds to what is of the same form and function in the spiritual world. The science of correspondence, revealed to Emanuel Swedenborg, are the scientific laws which connect and relate the spiritual world to the natural world. These correspondences are true for everything in the natural world. For example, the circulatory system and the heart in the body correspond to good, which is spiritual heat, the respiratory system and the lungs correspond to truth, which is spiritual light. In the spiritual world, good and truth are the spiritual substances that make up the spiritual world. These two spiritual substances are what allow for spiritual life, and without the interactive existence and functioning of both of these, all spiritual and natural life would cease to exist. In the same way, the circulatory and respiratory systems are what maintain the life of the physical body. If either of these systems were to stop operating than the physical body would disintegrate. It is through this science of correspondences, found in the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, that we are able to examine and understand the interior, or spiritual existence of every object in the physical world.

This correspondence can be extended even further to discover the correspondence to the human mind, or spiritual organ. The organic mind is composed of three types of operations: the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor. The affective organ receives the spiritual substance good, or spiritual heat. The cognitive organ receives the spiritual substance truth, or spiritual light. Together the affective and cognitive organs interact to create the sensorimotor operations, which corresponded to the nervous system. Thus, the form and functioning of the circular system corresponds to the affective organ, the form and functioning of the respiratory system correspond to the cognitive organ, and the form and functioning of the nervous system correspond to the sensorimotor of the mind.

Therefore, learning and understanding the science of correspondences has great benefit for psychology today. By understanding the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems better, psychology can gain insight into the functioning and operations of the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor organs of the mind. More understanding about the internal, spiritual processes of existence can be gained by studying physical, external existences using the science of correspondences.

The internal, spiritual and the physical external existences are related as cause and effect are. The spiritual, or internal is the cause of the natural, or external. Because the mind, or spiritual organ is the internal existence of the person, all life of its external existence, that is, the physical body and brain, comes from the spiritual organ. The spiritual heat in the affective organ causes the blood circulation in the physical body, while the spiritual light in the cognitive organ causes the breathing in the respiratory system, for the spiritual is the cause of the natural. Together the interaction of spiritual heat and light in the cognitive and affective organ create functioning in the sensorimotor, which causes the functioning of the nervous system. So, without the functioning of the mind, or spiritual organ, the physical body and brain has no life. Therefore, the mind, or spiritual body is prior to and the cause of the physical body and brain.

Because of this precedence of the spiritual or internal, to the natural external, then the spiritual or internal degree can be said to exist, non-spatially, within the natural external degree. So, the mind, which does not exist in space, exists within the body, because it is the spiritual and the body is the natural. For the term “within” refers to degrees not spatial relation.

Although the spiritual is the cause of the natural, there are still natural, external causative factors. For example, social maladjustment, neurochemistry, and environmental stimuli are external causative factors, not internal ones. These external causes, however, are not said to exist within the effect, because they exist within the same plane, when spiritual causes do not exist on the same plane of the natural effects. Therefore the spiritual is within the natural.

From all of this, it can be gathered that there is a dual existence to life on earth. There is an internal, spiritual degree, which is the cause of the external, natural degree. The two degrees of existence are connected by correspondences, and are related as cause and effect. Everything that is natural only exists because it has a spiritual correspondence that exists, non-spatially, within it. The physical body and brain make up the external, physical body of the individual. The mind, which is the spiritual organ, is the internal and eternal body of the individual. This dualism of existence must be acknowledged for a true understanding of the human mind to take place. The mind must be kept separate from the brain, for the neurochemistry and functioning of the brain are merely external causative factors and are not the true spiritual causes of the mind, which exists in the spiritual world.

The Anatomy of the Mind

The mind is composed of three components: the affective (or the will), the cognitive (or the understanding), and the sensorimotor. The affective organ is what gives rise to all affections, motivations, emotions, desires, wants, obsessions, feelings, and cravings. The cognitive organ gives rise to all cognitions, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, organization, planning, and memory. The interaction of the affective and cognitive organ creates the sensorimotor, which are the sensations in the mind, which is separate from touch, because it is of the physical body and not the mind. The mind, or spiritual organ functions as the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor. It is separate from the physical body and brain, because they are the natural organs made of physical matter while the mind is made of spiritual substances.

Affective Primacy Over Cognitive

The spiritual world is composed of the spiritual substances good (or love) and truth (or wisdom). These two substances emanate from the Spiritual Sun: love, or good, in the form of spiritual heat, and wisdom, or truth, in the form of spiritual light. It is the interaction of love and wisdom that create actions and uses. Love works by means of wisdom to create uses. Uses are the spiritual goals of love. They are the fulfillment of love through wisdom, because they embody the love and wisdom in action. The action of being a teacher and helping children is a use, because it is done from a love of children through wisdom of how to teach and help them.

Love is the purpose, intention, or motivation found in the affective organ. Wisdom is found in the cognitive organ, and it is the cognitions and thinking that arise from the love. Together these two create an action or use. The love is the purpose, the wisdom is the cause, and the action, or use, is the effect.

Love à Wisdom à Use

The mind is the spiritual organ of the individual and it is composed of the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor organs, or levels of operation. Because the mind is in the spiritual world it is composed of the spiritual substances love (or good) and wisdom (or truth). The affective organ is composed of love in the form of spiritual heat, the cognitive organ is composed of wisdom in the form of spiritual light. Together, the affective and cognitive organs give rise to actions through the sensorimotor.

From this one can see that the affective organ has the same corresponding function as love. The cognitive organ has the same corresponding functions as wisdom, and the sensorimotor has the corresponding function as use. Therefore, there is an affective primacy over the cognitive, because the affective is the end and the cognitive is the cause creating the sensorimotor. The affective works through the cognitive to produce the actions in the sensorimotor.

Emotions give rise to thoughts, rather than thoughts giving rise to emotions. The joint effort of the affective and the cognitive are what create the actions. An emotion is a function of the affective organ. It is filled with an intention or a purpose, for it comes from a love, or motivation. However, the intention, or emotion accomplishes nothing on its own, but whatever it accomplishes is through a thought. The thought is the know-how, it is the understanding of how to accomplish the intent of the emotion. Thinking by itself accomplishes nothing also, for thinking can only accomplish from a love or motive. Together the thought and intention, or the affective and the cognitive, come together in application to create an action. For thoughts and are brought together in application by action and use. It is in the action that the affective fulfills its intent and purpose.

An example of this can be seen in an individual’s response to fearful stimuli. While walking late at night in a dark alley the affective organ is operating with an intention and motivation to stay safe. If a loud noise abruptly comes from behind, the motivation to stay safe will give rise to the emotion of fear. This fear, in the affective organ, would then give rise to thoughts in the cognitive organ. Thoughts would rapidly take place; “I am in potential danger of being harmed,” and quick planning would occur, “In order to avoid harm I must run or turn around to face the danger.” During thinking a choice would be made leading to an action of running or turning around.

From this one can see the sequential events taking place in the mind during a given situation. This pattern stems from the Divine order of Love, Wisdom, and Use.

The above diagram includes the natural correspondence of the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous system. These natural, physical systems are of the same form and function as the spiritual substances which cause them. The circulatory system is what pumps the blood through the body. This enables the lungs and the respiratory system to act and allow breathing. It is through both the circulatory and respiratory effort, that is, the pumping of blood and breathing of the lungs that allows for the nervous system to function and actions to be performed in the body. If the lungs stop breathing, then no action can take place in the body. If the heart stops pumping than the lungs cannot perform breathing and all life ceases in the physical body.

The Three Degrees of the Mind

The mind is organized into three discrete, mental degrees called the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural. Each of the three degrees of the mind corresponds and is tied to one of the three heavens described in Swedenborg’s Writings. The celestial mind is connected to the celestial heaven, the spiritual mind is connected to the spiritual heaven, and the natural mind is connected to the spiritual-natural heaven.

Celestial Heaven à Celestial Mind

Spiritual Heaven à Spiritual Mind

Spiritual-Natural Heaven à Natural Mind

Within each of these three levels there is a separate affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor unit. Together these all form the ennead matrix of the mind.

Celestial Mind Affective Cognitive Sensorimotor

Spiritual Mind Affective Cognitive Sensorimotor

Sp.-Natural Mind Affective Cognitive Sensorimotor

Everyone is born with all three degrees of the mind. The celestial and spiritual minds are called the internal or spiritual mind, and the natural mind is called the external mind. Although everyone has all three degrees of the mind, consciousness is only found in the natural mind while we are alive in the natural world. The interior mind is above our conscious awareness and is for our use in the spiritual world after physical death. It is only the external, natural mind that we use in the physical world.