Consciousness beyond anaesthesia…continued
Abstract
A follow-up response to the letters published in SAJAA 2007 May/June
Prof. Foster is correct – ideas do change. It appears, however, that belief in supernatural phenomena such as clairvoyance and things that go bump in the night do not. He is also correct in regarding an open mind as a prerequisite – but this does not entail abandoning one’s critical faculties. Indeed, critical examination of the relevant sources quoted by Prof. Foster shows either outright fraud, gullible "researchers", wishful thinking or all three and arguments about not being able to think "outside the box" are beginning to sound rather tired.
Prof. Foster is correct – ideas do change. It appears, however, that belief in supernatural phenomena such as clairvoyance and things that go bump in the night do not. He is also correct in regarding an open mind as a prerequisite – but this does not entail abandoning one’s critical faculties. Indeed, critical examination of the relevant sources quoted by Prof. Foster shows either outright fraud, gullible "researchers", wishful thinking or all three and arguments about not being able to think "outside the box" are beginning to sound rather tired.