lectronice → notes

Biocentrism

A new world view

Maybe the Universe isn't dumb :: 2021-06-10

Biocentrism, also known as the biocentric universe theory, is a new paradigm developed by Robert Lanza and other collaborators through a serie of books: Biocentrism, Beyond Biocentrism, and The Grand Biocentric Design.

Using scientific evidence, especially in quantum theory, but also in biology, and drawing from various philosophic sources, Lanza states that consciousness creates the universe, which doesn't exist outside of consciousness, except as wave functions that collapse and take shape when observed.


This worldview seems weird at first, but definitely makes sense once you take the time to think about it. Beyond its scientific implications, it goes against the "dumb universe" paradigm, where everything is ruled by randomness and entropy, where life just happened by accident, and where humans are mere animated dust in a cold uncaring cosmos.

In biocentrism, humans, and every other beings, are the cosmos. This makes a huge difference regarding how you feel when you wake up in the morning. In many ways, the biocentric philosphy is reminiscent of The Egg, which might explain why I find it appealing.

As a side note, I don't like the very American way Lanza presents himself on his website, boasting credentials and dropping names all over the place. I understand the need for legitimacy, but this kind of mainstream marketing feels kind of ridiculous to me.

I still find the books well-written and interesting, with a sometimes unexpected humor that does wonder to explain complex scientific theories. While very different, the bold spirit of these books reminds me a bit of Pauwels and Bergier's The Morning of the Magicians.