RESPONSES by JAY ALFRED to QUESTIONS DevaJu Project
1) What role do you think belief plays in the manifestation of paranormal phenomena?
Studies in neuroscience have shown that expectations, which are based on our beliefs, play an important part in framing or contextualizing incoming sensory data. In fact we do not actually see or hear the raw data but the brain’s hypothesis of what the sensory data mean. Perception is therefore an active process which is modulated by beliefs. Hence, in many cases, ordinary and mundane phenomena may be misclassified as paranormal where we are highly biased towards a paranormal explanation. However, the reverse error may also occur. In other words, paranormal phenomena may be misperceived and subsequently misclassified as mundane phenomena if we are biased towards non-paranormal explanations.
A skeptic’s belief system may block perceptions that may be quite evident to sensitives, resulting in negative hallucinations. While positive hallucinations occur when a presence is seen or felt when others do not perceive them, negative hallucinations occur when an object can be seen by a certain class of persons but not by a particular observer. This is a type of “blindness” brought about by an individual’s belief system.
Beliefs and consequent expectations play a more dramatic role when objects exhibit behavior associated with coherent quantum systems. The physical properties of the observed objects may be altered depending on the context in which the observation is made.
2) Do you believe that the majority of paranormal phenomena could be a construct of the human brain/consciousness? In other words, is it all in the mind? If so, can you point to a particular area of your own work suggests this?
All perceptions are generated by some brain or cognitive system. To perceive you will need a cognitive system to process incoming sensory data. Both the external and the internal context (i.e. the internal emotional and mental environments) of the observer play important roles in interpreting and contextualizing sensory data. We may see things that are not there because of constructions or projections by the brain. Cognitive illusions are common and can be proven, as illustrated by the many well-known visual illusions. This is a well-tested area in neuroscience. The majority of reported paranormal phenomena may therefore not be paranormal. However, we should guard against “neuro-idealism” i.e. discounting everything paranormal as non-existent because they are constructions of the brain.
Michael Persinger, the neuroscience researcher, claims that by putting on a specially made helmet, the brain can be made to generate erroneous paranormal experiences, such as feeling the presence of (invisible) beings. However, we cannot conclude from this that all these experiences do not actually take place in reality. A good trickster can show a very good hologram of an orange from a distance and observers may believe that it is in fact a real orange, although it is only a representation. We cannot conclude from this that all perceptions of oranges do not represent real objects or that real oranges do not exist in the real world. Persinger is simulating presences which the brain (and its dark counterparts) has evolved to respond to. In other words, some aspects of Persinger’s experiments are tricking the brain to conclude that it is seeing or sensing something that, in other circumstances, actually occurs in reality.
Since perceptions are generated by what the senses signal to the brain through a network of nerves, any interception in the network to introduce erroneous data will make the brain come to erroneous conclusions. It will not be surprising, if following Persinger, scientists are able to induce all the sensations of eating an apple pie in the brain of a person. This does not mean that an apple pie was actually eaten. Neither does it mean that apple pies do not or cannot exist in reality. The simulation in the laboratory is irrelevant in establishing the reality of the object in the real world. Simulating experiences in the laboratory does not mean that the corresponding actual experiences do not occur. A person who concludes that ghosts and invisible presences do not exist in the real world because similar experiences can be simulated in a laboratory by electrical and magnetic interventions is committing what can be described as a “simulation fallacy” in the logic of his argument.
Other aspects of Persinger’s experiments actually deactivate certain brain circuits, so that the subject is introduced to a new reality. When this happens, the locus of awareness shifts from the carbon-based body to the hypothesized dark bioplasma bodies. Although it is not possible to detect these “presences” directly with our current scientific instruments, a human being’s own subtle bioplasma body may be able to sense these invisible beings which come within the range of sensory systems in the bioplasma bodies. In these particular cases, real presences (which our current scientific instruments are unable to detect) are being detected by semi-independent cognitive-sensory systems in our bioplasma bodies. In this sense, ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) is a misnomer. These are in fact cases of ASP (Alternate Sensory Perception) generated by an alternate subtle bioplasma body that is coupled to our carbon-based body.
Genuine paranormal phenomena exist alongside mundane phenomena. The existence of genuine paranormal phenomena is not only supported by a smaller number of genuine paranormal reports but can be expected based on extrapolations of current scientific theories and is increasingly being evidenced in rigorous psi experiments.
3) We have read about or seen the "effects" of paranormal phenomena for thousands of years - reports and stories of ghosts, UFOs, cryptids, etc. These we consider the physical effects so to speak. What is your theory as to the "cause" of these phenomena?
Only a small subset of these can be classified as genuine paranormal phenomena. So what are these? The matter that is visible and currently directly measurable is composed of particles that have been identified in the physicists’ “Standard Model”. However, the majority of scientists now believe that this “ordinary matter” makes up less than 5% of the universe. In fact, it makes up less than 20% of all the matter in the universe. The other more than 80% is composed of invisible matter that has been dubbed “dark matter” by scientists.
Dark Plasma Theory argues that dark matter is present in the Solar System, including on Earth. Evidence shows that the Sun and the Solar System are under the gravitational influence of invisible dark matter in our galaxy. Dark matter particles have been raining down on Earth every day and night for the past 4.6 billion years. These particles are captured by Earth's gravitational field. Furthermore, the embryonic Solar System also contained dark matter. There are therefore many reasons to infer that there are low-density halos of dark matter particles interpenetrating all the planets, including the Earth - effectively forming (currently) invisible “counterpart-Earths” that co-rotate and share the same gravitational field as the visible Earth. The Theory questioned in 2007 if the density of dark matter around Earth was underestimated.
Computations in late 2008, by Stephen Adler of Princeton University and Xu and Siegel from the University of Arizona, suggest that dark matter density in the Solar System and around Earth exceeds the galactic halo density significantly and is much higher than previously thought. According to the Theory’s estimate, the visible Earth is gravitationally coupled to a Jupiter-sized dark matter halo. As dark matter clumped, it created conditions for a dark biosphere to form. This dark biosphere gave rise to dark matter life forms and consciousness over millions of years.
The Theory argues that dark matter is largely in the form of plasmas of exotic particles (including supersymmetric particles such as charginos and neutralinos). It has been shown in laboratory experiments over the past ten years that minimal ordinary plasma cell-systems can be generated in the laboratory. The Theory therefore suggests that minimal dark plasma cell-systems were generated within this dark halo/biosphere in the early Earth and predicts the existence of terrestrial dark plasma life forms which evolved from these minimal plasma cell systems. Furthermore, unlike chemical-based life forms, dark plasma life forms are compatible with life in a supersymmetric universe.
These life forms would be as varied in scale, structure and intelligence as carbon-based life forms - as different as a microbe from a whale; a mosquito from a tiger; a giraffe from a crocodile; an ant from a human being. Their degrees of intelligence and awareness would be as different as a centipede's awareness from the awareness and intelligence of human beings. The taxonomy of these plasma life forms is wide and varied. Some of these plasma life forms have interacted with us in the past (intentionally or unintentionally).
The entities that we have loosely identified as ghosts, angels, jinns, demons, deities (for example the Marian apparitions in the atmosphere), aliens, biological UFOs, fairies and sightings of the recently deceased (on the surface of the Earth) are characteristic of these predicted exotic plasma life forms from interpenetrating dark plasmaspheres or counterpart Earths. They constitute an ecology of plasma life forms that evolved throughout Earth's history and sometimes formed symbiotic relationships with the visible carbon-based life forms that we are more familiar with. Homo sapiens are the products of carbon-based bodies that evolved and formed symbiotic relationships with some of these plasma life forms (i.e. the result of a symbio-genesis). When the carbon-based bodies died, the bioplasma bodies continued their existence in counterpart Earths.
4) In your research have you ever personally come across anything that you truly believe to be legitimate scientific proof of paranormal or anomalous phenomena?
The Marian Zeitoun apparitions between 1968 and 1971, which have been broadcast on TV and captured in photographs and viewed by thousands of people, provides a real challenge for current mainstream Science to explain. Dark Plasma Theory, on the other hand, predicts these types of phenomena.
Experiments have been conducted which show correlations between EEG readings of human experimental subjects who act as “senders” and “receivers”. More recently these correlations were also observed using fMRI brain scans. There are now six published fMRI psi studies, five of which report significant findings. In one experiment, discussed by Dean Radin, light was flashed at the sender on one end. The receiver, who was inside a nosiy fMRI machine, showed activity in the occipital lobe (in the primary and secondary visual cortex) which correlated with the flashes of light. Twenty studies of EEG and fMRI correlations have been discussed by Robert Charman. He concludes that there is evidence that direct communication between physically separated human brains can and does occur. Dark Plasma Theory believes that these types of “extra-cranial” communications are mediated by a plasma-based dark neural network which is an integral part of Earth’s dark plasmasphere (discussed above). This network arises naturally out of plasma dynamics in Earth’s dark biosphere.
5) Why do you think that with all the paranormal researchers and amateur "ghost hunters, "UFO hunters" and "monster chasers" out there scientists have yet to find solid supporting evidentiary data? Do you believe these researchers, both scientists and layperson alike, are "looking for ghosts in all the wrong places?"
Scientists themselves have been searching for dark matter particles in multi-million dollar facilities all over the world, both underground and in space, using a variety of techniques and state-of-the-art technology. However, they have still not detected these particles directly. It is therefore expected to take some time for current technology to evolve to detect these particles directly. However, Dark Plasma Theory suggests that there could be indirect ways of detecting dark plasma life forms.
Dark plasma life forms are composed of dark matter particles. Collisions between these particles and ordinary matter particles (for example, in air) will generate heat, light and electricity. Furthermore, very low levels of ordinary plasma may also be generated due to ionization caused by these collisions. This (relatively cold) ordinary plasma will generate low levels of electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by current instruments. In fact, current equipment carried and used by professional paranormal researchers may have already detected these indirect traces in certain instances. Furthermore, the generated ordinary plasma may also cause short circuits in electrical appliances. Disruptions to the operation of electrical equipment are frequently reported during paranormal events.
It is perhaps not really the lack of evidence that is the problem; it is the lack of a coherent theory to connect this evidence to mainstream Science. Dark Plasma Theory is an attempt to do this.
6) Since Albert Einstein, theoretical physicists have been searching for an ultimate, all encompassing "Theory of Everything." The TOE would successfully unify broad aspects of nature and reality. Since the 1990's, M-theory (or matrix string theory) has been touted as being one serious possibility (although many believe that M-theory is not complete.) Do you believe that quantum and/or theoretical physics hold the key to unlocking all of the mysteries of the universe?
Mathematics plays an important role in unveiling the substructure of the universe and allowing us to look beyond appearances. It shows us what our current senses cannot perceive. These mathematical theories of the universe look quite promising in unraveling the mysteries of not only this universe but also parallel universes. Although they are incomplete and need to be verified more thoroughly in scientific experiments which are limited by current technology, they are proceeding in the right direction. Dark Plasma Theory is consistent with M Theory.
Incidentally, the “TOE phenomenon” (in its wider sense) is not new. Various Greek, Indian and Chinese philosophers were formulating and promoting their own “Theories of Everything” more than 2,000 years ago. There appears to be a deep urge in human beings to understand “everything” in a nutshell. The fact that this “everything” is a moving target makes it all the more interesting to play, as John Lennon once sang, the game “existence”.
Dark Plasma Theory has been described as a Theory of Everything in the context of paranormal phenomena as it explains the origins and properties of a wide variety of life forms encountered during these phenomena within a single and internally consistent theoretical framework.