Source: “Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything”; Inner Traditions, One Park Street, Rochester, Vermont 05767; 2004 by Ervin Laszlo
This podcast argues for the existence of a fundamental information field, named the "A-field," underlying reality. It highlights various scientific "puzzles" across cosmology, quantum physics, biology, and consciousness research that suggest nonlocal connections and correlations that cannot be explained by current paradigms relying solely on matter and energy. The podcast proposes that this A-field, potentially residing in the quantum vacuum, acts as a holographic memory of the universe, linking everything across space and time and explaining phenomena like the fine-tuning of cosmic constants, quantum entanglement, biological coherence, and transpersonal consciousness. We contend that this field provides a more complete and coherent understanding of the universe than conventional scientific models alone.
1. The current scientific paradigm is insufficient and an integral theory is needed to explain numerous puzzles and anomalies. The source argues that contemporary science, based on its current paradigm, is encountering a growing number of unexplained phenomena that point to aspects of reality beyond just matter and energy. These "puzzles of connection and correlation" appear in various scientific domains. For instance, the universe exhibits fine-tuned correlations that defy conventional explanation, such as the precise values of fundamental constants and the observed flatness of space-time. On the quantum level, particles that once shared a state remain mysteriously correlated across vast distances, a phenomenon known as entanglement. In biology, organisms show puzzling whole-system coherence that is faster and more complex than can be explained by known biochemical interactions alone, and challenges arise for evolutionary theories based solely on random mutation. Consciousness research also reveals strange correlations, including what are termed "transpersonal connections" between the minds and bodies of different individuals, even when physically separated. The conclusion drawn from these widespread anomalies is that to account for these undoubtedly real processes, science must recognize the existence of something more fundamental than currently accepted, necessitating the development of a new, integral scientific theory of everything.
2. A fundamental information field, identified as the "A-field" or Akashic Field, is proposed as a real element of the universe. To explain the pervasive patterns of connection and correlation observed across different scales and domains, the source proposes the existence of a "subtle yet real element" beyond matter and energy: information in an active and effective form, termed "in-formation." This in-formation is not merely passive data but is capable of connecting all things across space and time. Inspired by historical figures like Nikola Tesla, David Bohm, and Harold Puthoff, this concept posits a fundamental information field at the heart of the universe. This field is named the "A-field" after the ancient concept of the Akashic Field or Akashic Chronicle, which traditionally described a universal memory or record. The A-field is suggested to be a fundamental field of the universe, taking its place alongside the gravitational (G-field), electromagnetic (EM-field), and nuclear fields acknowledged by mainstream science. It is presented not as a mere imaginative concept but as a logical and scientifically supported innovation.
3. The quantum vacuum is identified as the physical location and basis of this universal information field. The search for the physical substrate of this fundamental information field leads to the quantum vacuum. Contrary to the historical notion of empty space, the quantum vacuum is described in modern physics as a physically real cosmic medium, a superdense sea of energy. Developments in twentieth-century physics, particularly grand unified theories and quantum field theories, have shown the vacuum to be the source of all nature's fields and forces, filled with fluctuating virtual particles and carrying the zero-point field (ZPF). This medium is not empty; it carries fundamental forces, light, energy, pressure waves (even sound waves traveling over vast cosmic distances), and importantly, information. The source highlights research suggesting the vacuum's energy density is stupendously high, and it exhibits properties analogous to a superfluid (like supercooled helium) – being both incredibly dense and frictionless. Everything in the universe is immersed in this vacuum, and interactions within it are seen as key to understanding the proposed information field.
4. Evidence for the A-field and its effects is drawn from various fields, including cosmology, quantum physics, biology, and consciousness research. The source marshals evidence for the A-field by revisiting the puzzles it was introduced to explain across different scientific disciplines. In cosmology, the A-field can potentially account for the perplexing fine-tuning of universal constants, the horizon problem (uniformity of the distant cosmos despite insufficient time for causal interaction via light), and the accelerating expansion of the universe (possibly linked to vacuum energy). In quantum physics, it offers an explanation for entanglement and nonlocality, where particles remain correlated instantly over any distance, and helps interpret the strange wave-like behavior and interference patterns of single particles. In biology, the A-field can explain the observed whole-system coherence within organisms (acting like a "super jazz band") and the rapid evolution of species, suggesting that organisms are subtly "in-formed" by their environment, providing a "prompt" that guides genetic mutations rather than relying solely on random chance. In consciousness research, it provides a potential basis for observed "transpersonal" connections (like telepathy or shared brain wave synchronization) and "telesomatic" effects (mind-to-body influence over distance), as well as non-sensory perception reported in altered states of consciousness like near-death experiences, suggesting a nonlocal interconnectedness of minds.
5. The "A-field effect" mechanism involves torsion waves and holographic interference patterns in the quantum vacuum. The source proposes a specific mechanism by which the A-field conveys information and creates coherence. Drawing on "torsion-wave" theories, it suggests that particles with spin (like electrons) create minute vortices or "torsion waves" in the quantum vacuum. These waves are theorized to propagate at speeds vastly exceeding that of light. When multiple torsion waves meet, they create interference patterns. These patterns are described as analogous to holograms, which distribute information about the original source throughout the pattern. Thus, the vacuum records and carries information about individual particles and ensembles of particles. This holographic information is conserved because the vacuum is considered a frictionless medium, allowing wave patterns to persist indefinitely, unlike waves on water. Through these superposed, holographic interference patterns in the vacuum, everything in the universe is subtly "in-formed" by everything else, particularly by things that are structurally similar ("isomorphic" or "conjugate"). This universal "in-forming" mechanism through vacuum-based holographic torsion waves is proposed to create the observed correlations and coherence across all levels of reality, from quantum particles to galaxies and consciousness.
1. What is the Akasha and how does it relate to the Zero-Point Field (ZPF) or quantum vacuum?
The concept of Akasha, as described in these sources, is presented as a fundamental, all-pervading medium from which matter emerges and into which it returns. Nikola Tesla is mentioned as referencing such a medium before the widespread adoption of Einstein's spacetime concept. This medium is connected to the modern physics concept of the Zero-Point Field (ZPF) or quantum vacuum. The vacuum is described as a superdense cosmic medium that carries light and universal forces. It is not merely empty space but a dynamic field with fluctuations that interact with particles, affecting their properties like mass and charge. Essentially, the Akasha is presented as an ancient concept that finds a contemporary parallel in the scientific understanding of the quantum vacuum as a fundamental field underlying reality. How does the Zero-Point Field contribute to the stability of matter and celestial systems? The sources suggest that the stability of both atoms and solar systems is maintained by interaction with the Zero-Point Field. In atoms, electrons would spiral into the nucleus due to energy loss from orbital motion if they didn't absorb energy from the vacuum. Similarly, the Earth's orbit around the Sun is said to be stable because energy inputs from the ZPF offset the loss of momentum. Without this energy influx, the Sun's gravitational pull would overcome the centrifugal force, causing Earth to spiral inward. This implies that the ZPF is not just a passive backdrop but an active participant in maintaining the fundamental structures of the universe.
2. What is the significance of pressure waves in the vacuum according to Hartmut Mueller's "global scaling theory"?