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Embattled Rep. Henry Cuellar to run for reelection as Democrat after Trump pardon
Trump issued a pardon for Cuellar, who was indicted on counts of bribery, conspiracy and money laundering.
Cowboys-Lions Preview
DETROIT (AP) The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are the top two teams in the hunt for an NFC wild card and are still holding on to hopes of competing for division championships.
PAHO ramps up support to Caribbean health systems one month after Hurricane Melissa
Washington, D.C., 3 December 2025 (PAHO)– One month after Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) continues working closely with national health authorities of Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba to restore essential services, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks, and strengthen health systems in the hardest-hit countries.
Friday's World Cup draw to determine fields' summer path
How Friday's draw in D.C. compares to the 1994 Las Vegas event
Counteracting the Market Dominance That Keeps Health Care So Expensive
Research by UCLA Luskin’s Wesley Yin is one of several projects made possible by nearly $55 million in awards to the school.
PEOPLE: Jeff Shultz to join Radial Entertainment’s C-suite next year
Also, Kidscreen alum Nelson Huynh will manage content sales in the Americas for Mattel on contract in 2026, and Paramount has added LatAm to franchise director Lee Harris-Gibbs' remit.
Is Costa Rica in a political crisis?
The country finds itself in an exceptional—yet constitutionally permitted—confrontation between its executive branch and its independent electoral authority.
Onondaga County legislators clash over Republican lame-duck appointments
The Onondaga County Legislature approved a new batch of appointments on Tuesday.
In unexpected moment of candor, Shapiro says Harris told ‘blatant lies’ about him
Shapiro appeared to also dismiss some of Harris’s accounts about him in her memoir, “107 Days,” by telling the Atlantic, “She’s trying to sell books.”
Sterile Neutrino Prediction Muddled by Latest Experiments
Two papers challenged the existence of theorized particles called sterile neutrinos that might account for mysteries like the cosmos’s dark matter.
Google Photos' 2025 Recap turns to Gemini to find your highlights
The Google Photos Recap will use Gemini's AI to find your memorable moments throughout the year, and adds new metrics, like a 'selfie' count.
Why science says smelling your own farts could be good for you
Certain amounts of hydrogen sulfide can help protect aging brains from Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2021 study
China has planted so many trees it's changed the entire country's water distribution
Huge "regreening" efforts in China over the past few decades have activated the country's water cycle and moved water in ways that scientists are just now starting to understand.
Amy Schumer dropped 50 pounds to battle disease that 'can kill you' if untreated
Comedian Amy Schumer opens up about her health journey, Cushing syndrome recovery, and using Mounjaro medication after losing 50 pounds for her wellbeing.
Trump calls Somalians 'garbage,' which Minnesota officials call racism
Trump blasted Somali immigrants as 'garbage' he doesn't want in the country. But Minnesota officials called the criticism 'racism' and 'un-American.'
Sports clubs in Germany: Unique thanks to their coaches
The culture of German sports clubs is like no other. Thanks to volunteer work, you can participate in and train for almost any sport at a low cost. Enthusiastic coaches are crucial to this.
The solar mission that survived disaster and found 5,000 comets
For thirty years, SOHO has watched the Sun from a stable perch in space, revealing the inner workings of our star and surviving crises that nearly ended the mission. Its long-term observations uncovered a single global plasma conveyor belt inside the Sun, detailed how solar brightness subtly shifts over the solar cycle, and turned SOHO into an unexpected comet-hunting champion with more than 5,000 discoveries.
Business entrepreneurs present pitches to public Friday
The gathering will not exactly be the long-running “Shark Tank” television show, yet business entrepreneurs, supporters or investors are invited to attend a presentation of business pitches during the High Country Accelerator Boat Launch Celebration...
Overnight fire at Warren County business prompts large response
An overnight fire at a Warren County business has garnered a large response from first responders.
Small Business Saturday sheds light on local storefronts, sees lower turnout due to winter storm
During a winter storm, members of the Evanston community battled howling winds and freezing temperatures to shop at Evanston’s third annual Small Business Saturday. Having begun in 2010 as a nationwide movement to support smaller, family-owned stores, this year’s Small Business Saturday featured special deals from 28 participating local businesses in Evanston. Downtown Evanston also...
Saint Louis earns 91-70 win over Loyola Marymount
LOS ANGELES (AP) Trey Green scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half to lead Saint Louis to a 91-70 victory against Loyola Marymount on Tuesday night.
Satellites Detect Seasonal Pulses in Earth’s Glaciers
From Alaska’s Saint Elias Mountains to Pakistan’s Karakoram, glaciers speed up and slow down with the seasons.
Pittsburgh’s People of Year 2025
Whatever may be happening at the national level, progressives in Pittsburgh are undeterred. The local Democratic Party has shored up and built on its base. Prominent left-leaning candidates now hold office everywhere from the county to Congress. Following November’s blue wave election, high off-year turnout propelled even more local progressives into office. Among their number […]
'Story that isn't a story': town official states amid businesses' outdoor area closures
More business owners in Black Mountain say sudden enforcement changes by the town are threatening their livelihood.
Days from death? Speculation surrounds health of 'Green River Killer' Gary Ridgway
Local and national speculation continues to swirl around the possibly delcining health status of Gary Ridgway, the notorious WA serial killer.
Chattanooga business owner faces 28 charges related to auto crimes, forgery, affecting multiple states | Chattanooga Times Free Press
A Chattanooga business owner accused of running an illegal vehicle theft and reselling operation that affected multiple states was arrested Tuesday on 28 charges while the Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office executed two search warrants.
Paramount throws in more cash in bid for Warner; Comcast wants to combine assets with NBCUniversal
Jockeying for HBO-owner Warner Bros. Discovery has intensified as the auction appears to enter its home stretch.
RFP Electronic Health Records System
The Sonoma County Department of Health Services (Department) is pleased to invite you to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Electronic Health Records System. The Department is seeking a vendor that has experience providing comprehensive EHR systems in a California County Department or Division of Public Health Services. The system should be a single, comprehensive solution to address public health and medication and case management workflows and documentation. Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 P.M. on January 13, 2026.
Colorado seeks at least $500 million in rural health funding from federal Republicans’ megabill
Colorado health officials are seeking at least $500 million in health care funding over five years for rural communities, as cuts to Medicaid and other safety-net services are set to take hold. The funding would...
Trump rails against Somali migrants: ‘I don’t want them in our country’
The president blasted Minnesota’s Somali community as “garbage” in a rant also attacking Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Sens. Cruz and Booker urge business leaders to support 'Trump accounts' program
Bipartisan senators Ted Cruz and Cory Booker urged Fortune 1000 companies to support the new "Trump Accounts" federal savings program for newborn Americans.
Trump announces more restrictions on legal immigration after DC shooting : The NPR Politics Podcast
The Trump administration has announced more restrictions on the country’s refugee and asylum programs after a shooting of two National Guard members last week in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan immigrant. How do these changes advance Trump’s immigration policy agenda and his vision of what it means to be an American?This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Indiana's redistricting bill author says it's all about politics
Some are concerned, though, about splitting the minority vote in Marion County.
Paramount & Pluto Vet Jeff Shultz Named CEO Of Radial Entertainment, Parent Of Shout Studios And FilmRise
Jeff Shultz, a former Paramount and Pluto TV exec, has been named CEO of Radial Entertainment.
Imran Khan In Good Health After Concerns Mounted for Weeks
Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan is in good health after concerns mounted since nobody met him for more than three weeks, according to his sister.
Radial Entertainment Taps Jeff Shultz, Former Paramount Streaming Exec, as CEO (EXCLUSIVE)
Jeff Shultz, former head of strategy for Paramount Streaming, has been named CEO of Radial Entertainment, the FilmRise and Shout! Studios.
Wait times drop in King County for people in mental health crisis
Two years ago, the average wait time for patients to get a mental health evaluation from a Designated Crisis Responder was nearly 5 days. Now, it's 11 hours.
Coco Gauff, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley Lead Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports Class of 2026
From NFL quarterback to tennis star, the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports class showcases dominant Black talent and global influence.
Red Dead Redemption Out Now on Netflix, iOS, Android, PS5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch 2
Experience John Marston's journey across the sprawling expanses of the American West and Mexico to hunt down the remaining members of the Van der Linde Gang in Red Dead Redemption along with his fight to stop a virulent zombie plague in Undead...
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid live stream: Where to watch online
It's a huge clash as Barca attempt to remain atop the table in Spain
Chris Eubank Jr reveals 'health issues' and says he will not box again until "100%"
Chris Eubank Jr says he will not box again until he is "100%" fit after revealing he has been dealing with "health issues".
Public health officials warn of measles exposure in Missoula County
Missoula Public Health reports a person infected with measles visited Missoula on Saturday, November 22.
Fallout 76: Burning Springs Release Notes
Grab your duster, hat, and your favorite weapon because it’s time for some Bounty Hunting! Explore our largest map addition yet and hunt down some of the largest bounties Burning Springs has to offer.
Republicans punt on Stefanik’s legislation tied to 2016 Russia investigation, creating more problems for Johnson
A new headache is emerging for House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“Stranger Things” series finale runtime confirmed, sets over 500 locations for theatrical release
The series capper will be released in theaters as "Stranger Things: The Finale," running just over two hours. Here's how to find a cinema near you.
Evidence mounts: Medically tailored meals improve health outcomes and lower total cost of care
As the nation faces rising chronic disease rates and accelerating health care costs, a new peer-reviewed white paper featured in MDI Healthcare spotlights the critical role of food as medicine in improving outcomes for high-risk individuals. The analysis, supported by insights from Mom's Meals®, shows medically tailored meals can reduce hospitalizations, lower emergency department use, and lower the total cost of care, which reveals evidence of widening action gaps in how these nutrition solutio
Inova Health Center in Woodbridge opens next week
Inova is expanding its health care operations in eastern Prince William County with a new outpatient health center near Potomac Mills.
Business Trades Support Bank Capital Rule Reform to Boost Economic Growth
“Now is the time to modernize our capital framework to unleash economic growth for American businesses and consumers across the country.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — A coalition of leading business trade organizations urged prudential regulators to examine and modernize large bank capital requirements to ensure they support consumers, businesses, and the…
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension DLC Trailer Reveals a Surprise Second Mega Evolution For a Fan-Favorite Pokémon
A new trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A has revealed a surprise new Mega Evolution for the fan-favorite Lucario, and announced a new side mission that will unlock an encounter with Mewtwo.
DHS recommends travel ban list include at least 10 more countries
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is recommending that the Trump administration’s travel ban list include between 30 to 32 countries, marking an increase from the current list of 19 countries, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Letters to the Editor: As production moves overseas, it’s American entertainment workers who suffer
'As with any business that goes to other countries, people here start losing their incomes and life possibilities. This leads to a downward spiral of any household, community, town, city or state now missing spending potential and tax benefits,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
Michael and Susan Dell donate $6.25B to fund 'Trump accounts'
Michael Dell and his wife pledged $6.25 billion to support the new "Trump accounts" program giving American children $1,000 at birth plus additional bonuses.
Lane Kiffin arrives in Baton Rouge, as the college football coaching carousel keeps going round and round
Michigan State, UCLA, Kentucky, James Madison, Northwestern all have coaches on the move
Dell family to give $6.25 billion to create 25 million additional 'Trump Accounts'
"This gift is expected to reach nearly 80% of children age 10 and under across 75% of U.S. zip codes," according to Invest America.
Michael and Susan Dell donate to encourage families to claim 'Trump Accounts'
The historic gift has little precedent, with few single charitable commitments in the past 25 years exceeding $1 billion.
One month after Melissa, Jamaica scrambles to get back to business
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Antony Anderson had been on the job for exactly five months as Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States when his country suffered its worst natural disaster in history.
St. Johns County residents encouraged to participate in survey to improve health, wellness programs
St. Johns County Health and Human Services is inviting residents to participate in a new Community Needs Assessment Survey, which will help officials better understand the strengths, challenges, and lived experiences that shape health and well-being across the community.
The verdict is in, and I owe it all to The Alligator - The Independent Florida Alligator
Since I stepped foot on campus as a sports journalism major, I knew I wanted to work for the largest student-run independent newspaper in the country. What I didn’t know was how much The Alligator would shape me into the person I am today.
Business listings: See 27 new businesses in Central NY
See a list of filings in Onondaga, Madison and Cayuga counties.
Allen County Coroner identifies victim of deadly Piere’s Entertainment Center stabbing
21Alive Morning News
Cancer. COVID. Strikes. After a 9-year journey, 'A Little Prayer' was still worth the wait
Writer-director Angus MacLachlan explains how his tiny indie surmounted so many hurdles — and why he still feels the 'Movie Gods' smiled upon him.
Have Politics Hijacked Education Policy? (Opinion)
School boards should be held more accountable to student learning, says this scholar.
Why Republicans are sweating Tuesday’s special election in ‘Trump Country’
The surprisingly competitive race in Tennessee’s ruby-red 7th Congressional District is a high-profile test of voters’ attitudes about the president’s agenda.
Mexico Political Risk Hits Peru Level as Sheinbaum Support Sags
Mexico’s political risk has crept up to levels seen in Peru, as Mexicans voice mounting frustration over cartel-fueled crime, corruption and a stagnant economy.
Go behind the scenes at a successful Marin County estate sale business
From modest items to billionaires’ collections, this nearly 29-year-old San Rafael company has evolved from auctions to consignment with a model that seeks to help families find new homes for…
Samsung Debuts Its First Trifold Months Ahead of Folding iPhone
Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its first so-called trifold smartphone, flaunting its engineering prowess in foldable devices even as the broader category has yet to catch on with mainstream consumers.
WHO provides emergency funds to scale up health response in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka
As Sri Lanka faces rapidly worsening conditions triggered by a cyclonic storm, the World Health Organization today provided US$ 175 000 as emergency funds to support essential health services, while continuing to work with national authorities and humanitarian partners to reach life-saving interventions to the millions of affected people across the country.
The Colts’ remaining schedule is a gauntlet
The Indianapolis Colts’ road to rediscovery will be a tall task.
'Silence is not an option': Kat Cammack sides with constituent who obtained restraining order against Cory Mills
Lindsey Langston of Columbia County said the troubled Congressman threatened to release intimate videos post-breakup.
Pup Mayor Cooper marks first official duty: Launching Downtown Madison’s Entertainment District
Celebrate the launch of Downtown Madison’s Entertainment District with Pup Mayor Cooper and the community at this special event.
Scoop: Inside the sudden shuttering of home care provider Inbound Health
The closure underscores mounting uncertainty around the hospital-at-home sector.
Colorado businesses concerned about increased costs, supply chain issues as a result of tariffs, report finds
Colorado businesses face mounting headwinds amid a suite of tariffs enacted this year, with concerns about elevated costs, supply chain disruptions and consumer backlash, according to a new state report. The study is the second...
Adversity unites playoff foes as Maple Leafs visit Panthers
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope their offensive spark stays lit when they visit the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla., in the teams' first encounter since the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Whoopi Goldberg returns to “The View”, explains 2-week absence
Goldberg missed consecutive weeks of the talk show, with EW previously reporting that the EGOT winner booked an unlikely gig.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony held for Historic Downtown Entertainment District in Madison
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) – A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Monday for the newly designated Historic Downtown Entertainment District in Madison. The ribbon-cutting took place at Garner St. Alley, and city officials said the event marked a milestone in efforts to bring more traffic to the heart of the city. “Today marks a commitment to our […]
PAHO Director calls for strengthened health legislation and primary care during visit to the Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, December 1, 2025 (PAHO) – The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, today urged countries in the region to strengthen health legislation and reinforce primary health care, key pillars for more equitable, resilient, and sustainable health systems.
With new bids, Warner Bros. Discovery looks to narrow the auction field
Paramount, Comcast and Netflix are poised to submit a second bid on Monday, kicking the auction into high-gear.
Candid Politics: WI Governor Candidate David Crowley
In this edition of Candid Politics, The Badger Herald took a walk along Lakeshore Path with WI Governor David Crowley. Crowley’s difficult childhood largely motivated his path toward becoming a community organizer, state representative and current Milwaukee County Executive. Watch the full video to hear about Crowley’s platform, political experience and more. Interview by George...
Nightreign Reveals Its Deadliest Field Boss And I Don't Believe It
Bell Bearing Hunter's placement is raising questions
I kept working as an RN even after my husband had made more than $30 million in the NFL. It gave me a sense of purpose.
Parker Henry reflects on settling in New England, raising her kids, and navigating the uncertainty that comes with her husband Hunter Henry's NFL career.
Trump MRI results drop as White House confronts mounting questions over president’s health
President Donald Trump's October MRI scan found no cardiovascular abnormalities and confirmed excellent overall health, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced.
Woman shot multiple times at Athens business, 74-year-old arrested
Athens-Clarke County police are investigating a shooting that injured a woman inside a business early Monday.
This Unbeatable LG OLED Deal Takes the Cyber Monday Crown
Nab this stunning LG OLED C5 smart TV at a deep discount at Amazon and Best Buy.
Johnson and Trump Try to Avoid an Upset House Loss in Tennessee
Speaker Mike Johnson put the president on speakerphone during a Monday stop in the state, underscoring the unusual amount of national attention on a House special election.
Cyber Monday AirPods Deals - Get Year's Best Prices on AirPods 4 ANC, AirPods Pro 3, and More
Cyber Monday is one of the best times of the year to shop for AirPods, and in 2025 we're tracking massive discounts across nearly every model, including AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3. Note. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Inside this year’s White House holiday decor
It took 150 volunteers working for one week, with 25,000 feet of ribbon, 120 pounds of gingerbread, more than 10,000 butterflies and a 6,000-piece Lego portrait of President Donald Trump’s likeness to deck the White House halls this year.
Allen County Coroner identifies victim of deadly Piere’s Entertainment Center stabbing
The Allen County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim of a fatal stabbing at Piere’s Entertainment Center.
Josiah Siska Inks With Walk Off Entertainment
Josiah Siska has signed a management deal with Walk Off Entertainment. Hailing from Georgia [...]
Former Trump personal lawyer Alina Habba is unlawfully serving at the US attorney for New Jersey, appeals court says
A federal appeals court on Monday found Alina Habba, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, is serving unlawfully as US attorney for New Jersey, dealing a legal blow to the Trump administration that could have far-reaching consequences on other appointments across the country.
We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday iPad deals, including a new all-time low on the iPad Mini
Apple's iPads are on sale for Cyber Monday with discounts across the entire tablet lineup. Some prices are even lower than last week.
NC State to open 2026 football season in Brazil vs. ACC opponent
The game will be the first Football Bowl Subdivision game played in Brazil. The NFL has played games in the country the last two seasons.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is $50 off at Walmart during Cyber Monday
An unexpected hardware discount.
Trump to hold Venezuela Oval Office meeting, sources say
President Donald Trump will hold a meeting at the White House on Monday evening about next steps on Venezuela, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, as the administration intensifies its pressure campaign on the country.
Ebola outbreak in Congo declared over by health officials
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now over, Congolese health officials announced on Monday, after the country went 42 consecutive days without recording a new case.
Sports Daily: Chiefs aim to stay in playoff hunt in upcoming game against Houston
The busy holiday week is behind us. We have Chiefs, college football, college hoops and more to talk about. Paul Mills and Joshua Brisco join the show.
Bar, commercial and industrial: See 21 latest business, apartment, land sales ($2K to $1.2M)
See a list of property sales in Onondaga County other than residential homes.
2025 Austin-Travis County Community Health Assessment (CHA): Food Insecurity, Healthcare Access, Housing and Childcare Costs Top Challenges
AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Public Health has published the
Science must move from materialism to mystery
Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that modern science has become trapped in a framework that mistakes matter for the whole of reality. In this wide-ranging interview, Gómez-Marín challenges the foundations of materialism, defends the scientific study of near-death experiences, and calls for a new type of science grounded in mystery and a renewed sense of the sacred. He suggests that abandoning materialism could open the door to a deeper understanding of consciousness, death, and the purpose of human existence. Simon Custer: You are both a theoretical physicist and a neuroscientist, and you have also been fiercely critical of materialist theories of mind and consciousness. What do you think the ultimate nature of reality is?Àlex Gómez-Marín: I don't know what the ultimate nature of reality is, but what I try to first assess is whether the stories that they [mainstream science] have told us about it are right, or maybe whether there are other alternatives. That's why I've been a fierce critic of materialism. As a scientist, I realized that they had sold us this idea that to be a good scientist you also had to subscribe to many other -isms, like materialism, reductionism, and even secularism. And so first I think one needs to unmount these -isms, and then, as is happening today in consciousness studies, we have a huge landscape where there isn't only one game in town, the idea that matter is the only thing that really exists. But because we are studying the hard problem of consciousness, it may be the case that other views of reality, like idealism, or even dualism, or other theories like dual aspect monism... these are philosophical ideas that now, I think, have room in science to be taken seriously. How does something like materialism relate to dualism or idealism? What is materialism in the first place?Well, materialism is the philosophical position that matter is the only really ‘real’ thing in the universe. And I think that worked kind of well because science started 400 years ago and Galileo made that split, I call it the foundational wound. It was a great business move.He said, let's start doing science on that portion of reality that lends itself more easily to mathematization and measurement. So, for some reason, the solidity of this table or the movement of planets lend themselves very well to this foundational idea of science. But as time went on, 400 years later, we realized that we had forgotten the other side, which is what really matters.What really matters is pain, is love, is feelings, sensation, consciousness, which is very hard to define, but very intimate. We all know what it is. It's that thing that disappears when we go into deep sleep and comes back in the morning. SUGGESTED VIEWING On the edges of knowledge With Michael Shermer, Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor It's what it is like to be, as Nagel said. It's the feeling of being alive. So, materialism is good to study certain things, but then when it ossifies into this ideology and then is dressed like science, now it's preventing us from understanding these key questions that are really that everybody wants to know.Why are we here? Why do we feel reality? Where do we go when we die? And so we need other ways. We need pluralism. I'm only asking for having more options on the table and taking them seriously. Why does materialism fail to explain consciousness? For example, if you were to lobotomize me, I would not be a functional human being. What do you say to someone who might think that materialism adequately explains the mind?Well, here we could speak about different things. We could talk about physics or about neuroscience. I happen to have training with both.For instance, for neuroscientists, 99% of them, I'm not included in that portion, believe that the brain can only be a productive organ. It's an organ that somehow, somewhere, consciousness emerges. It's like a lamp. And then something happens, magic happens, and then consciousness emerges.That's the position you need to be if you're a materialist because if the only really ‘real’ thing is matter, then you need to say, just give us some more time and money and we'll figure out how mind emerges or is produced from matter. There are many philosophically sophisticated ways of criticizing this.Now there's another option, which is the brain as a permissive organ. This was said by William James more than 100 years ago.Now then the brain wouldn't be like this machine, like for instance, a heat engine whose smoke is consciousness, which is what we would have in the first big model, the productive model. But in the permissive model, the brain would be a kind of a filter. And so the brain would still have a very important role in consciousness, but it wouldn't be a productive role.It would be permissive, much like a filter or much like a prism which would receive light. And - I'm speaking metaphorically - it would receive the light of the mind and then it could reflect it and refract it.Now, with these two big options on the table, I think we can make progress into what I call the edges of consciousness, which are all these experiences, weird experiences that many people have, but we don't talk about enough, like near-death experiences, precognitive dreams, synchronicities. These experiences are very important for humans and they have a place in the permissive hypothesis and they are literally impossible in the productive hypothesis. So that's yet one more reason to explore alternatives to materialism. There may be anecdotal evidence for near-death experiences, but is there robust evidence that would be accepted by the majority of scientists who subscribe to the scientific method?Sure. And the plural of anecdotes, someone said, is data.And there's a lot of data. Actually, this year is the 50th anniversary, half a century, since Dr. Raymond Moody realized that we have two ears and one mouth and started listening to what his patients had to say about their experiences while they were clinically dead.The heart had stopped, breathing had stopped in these patients. These patients would come back and tell him these amazing stories that some people may say are hallucinations, but for the patients were hyper-real, like seeing light at the end of the tunnels, seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling bliss.___I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain.___And so he and others started taking them seriously and writing their accounts down. And then you can do a science based on that material of experience that people have. Now, on the more objective side, more recently people have started to measure what's going on in the brain when people are clinically dead and brought back. This has opened a proper field of study, which is near-death studies.Evidence is a difficult word, because sometimes people think that when you say evidence, this is just the final proof. Evidence is like in a jury. You bring testimony, you bring pieces of data that point in one direction or another.I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain. When brains are broken or shut off, there can still be mind going on. And that's revolutionary.That would entail that when we die, it's not game over, which, by the way, is the thesis of materialism. If consciousness survives, materialism dies. It's game over for materialism if something of us continues after we die. Do you think that there is mental continuity after death?Well, I think so, and I believe so, and I could also say I may have experienced it myself, because four years ago I had a near-death experience. I was in the hospital, I lost a lot of blood, and I saw those beings at the end of the tunnel, three beings, and there was yellow light. I was in a well, I was looking upwards, and I hadn't read about NDEs by then, but when I came back from this experience, I decided I would try to integrate this also in my professional life. Not just my personal life, of course, but my professional life as a physicist and as a neuroscientist. So I may have had the experience of glimpses of what an afterlife would be, and I'm not ashamed to say it in this way, and then one can do science of it, and then one can do philosophy of it.One can think about what -isms we were discussing, what views on reality would allow those experiences to be really ‘real,’ as opposed to, well, poor guy, the brain was kind of broken, it must have been a hallucination. Do you have a view about whether individuality or “the ego” persists after death, or whether we sort of merge into some sort of cosmic consciousness instead?I don't know, but my view would be along those lines you're suggesting. I think we could speak about a kind of universal mind, and then the problem is not how we emerge from matter, but how we fragment from a more holistic consciousness into these individual eddies and then when we die, this kind of dissipates.But I'm not sure. For instance, idealism would promote that view, but then what would survive of us after these eddies just vanish and become again the big Consciousness, I'm not sure what that would be. I don't know for sure, but I would tell you I believe something of us survives.And there are other lines of research, not just near-death experience, that can address this really hard question of survival. For instance, there are children who remember previous lives. This was studied by Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia for more than 50 years.___Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.___It's amazing research. He went all over the world, especially in the East, and collected all these case studies, all these stories. In plural, these were data of kids, very young age, who would describe up to 40 items that then he could go and verify.There was no internet. There was really no way the kid could know. Why would the kid say that when I was living in this other body and I was a woman and that's how my house would look like or that's how I would die, right? Again, there is evidence, not proof, but there's evidence not only that something weird and interesting is happening as we cross the threshold, but also when we come back to this life.Scientists should not be afraid of studying this, but they are because there's stigma. There's usually stigma upon the enigma, and this is so unfortunate. And one of the reasons is because of the ideology of materialism, because those things cannot be possible. What is wrong with the politics of science such that they have generated this stigma?So many things. Science is a human activity to begin with.So it falls prey to all our passions and ego and greed. That's one thing. Science is a job for the good and for the bad.You need to get a salary. You need to get grants. Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.And then, we didn't have time to unpack this, but science for many years become entangled, as I was suggesting before, to other -isms, materialism, secularism. So anything that smells like the afterlife, people may think has to do with God, and then they freak out.Anything that suggests that there's something about the mind that may not need a physical material substrate to exist, it smells like non-materialism. So, all these -isms are ideologically blocking that kind of research, and then there are all these sociopolitical constraints as to what should be studied and what shouldn't be studied.I call it the backstage of science. Sometimes we scientists or science communicators seem to speak as if the data is the only thing that matters. We say, well, data and theory.But then there's a third leg of this stool, which is all the politics that goes behind the scenes. And we often don't speak about this, and it's quite vicious and petty, and it's very real. Why is materialism so attractive to most scientists?Well, an easy answer is because we've grown up with it.It's what the educational system promotes, and that's what you hear when you go to university. So it's like growing in a culture. It feels like the air in which you breathe.So it's very hard to begin with to detect, well, maybe there's another alternative. Maybe there are other ways of doing science, other environments in which one could do science. That's one reason.And other reasons maybe are more profound, and I'm not qualified to explain them, but I could say, looking at this 400-year history of science, since it started around 1623 with Galileo's book The Assayer, that science went and coupled with all what's going on in the West.And so the fall of religion, you could say, and science presented us this new alternative that then could be coupled very well with other -isms, and this idea of growth, and then science losing its good twin brother, which was philosophy. There's a whole natural history of science starting as philosophy, kind of emancipating or breaking out from philosophy, and then marrying technology, and then marrying other social systems.From that point of view, materialism is a very convenient idea to propose. There were attempts, like the German idealists tried to do a more romantic science. But no, the idea prevailed, like Francis Bacon said: You should pursue nature through all her corners, he said, and make her spill her secrets.Our attitude towards nature in the science that dominates is very much reflecting how we treat nature in our society, in our culture, like a resource to extract secrets by force and then dominate it. How is materialism related to the notions of growth and progress? What's wrong with having a productive citizenry?This is another very interesting and very difficult question to answer.But there's this recent book coming out by Paul Kingsnorth. In it, he explains this idea of the machine and this idea of progress. And this, again, this conflation of more is better, of we need to go forward always, and convincing us that the way to do that is to continually extract more from nature. But because we don't have the religious context anymore, because God is dead, then what do we have? We have what we can do as humans with our own gadgets.It's kind of the story of the Promethean fire. We will just build anything to make ourselves God.A good example today is transhumanism. Transhumanism is this pseudo-religion dressed in technoscientific language whose goal is very religious. They promise immortality, they promise redemption, they promise transformation of the entire natural world, but it's done by human means through technology. Are you suggesting that we can't have ethics without religion?Well, we should have ethics with or without religion. That's another pruning that has happened in science. We say, forget about aesthetics, although some physicists still think that beautiful means probably true, and forget about politics. We pretend there's no backstage of science, and even let's forget about ethics.___Science needs to be in the service of mankind.___Scientists, when they become more like engineers, they're just thinking how to make things work so that they can go to the moon, go to Mars, make machines that think, but they don't think whether that's a good idea.And also consider metaphysics. Many scientists for a long time pretended, and maybe that comes from the stream of positivisms, that really one doesn't need metaphysics at all, except that materialism is always the metaphysics running the system.You see, it's not just ethics. It's the pruning of all of these, you could say, five main legs of philosophy that just makes a kind of unconscious science, a science that doesn't really know what it's doing. It's doing it very well locally, but it just doesn't know what it's doing globally. Do you think science has to have an ultimate vision and purpose behind it for it to be effective or for it to be meaningful and transformative?Yes, a way I would say that is that science needs to be in the service of mankind. And it hasn't been that. And we can see it through, you know, when we discovered the secrets of the atom, and all of a sudden, the Manhattan Project, and then we create nuclear weapons.And now we're trying to crack how machines may think, and now we're creating this mess, right? So science needs to be in service of mankind, not in service of a few ideas that maybe want to make more money or just dominate upon nature. What about planes, trains, automobiles, and modern medicine? Hasn't science served mankind by helping us develop those technologies?Yes and no. I see where you're going, and it's fair.I came here by plane, and it's a blessing. When I almost died, the surgeons did their job, and they saved my life. But these two forced choices between Luddites and Silicon Valley types, I think, of course, it's a false dichotomy.Progress, in a way, it's good, but we often don't speak about the dark side of the moon. We say the great things that progress has brought, and we don't speak about the disasters, the side effects that it has come with, and the same when we promise new technologies. We tend to think that any technology is great, that email is going to save us so much time because we don't need to write letters and send them anymore.Is that true? I spend so many hours a week writing emails. Let's just say there are great things about it and bad things about it. People like Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, for example, argue that we've made moral progress over time because of the Enlightenment. Do you think that's totally wrong-headed?I think he's emphasizing a side of the moon, and he does that very well, and you can find tons of plots where there's a slope going up and say it's great. But I think he should also tell the not-so-friendly story.But if your ideology is just to resist and continue to explain that the Enlightenment is the best thing ever and reason is the best thing ever… this feels to me like you're worshipping these abstractions.I'm very critical of it and also of these, again, science communicators and scientists that say, Oh, science says, in the name of science, experts say. It's like, come on, let's be careful because we can shoot ourselves in the foot by putting forth to the people an image of science that we know is not really true. Recently there's been a resurgence of spirituality and of people who say that they're spiritual but not religious, especially in the United States. If materialism is going away, what is going to fill that gap? Are we going to return to traditional religion? Do you see that being connected with the rise of the political right?I'm not a fortune teller, so I don't know what's going to happen. But, yeah, we could say we're in this post-materialist age and even post-secular age. One cannot come back to the past, but maybe just to contact with the roots is a good idea.What do I mean by that? I think we need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method. We need to do so in a culture where we realize humans cannot thrive in a vacuum where there's this idea that the sacred has to be removed.Now, how do we do that without bringing in back all the vices of religion? I don't know. I'm from a Catholic country.Here we are in England, so there are differences and interreligious dialogue has always been a challenge. But I think maybe a way of putting it is: after all these conflicts and branchings I was quickly alluding to, science from philosophy and then also from religion, now there's a time of reconciliation perhaps and maybe debates in the proper sense, like exchange of ideas in service of learning and getting into something higher than both poles. We need science to talk to religious people and it's interesting when people say they're spiritual and not religious.I think this is just a way of saying, no, I don't want to go back, I want to go forward. But at the end of the day, religions have offered us practices and grounding that we now desperately need. Everybody can and should just meditate or pray or do whatever they want, but we're in a crisis and it's time for reconciliation. What do you say to critics that say you are merely projecting our need for meaning onto a fundamentally indifferent universe?Yeah, I know that the typical science communicator says something like this. But we're not projecting. Human beings feed on meaning.It's the other way around. If you're a materialist, because the only thing that there is is matter, all that comes next, free will, consciousness, meaning, this is a kind of illusion that we need to explain.They're just craving for meaning, but there isn't really for them. I would also like to remind my materialist friends that for decades, if not centuries, they've said in the name of science, we know that this and this and this doesn't really exist. I think now they sense they're forced to say, well, actually, we don't know. We've been saying, for instance, that there's nothing after you die, and now probably they need to admit that they don't know the answer.___We need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method.___So it's a moment to open up possibilities and also to gently but fiercely critique these claims that I think harm society. If you say in the name of science, get on with it, when your father dies, you'll never see him again. Well, what the F do you know about it? You haven't studied the literature, you haven't had any of those experiences, and basically what you're doing is you're just doing marketing on ideology. This needs to stop. Do you think that it's scarier for some people to entertain the thought that there might be life after death, compared to a materialist worldview where you just die, given that there might be consequences for unsavory behaviour?Well, death and dying is scary. It's maybe the ultimate ending. It's a limit on life, and when we're in this conquest mode, we don't like limits.And it also has, there's a shockwave backwards, so I think if you change your notion of what death is or may be, you live differently. It also has consequences, as you're saying, for the future because this is not our only goal here and we come back in whatever form. And again, different religions would say different things. I the East, they are more happy with the idea of reincarnation, and here in the West, there are other preferences. But in any case, it changes how we live, and that's really what matters.It's not about just projecting or imagining what we'll be after, but how we live now and also how we treat those who are dying. So it goes from the individual to the families, to the hospitals.Now in the near-death research I do, this has ramifications at all these levels, all the way to society.But our society is thanatophobic. It has a phobia of death. We don't want to hear about death, and this is another thing we need to put on the table and be willing to talk about it. Do you think that we might get closer to answering ultimate questions like why is there anything at all if we jettison materialism?That’s an excellent question, Simon. Two things: we should stop treating reality, I believe, as a great sudoku, as an enigma, as something that with intelligence, money, and time that we will crack and instead treat reality more like a mystery. And what you do for in front of a mystery is not to be the clever guy in a class and say “I’ll solve you” but more like “I will bow and you will transform me.”I know this sounds a bit like a scientist speaking like a mystic. But I think this reorientation is needed. In the end, we won’t crack the big questions, but they will transform us. If we free ourselves from this prison of materialism, the way we will explore these questions will be freer, more creative, and in service of mankind. Do you think exploring mystery is the reason why we are here?I think we are here because, and this pseudo-theological argument I’m making off the cuff, But the One, the Absolute, if there is such a thing, had everything except limitation. We are that absolute experiencing that contingency. It’s like an act of divine proprioception. It’s a wonderful adventure, it’s just incredible to be alive. Perhaps we have forgotten why we are here and the whole point is to experience the flesh.Let me end by saying this. I criticize materialism harshly. I bang on this dead horse, because I think it’s dead. But matter is a great mystery. So maybe my invitation is as follows: hey materialist friends, come here, let’s work on materialism 2.0! Consciousness is a mystery, but matter is also a mystery. The fact that we can have an intersubjective experience consensus, the fact that we can apply mathematics, that we can measure things... the physical world we take for granted, but it is a great mystery too.Maybe that’s related to your last question: why are we here? Why did spirit decide to incarnate? Being in the flesh may be a great thing if spirit decided to do so.Àlex Gómez-Marín, thank you very much.My pleasure.
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