The Open Mind

Gay, F. P. The Open Mind Elmer Ernest Southard, 1876-1920. New York Normandie Books, 1938. 

Nevertheless, we are bound to try. The reason is not only because the electrical aspects of physiology are evident everywhere, but because bioelectrochemistry may lead us across the great divide between what we know from our materialistic, reductive science of the twentieth century and what we don t understand at all. There are phenomena, not a few in number and very real, that scientists seldom like to recognize because they have no explanation for them—for example consciousness, telepathy, and strange, inexplicable healings. If bioelectrochemistry leads us to uncover all the undiscovered country that is accessible to the open mind, then our small efforts to explore this immense field are justified. 

If you like the style of presentation of material in this book, I will continue writing about these areas, as well as related topics like parapsychology and altered states of consciousness, in the Review of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and in the Bulletin of the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Membership in the Institute is currently open to readers at 35 per year. Various lectures and workshops of mine around the country arc announced in these publications. The Institute also carries back issues of a quarterly newsletter, The Open Mind, that I published for four years, as well as books and tapes of mine. The Institute can be reached at 475 Gate Five Road, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 331-5650. 

Lucid Dreams Entering the Inner World. Part 1. The Open Mind 1, no. 

The scientific method, as mentioned, involves observation and experimentation (research) to discover or establish facts. These are followed by deduction or hypothesis, establishing theories or principles. This sequence, however, may be reversed. The noted twentieth-century philosopher Karl Popper, who also dealt with science, expressed the view that the scientist s work starts not with collection of data (observation) but with selection of a suitable problem (theory). In fact, both of these paths can be involved. vSignificant and sometimes accidental observations can be made without any preconceived idea of a problem or theory and vice versa. The scientist, however, must have a well-prepared, open mind to be able to recognize the significance of such observations and must be able to follow them through. Science always demands rigorous standards of procedure, reproducibility, and open discussion that set reason over irrational belief. 

The use of any of the above techniques demands knowledge, experience, and flexibility. No prescriptive set of questions or key words or list is sufficient to cover all processes, hazards, and all impacted populations. As a research chemist reviews a chemistry and its potential application, there are advantages to maintaining an open mind when applying the various techniques designed to open up avenues of thought. The reader is referred to Chapter 7 for additional information and direction on the choice of process hazard review techniques. 

To evaluate a job effectively, you should have some experience and be trained in the intended purpose of the JHA, have an open mind, and have examples of correct methods. Focusing on safety is essential to the job being evaluated. 

The key to effective interviewing is to spend more time listening than talking. Approach each interview with an open mind, with as few preconceived ideas as possible about the facility, process, or individual you re reviewing. Remember that your goal in interviewing is not to fill out a form but to elicit essential information that will help guide your PSM system development. 

It is necessary to keep an open mind when designing products with plastics, rather than limiting the design to being an exact replica of the metal product. Let us assume from this point on that this approach is accepted, so a more-detailed examination of the needs of the design analysis methods can follow. 

The goal is to discover things we never knew or expected, and to see relationships and connections among the elements, whether previously suspected or not. It follows that this process is not driven by hypothesis and should be as model-independent as possible. We should use the unprecedented experimental opportunities that the genome sequences provide to take a fresh, comprehensive and open-minded look at every question in biology. If we succeed, we can expect that many of the new models that emerge will defy conventional wisdom , (Brown and Botstein, 1999). 

It is possible that nematode-secreted AChEs act on alternative substrates to ACh. We had previously suggested, on the basis of structural similarity, that platelet-activating factor (PAF), a potent phospholipid mediator of inflammation, might represent such an alternative substrate (Blackburn and Selkirk, 1992b) but subsequent studies demonstrated that purified AChEs did not cleave PAF, and the enzyme responsible for this activity in secreted products of N. brasiliensis, PAF acetylhydrolase, was purified and defined as a distinct heterodimeric protein (Grigg et al., 1996). Although an open mind on the subject sould be kept, the strict substrate specificity of the nematode-secreted AChEs suggests that they most likely act on ACh alone. 

The prebiotic chemistry of the nucleic acid bases is still the subject of debate among experts. One of the most mindful critics is Robert Shapiro, professor of chemistry at New York University and a DNA expert. His book Origins-A Sceptic s Guide to Creation of Life on Earth includes a critical analysis of the results previously obtained in biogenesis research (Shapiro 1986). Shapiro s has been the critical voice in the community of biogenesis researchers for many years. He identifies the weak points in some of the audacious hypotheses, which are often raised to the status of theories even though they involve many open questions. 

Most importantly, begin your study of Orgo with an open mind. Once you get past all the hype, you ll see that it s a cool class and you ll learn some really interesting stuff. Good Luck ... 

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