A Need for a New Perspective

Imagine the paradigm shift that occurred when Galileo defended the heliocentric theory of the solar system Copernicus proposed. Despite the Catholic Church's aggressive attack, he stuck to his beliefs, offering his observed changes in the tides as evidence of his beliefs. Today, of course, we take the heliocentric perspective for granted as being the accepted view of our galaxy. Imagine the paradigm shift when by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek first discovered red blood cells and bacteria under the microscope. Despite some initial resistance in accepting his discoveries, his findings were eventually accepted. The discovery, of course, revolutionized how germs and disease have since been approached.

In this light, it's not difficult to appreciate how shortcomings still exist in many facets of science and medicine. Research for a cure for cancer, the ability to formulate DNA-based treatments for genetic disorders, and other research endeavors for obscure medical solutions persist in the vacuum of seemingly endless perplexities. It is within this framework that a fresh perspective on how our minds function is offered. Despite all we have discovered about the human nervous system, so much remains unanswered. We seem to be just scratching the surface.

What we have learned thus far about the function of the brain has indeed been astounding. Our brains contain between ten and twenty million neurons, and these numbers don't include the much larger number of non-neuronal brain cells. And while the function of these neurons and other brain cells is somewhat understood, their entire array of functions remains quite elusive. Each of these neurons has thousands of interconnections with other neurons and other cells. The resultant neural network encompasses hundreds of trillions of connections, through which mental processing occurs. Depending on which pathway is stimulated, an almost infinite number of results can take place. This fact alone humbles the most dedicated theorist and medical researcher.

It is a modern-day understanding that these neurons communicate through various electrical impulses and through the release of chemicals called "neurotransmitters." And a large amount of information is known about the brain's anatomy, chemistry, physiology, and interaction with other systems. However, the ability to account for human behavior and perception has yet to be well explained despite current knowledge. Theories have so far fallen short of explaining how we perceive the world around us and what we know to be our own personal selves.

The theory of evolution cannot easily explain the development of complex human organs, such as the eyes. Quantum mechanics cannot explain the human mind or human consciousness or the macroscopic aspects of the universe.

The theory of relativity also has its own limitations. None of these theories can explain the unique behavior of human beings or the concept of ego or the self. The pursuit of mechanisms that absolutely determine observed outcomes has taken science a long way in understanding the laws of physics and the laws of nature. The pursuit of mechanisms that absolutely determine observed outcomes has taken science a long way in understanding the laws of physics and laws of nature. But these fail when trying to account for observed reality.

On a basic level, we can look at how we perceive the world. With our current knowledge, we know an object with illumination of light projects an image on the retina through the lens of the eyes. From the retina, chemical changes occur that cause neurons to generate electrical signals along the optic nerve to other regions of the brain. These nerve projections then allow us to see the object in the external environment in terms of its size, color, spatial relation to other objects, and so forth. But despite these defined mechanisms, a mystery remains as to how one perceives an object and becomes aware of its existence.

According to our current understanding, the brain's perception is created through various information inputs it receives. Sensory input is assimilated from various sensory receptors, and the perception happens. But how does this phenomenon truly occur? And how does a person become aware that what is perceived is reality or unreality? And how does the seemingly unpredictable human behavior that results react to these perceptions? These are the areas where current science falls short.

The question arises regarding how the brain, physical stimuli, electrical impulses, and chemical reactions culminate into a perception of the outside world. Unique oneness theory has been created to help explain this process of perception.

For perception to be experienced, the brain must produce an exact replica of the outside world. Without the brain's ability to produce an exact replica of the external environment, perception cannot happen or will be significantly inaccurate. In fact, inaccurate perception is what leads to hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and other states of misperception. This is the fundamental foundation of the unique oneness theory.

The second concept of the unique oneness theory pertains to the unification of objective reality and one's subjective experience. Perception can be accurate as described above, but if there is a failure to completely integrate this perception into subjective experience, the potential for perceptual dysfunction again exists. For the perception to be experienced as a true subjective experience, the subjective and objective must be meshed into one organic, inseparable unity.

The third concept of the theory pertains to the unique nature and experience every single person enjoys. The organic unity between subjective and objective experiences comes together to create a unique reality. In other words, the subjective and objective unification differs slightly for every person, thus making it unique. This unique reality, through which the perception is experienced for an individual, has almost unperceivable differences from the true external reality. And because each person's subjective experience is different, each person's perceived reality is unique for that person. Scientists have recognized three states of consciousness: a state of wakefulness, a state of deep sleep, and a state where active dreaming takes place. Of these states of consciousness, two are actively engaged in using the perceptual system. In wakefulness, we perceive our actual external environments and incorporate these perceptions into our subjective experiences. However, in our active dream states, we are using our perceptual systems as well. The difference is that instead of using sensory input from the external environment to create a perception, internal brain stimuli from memories and experiences provide the stimuli to create the perception.

Just as each person's perception of reality is unique and unified with his or her subjective experience, each individual's dreams are unique for exactly the same reason. The only difference between active dreaming and wakefulness is the activation of external sensory stimuli and the level of awareness and consciousness present. In this manner, consciousness and awareness influence perception. And in fact, the same perception of self and ego is influenced by these factors as well. Each of these will be defined in greater detail in subsequent chapters and integrated into unique oneness theory.

Unique oneness theory will also explore how to explain healthy human functioning. Insight can be obtained into many medical conditions by applying the theory's features to pathological states. Potential applications of this theory related to several common psychiatric and neurologic disorders — such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's dementia, and autistic spectrum disorders — can be more easily understood in the light of an altered perceptual system. With a new framework in perspective, different techniques in prevention and treatment can be developed. Changes in psychotherapy, medication, and research methods can be incorporated into new theoretical approaches. These then broaden the scope through which many individuals can be helped.

To provide a rationale for unique oneness theory, the subsequent section will provide key definitions and concepts to help understand the current state of scientific and medical concepts regarding the function of the brain. In doing so, weaknesses in our current knowledge will be discussed in greater depth, and the way unique oneness theory can help fill these voids will be described. While this discussion will certainly detail perceptual systems, various sections will also cover more broad-reaching considerations.

Unique oneness theory will also attempt to bridge the gaps of knowledge in quantum mechanics, evolutionary theory, and the theory of relativity. In doing so, the hope is to develop a unified theory involving matter, mind, and the brain; and to explore how these interact with consciousness. Concepts of mechanistic and nonmechanistic components will be considered, which will provide new ways to assess the roles the mind and brain serve and how they function in defining individual reality.

Unique oneness theory offers a new look at how the brain and mental processes explain how one perceives and relates to the world and the internal self. At the same time, it opens doors for new possibilities in describing how the brain functions, how awareness is realized, and how mechanistic properties of matter may interact with nonmechanistic entities to achieve a more comprehensive view of human consciousness.

When we allow a new perspective to take place, other opportunities to address health and wellness become available, where current medical theories and practices have reached roadblocks. A paradigm shift is needed to reach a greater understanding of human functioning to surpass these obstacles. In return, even greater understanding can then follow. It is within this light that the theory of unique oneness will be presented.

Laying the Groundwork

In certain individuals suffering from Alzheimer's dementia, visual and auditory hallucinations are a prominent symptom during more advanced stages of the disease. As neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques develop and disrupt the normal neural networks of millions of neurons, misperceptions about the external world begin to force their way into the person's consciousness. For example, the patient perceives a pink cat running across the bedroom floor. What appears to be real and thus part of reality is simply generated from within the brain. But for the sufferer of the hallucination, the ability to distinguish this from everyone else's reality is impossible.

Unique oneness theory seeks to explain this phenomenon by describing how the brain generates perceptions. But to speak in a systemized way about this and other facets of the theory, some groundwork regarding key definitions must be laid. What defines reality? What is consciousness? What is considered the ego and the self? Without a clear understanding of what these terms represent, discussions can quickly become very confusing. At the same time, these same definitions are crucial in accounting for differences between normal and pathological states.

For example, the same pink cat running across a bedroom floor may be part of a dream during REM sleep. Is this a hallucination? Of course not. This is a dream image also generated by our brains' perceptual system, but it's part of an altered state of consciousness we know as sleep. In contrast, the same image for an Alzheimer's patient while awake is pathological (assuming a pink cat didn't actually run across the bedroom floor). Defining terms allows us to understand why one is normal and one is not; and it allows us to identify better insights on how our brains function.

In the following, how we define reality, awareness, consciousness, and perception will be discussed. These terms have broad meanings that extend well beyond the scope of clinical medicine. But these extended definitions offer some important considerations in exploring new theories of mental processing and the brain's interaction with the environment. Rather than a strict mechanistic explanation of neuronal synapses and the release of neurotransmitters, more expansive definitions of such terms provide opportunities to explore nonmechanistic associations.

How these concepts relate to brain processes and to what we perceive as the ego and self is also important. After all, being able to accurately perceive self and nonself is a key part of defining reality for an individual. Once these interactions are better understood, aberrations of these normal relationships can then be considered in various disorders. By knowing how normal associations take place, theories between abnormalities and symptoms can be postulated along with therapeutic interventions. While this is the primary purpose of unique oneness theory, its role in gaining a more complete and unified insight into human complexities is certainly advantageous for future understandings.

Defining Reality

By simplistic terms, reality is what is real. And what is real is what exists. Reality is therefore a state of things as they actually are, and it equates to existence. But in considering the nuances of this simple definition, some very important considerations must be taken into account. For example, does something have to be observed or comprehended to exist and be part of reality? Or can reality encompass what is unable to be observed and understood? Likewise, is reality some form of absolute existence? Or does reality vary from individual to individual based on perception and interpretation?

Philosopher Edward Husserl popularized phenomenological reality in the early twentieth century. This basically defines reality as a personal interpretation of events as one person sees them. In essence, each person's reality differs according to his or her perception and interpretation. Phenomenological reality is used to explain certain spiritual experiences among individuals since not everyone may experience or perceive them, yet they are very real to those experiencing them.

In contrast, the concept of realism holds that a reality exists that is independent of the beliefs, perceptions, or experiences of an individual or a group of people. In other words, regardless of whether something is observed or able to be comprehended, there is an existence and a reality that is present regardless. Perception isn't required for the reality to be "real." This type of reality definition states that there is an identical reality for everyone, but differences in perception and interpretations create unique variations for each person.

In coming to a definition of reality, two basic features come into play. First is the nature of reality and whether it is absolute or relative to the one observing it. And second, to what extent does the relationship between the mind and reality affect defined reality? The proverbial question of "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to see it, does the tree actually fall?" highlights this key point in how one defines reality.

In more recent times, the theories of quantum physics define the properties of matter and energy within the universe. By nature, quantum physics concerns itself with probabilistic values rather than deterministic ones. This means an exact, determined answer to a set of circumstances isn't available in any particular instance, but instead a range of probabilities exists for various outcomes. In this regard, the universe is therefore nondeterministic and requires observation and consciousness to define reality. Outside our ability to observe and be aware of phenomenological occurrences, reality is simply an arbitrary concept.

The ultimate definition of reality depends on one's philosophical and scientific biases. Whether one tends to favor realism or prefers a phenomenological approach, ultimately reality can be determined to be somewhat different. Regardless, clearly our mental ability to perceive reality and render an interpretation of it requires our brain functions to operate normally. Without a functioning perceptual system, reality thus becomes distorted.

One could state that if reality is distorted because of pathological mental processing, then that simply is that person's reality. The different perceptions and interpretations lead to a different experience and thus redefine reality for that individual. This phenomenological approach to reality is interesting in this context. In what we don't know a great deal about healthy brain function, there is an abundance of medical evidence that demonstrates pathology causing distorted perceptions of reality. This includes hallucinations and delusions in an array of psychiatric illnesses.