About this episode
Dr. Mario Beauregard, PhD., is a neuroscientist currently affiliated with the Department of Psychology, University of Arizona. He has received a bachelor degree in psychology and a doctorate degree in neuroscience from the University of Montreal. He also underwent postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Texas Medical School (Houston) and the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University. Dr. Beauregard is the author of more than 100 publications in neuroscience, psychology, and psychiatry. He was the first neuroscientist to use functional neuroimaging to investigate the neural underpinnings of voluntary control in relation to emotion. Because of his research into the neuroscience of consciousness, he was selected (2000) by the World Media Net to be one of the “One Hundred Pioneers of the 21st Century.” In addition, his groundbreaking research on the neurobiology of spiritual experiences (including near-death experiences) has received international media coverage. In 2008, he was invited to participate in a symposium held at the United Nations. In 2013, he participated in a dialogue with the Dalai Lama in regard to the new science of mind. Dr. Beauregard has appeared over several radio programs in the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe, Asia, and Australia. His research has been featured on TV (Discovery Channel) and in many newspapers and magazines, including Nature, Science, The New Scientist, Scientific American Mind, and The Economist. He has received a number of distinctions, including the Joel F. Lubar Award (International Society for Neuronal Regulation, USA) and the Spectrum Award (The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, USA). Being also an author, Dr. Beauregard has published The Spiritual Brain (Harper Collins, 2007) and Brain Wars (Harper Collins, 2012). In these books, he demonstrates that mind and consciousness are much more than the activity of nerve cells in our brains. He also shows that spirituality is a central feature of human beings that cannot be reduced to physical processes. Beauregard actively contributes to the articulation of the new postmaterialist scientific paradigm. Co-author of the Manifesto for a Postmaterialist Science, which has been signed by several hundreds of scientists, he is also one of the founders of The Academy for the Advancement of Postmaterialist Sciences (AAPS). Movie: Expanding Reality Books: Expanding Reality: The Emergence of Postmaterialist Science The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul Brain Wars: The Scientific Battle Over the Existence of the Mind and the Proof that Will Change the Way We Live Our Lives Expanding Science Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded October 1, 2022 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:27 - Introduction to Dr. Beauregard and his work 00:06:30 - Mystical Experience and Life Mission 00:10:06 - A Life-Changing Experience 00:13:19 - Miraculous Recovery and Spiritual Awakening 00:17:02 - Psychic Experiences and Family Connections 00:20:05 - Prearranged Events and Purification of Sickness 00:24:03 - The Impact of the Scientific Materialist Worldview 00:27:59 - The Manifesto for a Post-Materialist Science 00:32:00 - Playing the Game, Being a Black Sheep 00:35:07 - The Journey from Job Loss to Collaboration 00:38:25 - The Transition Period and the Waning of Materialism 00:41:49 - The Illusion of Self and the Denial of Psi Phenomena 00:44:59 - The Changing Attitude Towards New Ideas 00:48:07 - The Importance of Open-Mindedness and Spiritual Practice 00:51:52 - The Influence of Mind and Non-Local Interactions 00:55:41 - Altered States of Awareness and Neuroplasticity 00:58:57 - Materialism, Reductionism, Scientism, and Determinism 01:03:02 - Invalid Assumptions in Neuroscience 01:06:27 - The Impact of a Paradigm Shift on Society 01:10:08 - The Battle Between Holistic and Materialist Vision 01:12:56 - The Need for Rapid Intelligence Growth 01:15:21 - The Connection Between Ancient Spiritual Traditions and Post-Materialist View 01:18:21 - Influence on the Brain and Mind 01:21:24 - The Physicalist Explanation of Mind and Genetics 01:24:44 - The Refusal to Look at the Evidence 01:27:30 - Near Death Experiences and the Reality of the Afterlife 01:30:30 - A Time of Great Change and Optimism 01:33:44 - Mystical Experiences and Spiritual Awakening 01:36:41 - Mario's Website and YouTube Interviews 01:38:55 - Farewell and Closing Music