• Rupert Sheldrake’s book, “The Presence of the Past,” proposes a dynamic, evolving universe that challenges the traditional mechanistic understanding.
• Sheldrake argues that natural laws evolve over time, similar to common law, rather than being eternal and unchanging.
• He introduces morphic fields, non-material regions that shape the development of organisms and molecules, suggesting they evolve and are influenced by past experiences.
• Sheldrake proposes that memories depend on morphic resonance, rather than being stored in the brain, and that this concept can explain the transmission of skills and knowledge.
• The book suggests that cultural and social evolution are driven by cumulative morphic resonance, making skills and knowledge easier to acquire over time.

In a groundbreaking exploration of reality and the cosmos, Rupert Sheldrake’s book, “The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Habits of Nature,” challenges the conventional understanding of the universe.

Sheldrake, a biologist and author, presents an evolutionary vision of reality at every level—from subatomic particles to entire galaxies—that goes beyond the traditional mechanistic view of the universe. The book begins by examining the dual perspective of the world inherited from 19th-century science: The great evolutionary process on Earth and the physical eternity of a mechanistic universe.

This dual perspective suggests that life evolved within a physical eternity, but it did not alter the fundamental laws and principles of the universe. However, Sheldrake argues that this conventional worldview is being transcended by a new, dynamic and evolving cosmos.

The author delves into the implications of 20th-century physics, particularly relativity and quantum mechanics, which have transformed the understanding of the universe. The mechanistic universe of matter in motion has given way to a cosmic system of fields and energy. The vacuum, once thought to be empty, is now seen as a seething ocean of energy constantly producing and absorbing particles. This new perspective suggests that the universe is not static, but is evolving over time.

One of the key concepts explored in the book is the idea that the laws of nature themselves may be evolving. Sheldrake suggests that the laws of nature are not eternal and unchanging, but have developed and evolved alongside the universe – a radical departure from the traditional view that the laws of nature are fixed and universal. Instead, Sheldrake proposes that the laws of nature are more like natural common law, evolving as the universe grows and develops.

A new paradigm: Morphic fields and the dynamic universe

Another central idea in the book is the concept of morphic fields. These non-material regions of influence organize and shape the development of organisms, molecules and crystals. Sheldrake argues that morphic fields are not fixed but evolve and are influenced by what has happened before.

This idea of formative causation challenges the assumption that the laws of nature are transcendent and unchanging. Instead, the structure of morphic fields depends on the forms of previous similar organisms, molecules, or crystals.

The book also explores the phenomenon of genetic assimilation, where acquired characteristics become inherited over time. Sheldrake suggests that this process can be explained by the cumulative effects of morphic resonance, where the more often a particular pattern of development occurs, the more probable it becomes. This idea has profound implications for the understanding of inheritance and evolution.

Sheldrake challenges the conventional view of memory, suggesting that memories are not stored inside the brain but depend on morphic resonance from the organism’s own past. This concept is supported by the fact that memories can survive substantial brain damage, suggesting that they are not dependent on specific memory traces within the brain. This challenges the traditional understanding of learning, memory and even consciousness.

The book also delves into the social and cultural implications of morphic fields, suggesting that they underlie the patterns of organization and tradition that shape human societies. This includes the transmission of cultural heritage, the influence of tradition, and the evolution of social and cultural norms. The author explores the idea that the acquisition of skills and knowledge is facilitated by morphic resonance from those who have learned them before, which could explain why learning often becomes easier over time.

In conclusion, “The Presence of the Past” challenges readers to rethink the understanding of reality. It invites people to consider a world where memory is inherent in nature, where habits build up as evolution goes on, and where the universe is not a static, unchanging machine but a dynamic, evolving organism.

Watch this video about Rupert Sheldrake’s book, “The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Habits of Nature,” which presents an evolutionary view of reality.

This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com.

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