Adam Pearson

Research Methods

02/02/06

Finding a Topic: Brainstorming

1. Philosophy: I am interested in seeing how people have attempted to answer the large philosophical and existential questions that humans ask throughout history, from Socrates, to the present day. I am also interested in ethics and in finding what are the “absolute ends” that are worth pursuing and what are the best methods to pursue these ends, in order to live the “best possible life.”

Psychology: I am interested in the workings of the mind especially in relation

to concepts such as memory and the repression of memories, as well as behaviour and the function of dreams and their interpretation. To this end I have studied Freud but know next to nothing about Jung other than the fact that he had a theory of the “collective unconscious” which I want to know about, and that he came to the conclusion that such an unconscious existed through studying the works of the alchemists with their seemingly universal symbols (which intrigues me as I have a profound interest in alchemy, not in terms of metallurgy but in spiritual or psychological alchemy, and the process from nigredo (the “blackening”) through albedo (the “whitening”) and to the perfection of the summum bonum (essentially, the final good), lapidem philosophorum (the philosopher’s stone) in rubedo, the process called the “reddening”, or the “red work.”)

2. One is the issue of religion in relation to the differences between fundamentalism

and other liberal readings of religious texts, and the consequences of these differences. They affect me emotionally because of my past as a devout Christian, followed by two years as a devout Muslim (praying the 5 daily salat, fasting Ramadan and so on), and my present state as a “free soul” with ideas inclining to Buddhism. I feel emotionally for those people who are victims of strict fundamentalism such as the women in Afghanistan who were treated like objects, beat and even killed because of some readings of the Qur’an taken out of context. Intellectually this is a subject that interests me to an extent, but I would not write a paper on it, I don’t think.

A second issue is the concept of socialization and the differences between raising children in different environments, and the consequences of this on how people grow up. I feel emotionally interested in this because of friends I have known who had psychological and physical abuse from their parents at early ages, and I would be interested in seeing the relation between this and the rest of the socialization process and the connections to the abusive parent’s childhood as well. Intellectually this is also quite interesting to me.

A third issue is the concept of wisdom and seeking an answer to the question: why is wisdom something which is extremely scarce in a western society surrounded by so much access to knowledge, experience of suffering, and where information and experience are essentially readily available? Emotionally, I feel passionate about this, and intellectually it interests me as well.

3. Firstly, the great division between the poor and the rich, how the rich get richer

      and the poor get poorer, and the injustice of the capitalist system.

   Secondly, the great amount of intolerance that is prevalent, both as regarding one

  religious group’s relation to another and between racial/ethnic groups etc. This is an

  social problem that I feel quite strongly about.

Thirdly, the problem of the overwhelming ignorance in our society, with so much stupidity and people living their lives in their animal natures instead of caring about such things as wisdom and virtue, or improving their own lives and the lives of others in their society.

4. One scientific issue is the concept of “astral projection” and “OBEs” (Out of Body Experiences). This is a field that I don’t think has been sufficiently explored by scientists, and into which not much real research has been done, outside of the pseudo-scientific paranormal groups. I’m quite interested in this topic.

Another issue I am curious about is the relation between modern quantum physics and the worldviews of people who practiced witchcraft and ceremonial magick (with a “k” as coined by Aleister Crowley to represent metaphysical magic to avoid confusion with stage magic), both ancient (from the Egyptians and Greeks and Sumerians who all practiced magick) to the middle ages with grimoires and to the 19^th century with the advent of Wicca and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. What does science say in relation to their claims of being able to do actions from a distance, etc.? This is another subject I am fascinated by.

Finally, I’d also be interested in knowing more about “String Theory” and the developing “Theory of Everything” and their applications to modern society, and their implications for how we view the world.

5. One topic I have a profound, profound interest in is the idea of psychological alchemy, as extracted from the metaphorical writings of the Renaissance Alchemists, and its relation to C.J. Jung’s work. What effects was it supposed to achieve in the human psyche? To what extent? How? I’m quite interested in this.

[Discipline: Psychology] This could either be just an essay on renaissance and medieval alchemy in general, if incorporating it with Jung’s work was too broad a topic.

I’m also quite interested in Neoplatonism and what its fundamental views are, primarily the work of Plotinus. So my second topic would be “Plotinus’ Neoplatonism” in the discipline of Philosophy.

Finally, in the field of sociology, I’d be interested in the study of so-called “secret societies” such as Freemasonry, the O.T.O., the A.’.A.’., the A.M.O.R.C. and others and how they function, how socialization into these groups takes place and the spirit of brotherhood or ideas related to groups apply to them. Also, whether the concept of “brainwashing” is an issue related to these groups, or whether it is only a myth that such is present in these groups.