A Scientific Inquiry Into the Physics of Reality

Book review by Sid Jordan

In The Fallacy of Materialism, chemist and spiritual researcher Steve Richheimer contrasts the worldviews of “materialism” and “spirituality” that challenges readers to eschew religious and scientific dogma, “always this and never that”. He not only accomplishes a searing critique of a materialist science but offers an alternative spiritual upliftment of a new science that inspires individual and social liberation. 

The Physics of Reality

Richheimer divides his book into four parts.  The first is “The Physics of Reality” where, in an accessible language, he discusses how modern quantum physics, and Einstein’s relativity theory challenge long held beliefs among physicists and biological sciences’ mechanistic views that don’t fit a newly explored non-local and interconnected reality. 

A science that separates physical and mental realities begins with Descartes’ Cartesian mind and body dualism and Newton’s laws of motion and gravity. These theories laid the foundation for materialism’s view of the body and the universe as a clock-like machine. This materialist worldview was even more consolidated with Darwin’s theory of evolution that explained the origin of complex organisms.

This materialist Cartesian-Newtonian worldview of the late 19th century viewed matter as the ground for objective and subjective reality, including consciousness.   The author sites several postulates of materialism that are keys to understanding the “fallacies of materialism”.   The first of these is “causal determinism” that postulates that if one knows the current conditions of a system one can predict the conditions of the future of the system with exactness.  The second, “locality of matter-energy interactions”, states that regardless of the size or mass of an object that it is governed by local force fields that diminish with distance regardless of its speed or the effect of time, assumed to be a constant throughout the universe. The third assumption of materialism is a “strong objectivity” that contends that “physical objects exist independent of one another and there is no scope for mind, which is created by the brain to have an effect on any physical entity except the body.” (p 10 Richheimer).  

These postulates of materialism are directly challenged by the theories of Planck and Einstein that viewed packets of energy such as photons, electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, atoms and molecules as “quantum particles” having both wave particle and wave characteristics.  The “causal determinism” of a reductionistic science is challenged by the unpredictability of a “quantum wave function” that requires a consideration of all possible states being the outcome when observed or measured by anyone or an instrument.  The materialist tenet of “locality” is largely upended by the phenomenon of “entanglement” in which two quantum particles that are created together remain connected and communicate any changes to one another no matter how far apart.  The rule of materialism that brain creates mind is questioned by the author through the “observation problem”.  The collapse of the wave function is preceded by an observation whether it is by a human or instrumental observation.  In the end, it requires a subjective observation of a human mind for the wave function to collapse. It is contended that the mind or consciousness can directly affect the collapse of the wave and appearance of the particle through its “top down” impact on the neurons of the brain rather than the reverse “bottom up” process of brain creating mind.

The author finds support for the subjective approach to an objective adjustment of mind over matter in physicists like Bohm’s notion of “Deep down the consciousness of mankind is one” (p 46 Richheimer) and Wheeler’s “participant-observer” that could represent human consciousness or cosmic consciousness creating the universe.  These qualities or oneness of the collective mind/consciousness and matter represent qualities of the wave function’s temporal and spatial nonlocality.

The author relates that Einstein’s four-dimensional (length, width, height and time) space-time concept of relativity deals a final blow to the Newtonian constant space and time “clockwork universe”.  Both time and space are relative and interconnected. “Only events in four-dimensional continuum of space-time have meaning.” (p 60 Richheimer) An example is given that mass distorts space-time creating gravity. The greater the mass of an object the more it bends space.  As Einstein predicts starlight from a star is seen to curve when it passes close to the sun. 

The author ends this part of the book with, “Thus It is reasonable to think that someday physicists might develop a concise theory that shows how spacetime emerges from a wave function.” (p 65 Richheimer) He concludes that while a deterministic and local relativity theory serves as a container for physical reality, that theoretically everything in the domain of objective reality, including space-time, can be seen as an emergent property of the subtle domain of the wave function.

The Mind Beyond the Brain

The second part of the book takes on “Why Mind Cannot be Reduced to Brain”. The assumption that there is a reality that corresponds to what the senses and brain records is questioned as the author states that the only thing we can know with certainty is our “self-awareness” of the mind.  He states that the “self-identity” is permanent whereas the body and brain undergo continuous change.  This awareness is linked with our unit consciousness or “I feeling” that creates a sense of unity of self-awareness in contrast to the brain that lacks a mechanism of “anatomical convergence”. 

There are number of well researched physical phenomena that the author sites that are caused by mental states that can not be explained by changes in the brain.  These includes psychosomatic illnesses, placebo effect and hypnotic induced surgical analgesia.  The author concludes that “These phenomena are consistent with the hypothesis that mind lies at a higher hierarchical level than matter and brain.” (p 95 Richheimer)

Among mystical-like experiences the author sites, near death experiences (NDE) are the most convincing evidence for the mind functioning at a level beyond a brain that has shut down because of the absence of blood flow and a flat EEG.  The lucidity of consciousness and vivid memory of those who recall their NDE includes being fully conscious, experiencing a divine presence, “life review”, witnessing attempts of resuscitation, visiting with loved ones and the lasting transformative effect upon their lives.  These accounts of NDE are similar for thousands of people regardless of age, nationality, religion, race or culture.

The author counters that PSI phenomena are mistakenly referred to as “extra” sensory (ESP) experiences when in fact everybody experiences them.  He contends that these rigorously researched phenomena of telepathy, precognition and remote viewing are explained by the existence of the cosmic or non-local collective mind.  He concludes that this collective unconscious mind possesses the scientifically proven wave function’s qualities of timelessness, wholeness and entanglement that refutes the materialist atomistic worldview of reality.

Spiritual Logic

In the third part of the book, The Logic of the Spiritual Worldview, the author states that there must be some fundamental “ground substance” for creation.  The materialist claim that this ground substance is matter that has always been there.  The spiritual point of view is that cosmic consciousness is the ground substance of a creation that is cyclical in nature, beginning and ending with consciousness.  This consciousness has a “creative principle” that molds consciousness into the material world.  This creative principle transforms unqualified consciousness into the three principles of qualities of mind: I am, I do and objective mind.  This cosmic objective mind then creates the objective world.  This creation of the objective world is known as the Big Bang in which the creative principle acting on the cosmic objective mind transforms it into the five elements of spacetime (ether), plasma and gaseous elements (aerial), electromagnetic radiation (luminous), liquid and solid.  This completes the outward or centrifugal, inanimate phase of creation of solids or planets.  Next comes the return or centripetal phase of the creation cycle that, given suitable conditions on a planet, life and mind evolve with an increasing expression of consciousness.  

The author points out that in the 4 billion years evolution on planet earth, current humans have evolved in only the last 300,000 years.  This expression of human consciousness is fraught with the double edge sword of moving towards cosmic consciousness to complete the cosmic cycle or devolving backwards towards the world of animal unconsciousness.  This constitutes the struggle between the “I of the ego” attracted to the material world versus the intuition’s desire to become one with the “cosmic I”.    This attaining oneness with cosmic consciousness completes the cycle of creation, the final journey of self-realization.

This theory of the cycle of creation begins with the oneness/wholeness of cosmic consciousness existing before cosmic mind is formed.  According to the author, ” Cosmic mind could also be described as the wave function of the universe” .(p166 Richheimer) This cosmic mind (wave function) when observed by cosmic consciousness manifest the physical reality of spacetime.  The author concludes that quantum physics and relativity’s concepts of oneness and a state of order, defined as entropy being zero at the beginning of time (Big Bang), logically support the primacy of an organizing principle of cosmic consciousness.  This primacy of consciousness defies a materialist point of view that reality begins with matter alone.

Further support for this spiritual point of view is that various levels of the mind work together closely to apply the conscious mind to create a unified experience of reality. These levels of mind are defined by chakras arranged hierarchically from the crude level of the body to more subtle levels of conscious, subconscious and three unconscious levels that reflect the collective and cosmic mind.  The neuroscience of the materialist model of “hierarchical brain networks” has a problem of explaining the conscious awareness of emotions, intentionality, collective mind and self-awareness that remains consistent over time. The logic of a more holistic and universal cosmic mind, contrasted with this materialist view, accounts for the innate, blissful and timeless experience of self-realization.

The author concludes that it takes many reincarnated lifetimes to achieve this self-realization.  This invokes the idea of reincarnation to burn all the samskaras/momenta according to the law of karma: all actions have an equal and opposite reaction.   According to the author’s view “actions that draw us closer to self-realization (e.g. self-less service, spiritual practices and meditation) produce the greatest happiness while actions that move us farther away from self-realization produce negative reactive momenta ad result in pain and suffering.” (p 191 Richheimer) He further contends that to accomplish self-realization requires a human body.  The author offers that the appearance of human consciousness was not rolled out in slow incremental steps but arrived amid “quantum leaps” based on the cosmic mind’s actions on unexpressed gene variations that defy neo-Darwinian theories based on the slower process of mutations in “natural selection”.

The Dogma and Its Remedy

In the final and fourth part of the book, The Problem and Solution, the author emphasizes the presence of the scientific dogma that only accepts a deterministic and local reality grounded in matter.  He states this has assumed the proportion of a “Quantum Physics-Induced Trauma” manifest by a difficulty in assimilating mentally challenging advances in quantum mechanics.  For materialist scientists there is total separation of the subjective and objective worlds that is reinforced by a separation from spiritual/religious beliefs and a movement towards academic and corporate success.  Skepticism of unmeasurable evidence for a subjective consciousness along with a threat to their reputation, funding and salaries drives many scientists towards a materialist stance. 

The author feels that this materialistic point or view shared by scientists, intellectuals, capitalist and mainstream media has been sold to a receptive public.  This widespread expression of materialism and its consumerism accounts for the de-stabilization of society around the world, reflected in income inequality, family disintegration, environmental degradation, health crises, excessive migration, nationalism fueling conflicts and political polarization.  At the core of these crises, the author surmises that materialism is like a virus that “When we buy into the idea that this objective world exists separate from ourselves, it necessarily distorts our own self-image and denies our connection with one another and the universe”. (p 225 Richheimer) Ian McGilchrist resonates with this conclusion regarding our separation from the world and the primacy of consciousness in his epic treatise The Matter With Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World.  He posits, “It is a world in which relationships are ontologically primary, foundational; and ‘things’ are secondary, emergent property of relationships. It is one where matter is an aspect of consciousness, not consciousness an emanation from matter.” (McGilchrist 2021 p 2052)  In an essay comparing the two, Jordan (2024) states that “McGlchrist, like P. R. Sarkar, perceives a free will that chooses between embracing a short-sighted and impulsive egoistic left hemisphere’s materialism or the right brain’s intuitive and benevolent universalism.”

To remedy these societal ills the author recommends the adoption of the universalistic social philosophy of Neohumanism proposed by P. R. Sarkar.  Neohumanism reflects the top-down view of reality of spirituality with its oneness of everything and rejection of geo-sentiments and socio-sentiments.  Sarkar’s answer to the socio-economic problems of capitalism and communism is a Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT) that “Recognizes the material world is common to all people and seeks the rational and equitable distribution of physical resources to maximize the physical, mental, and spiritual development of humankind.” (p 235 Richheimer)  

Conclusion

Richheimer encourages us to adopt a rational perspective in considering the gaps in the materialist version of reality as opposed to the holistic nature of the spiritual perspective. He offers that the subjective approach of spirituality in understanding the objective reality, supported by modern quantum physics, places “observations/consciousness of our mind” as an antecedent to what is physically manifest.  This is a “top-down view” of reality places consciousness as a precursor to matter in contrast to the bottom-up view of materialism that reality originates from evolving atomic structures, DNA, brain that produces subjective experience.

At a personal level the author encourages us to adopt a practice of selfless service that dissolves the ego and creates a more harmonious society.  The highest form of service, he relates, is performing and sharing with others spiritual practices and philosophy of which this book is an example.  He contends that the adoption of meditation and spiritual practices will reduce the desire for material things and ultimately lead to self-realization, ending the cycle of birth and death.

Towards the end of the book the author encourages that if we put a fraction of the money spent on military weapons and space exploration into scientific research of mind and consciousness, we could have a new science that established consciousness as the ground substance of creation.  He optimistically states that “This change will eventually take place and …human society will enter a glorious new phase of development marked by harmony, peace, economic prosperity, political unity and spiritual growth.” (P 238 Richheimer) 

References

Jordan, Sid, (2024) Beyond Things That Matter Neohumanist Review Issue 3 (2024), theneohumanist.com

McGilchrist, Iain, (2021) The Matter With Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World (p. 2052). Perspectiva Press. Kindle Edition.

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) The Fallacy of Materialism; How Consciousness Creates the Material World and Why It Matters (p.10). Inner World Publications.

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p.46).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p.60).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p. 65).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p. 95).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p.166).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p.191).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p.225).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p. 235).

Richheimer, Steven, (2021) (p. 238).

Published in Neohumanist Review, Issue 5, September 2025, pp 50-54.