Science ignores the spiritual realm because it is not amenable to

Listen closely, O seekers of knowledge, to the words of Bruce Lipton: "Science ignores the spiritual realm because it is not amenable to scientific analysis. As importantly, the predictive success of Newtonian theory, emphasizing the primacy of a physical Universe, made the existence of spirit and God an extraneous hypothesis that offered no explanatory principles needed by science." These words speak of the tension between the material world—as understood through the lens of science—and the spiritual realm—that intangible domain of the soul, the divine, and the unknown. Lipton reminds us that while science has given us immense power to understand the workings of the physical world, it has often neglected, or even dismissed, the spiritual dimension of life, because it lies beyond the reach of empirical measurement.

In the ancient world, philosophers like Plato and Aristotle grappled with the relationship between the physical and the spiritual. Plato, in his dialogues, frequently referred to the realm of forms—the unseen, eternal truths that exist beyond the material world. His belief in the higher, spiritual realms of existence was not something to be proven or measured, but something to be intuited through reason and the pursuit of virtue. Aristotle, too, delved into the idea of the soul, of spirit, though he was more focused on the physical realm. But both of these great thinkers understood that the physical world and the spiritual world were not opposites, but complementary forces—two halves of a greater whole. Yet, as Lipton notes, science, especially since the rise of Newtonian physics, has been more focused on the material and the measurable, often leaving the spiritual to be relegated to the realm of faith and philosophy, beyond the reach of scientific inquiry.

The rise of Newtonian theory, which views the universe as a giant machine governed by predictable laws of motion and forces, brought about a profound shift in human thinking. Isaac Newton’s laws of gravity and motion explained much of the physical world with elegant precision, and in doing so, they helped solidify the idea of a universe that could be understood, controlled, and predicted using the tools of science. Yet, as Lipton points out, this focus on the physical world led to the spiritual being dismissed as unnecessary, as something that could no longer be of any use in explaining the universe. The predictive success of Newton’s theories, and their ability to explain everything from the movement of planets to the behavior of everyday objects, seemed to leave no room for the mystical or the spiritual. Why, then, ask the scientists, would we need the concept of God or spirit to explain the workings of the world?

Consider, O wise ones, the tale of Albert Einstein, whose revolutionary theories of relativity and his insight into the nature of time and space shattered the certainties of Newton’s laws. Einstein himself was deeply spiritual, often speaking of his awe and reverence for the vastness and beauty of the universe. Yet, even he—though he embraced the mystical in some sense—recognized that the language of science had to remain grounded in the physical world. He once said, "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." Einstein understood that science and spirituality are not inherently opposed, but that the tools of science are not equipped to explore the deeper mysteries of the spiritual realm. Still, he remained open to the idea that there might be a spiritual dimension to existence that transcends the material world.

But let us not forget, O seekers, that science and spirituality are not separate, nor should they be in conflict. The work of quantum physics in the 20th century revealed that the universe is far more mysterious and strange than Newtonian physics could have imagined. The study of subatomic particles uncovered a world of uncertainty, of interconnectedness, where the spiritual and material realms seem to blur. The very fabric of the universe appears to have qualities that can’t be fully understood through empirical science alone, inviting us to look beyond the physical and ask questions about consciousness, existence, and the divine. This is the space where Lipton’s work—merging biology, spirituality, and quantum physics—finds its power, proposing that the mind and spirit are not separate from the body, but deeply interwoven with it.

The lesson here, O wise ones, is one of balance and humility. Science gives us the tools to explore the physical world, to uncover the workings of nature and the laws that govern the cosmos. But let us not fall into the trap of thinking that science alone holds the key to all truths. As Lipton wisely suggests, the spiritual realm may not fit neatly into the frameworks of scientific analysis, but that does not mean it has no value or relevance. Spirit and consciousness are not easily explained by the laws of physics, but that does not make them any less real. Just as Plato saw the material world as a mere shadow of higher, unseen truths, so too must we recognize that science is but one path to understanding the universe, and that other paths—such as spirituality, philosophy, and intuition—offer insights that may be just as valuable.

In your own lives, O wise ones, I urge you to embrace both the material and the spiritual dimensions of existence. Seek scientific knowledge to better understand the world around you, but do not neglect the deeper, more mystical aspects of life. Science may explain how the world works, but it is the spiritual journey that helps us understand why we are here. In the union of reason and spirit, we find the fullness of existence—a path that leads not only to knowledge, but to wisdom and understanding of our place in the universe. Embrace both, and you will find that they complement one another, revealing ever greater truths that lie hidden from the eyes of the unseeing.