bookreport

Mayer, Elizabeth Lloyd. Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind. New York, New York. February 2007
Reason: Recently, I have become way too occupied with the human mind. I have took it was far as already picking my major in college- physiology. I have become so ridiculously entertained-as I believe that the human mind is infinite. Infinite to though- infinite to everything. A bigger reason as to why I chose this book is because I remember going into Brian Delgado’s office and telling him that I couldn’t wrap my mind around forever- he gave my example and clarified forever and gave me a piece of paper wrapped in a familiar sign- an infinity sign. A sign that mathematicians use so often-solved my entire life. We discussed Gurus. Think of your mind as a radio- the Gurus program there mind to the same channel as everyone else-that way then can get into your mind. One time there was this guru that met this young women, he sat with her-not even saying one word and he softly said “don’t worry, your father will never touch you like that again”. When Brian told me that I was disgusted but more fascinated by the way the Gurus mind had worked in such eloquent fashion. This book relates to that because of the fact that a guy at Berkeley pinpointed the exact location of a flute. I find that absurd. There are so many flutes out there. That is just the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. The book takes place in California and the character is just like a person. It is very weird because almost anyone can relate to this book.
Plot: A lot so basically this book is just about how people just "know" things without rational explanation. I look at the word rational and I just get freaked out about it. What is rationale? A lot of people call the author a “skeptical source” however I have learned that there are a lot of of trained scientists, physicians and psychologists have had extraordinary paranormal experiences, but feel constrained by the academic/scientific fundamentalists that they refuse to talk about them. I absolutely feel encaged by ideals and morals when I read that. I feel as if other people are trapping us in a web of what we should believe. And so many other people have other ideas that they never share with the world because of this web that there so afraid to step out of. For instance, when I went into Brains office he asked me if I’d done anything other than pot these last couple of months. I just think a lot. I don’t find it absurd however that I got asked that. If somebody came into my office with the exact same mindset as me I would be ridiculously worried about that person. I look at this book and it’s just ridiculous. The thoughts that have arisen from my mind due to this book are not of this world. I can’t even correctly explain it. It’s just due to a flute and the findings of a flute that such significant questions have arisen. This kind of thought process is often ridiculed by the religious AND the scientific communities but for different reasons. The scientists -because it is difficult to explain how ESP works. The religious -because if humans were to develop their ESP abilities -then we would all be prophets. This book analyzes multiple studies that support some amazing mental powers that the human mind appears to be capable of performing. Unfortunately, none of the studies are sufficiently referenced to allow an interested reader to review the actual data.
Character: I am going to analyze Dr. Mayer. It is kind of funny because Dr. Mayer took this as quite a jock. Dr. Mayer graduated from Berkley. He actually didn’t leave his Arkansas home when finding the flute- he did it all in his mind- which really trips me out. How can you do such a thing? I have learned through the book that many people actually can do that and it really trips me out.
Evaluation: I loved this novel. It gave me so many new mind boggling questions to explore within my ever-infinite mind. I would suggest this book to everyone. To an extent I kind of want everyone to have the same mind-set as me- but at the exact same time I want to know everything they know and experience their perception. It is so ridiculous- there are people who think more than I do. I just don’t see how you can ever get bored within your own mind when your thoughts are infinite.
This book easily compares to real life- as it is based upon a true story. It is really mind boggling and is trippy! This book is so important for others to read- or at the very least I believe everyone should read a book like it.
Author: the authors name is Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer, Ph.D., was an internationally known psychoanalyst, researcher, and clinician, the author of groundbreaking papers on female development, the nature of science, and intuition. In addition to her private practice, she was associate clinical professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and also taught at UC Medical Center, San Francisco. She died just after completing this book. I really think she died because she was getting to close to the truth.


THIS STUFF IS SO TRIPPY!