Defense of Ken Wilber

http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2013/02/416-ken-wilber.html

I don't think Wilber is entirely crackers.  My impression is that he has a highly over-inflated opinion of himself (one writer derides him as seeing himself as being "Ken Einstein," and I agree) -- but, no, I don't think his work is without merit. The excerpt you provide as an outstanding example of his incompetence I consider to be a provocative speculation.  As we look at evermore "close up" or sub-microscopic take on matter, what do we find?  We find that what we would consider on a common-sense level to be matter -- solid, touchable entities bounded by clear, distinct boundaries -- becomes almost entirely space, shot through not with certainty, but probability, and an increasing lack of solidity.  This is extremely well-established scientific fact. There is also the clear possibility that the act of attending to matter on that level can actually influence its presentation to us -- in other words, consciousness cannot be ruled out as being a "player" (or vector) in the deepest levels of matter.  Throughout history, there have been ongoing consistent reports by highly introspective individuals saying that one's consciousness can be focused to an extremely fine level, and that at that level, the interconnectedness and essential unity of seemingly bounded pieces of matter can be directly observed. It is imprudent to ignore these highly consistent accounts springing from different time frames and cultures simply because the instrument of observation is consciousness itself.  The similarity of these accounts requires that one at least take pause before writing them off as a variant of the "Jesus on a Tortilla" phenomenon. Yes, all of the above may be wrong. But, no, these speculations of Wilber's that you provide (and he clearly presents them as speculations in the excerpt you provide) are not entirely fanciful, ego-driven conjectures lacking at least a fair degree of corroborating, well-established scientific evidence.  I think your joy at engaging in derisive eye-rolling  limits the flexibility and subtlety of your thinking in this instance.  That said, I think this is a fantastic blog that lends support to the badly needed "toxic woo cleanup" efforts of Randi, Shermer, Gardner, Brian Dunning, Robert Carroll, et. al.  Thank you for your labors, my friend.