08/20/2026
Beginning Sunday October 4th! New four week ONLINE COURSE with Gary Lachman! Join Gary Lachman in 4 classes looking at different but related philosophies of consciousness that lie outside the materialist mainstream.
What is consciousness? We certainly know when we have it and when we don’t but exactly what it is remains a mystery. In his book, A Secret History of Consciousness, Lachman looks at different ideas and philosophies of consciousness that lie outside the mainstream scientific and academic world. The central theme of the book is that our consciousness, the consciousness of early 21st century human beings in the postmodern world, is not consciousness per se, but is a form of consciousness that has been arrived at, historically and in our evolution. Other forms of consciousness predated ours, which suggests that, in the future - or even now -other forms of consciousness may emerge that are in some way ‘beyond’ or ‘more’ than our own. Another corresponding theme is that consciousness cannot be reduced to its material base, i.e. the brain, as most conventional philosophies of consciousness would like to do. It is something more than matter, which is itself at bottom an idea.
Over four Sundays throughout October, Lachman will look at four different but related philosophies of consciousness that lie outside the materialist mainstream. All four in different ways see consciousness as evolving, not through the impact of material forces or chance mutation, but through its own inherent evolutionary drive.
Consciousness is not a passive medium, mirroring the physical world, but an active force, reaching out and participating in its creation.
Sundays in October (4, 11, 18, 25) all streamed live over zoom. Can’t be there live? No problem! Recordings of classes will be sent out a few days after each class and will be available for 4 weeks.
Register now! At prs.org/events
