Comment below. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" wrote: > > Excellent points Patrick. > > Are you > > acquainted with the Nidiches research on > > ethics and TM? Do you have an opinion about it? > > > > I don't really feel qualified to understand > what the research does and does not prove.
This is the nub of the issue, isn't it? I'm surprised at how paltry my education has been regarding what constitutes good science. Even in journalism graduate school, the required course on research - which should have concentrated on evaluating studies - failed to convey anything useful. Peter Sutphen's critiques in this forum have been good. And Vaj likes to take apart TM research. Maybe if we posted studies here, we could evaluate them. As I recall the Nidich research, it was well- replicated and had impressive p-values, but beyond that, I don't know how solid it is. What I do recall is that Maharishi School and Maharishi University students scored real well on a Kohlberg moral development test, outscoring students who tried to develop their moral compasses using methods Kohlberg developed. At least, that's how I recall it from the days when I was a proponent of such things. > But I'll do a search, and thanks for advancing the > discussion. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Gillam" <jpgillam@> > wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" wrote: > > > > > > Like flying, TM leading to better ethics > > > is a hollow claim with plenty of counter evidence. > > > > > > > I'm not saying that some really impulsive people > > > don't benefit in being able to think before they > > > act a bit more from the influence of > > > meditation. But the movement is not filled with > > > more ethical people than I see in an ordinary mix > > > of well educated society and it has it > > > full share of criminals who meditate regularly. > > > > As an old-time TM teacher once pointed out > > to me, it's really the science that tells > > you whether someone's claims are valid. Any > > organization can trot out reasonably attractive > > representatives who relate inspiring anecdotes > > about their program's benefits. Or in your > > examples above, Curtis, it's easy to find > > scoundrels in the saintliest organization. > > But a strictly designed, well-controlled > > study shows you whether the program works > > regardless of the Shining Example here and > > the Sorry Disappointment there. Are you > > acquainted with the Nidiches research on > > ethics and TM? Do you have an opinion about it? > > >
