Otaciro Rangel
Nascimento:
“The structures of
logical reasoning in
science and those of
Spiritism are similar”
Our fellow Spiritist
from Brazil’s Goiás
state, a PhD in Physics
and lecturer at the
prestigious Physics
Institute of the
University
of São Paulo
in São Carlos, talks
about the points in
common between
conventional science and
Spiritism
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Otaciro Rangel
Nascimento (photo),
born in Goiânia and
based in São Carlos, in
São Paulo state, since
1978, has a degree, a
Masters and a PhD in
Physics. He worked at
PUC University in Rio
until 1977. He is now a
senior researcher and
lecturer at USP in São
Carlos. A Spiritist
since 1962, he is a
well-known speaker and volunteer at the Obreiros do
|
Bem
Spiritist Centre. In
this interview, he talks
about science and
Spiritism: |
How do you define
science?
Science is the knowledge
or a system of various
fields of knowledge that
include the most general
and wide-reaching truths
as well as the
application of
scientific laws derived
from, obtained and
tested with scientific
rigour. According to
this definition, science
is something very
distinct from the
scientist. It can be
defined as the
collective of all
scientific theories,
organised
chronologically and
within a system, as well
as scientific method and
all the resources needed
for the elaboration of
scientific theories.
And how do you define
the scientist?
The scientist is
essential to science,
like any human being
with a creative and
critic brain as well as
feelings and emotions.
The scientist has his
beliefs – convictions
that can go beyond the
limits of reason. He is
often even a religious
believer. But it is
important that the
scientist is able to
keep his beliefs apart
from his scientific
papers and theories.
Science and scientist
are certainly very
different from each
other.
And how do you assess
science in the light of
Spiritism?
We must say that the
paradigm of science is
still matter and not the
Spirit. Therefore we
cannot expect science to
come forward to prove
the spiritual reality,
or even less Spiritism.
But there are scientists
who have been working to
prove the links between
the Spirits and the
material world, such as
Neuroscience. As for me,
I believe such
initiatives will achieve
important results and
science will be focusing
on the spiritual reality
in the near future.
And how do you assess
Spiritism in the light
of science?
In the Revelation of
Spiritism, it is very
clear that the Spiritual
World chose the right
moment to invite the
more developed
incarnated souls to join
the effort to prove the
existence of spiritual
life. Humankind had
reached unprecedented
scientific development,
and mature and serious
people who were engaged
in the scientific world
at the time got engaged
in the work. They
realised Spiritism was
based on logical
thinking and authentic,
true facts – the
phenomena. We must
highlight the presence
of Professor Rivail, or
Allan Kardec, who had a
clear mind and balanced
feelings and was able to
organise the spiritual
information received
through different medium
and study groups.
What is in your opinion
the greatest
contribution Spiritism
has given to science in
general?
As I mention before, the
Teachings codified by
Allan Kardec opened the
doors of a reality
forgotten by the man of
science and for those
disillusioned with
existing religions. It
invited serious men to
look for the reality of
the Spiritual World. In
the same way science
outlines the laws of the
sensorial world for our
material comfort,
Spiritism outlines the
Spiritual Laws for our
internal comfort as
permanent Spiritual
Beings. It helps us
understand the true aims
of science and life on
Earth.
What are the main common
points between Spiritism
and conventional
science, with its
research and search for
understanding facts as
it prepares its laws and
principles?
Again, I mentioned it
before. The common
points are exactly the
analysis methods used by
both science and
Spiritism. Spiritism is
a science of observation
and as such, it does not
allow us to control the
facts, as the Spiritis
have their own wishes
and cannot be controlled
by the scientist. In
this aspect, it is
similar to Astronomy,
whose facts are observed
but cannot be repeated
in the laboratory as in
other scientific
fields.
Is there any
particularly strong from
your personal
reflections that you
would like to share with
us?
I would like to state my
opinion here as a
scientist and a
Spiritist. The study of
science and Spiritism
are for me unvaluable
resources that educate
my soul. The structures
of logical reasoning in
science and Spiritism
are similar and
understanding one and
the other helps me live
a more balanced and
serene life. To know I
am immortal and that I
will always be learning
is a great source of
joy.
What is your assessment
of the level of
scientific knowledge in
today’s world before the
development of
Spiritism?
Humankind is going
through a period of
conflict between
individual and
collective selfishness
and the demands for a
fairer and more generous
world. Humankind is
divide internally
between the suffering of
many and the advantage
of a few. Science and
technology make man’s
life easier, but men
make each other lives
difficult because the
lack solidarity and
love. The motto of the
French Revolution –
Freedom, Equality and
Fraternity – is yet to
be realised amongst men.
We are all eager for
this motto to become
reality, but we can’t do
it for lack of
conviction in our
Spiritual Reality. That
shows the Spirits are
right when they say that
the biggest charity we
can make in this period
of transition towards a
world of Regeneration is
to disseminate
Spiritism.
Anything else you would
like to add?
I am happy to say to all
readers that together we
can change the world for
the better, and we need
to start by changing
ourselves, as we are not
able to give what we
still don’t have. Let us
get together around a
common ideal, which is
becoming a single family
under the auspices of a
single patron, who in my
view is the model of an
ideal man: Jesus.