What is Biocentrism and Death?

Biocentrism is the new buzz in the science world. Some favor this theory, while others believe it is just a philosophical thought with no scientific value. Biocentrism explains the center of life in a different way than previous scientists. It also differs from anthropocentrism and ecocentrism, which aim to focus on other elements as the central point. Furthermore, biocentrism exhibits death in a different manner that may resonate with some religions and philosophies. This article covers everything about biocentrism and death in detail.

Biocentrism simply mentions that there is no time and no death. Let’s tell you what Robert Lanza says about it.

What is Biocentrism?

Biocentrism translates to life in the center. This theory mentions that biology (life) is the center of the universe instead of physics. The environmental ethicist Holmes Rolston III shared the term “Biocentrism” for the first time in the 1970s.

Later, Robert Lanza, an American doctor and scientist, introduced Biocentrism in his book “Understanding the Universe’s True Nature Through Life and Consciousness.”

The main ideas of Biocentrism revolve around the superiority of living beings over their non-living counterparts, the relationship among organisms, time, and death.

He mentions that the previous claims of the universe giving birth to humans are obsolete, and the universe came into being because humans existed. Lanza also emphasizes that time and space are only products of our consciousness.

Biocentrism theory states that time is an illusion in our minds, and we can measure it any way we want. It mentions that humans created time to only measure how much we live until we die. Death is important to time as we would not need to measure time if death did not exist.

What is Death?

Before discussing biocentrism and death, let’s recap our concept of death. Death is the end of life. Most religions believe that when you die, it is the end of your life. Some also have the concept of an afterlife where they will be rewarded for their good deeds. At the same time, some particular religions also believe in multiple lives. According to their belief, they are born in another form and return to the world.

Now, Biocentrism does not exactly support these concepts of life. It mentions multiple lives but not the fact that we come back to this world.

So, what is death in biocentrism?

Biocentrism and Death

Robert Lanza mentions in Biocentrism that death is not absolute; it is a continuous cycle of birth, death, rebirth, and evolution.

He says, “Our life becomes a “perennial flower that returns to bloom in the multiverse.” He added: “Life is an adventure that transcends our ordinary linear way of thinking. When we die, we do so not in the random billiard-ball-matrix but in the inescapable-life-matrix.”

Biocentrism explains time and death in the same way: relativity. It says that time and death do not exist in reality but only in how we perceive the situations. For example, we are living in the “now;” our great-grandparents were in the past, and the coming generations will be a part of the future. But if you think you are in your grandparents’ future, they lived in their “now.” So, time is relative.

Similarly, death is just the transition of life from one universe to another. This universe is your present when you are living here. Once you die, you transition into another universe that might seem like the “future” to you right now. However, when you become a part of that universe, it becomes your “now.”

He mentions that his theory of biocentrism is similar to thinking of parallel universes in which everything could happen in multiple universes at the same time.

Lanza’s biocentrism death explains this concept considering the law of physics that says energy cannot be created or destroyed. Instead, it changes from one state to another. So, he says that death breaks the linear connection of time, and we believe our life has ended. But it means nothing to nature. After death, you shift to another universe.

Einstein also shared this concept in 1955 on his friend Michele Besso’s death: “Now he has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”

Lanza’s concept of biocentrism and death also resonates with the “many worlds” theory.

What is the “Many Worlds” Theory?

Lanza’s idea of death in biocentrism can be explained with the Many Worlds theory and quantum physics. The Many Worlds theory mentions that every universe operates according to its unique physical laws. So, anything occurring in one universe can also occur in another simultaneously in a similar or different way.

At the same time, some researchers say that biocentrism explains death-like superposition in quantum physics. In superposition, you can observe the particles in varying states, showing that they exist in all states simultaneously. According to Lanza’s perspective, each particle represents a different universe.

Lanza’s Theory of Biocentrism and Death: True or False?

Lanza’s biocentrism death cannot be labeled as true or false as he does not have evidence to support his claim. However, several other theories in the past have also hinted toward the same approach. Robert Lanza himself mentioned he lacks a mathematical basis to convince other researchers. Yet, he is working towards proving his theory to the critics. Accepting Lanza’s biocentrism theory will also mean disregarding laws of physics like the law of thermodynamics.

Who is Robert Lanza?

Though many authors and researchers do not agree with Lanza’s idea of life, death, and time and have debunked biocentrism, Lanza might not be entirely wrong. He is not someone who woke up one day and decided that life is infinite or time is not absolute.

Robert Lanza specialized in stem cell research and is known for the Biocentrism theory. He also studies astrophysics and quantum mechanics. Lanza is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Head of Astellas Global Regenerative Medicine, and an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina.

He has also received numerous awards, including Prospect magazine’s 2015 list of “Top 50 World Thinkers,” TIME Magazine’s 2014 “100 Most Influential People in the World,” and the 2010 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Award for “Translating Basic Science Discoveries into New and Better Treatments.”

The Bottom Line

Robert Lanza is globally known for his contributions to the field of biology, especially in stem cell research and cloning. However, recently Lanza has been in the limelight for his biocentrism theory, which states that life is the center of the universe. He says our thoughts shape the universe. Thus, time and death are also our thoughts. Biocentrism and death, explained by Lanza, mention that life does not end when we die. Instead, death just transports us from one universe to another. However, he has not been able to prove his theory yet.