ARTICLE
SEXUAL LIFE:PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS
Allan Kardec Educational Society, Allan Kardec Newsletter, Feb/Mar 1994. Edited  by  J.  Zerio

"Question: Can a spirit who has animated the body of a man animate the body of a woman in a new existence, and vice-versa?

Answer: Yes, the same spirit may animate a male or a female body."

Question 201, The Spirit's Book, Allan Kardec.

While on earth, the consciousness projects in its life  the  qualities and characteristics it has stored  in  its  innermost  self.  Usually, these qualities and characteristics were acquired in the course of its many life experiences. In whatever gender one  chooses  to  live,  one carries along a vast baggage of  experiences,  knowledge,  perceptions and behaviours. The choice of gender is a personal decision which  the consciousness makes before its immersion in the physical  matter,  and such decision is guided by its growth aspirations or reparation needs. Therefore, in a generic sense, the choice of gender is a choice of the
means of expressing the sexual energy with which each consciousness is endowed when assuming a physical body.

Sexuality is, therefore, a natural component of life. However, it  has not been treated as such historically. Trapped in the conflict between spirituality and dogma, it constituted an intractable force until  the beginning of the modern psychology era. Although new generations  have found a more open environment in which to address their sexuality, the conficts it generates, if different in character, are not different in intensity.

As we try to understand what has happened  to sexuality  in  the  last quarter of a century, "the dominant impression is of fragmentation and disconnection. There is sexual pleasure, there is relationship,  there is conception, there is family, and each  of  these  has  come  to  be regarded as a separate aspect of life that we can volitionally  choose or inhibit" (1). With the development of new chemical and non-chemical means of avoiding conception, we have witnessed  a  breakdown  between sex and family, sex and relationship, sex and conception, and sex  and love. Sex has become a matter of individual choice and often  a  means of selfish gratification.This is what our modern society labels sexual liberation. Dr. Moss observes that  "liberation  often  represents  an exaggeration of genital sexuality", to the detriment of man's capacity to achieve fullfilment in the other areas:  relationship,  family  and emotions.

Man and society are in a stage of transition from  fragmented,  unfair old order to  a  holistic  new  vision  of  lifeand  self.  If  it  is anachronistic to  return  to  the  times  of  denial,  it  is  equally incongruous to endorse  "liberation"  and  its  offshoot  promiscuity. Sexual energy, like electrical or electromagnetic or chemical  energy, is governed by laws.

Sex is life. Its purpose is  to  help  man  advance  on  the  path  of awareness and total fulfillment. Therefore it requires  responsability and discerniment. A person's every action is subordinate to  the  laws of action and reaction, and  sex  is  no  exception.  As  a  tool  for transformation, awareness and love, it calls  for  wise  use,  and  no abuse.

(1)  Moss,  R.  "The  Black  Butterfly:  An  Invitation   to   Radical Aliveness", Celestial Arts, 1989.

THE SPIRITIST PARADIGM - FINAL
S. S. Chibeni

I. Introduction - Report 5
II. A Sketch of the Kuhnian  philosophy  of science -  Report 6
III. The  Spiritist  paradigm  -  Report  7
IV. References - Report 7

PART  III - THE SPIRITIST PARADIGM

The reader acquainted with the history of Spiritism and who has  read,  analysed and understood the contributions of Allan Kardec will perhaps readily grant our two main theses: Kardec's work constitutes a genuine scientific paradigm, and this paradigm represents till  our  days  the only secure path along which scientific  research  of  spirit  can  be conducted. The complete explication and justification of these  claims would require a complete exposition and analysis of Spiritism  and  of the alternate proposals of study of the spiritist phenomena that  have arisen since Kardec's time. Such an undertaking  cannot  evidently  be carried out here. We shall only indicate some salient points,  in  the hope of motivating those who may wish to  inquire  further  into  this issue.

As Kardec himself repeatedly observed, some  of the  most  conspicuous facts  that  founded  his  research  were  already   known,   although imprecisely  and  obscurely,  since  the  earliest  times   of   human civilisation.  Notwithstanding  their  having  cast  the  interest  of individuals and doctrines, until the inception of Spiritism  there was no  *scientific*  paradigm  capable  of   integrating   them   in   an encompassing, precise and object theory. It  was  the  preparadigmatic period of the spirit research. Allan Kardec has put  an  end  to  this period. He proposed the first well theory of the spiritist  phenomena. Besides the  explanatory  theory  properly  considered,  Spiritism  as formulated by Kardec provides a set of methods, criteria and values to guide the development of theory and experience.The Kardequian paradigm is admirably  coherent  and  encompassing,  empirically  adequate  and heuristically fertile, ranking, in its field, with the most successful paradigms of  ordinary  academic  sciences,  such  as  thermodynamics, electromagnetism, relativty and quantum theories, etc.

In an pproximate indication, we  can  say  that  *The  Spirits'  Book* establishes he ontology and the fundamental theoretical principles  of Spiritism. *The Mediums' Book* links the theory with the  experimental basis. *The Gospel According  to  Spiritism*  and  *Heaven  and  Hell* develop the philosophical implications of the paradigm. *The  Genesis, Miracles and Predictions According to the Spiritism* and  many  essays published in the *Revue Spirite* and in the *Posthumous Works* provide in-depth analyses of several  theoretical  issues.  The  *Revue*  also represents a rich  repositoy  of  experimental  reports.  Besides  the theory and methods of the  spiritist  science,  Kardec  offered  us  a wealth  of  concrete  examples  of  application  of  the   theory   in the explanation of phenomena  and  in  the  resolution of long-lasting philosophical  problems  concerning  human  nature.  We  can  see,  in consonance with Kuhn's ideas, that such puzzle-solving models play  an important role in the understanding of the real essence of  Spiritism. Those who have not delved into them will  always  be  incapable  of  a correct judgement of Spiritism. A purely "external" view of the theory does not  afford  the  important  tacit  knowledge  of  the  spiritist science.  Oddly  enough,  the  virtual  totality  of  the  critics  of Spiritism cannot even claim a perfunctory knowledge of its theory.

It is very important to remark that the pioneering work of Kardec does not represent a closed system, but  the  foundations  from  which  the spiritist science proceeds in its continuous advance. As  it  is  well known, the spiritist paradigm has been developed in important respects  by several researchers, in a solid tradition  of  normal  science.  To  mention just a few, Leon Denis and Gabriel Dellane in  earlier  times, and later Bezerra de Menezes, Emmanuel, Andre Luiz,Yvonne Pereira and Philomeno de Miranda have greatly contributed  to  the  extension  and deepening of the spiritist paradigm,  without  any  violation  of  its fundamental principles and standards.

History of science indicates that revolution have  occured  in  almost all scientific disciplines. Somenone may raise  the  question  whether the spiritist paradigm does not, or will not need to be replaced. This is a rather complex issue, and limitations of space do not allow us to analyse it thoroughly here. However,  we  would  like  to  sketch  two considerations in this respect.

First,  careful  examination  shows  that  Spiritism  does   not   now experience, and has never experienced any process of  accumulation  of anomalies. As we have seen, in science this process is a pre-requisite for  the  installation  of  crises  and  paradigm  proliferation,  and therefore for scientific revolutions. Given this fact, it is  easy  to conclued that all the attempts that have bee made to  create,  in  the name of science, new lines of research of the spiritist phenomena  are methodologically premature and unjustifiable, contributing  to  hinder rather than to promote the progress of knowledge.

Secondly, given the specific  nature  of  the  spiritist  theory,  one should not expect that  it  will  be  superseded,  at  least  in  what concerns its basic principles. Such principles are very close  to  the phenomenal level, being therefore highly  stable  from  a  theoretical point of view. Utilising a philosophical concept, one can classify the spiritist theory as largely*phenomenological*.The most famous example of  a  phenomenological   theory  in the academic sciences is thermodynamics, which has developed in the mid nineteenth century, and has since remained unaltered. It was not shaken when physics underwent the great relativistic and quantum revolutions, which  have  radically changed the conception of matter. This feature of  thermodynamics  was very appealing  to,  amongst  others,  Einstein,  who  endeavoured  to develop his special relativity theory in phenomenological moulds.

In  non-phenomenological  theories  -  the  so-called   *constructive* theories - , which form the largest part of physics and chemistry, the degree of "theory" of the principles is much greater, they are farther removed  form  the  empirical  level.  The  gap  between  theory   and observation is wider, and the confidence with which the former can  be asserted  is  correspondingly  smaller,  as  there always are  several plausible alternative principles and theories for the  prediction  and explanation  of  the  same  phenomena.  The  history  of  physics  and chemistry  illustrates  the  vulnerability   of   their   constructive theories.

The fundamental  principles  of  Spiritism,  such  as  the  existence, pre-existence and survival of the spirit, the free-will and the law of cause  and  effect,  etc,  are  propositions  belonging  to  the  same epistemic category as, for instance, the propositions that fire  burns and hemlock poisons, that Rome and the Sun  exist. Their  confirmation depends neither on instruments nor on  high-level  risky  constructive theories whatsoever. This point has  been  analysed  by  Allan  Kardec himself.

Let us take an example. A man must be downright crazy not to  conclude the existence of a friend upon receipt of a letter of hers  commenting details of their confidential relations, written  in  her  typescript, and containing her signature. Suppose  now  the  friend  is  dead  and another letter of the very same kind is delivered, not by the ordinary postman, but by a psychographic medium.  What  has  changed  from  the epistemological point of view? Nothing at all, and the same  inference can  legitimately  be  drawn.  Now  it  is  facts  and  reasonings  as straightforward as these that form the scientific basis of Spiritism.

The class of  phenomena  that  gave  rise,  and  uphold  directly  the spiritist  paradigm  is   very   broad,   including   not   only   the above-mentioned  psychographic  communications  but  also  psychophony (oral  spirit  communication),  xenoglossy  (expression   in   unknown languages), materializations of spirits and objects, sight and hearing of spirits and  things  belonging to the  spiritual  world,  and  many others. Besides these specific phenomena (the  *spiritis  phenomena*), Spiritism explains, and is therefore confirmed, by numberless ordinary phenomena  concerning   human   psychic,   physiological   and   moral characteristics such as sentiments and  inclinations,  sympathies  and antipathies, some remarkable occurrences of our  lives,  psychosomatic effects, psychic pathologies, etc. Those who have been  attempting  to formulate non-spiritist sciences of  the  spirit  invariably  overlook this vast body of evidence in favour of  Spiritism.  Worse,  even  the variety of spiritist phenomena is not taken  into  account,  and  much less explained by a coherent and heuristically powerful theory.

We have shown elsewhere (Chibeni  1988;  see  also  1986)  that  Allan Kardec had a philosophical sense that was much ahead of his  time.  He has correctly identified  the  features  of  a  genuine  science,  and carried his research accordingly. This claim is  upheld  by  both  the inspection of his accomplishments and the many  explicit  passages  of his  texts  concerning  the  nature  and  the   method   of   science. Contemporary philosophy of science has overwhelmingly  vindicated  the Kardequian analyses and procedures, showing where the true science  of spirit really is.

References

CHALMERS, A. F.,  What  is  this  Thing  called  Science?  St.  Lucia, University of Queensland Press, 1978.

CHIBENI, S. S., Espiritismo  e  ciência.  Esboço  de  uma  análise  do Espiritismo a luz da moderna filosofia  da  ciência.  Reformador,  May 1984, pp. 144-7 and 157-9.

- Os fundamentos da ética espírita. Reformador, June 1985, pp. 166-9.

- Por que Allan Kardec? Reformador, April 1986, pp. 102-3.

- A excelência metodológica do Espiritismo. Reformador, November 1988, pp. 328-33 and December 1988, pp. 373-8.

- Ciência Espírita. Revista Internacional do Espiritismo, March  1991, pp. 45-52.

FEYERABEND, P. K., Against Method. London, Verso, 1978.

KARDEC, A. Le Livre des  Esprits. Paris,  Dervy-Livres.  O  Livro  dos Espiritos. Trans. Guillon Ribeiro, 43 ed., Rio de Janeiro,  Federação Espírita Brasileira.

- L'Évangile selon le Spiritisme.Rio de  Janeiro,  Federacao  Espirita Brasileira, 1979. O Evangelho segundo o Espiritismo.  Trans.  Guillon Ribeiro. 87 ed., Rio de Janeiro, Federação Espírita Brasileira.

- Le Ciel et l'Enfer. Farciennes, Editions de L'Union Spirite, 1951. O Céu e o Inferno. Transl.  Manuel  Quintão.  28  ed.  Rio  de  Janeiro, Federação Espírita Brasileira.

- La Genèse, les Miracles et  les  Prédictions  selon  le  Spiritisme. Paris, La Diffusion Scientifique. A Gênese, os Milagres e as Predições segundo o  Espiritismo.  Trans.  Guillon  Ribeiro,  23  ed.,  Rio  de Janeiro, Federação Espírita Brasileira.

-  Oeuvres  Posthumes.  Paris,  Dervy-Livres,  1978.  Obras  Póstumas, Trans. Guillon Ribeiro, 18 ed., Rio de  Janeiro,  Federação  Espírita Brasileira.

KUHN, T. S., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 2 ed., enlarged. Chicago and London, University of Chicago Press, 1970.

LAKATOS,  I.,  Falsification  and  the   methodology   of   scientific programmes. In: Lakatos & Musgrave 1970, pp. 91-195.

LAKATOS, I. & MUSGRAVE, A. (eds.), Criticism and  the  Growth  of  the Knowledge. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1970.

POPPER, K. R., The logic of Scientific  Discovery.,  2  ed.,  revised. London, Hutchinson, 1968.

DO NOT LOSE HOPE: There are millions of people who would relish having  the resources that are now at your disposal.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR: Aggravation will take away from  your  life by depleting inner strengths.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR TOLERANCE: Your imperfections are continuously  being  tolerated by others.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR SERENITY: The problem may not be as difficult as  you  think.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR MODESTY: The moutain is above the plane,  but  beyond  the mountain there is an infinite horizon.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR DESIRE TO LEARN: Death itself is a lesson.

DO NOT LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP: Sooner or later you will need the  assistence of others.

DO NOT LOSE TIME: New days will come but each moments  is  only  lived  once.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR PATIENCE: Think of the everlasting  patience  of  the  Creator.