To deepen understanding in science, medicine and education by fostering
both rational and intuitive insights.
Guidelines of Network Approach
Open-mindedness
- Bear in mind that good science is an open self-correcting system; no theory or set of insights is complete or perfect. There is no Network consensus view.
- Be ready to consider constructive criticism and to submit your work to rigorous examination.Be prepared to revise beliefs in the light of evidence and experience.
- Question your own assumptions and presuppositions.
- Maintain a broad frame of reference.
- Cultivate humility, honesty, humour.
- Recognise that our views of reality are models.
- Be prepared to test your ideas.
- Try to define your terms clearly.
- Make it clear when you are voicing opinions and beliefs.
- Be able to state opposing views in arguments.
- Have respect and empathy for others and be aware of their needs.
- Balance kindness and understanding with clarity and discernment.
- Be willing to listen and learn from others in the interest of trust and openness.
- Disagree sympathetically, sensitively and constructively.
Internal meetings provide a "safe house" for explanation and debate in an interdisciplinary setting. This facilitates the development of trust and friendship. External meetings require a combination of rigorous professional standards with sympathy, understanding and support.
The above guidelines can be applied to writing and lecturing.
Friends of the Scientific and Medical Network
Auckland, New Zealand
Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday each month except holiday season
at 7:45 pm, at Trinity, 864 Beach Rd, Waiake, Torbay
Co-ordinator: Leo Hobbis, Auckland 478 7809,
The Friends was started in 1996 by a few Auckland members of the UK based Scientific and Medical Network (SMN) as a study/ discussion group to explore the general field of Mind, Consciousness, and Being. We are committed to open exploration and enquiry in all areas of human experience, following the Guidelines of the SMN. Our membership includes people of very diverse backgrounds such as medicine, science, the arts, business, education, theology, psychology, psychotherapy, healing. Some of the topics which we have considered at our meetings are listed on a separate page.
Membership To date, the criterion for membership has simply been the expression of interest and, by implication, acceptance of the Guidelines. The FSMN has not so far set a formal membership subscription but may do so at some future time. Local members are included in the E-mail List for receiving Meeting Notices and other relevant information. There will now be two categories of membership, Local Membership, and Web Membership. Local Membership will continue as hitherto; only local members will be sent meeting notices. Web membership will effectively be established when any visitor to the site joins the FSMN E- mail discussion group (You will first be asked to join the Yahoo group). In so joining it is to be understood thet you accept the Guidelines.
Posting of Articles Members may submit for inclusion on the site, articles likely to be of interest to other members, whether or not an article has been the subject of a local meeting. Particularly long articles, or those of marginal interest, may best be simply listed by title and abstract, with the appropriate E-mail or web-site address. Advise Ray Tomes or Leo Hobbis.
Listing of Web Sites Members wishing to have links provided to their web sites are invited to advise the web master, Ray Tomes. Such sites should primarily concern material relevant to the interests of the FSMN. Links will not be included to sites mainly concerned with business or professional services or other commercial activities.
Non-FSMN Events Brief notices about Non-FSMN events in New Zealand and likely to be of interest to members living in New Zealand may be posted in the discussion group with a reference to a source(s) of more information. Such notices should not be posted for events associated with commercial, business, or professional services.
The FSMN e-mail discussion group is a separate site and is a means whereby members can continue discussion on subjects raised at meetings or advise other members of local meetings of similar organisations. You may either read the messages posted by other members at this site or tell the site to send all email messages to you either individually or as a daily digest. This group is also used by the FSMN co-ordinator (Leo Hobbis) to send notices to members and these will be sent by email to you even if you do not select that option for other messages.
Both these sites and e-mail from the group have a small amount of advertising which allows the service to be provided to us free. The advertising selected was for a preference for scientific content.