By Richard Trigaux

Please write if you are interested by the idea

  The basic idea appeared to me when I was writing my book «General Epistemology»: an university which main goal should be to teach or to make research using the basis of this new scientific epistemology, enlarged to the domains of the mind: ethics, art, economy, social life, psychology, spirituality, unexplained phenomena... I follow this idea in my science-fiction series «The missing planets» and «Dumria».

  For now it is only an utopia, my Abbey of Theleme in a way. I offer this idea to life. Maybe others will join it... The future will know if it will only stay a dream, or if it will one day become a prosperous reality, breeding-ground for numerous great scientists, thinkers, philosophers, or seed of love for mankind... Maybe that, such as its Rabelaisian ancestor, it will never exist in the facts, while having a profound influence of the spirit of the epoch.

  While awaiting, why not to create a virtual Shedrup Ling.

  Having wrote a science paper on economy (or rather econophysics) I proposed it for peer-referee and standard science publishing to the knowledgeable persons in the domain. It was surely interesting to inform the world that an altruistic economy is not mathematically condemned to produce large inequalities! But no, this simple paper was refused everywhere.
  So I publish it myself in the Shedrup Ling University, that I thus declare open! It is no longer a project, but a reality, where all the researchers for a better world can work and search using this General Epistemology that I describe in my book. To use the scientific method to build happiness and poetry rather than this grey and cold world, rather than bombs and concrete.

A part of the Shedrup Ling University campus, with elegant tibetan style buildings and bungalows under the trees.

Cortona - Enter the main 3D hall and have access to all the 3D scenes of this site - Blaxxun

Why in Tibet?

  His Holiness the 14th Dalaï Lama wished Tibet could become a demilitarized zone and a homeland for science and ecology, in more of already being a homeland for Tantric Buddhism. I personally agree with this wish, and point out that Tibet is perfectly suitable for astronomy, geology, ecology (for what the maoist fascists will not have destroyed) and solar energy. The pragmatic approach of Buddhism already is an opening toward science, and this scientific approach of spirituality perfectly match the principles I formalize in «General Epistemology».

Why Zambu Shedrup Ling?

  (In English, to pronounce «Dzambue Shedroup Ling», with ue like in French and ling as in «mailing».) In Tibetan, «Dzambouling» or «Dzambou» is the World. «Dzambue» is a genitive (idea of belonging to). «She» is the knowledge, and «Drup» is the spiritual obtention. Each of the two is useful to obtain the other. I think that this complementary pair car be transposed into the «classical» science domain: «she» is the knowledge, when «droup» is in this case the rational mind (not to be confused with the rationalistist ideology). At last «Ling» is a pleasure garden, or more generally a place dedicated to an activity. I do not propose more accurate translation than «Shedrup Ling International University», or abridged names such as Zamsheling or Shedrup Ling (all these names © Richard Trigaux 2000).

What is the today scientific statute of the General epistemology?

  Right now, the general epistemologydoes not have any other statute than of a personal idea, which, whatever its intrinsic scientific value, is not enough to consider it as «science» that we can teach and study. Theoretically, in order to claim to be science that we can teach in an university, the general epistemology should first be examined by the scientific authorities, submitted to the «peer referee» as do all the scientific publications, be discussed, debated, and at last appropriated by enough persons. The first thing that I should have done would have be to send the manuscript of my book to various scientific authorities and specialists in epistemology.

  However, it is really difficult (and costy) for a lone individual and outsider to be considered by the scientific institution, accustomed to judge peoples after their institutional role and university degrees. Worse, the general epistemology, if it is true, will certainly introduce a breakthrough in the scientific thought: the elimination of the materialist dogma, which could have much larger consequences than the Galileo's revolution. And this dogma, as all dogmas, is an ideological choice, which cannot be questioned by rational or human arguments.

  So I had no other choice than to publish first, in order to provoke discussion among interested peoples. The institution will follow, or will be overcome. But the idea is in the epoch, and others published texts containing similar ideas. With time, one or the other will prevail anyway.

Is Shedrup Ling Buddhist?

  Even if Shedrup Ling owes many to Buddhism (which pioneered the spiritual epistemology 16 centuries ago) it is not a Buddhist organization, neither it is for Buddhists only. Such a situation would result in a feeling as what the General Epistemology and its results apply to Buddhists only, or worse, that it seeks for a Buddhist backing. I allow the relations between General Epistemology and Buddhism to settle by themselves when time will be ripe. I think that in the long run the really useless notion of religious clan will definitely disappear, thus eliminating many so called «impossibilities»...

What can we study at Shedrup Ling?

  There is no reason not to study the domains classically recognized as scientific. However, without falling into any kind of utilitarianism, more stress would go on emergency researches (ecological production, botany applied to organic farming, cleaning up pollution) or meaningful (astronomy, species regulation without suffering...).

  But the basic idea is to study domains considered as taboo by classical science: spirituality, psychology (fixing psychological problems and social relation problems) metaphysics (way in which reality exists) «parapsychological» phenomenon (to understand and master phenomenon such as the NDE, the OBE, super-consciousness moments, abduction, etc...) ethics and law (to base rules and forbiddings on an indisputable and objective way) aesthetics (to define beauty and ugliness in an accurate enough way to avoid abuses, but without falling into the rigidity of an ideological or «bourgeois» definition).

  But things should not go so far as finding in there only searches on UFOs or parapsychology. This should considerably reduce the scope of the idea. Subjects such as free energy, antigravitation, etc... are welcome, as soon as a working model is provided.

  At last to promote an harmonious way of living, based on fair relations, respect, etc...

  On the other hand would be excluded useless or dangerous subjects: weapons, spy methods or mind control methods, including those used in trade, use of vivisection or other methods ethically disputable, etc...

Enthralling Research objectives!

  We must clearly admit this: science is a game. To explore the world is an effect of the libido! Thus we do not have to justify our research objectives.

  However there are emergencies. To find alternatives to vivisection. To find solutions to ethical, economical, social problems. To develop organic farming, recycling, clean energy, etc... To give again its true place to spirituality. And I have things to say on such topics, that I say elsewhere on this site.

  Alas, whatever the exactness of demonstrations, the obviousness of evidences, the authority of whose who give them, there are still peoples, locked in egocentricity shells, emotional armours, or ideological fortresses, who refuse any understanding of life, and who continue against obviousness to be unpleasant in family life, or to seek for means to persuade everybody that we must anyway produce nuclear wastes whatever the cost. Nor the saints and the prophets of the past, neither the today great beings were able to solve this terrible problem, which cost is so many dictatorship and obstacles to our evolution.

  Here is an enthralling research objective! Imagine... and if we find a solution?

Who can come to study, teach or make research at Shedrup Ling?

  Any person having something to say in the quoted domains. However, if I receive proposals, I shall make a very strict screening. It is not enough to dispute official science to claim to be in the General Epistemology. Especially, I shall involve in any project only with persons I shall have physically met.

	-To study «General Epistemology» or any other public document:
		-There are no other requirements that to do this correctly, with honest purposes.
	-To claim to have understood the General Epistemology:
		-To really have understood!
		-To have an honest and positive motivation
		Personally, I shall recognize anybody only if I have actually checked these conditions.
	-To be a (formal or informal) member of Shedrup Ling network: (persons or institutions)
		-To have ongoing work or to study according to the «General Epistemology».
	-To claim to be a student at Shedrup Ling:
		-to be somebody sociable, pleasant to live with, positive, free of negative ideologies (religious or political extremes, sects, hip-hop-punk...)
		-to have a spiritual work of bettering one's mind, or at least a psychological work and a humanistic view.
	-To claim to be a researcher or a teacher at Shedrup Ling:
		-To really understand what is General Epistemology.
		-To really have something to say in a domain, and not only «new theories». I shall especially be cautious on this subject, otherwise we shall quickly have a bric-a-brac.
		-To have followed a spiritual path, or at least a psychological and humanist work, to be considered at least as a well-balanced, fair and responsible...
	-To propose research objectives at Shedrup Ling:
		-basically, any subject, classical or alternative, could be accepted. However, to avoid Shedrup Ling to be a caution to half backed or mild-nutter ideas, a screening would be made on the coherence with what is already known in the domain, or a real possibility of a research work or interesting result, not only presenting a new idea.
	-To be a member of the directory board of Shedrup Ling:
		-to dedicate one's life to happiness of others and of mankind.
		-to be selected for this, as a result of one's loyalty and one's understanding of the General Epistemology.
	-For persons, groups, states, to sponsorize the project:
		-that this sponsoring comes from an honest source, so that the project would not be a backing for disputable ideas, systems or persons.
		-This implies that the donor knows and approve the General Epistemology, and that he accepts its results.
	-To install the world headquarters in Lhasa (Tibet):
		-To have the agreement of the Tibetan Government. But once this agreement granted, I do not want any pain in the neck messing around. Gyamii koungthrempa pa gyouk!

What is my personal role?

  Of course, at the beginning, if this idea involves other persons, I shall watch that the project is not distorted. This would forcibly lead me to become the director of any formal project, and to forcibly disavow any «alternative» or «competing» project. But if a reliable direction team appears, I shall no longer be indispensable in this role.

  On the other hand, I think useful that I try to transmit as much as possible this idea of General Epistemology, and to promote the matching enlarged scientific mind. The book is the fists available mean for this, but others could be intended.

  I have some ideas or researches in various domains: energy, engines, abduction, botany, etc...

  If no group appears, if nobody serious tries to realize the project, then it will not be a problem for me. To help others is absolutely not a need for me. But it could happen that to be helped would be useful for many peoples.

The Shedrup Ling private police?

  This is a very exciting idea I evoke in my novel «Dumria», but it would be very dangerous to try to really put in practice, if some very special conditions are not gathered. But it would be also very dangerous to let out of control some shady politico-scientistist schemes. But shhht...

Scientific humour?

  The General Epistemology at last will grant us access to the really super demented scientific poetry, see to a form of humour which, with the tremendous efficiency of science, would be to traditional humour what the atom bomb is to the catapult. Please begin your first lesson: The syntagm is, in a play on words, what is really said, while the paradigm is what is understood, and the zygomatic is the smile muscle... Do you listen, there down the classroom?

And what else?

It is a nice idea, isn't it?

Anyway I dedicate it to happiness of all beings.