Randi's motivation is to demonstrate the basic material nature of all life by taking advantage of the confusion on the subject to nullify any inkling in an individual that there might be some spiritual aspect to our kind.   

At some level he must be aware that this impulse to convince people they are non-spiritual in nature is harmful, not to say despicable. But like any drug-addict, the balance with which to view the problem is not possible to one who is acting it out.

The highest and best of our natures is also the half of ourselves found on the other side of the material/spiritual divide. So if you dedicate your efforts to proving that there is no such side to life, you are pushing pretty hard to suppress the best of which we are capable -- the intutiitive, the creative, the knowing and the compassionate.

The nearest matter and energy come to these qualities is a resonant-frequency tank circuit or the collapse of Galloping Gertie, the twisted and ruined bridge over the Tacoma Narrows. ..a purely mechanistic imitation, with all the understanding of a Panzer tank tread.

That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it!! :>)

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