well, Pied Piper...whether it is that, or something slightly different...or even something completely different--I am glad to see research and ideas going into some positive STUDY of the possibilities, rather than vague attribution to some "higher power", just because it's easier to toss out abstract opinions instead of doing hard work. (I don't BEGIN to comprehend the details of those links, but I see the principle being explored)

Sadly, if the ultimate mechanism were discovered and demonstrated tomorrow, with detailed maps of brain circuits, most of the 'spiritual' crowd would either flatly deny it, or assert that THEIR model was what drove and and 'enervated' the process, simply, I suspect, because some people's ego/personality/emotions/background require the poetic and mysterious component.
(I don't consider that to be an insult to them, and really, not even much of a criticism, since, if I AM right, they can't help feeling what they feel. I do happen to think there's enough poetry and awe and mystery in the physical reality of it all to satisfy anyone, if they'd could just see it.)

   Obviously, I would like to see a bit more rigor in the language involved in the debates..*grin*...so that we are not all tossing out words & phrases which mean very different things to different people.
Just look at the various uses of God, Mind, Spirit, Belief, Truth, Proof, etc...that we find just here at Mudcat!