Tarja Kallio-Tamminen

PhD in Theoretical Philosophy, M.Sc. in High Energy Physics

Kallio-Tamminen has explored the foundations of quantum physics, criteria and structures of scientific theories, and the cultural implications of natural sciences. Her focus is on the nature of reality, especially the position and possibilities of human beings in the universal fabric of existence. In 2013, Kallio-Tamminen began collaborating with neuroscientists Andrew and Alexander Fingelkurts on a neurophenomenological project called EEG-guided meditation. By combining modern brain imaging methods with Eastern philosophy of mind, they have produced original results on the effect of meditation on the functioning of brain and mind, as well as new information on how the aspects of selfhood vary within altered states of consciousness.

For Kallio-Tamminen DU represents the possibility of developing a unified worldview where people with all their mental faculties can be immersed into reality - a new framework that provides a basis to understand how much our thoughts, feelings and choices really matter for the formation of reality.

“I am attracted by the clarity and coverage of the Dynamic Universe theory and the increased order and unity it, together with the Period Doubling Mechanism brings to our picture of reality. Ultimately the theories call for a balanced harmony between the material and mental aspects of life.”

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Biography

Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, PhD, natural philosopher, has completed her degrees in physics and philosophy at the University of Helsinki. She is an active researcher and lecturer in her field who has taught in Finland and in Sweden, enjoying also the more cosmopolitan atmosphere when visiting the University of Cambridge, UK, and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Information, Vienna, Austria.

The focus of Tarja Kallio-Tamminen’s interests is to examine whether modern physics and neuroscience are able to provide tools for new approaches and solutions to the perennial philosophical questions: how humans are related to material reality and what is the basis of our knowledge. The ontological aspect of the topic is thoroughly studied in her doctoral dissertation “Quantum Metaphysics, the Role of Human Beings within the Paradigms of Classical and Quantum Physics” which surveys the formation of western conception of reality laying special emphasis on the profound changes that have occurred in antiquity and at the turn of the modern era. It is claimed that the current world-view is once again in the middle of turmoil, as quantum mechanics cannot be interpreted within a traditional particle-mechanistic framework. This re-evaluation of accepted ideas about the nature and relations between objects and observers provides a historic opportunity to achieve a better understanding of man’s relatioship with nature. When humans are viewed as responsible participants and evolutive factors in nature, the need for Cartesian substance dualism can be transcended.

A monograph based on her dissertation is available in both English and Finnish. The volumes "Reality Revisited: From a Clockwork to an Evolving Quantum World" and "Kvanttilainen todellisuus: Fysiikka ja filosofia maailmankuvan muovaajina" provide an excellent introduction to the natural philosophy of antiquity and the fundamentals of classical and quantum physics. They are recommended for anyone interested in humanity's ongoing endeavor to understand the nature of reality.

Academic education, professional experience

• BSc degree in physics, University of Helsinki, 1979
• MSc degree in high energy physics, University of Helsinki, 1983. Thesis: EPR-paradox
• Lic.Phil. degree in theoretical philosophy, University of Helsinki, 1994. Thesis: Niels Bohr - Reconstructing the Physical Worldview
• PhD degree in theoretical philosophy, University of Helsinki, 2004. Thesis: Quantum Metaphysics. The Role of Human Beings within the Paradigms of Classical and Quantum Physics (Full text, pdf)

In the early 1980s, Kallio-Tamminen becan her scientific career as a research assistant, analyzing bubble chamber pictures at the University of Helsinki, and later worked as a lecturer in physics, chemistry and mathematics in Eastern Finland. During the 1990s, she returned to Helsinki and worked part-time as a lecturer in physics and philosophy at various folk colleges in the Helsinki region. She was also influential in founding the Green Cultural Association in Finland, serving as its President and engaging numerous environmental and educational projects. These included e.g. books on early grassroots activism in Finland and an essay competition regarding people's fears and hopes for the future that was protected by the renowned philosopher G.H. von Wright. Her academic journey continued 1999-2003 when preparing her doctoral dissertation in an interdisciplinary project ”Modern theology and the change in the western conception of reality” funded by the Academy of Finland. Subsequently, she held positions as a lecturer in theoretical philosophy at the University of Skövde, Sweden, and as a visiting researcher at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, University of Vienna. Since 2007 Kallio-Tamminen has worked as an independent researcher, science writer, and lecturer. She also runs KalpaTaru, a philosophy practice offering personal consultation and coordinating EEG-guided meditation studies.

Memberships

• Chairman of the Green Cultural Education Centre Visio 1995-2000. Board Member in The Green Cultural Association 1990-2000.
• Vice chairman of the Finnish Society for Natural Philosophy, 2003-2005, 2016 - , Board member 1997-2007, 2016-..
• Board Member of the Physics Foundations Society, 2008–
• Member in The Association of Finnish Nonfiction Writers 2012-
• Representative of Finland in the European Yoga Federation 2020-

Books and conference presentations

Kvanttilainen todellisuus: Fysiikka ja filosofia maailmankuvan muovaajina (Kallio-Tamminen 2006)

Helsinki University Press, 2006, second edition, Gaudeamus 2008

Reality Revisited: From a Clockwork to an Evolving Quantum World (Kallio-Tamminen 2008)

VDM Verlag Dr. Muller, 2008

On the essence of quantum / Kvantin olemuksesta (Kallio-Tamminen 2014)

In Finnish, Luonnonfilosofian seura 2014-0304 (slides)

Science, Consciousness and Spirituality (Kallio-Tamminen 2011)

Toward a Science of Consciousness, Stockholm, Sweden. May 3.-7. 2011 (text)

EEG-guided meditation – some results and future plans BeYogaBeyond symposium 24.4.2021.

In Finnish: Neurofenomenologista tutkimusta meditaatiosta, minuudesta ja tietoisuudesta

Suomenkielisiä julkaisuja (publications in Finnish)

• Kohti uutta todellisuuskäsitystä – kvanttimekaniikka ja termodynaaminen energiavirta. Tieteessä tapahtuu 1/2011.
• Elämmekö kulttuurimurroksen keskellä? Katsaus 4/2009. Kokemus, todellisuuden hahmottamisen perusta, in Oppi ja maailmankuva, Ed. Tomi Karttunen, STKS, 2009.
• Tiede ja ihmisen psykodynamiikka, Suomen joogalehti 2/2008
• Muodon ja materian leikki. Onko intialainen ajattelu sukua modernille fysiikalle, Guruja, joogeja ja filosofeja, ed. Tapio Tamminen, WSOY, 2008
• Aivot, mieli ja tietoisuus vedalaisessa ajattelussa, Futura 3/2007
• Kvantit ja maailmankuvan murros, Elonkehä 4/2005
• Ihmisen tietoisen toiminnan ymmärtäminen klassisessa ja kvanttiviitekehyksessä, Tulevaisuuden tutkimuksen seura ry:n Futura-lehti 3/2002
• Dualismista komplementaarisuuteen, Luonnontieteen haaste teologialle ja filosofialle, ed. Seppo Laurema and Olli Hallamaa, Helsingin yliopiston Systemaattisen teologian laitoksen julkaisuja 17. Luther-Agricola-Seura, 2001
• Havaitsijan asema kvanttimekaniikan kööpenhaminalaisessa tulkinnassa, Tieteessä tapahtuu 5/2000
• Todellisuuskäsitys ja moderni fysiikka, Review of Werner Heisenberg’s book Physics and Philosophy, Tieteessä tapahtuu 8/2000
• K.V. Laurikainen ja kööpenhaminalainen tulkinta, in Avartuva ajatus, Ed. Urho Ketvel ym. Luonnonfilosofian seuran julkaisuja IV, 1999
• Konekultturi saa kuolla, teknis-taloudellinen determinismi ei elä ilman uskoa in Tietoyhteiskunnan harha, Ed. Rauno Seppänen, Kustannusosakeyhtiö Puijo, 1998
• Kööpenhaminan tulkinta ja tietoisuus, in Vastakohtien todellisuus, ed.Urho Ketvel, Yliopistopaino, 1996
• Muuttuva maailmankuva in Tulevaisuuden ympäristöteot, Ed. Antti Immonen, Dodo ry and Vihreä Sivistys- ja opintokeskus, 1996 Kvanttilainen todellisuus, Skepsis 3/1995
• Kvanttivallankumous ja ihminen - syrjässä olevasta havaitsijasta evolutiiviseksi vaikuttajaksi, Kanava 8/1995
• Martti Siirala ja ihmisyysidentiteetin kriisi in Messianismi, Ed. Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Vihreä Sivistysliitto 1994
• Ihminen todellisuuden näyttämölle, Yliopisto-lehti 22/1993

Editoituja kirjoja (edited books in Finnish)

• Ruohonjuurista elämänpuuksi - suomalainen vaihtoehtoliikehdintä, Ed. Tuula Heima-Tirkkonen, Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Tove Selin Vihreä Sivistysliitto, 1996
• Viisaita visioita, kauheita kuvia - Minne maailma on menossa, Ed. Tarja Kallio-Tamminen and Riitta Vaismaa, Vihreä Sivistysliitto 1996 Messianismi, Ed. Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Vihreä Sivistysliitto 1994

Articles in scientific anthologies and conference proceedings

• Beyond wave-particle dualism: How Suntola's mass-wave concept unites physics and metaphysics, Tarja Kallio-Tamminen 2025 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 2948 012005
• Fingelkurts An.A., Fingelkurts Al.A., Kallio-Tamminen T. Self, Me and I in the repertoire of spontaneously occurring altered states of Selfhood: eight neurophenomenological case study reports. Cognitive Neurodynamics, 2022, V. 16, P. 255–282.
• Dynamic Universe – natural science and philosophy in unison, Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Journal of Physics, Conference Series 1466 (2020) 012005
• Fingelkurts An.A., Fingelkurts Al.A., Kallio-Tamminen T. Selfhood triumvirate: from phenomenology to brain activity and back again. Consciousness and Cognition, 2020, V. 86, 103031.
• Fingelkurts An.A., Fingelkurts Al.A., Neves C.F.H., Kallio-Tamminen T. Brain-mind operational architectonics: At the boundary between quantum physics and Eastern metaphysics. Physics of Life Reviews. 2019, V 31, P. 122-133.
• Fingelkurts An.A., Fingelkurts Al.A., Kallio-Tamminen T. Long-term meditation training induced changes in the operational synchrony of Default Mode Network modules during a resting state. Cognitive Processing. 2016, V. 17, No 1, P. 27-37
• EEG-Guided Meditation: A Personalized Approach, Andrew Fingelkurts, Alexander Fingelkurts and Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Journal of Physiology-Paris, 2015. Full PDF Paper
• K.V. Laurikainen Extending the Limits of Science in K.V. Laurikainen The Finnish Society for Natural Philosophy 25 Years. Ed. Juha Samela and Avril Styrman. Helsinki 2015. Full PDF Paper
• Fundamental concepts - From force to energy, Tuomo Suntola, Ari Lehto, Tarja Kallio-Tamminen, Heikki Sipilä, International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science. Special Issue:Quantum Vacuum, Fundamental Arena of the Universe: Models, Applications and Perspectives. Vol. 2, No. 6-1, 2014, pp. 46-56. Full PDF Paper
• Quantum Physics and Eastern Philosophy, Toward a Science of Consciousness, Stockholm, Sweden. May 3.-7. 2011, Presentation, pdf
• Tangled in Entanglements, A. Annila and T. Kallio-Tamminen, Physics Essays 2012 25, 495–499. http://arxiv.org/abs/1006.0463 2010.
• Dynamic Universe and the Conception of Reality, Physical Interpretations of Relativity Theory XI, Imperial College, London 8-11 September 2008, Presentation, ppsx
• Expanding Ontology, Locus for Autonomous Subjective states in Quantum Framework, Human Approaches to the Universe - An Interdisciplinary Perspective. Ed. Eeva Martikainen. Luther-Agrigola-seura. 2005
• Niels Bohr’s Complementarity – A Linguistic Tool for Trancending the Myths of Objectivity and Subjectivity, Towards Otherland, Languages of Science and Languages Beyond. INTAS Volume of Collected Esseys 3. Ed. Rainer E. Zimmermann and Vladimir G. Budanov. Kassel University Press, 2005
• Free Will and Natural Order, Niels Bohr’s ideas concerning Observers and Actors in the Quantum World, Studies in Science and Theology, SSTh, volume 9, Yearbook of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology 2003. Ed. Ulf Görman, Willem B. Drees and Hubert Meisinger, 2004
• The Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics and the Question of Causality, Infinity, Causality and Determinism - Cosmological Enterprises and their Preconditions, Ed. Eeva Martikainen. Peter Lang 2002
• Mind in Quantum Mechanics, New Directions in Cognitive Science, ed. P. Pylkkänen and P. Pylkkö, Finnish Artificial Intelligence Society, 1995.