Cosmic consciousness

Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind, is a book by Canadian psychiatrist Richard Maurice Bucke, first published in 1901. The book explores the concept of cosmic consciousness, which the author defines as 'a higher form of consciousness than that possessed by the ordinary man', and is an endeavor to conduct a scientific investigation on individuals who possess this heightened states of consciousness. Bucke presents a collection of around thirty-six remarkably consistent instances, including both well-known historical figures and more recent case studies that Bucke himself gathered. The underlying proposition put forth by Bucke suggests that these enlightened individuals represent evolutionary leaps, serving as precursors to a more advanced species.