Description
Book SynopsisDistinguished philosophers, Buddhist scholars, physicists, and cognitive scientists examine the contrasts and connections between the worlds of Western science and Buddhism. Contributors, the Dalai Lama among them, assess not only the fruits of inquiry from East and West, they shed light on the underlying assumptions of these disparate world views.
Trade ReviewMy brief remarks cannot do justice to the wide-ranging sweep of these papers and their thoughtful treatment of often difficult concepts. Wallace's volume is an important contribution to the emerging dialogue between Buddhism and science, and to the larger rapprochement between science and spirituality. -- Arthur Zajonc, Professor of Physics, Amherst College Buddhadharma Are religion and science completely autonomous, and hence incommensurable universes of discourse? Does the examination of meditation practice by scientific means dehumanise and despiritualise it? The importance of this book lies in the fact that it confronts questions such as these, and offers us a wide range of studies that... [show] ways in which seemingly diverse cultural traditions can enrich and enliven each other. -- John Clarke The Scientific and Medical Network ...the book is a crucial work that provides a foundation for future efforts... -- Aparna Sharma Leonardo Reviews An important contribution to the area of Buddhism and science. -- Richard K. Payne Theology and Science Qantum theory's affinities with the Buddhist concept of emptiness...and consciousness are amoung some of the enlightening and thought-provoking subjects explored in this book. Southeastern Naturalist Those drawn toward and committed to exploring contemplative practices firsthand in an open, dedicated and more rigorous fashion will find here assistance on their journey toward fulfillment. -- Marcia Howton Inquiring Mind
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Buddhism and Science--Breaking Down the Barriers, by B. Alan Wallace Part 1 Historical Context Buddhism and Science: On the Nature of the Dialogue, by Josc Ignacio Cabezon Science As an Ally or a Rival Philosophy? Tibetan Buddhist Thinkers' Engagement with Modern Science, by Thupten Jinpa Part 2 Buddhism and the Cognitive Sciences Understanding and Transforming the Mind, by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama The Concepts "Self", "Person", and "I" in Western Psychology and in Buddhism, by David Galin Common Ground, Common Cause: Buddhism and Science on the Afflictions of Identity, by William S. Waldron Imagining: Embodiment, Phenomenology, and Transformation, by Francisco J. Varela and Natalie Depraz Lucid Dreaming and the Yoga of the Dream State: A Psychophysiological Perspective, by Stephen LaBerge On the Relevance of a Contemplative Science, by Matthieu Ricard Part 3 Buddhism and the Physical Sciences Emptiness and Quantum Theory, by William L. Ames Time and Impermanence in Middle Way Buddhism and Modern Physics, by Victor Mansfield A Cure for Metaphysical Illusions: Kant Quantum Mechanics and Madhyamaka, by Michel Bitbol Emptiness and Relativity, by David Ritz Finkelstein Encounters Between Buddhist and Quantum Epistemologies, by Anton Zeilinger Conclusion: Life As a Laboratory, by Piet Hut Appendix: A History of the Mind and Life Institute
