Showing posts with label Great Courses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Courses. Show all posts

2023/06/27

건강과 행복의 과학 The Scientific Guide to Health and Happiness : Robin Miller, he Great Courses

Amazon.com: The Scientific Guide to Health and Happiness : Robin Miller, Robin Miller, The Great Courses, Robin Miller, The Great Courses: Prime Video

The Scientific Guide to Health and Happiness
Season 1
Uncover the essential secrets to a healthy mind and body and empower yourself to take charge of your happiness and life satisfaction. These 24 science-based lessons, taught by Dr. Robin Miller, will introduce you to the many ways that health and happiness are intertwined.
3
2021
24 episodes
====
S1 E1
The Health and Happiness Connection

September 10, 2021
32min
TV-PG
Are health and happiness intertwined? In this opening episode, Dr. Robin Miller suggests they go hand in hand. She begins by defining health and happiness and then explores the areas of the world which report the most happiness. She explains the deep connection between happiness and your health, longevity, and even your genetics. #Better Living
===
S1 E2
How Happiness Is Created in the Brain

September 10, 2021
20min
TV-PG
Like any other emotion, happiness is rooted in your brain. Here, we explore the inner workings and complexities of your brain to understand how happiness originates. Take a peek at your brain's physical structure and learn about neurotransmitters--the communication system that produces and manages your ===
S1 E3
What Do We Know about Living Longer?

September 10, 2021
31min
TV-PG
Our motivation to improve our health is driven by the desire to live longer, yet nobody wants to be old or endure the aging process. In this episode, we will look at how we can maintain happiness and satisfaction with life as we age by studying the aspects of longevity. The secret is in learning how to grow old without feeling old.
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S1 E4
Happy Heart, Healthy Heart

September 10, 2021
30min
TV-PG
Learn the intricate connection between your mood and bodily functions as it pertains to heart health. Failing to care for your heart health not only impacts your whole body but also decreases your lifespan as well; on the flip side, increasing happiness and decreasing stress lowers your risk of heart disease.
====
S1 E5
The Gut: Our Second Brain

September 10, 2021
30min
TV-PG
Your heart may drive your happiness, but the road to happiness probably runs straight through your gut. Thought of as the second brain, your gut holds a significant key to your health. Discussed are common conditions that affect the gut and treatment ideas to improve your gut health.
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S1 E6
The Microbiome: How Bacteria Keep Us Happy

September 10, 2021
33min
TV-PG
Hippocrates once said, "All disease begins in the gut," and he may be proven right--Your gut houses 100 trillion microbes on average. These microbes communicate with your brain in ways we're just beginning to understand. Find out how your brain health, weight, and mood are tied to your microbiome.
===
S1 E7
Which Diet Is Best for Happiness?

September 10, 2021
17min
TV-PG
In this episode, we discuss the concept of food as medicine. When it comes to your health, diet is your most important lifestyle choice--but is there one that's best for everybody? Dr. Miller discusses options, as well as a groundbreaking way to find out what works best for you.
====
S1 E8
Better Habits for Healthy Eating

September 10, 2021
27min
TV-PG
With calories being cheap and abundant in society, the psychology behind healthy eating habits and attitudes becomes crucial. In this episode, find out the main reason why diets fail, and what you can do to structure your surroundings so that your habits support your efforts to maintain health and happiness.
====
S1 E9
Fun Foods for Health and Happiness

September 10, 2021
21min
TV-PG
Is there room in a healthy diet for fun foods such as chocolate, wine, peanut butter, and sugar? Listen to the research and learn which of these foods are good additions to your diet, which foods are okay in moderation, and which foods are flat-out bad for your health.
====
S1 E10
Do You Need to Take Supplements?

September 10, 2021
19min
TV-PG
Multivitamins have become a booming business in the health industry. Dr. Miller challenges the efficacy of supplements, stating that while they can sometimes be helpful, often they either do nothing, or worse, cause harm. Find out which ones can assist with certain conditions and which ones to stay away from.
====
S1 E11
Mushrooms: A Superfood for Well-Being

September 10, 2021
19min
TV-PG
Find out about this superfood that is often ignored but can be magical to your health: mushrooms. This is the one superfood that Dr. Miller recommends you start with. Not only do they have potent anti-carcinogenic powers, but they're also a fantastic way to nurture your microbiome, and they provide a host of benefits.
====
S1 E12
Sleep: Getting a Happy Night's Rest

September 10, 2021
33min
TV-PG
Good sleep may be the simplest improvement you can make to your health--and it's free. This episode covers sleep hygiene, sleep cycles, and sleep disorders to convince you that sleep is not a luxury but a vital component of your health and happiness.
====
S1 E13
Recognizing and Treating Depression

September 10, 2021
30min
TV-PG
Depression is becoming a global epidemic, and nobody is immune to this serious mental health illness. Understand the primary causes, from genetics to trauma to lifestyle, and find out about the most effective treatments currently available, including several emerging therapies that show great promise and success.
====
S1 E14
Building Community and Ending Loneliness

September 10, 2021
33min
TV-PG
Did you know that loneliness is a predictor of early mortality? Social isolation and loneliness pose a health risk equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day--higher than obesity. While there is no prescription for loneliness, here are ways we can build community and relationships to combat it.
====
S1 E15
Preventing and Managing Neurodegeneration

September 10, 2021
35min
TV-PG
Losing your mind is a fear that most adults experience as they grow older. When your brain is compromised, so is your happiness and health. Dr. Miller goes through neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and Parkinson's, giving solutions to prevent or slow the progression.
====
S1 E16
Meditation for a Happy Mind and Body

September 10, 2021
19min
TV-PG
Have you ever wondered how to grow biologically younger and how to become a happier, healthier you? Discover the ancient practice of meditation and create a connection to your inner self, activating your physical body.
====
S1 E17
Faith, Prayer, and Spirituality in Health

September 10, 2021
16min
TV-PG
You need every tool in your arsenal against illness and unhappiness. Luckily, your mind is powerful and can be a great form of intervention. Dr. Miller explores the science of prayer and faith, presenting a study on bush baby primates that suggests intercessory prayer may come with healing properties.
====
S1 E18
Have More Sex--for Health Reasons!

September 10, 2021
33min
TV-PG
You might be surprised how much sexual health affects your happiness. Orgasm releases endorphins, and studies show this effect can last for hours afterward. Here, Dr. Miller discusses what it takes to have a healthy sex life, including frequency; fitness; and dysfunctions, and how to overcome those.
====
S1 E19
What Is a Healthy and Happy Weight?

September 10, 2021
21min
TV-PG
Here, you will address the relationships between weight, health, and body image. While someone can be overweight and happy, the more complicated question is whether someone can be overweight and healthy. Consider this issue as Dr. Miller discusses the risks of obesity and dives into social standards, eating disorders, and permanent weight loss.
====
S1 E20
Music: Happy Stimulation for the Mind

September 10, 2021
18min
TV-PG
What does music have to do with health and happiness? Our brains and emotions are activated when listening to pleasant sounds and music. Study ways you can use music to influence your mood and behavior positively and as therapy for neurodegenerative disease.
====
S1 E21
Dance: Happy Exercise for the Whole Body

September 10, 2021
18min
TV-PG
We know that staying active is essential, but in this episode, Dr. Miller discusses why dance specifically offers impressive benefits from a health and happiness standpoint. Discover how you can use dance to prevent or halt neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's, even by a considerable percentage.
====
S1 E22
Healthy Management of Chronic Pain

September 10, 2021
19min
TV-PG
Chronic pain is one of the biggest barriers to the enjoyment of life. While it is complex to diagnose and medically treat pain, you will learn that it is far more critical to realize that chronic pain and disability do not have to prevent you from living a happy life.
====
S1 E23
Using Technology to Support Your Health

September 10, 2021
18min
TV-PG
Not too long ago, measuring health tenets with technology used to be the things of science fiction. Dr. Miller discusses the usage of personal monitoring devices, apps, fitness trackers, and genetic tests that are now widely accessible to all.
====
S1 E24
Finding a Doctor to Support Your Journey

September 10, 2021
21min
TV-PG
What do your health and healing have to do with your doctor? It turns out, a lot, but not in the ways you traditionally have thought. Learn about integrative medicine and the importance of having a partnership with a physician or practice that supports you and, most important, be ready to seek improvement.
====
S1 E1
The Health and Happiness Connection

S1 E2
How Happiness Is Created in the Brain

S1 E3
What Do We Know about Living Longer?

S1 E4
Happy Heart, Healthy Heart

S1 E5
The Gut: Our Second Brain

S1 E6
The Microbiome: How Bacteria Keep Us Happy

S1 E7
Which Diet Is Best for Happiness?

S1 E8
Better Habits for Healthy Eating

S1 E9
Fun Foods for Health and Happiness

S1 E10
Do You Need to Take Supplements?

S1 E11
Mushrooms: A Superfood for Well-Being

S1 E12
Sleep: Getting a Happy Night's Rest

S1 E13
Recognizing and Treating Depression

S1 E14
Building Community and Ending Loneliness

S1 E15
Preventing and Managing Neurodegeneration

S1 E16
Meditation for a Happy Mind and Body

S1 E17
Faith, Prayer, and Spirituality in Health

S1 E18
Have More Sex--for Health Reasons!

S1 E19
What Is a Healthy and Happy Weight?

S1 E20
Music: Happy Stimulation for the Mind

S1 E21
Dance: Happy Exercise for the Whole Body

S1 E22
Healthy Management of Chronic Pain

S1 E23
Using Technology to Support Your Health

S1 E24
Finding a Doctor to Support Your Journey

=====
E1  건강과 행복의 연결

E2  뇌에서 행복이 만들어지는 방법

E3  장수에 대해 우리가 아는 것은?

E4  행복한 마음, 건강한 마음
===
E5  내장: 우리의 두 번째 뇌

E6  마이크로바이옴: 박테리아가 우리를 행복하게 해주는 방법
===
E7  어떤 식단이 행복에 가장 좋을까요?

E8  건강한 식사를 위한 더 좋은 습관

E9  건강과 행복을 위한 즐거운 음식들

E10  보충제를 먹어야 할까요?

E11  버섯: 웰빙을 위한 슈퍼푸드
===
E12  : 행복한 밤의 휴식을 취하기

E13  우울증의 인식과 치료

E14  공동체를 만들고 외로움을 없애다
===
E15  신경변성 예방 및 관리

E16  행복한 심신을 위한 명상

E17  건강에 대한 믿음, 기도, 영성

E18  건강상의 이유로 더 많은 섹스를 하세요!
===
E19  건강하고 행복한 체중이란 무엇일까요?

E20  음악: 행복한 마음의 자극

E21  춤: 온 몸을 위한 행복한 운동

E22  만성 통증의 건강한 관리

E23  건강을 지원하기 위한 기술 사용

E24  여행을 지원할 의사 찾기
===

2023/06/26

The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience by Andrew Newberg, The Great Courses - Lecture - Audible.com.au

The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience by Andrew Newberg, The Great Courses - Lecture - Audible.com.au



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The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience
By: Andrew Newberg, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Andrew Newberg
Series: The Great Courses: Psychology
Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
Lecture
Release date: 08-07-2013
Language: English
Publisher: The Great Courses
4.4 out of 5 stars4.4 (25 ratings)
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Does God exist? Do we have a soul? Is it possible to make contact with a spiritual realm? How should we respond to the divine? Will life continue beyond death?Most people, whether deeply religious or outright doubters of any spiritual power, have probably pondered these questions for themselves. In fact, the religious impulse is so powerfully pervasive that neuroscience has posed a provocative question: Are our brains wired to worship?

Now, in a series of 24 riveting lectures from an award-winning scholar and practicing neuroscientist, you can explore the exciting field of neurotheology - the new discipline aimed at understanding the connections between our brains and different kinds of religious phenomena. Using an academic, experimental approach into what he calls "objective measures of spirituality," Professor Newberg attempts to explain what others have previously only guessed at: the neuroscientific basis for why religion and spirituality have played such a prominent role in human life.

In these captivating lectures, you'll learn how religious experiences originate, their meaning, and the reasons why religion plays such a huge role in human experience - peering directly into the seat of all human thought and action as you delve into the relationship between brain function and spirituality.

A leading researcher in neurotheology, Professor Newberg offers you innovative approaches to ancient beliefs and practices. Using brain imaging and other cutting-edge physiological studies, he helps you to better understand how the brain controls or responds to religious and spiritual beliefs and behavior.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses
=====
The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience
Andrew Newberg Professor, Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Course No. 1682

3.2
85 reviews
53% would recommend
The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience
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Professor
Course Overview
Reviews (85)
Questions (5) and Answers (10)
Andrew Newberg
Andrew Newberg
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been interested in questions related to religion and God.
InstitutionMyrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Learn More About This Professor

Course Overview

Does God exist? Do we have a soul? Is it possible to make contact with a spiritual realm? How should we respond to the divine? Will life continue beyond death?Whether you are a deeply religious person, a spiritual seeker, or one who has come to doubt or disbelieve in a...


24 Lectures   Average 31 minutes each


1  A New Perspective on Ancient Questions

2  Why Do We Have a Spiritual Brain?

3  Brain Function and Religion

4  How Does Science Study Religion?

5  Believers and Atheists

6  Spiritual Development

7  The Myth-Making Brain

8  The Brain and Religious Rituals

9  The Biology of Spiritual Practices

10  Religion and Health


What's Included?
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A$239.95

Download 24 video lectures to your computer or mobile app
Downloadable PDF of the course guidebook
FREE video streaming of the course from our website and mobile apps
Instant Audio

A$169.95

Download 24 audio lectures to your computer or mobile app
Downloadable PDF of the course guidebook
FREE audio streaming of the course from our website and mobile apps
DVD

A$339.95

24 lectures on 4 DVDs
192-page printed course guidebook
Downloadable PDF of the course guidebook
FREE video streaming of the course from our website and mobile apps
Reviews

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☆☆☆☆☆3.2 out of 5 stars. Read reviews for The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience 3.2 85 ReviewsThis action will navigate to reviews.
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☆☆☆☆☆ 3.2Overall, average rating value is 3.2 of 5. 
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☆☆☆☆☆5 out of 5 stars.Jaspar · 11 years ago  
Review by Jaspar. Written 11 years ago. 5 out of 5 stars.Awesome––Swept Me Away!
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☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars.Docsam35 · 9 years ago  
Review by Docsam35. Written 9 years ago. 1 out of 5 stars.Biased and unscientific.
This is the first course I have not finished, out of 25. I wanted to like it, because Dr. Newberg an… Show Full ReviewThis action will open a modal dialog.

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☆☆☆☆☆2 out of 5 stars. Unintended · 4 months ago  
Too little insight and results
Too much verbiage about what type of investigations could be made, too little insight and results of actual research.

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☆☆☆☆☆5 out of 5 stars. KimKemal · 11 months ago  
Really well-done!
Dr. Newberg focuses clearly on fact and data, including a wide range of evidence. He avoids the too-common atoms-and-void belief system, refusing to come to the subject with a pre-set conclusion - as all scientists are supposed to do. Really, really enjoyed this class. BTW I have degrees in neuroanatomy and I am also a lifelong Buddhist. The founder of my faith famously said: don't believe anything because everyone else does, because it's written down, because an educated person says so (and on and on); only believe something if you have experienced it and thus know it to be true. Experiencing something is a data point, whether you have an fMRI (as this prof does) or you don't (most of us). Marrying neuro-studies with this important subject requires real sharp-scalpel thinking, and I'm so glad that Wondrium has given us this quality product. I have watched it, recommended it to my classes, and would welcome any other classes he chooses to do!

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☆☆☆☆☆4 out of 5 stars. AvidLearner77 · 11 months ago  
Interesting stuff
The Spiritual Brain is a pretty good class. Measuring anything spiritual or mystic is a challenge, and that is reflected in this course as the professor often has to quantiify and qualify the scientific findings. Many lectures asked the same questions, What does this mean? How do we interpret the scans? How can we understand the differences between the material world, the spiritual world, the emotional world, and the psychological world. Cultures, religions, and all that are also a part of the mosaic of what this course covered. Few hard and definitive answers are provided. I tentatively recommend this class, but

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☆☆☆☆☆5 out of 5 stars. Biopsychosocial Spiritual · a year ago  
Great Insight Into the Spiritual and the Brain
As a physician and human who is deeply interested in a more whole or holistic understanding of the human, I found Dr. Newberg's lecture to have great explanatory power in what is happening biologically within our brains during spiritual experiences. It greatly explains at a neurologic level why we see certain behavior and ways of thinking in people who are spiritually minded and practiced. I also greatly appreciate his additional philosophical insight and commentary. The course is absolutely fascinating from a biologic perspective and may challenge people who are not spiritually minded to consider what they may be missing. Highly recommended!

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☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars. Carla2021 · 2 years ago  
This course is very dry and uninspiring from start to finish in content and presentation style. I made myself continue to watch the lectures with the hope it would get better only to become more bored and disappointed. It also missed vital aspects of studies and research conducted on the subject which makes this course amateurish and less than basic.

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☆☆☆☆☆5 out of 5 stars. LuisLop · 2 years ago  
Excelent information
Great. I’m a doctor in profesional counseling and find it very interesting for use with client that expressed interest in include the spirituality to the therapy process.

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☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars. SW999 · 2 years ago  
Not Science
It's not an exaggeration to call this course psuedo-science. The Great Courses should be taken to task for categorizing the course as science and allowing the use of the word 'science' in the title.

For example, in Lecture 12, the professor talks about a brain scan performed on a woman who speaks in tongues. One brain scan does not make a scientific study. Study population size? Scientific controls? Peer review? The professor then uses this one instance as a springboard to conjectures and rhetorical questions about whether this type of religious experience demonstrates mental illness. No other controlled scientific studies are presented.

This multi-lecture course would be better condensed into an article on a lifestyle blog.

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☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars. RZSmith · 4 years ago  
disappointing
Had my hopes dashed on this one. I've waded through it but its been difficult as it is so obviously biased towards Christian Spiritual experiences. Example: It seems Far Eastern Spiritual perspectives or unique Native American perspectives are entirely missing. Planning to send it back, because i know I'll never listen to it again.

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38 short · 4 years ago  
I have patiently listened to all lectures of Andrew Newberg, MD on "The Spiritual Brain." They are convincing evidence that he is a fervent advocate of a neurological version of the widely debunked pseudo-scientific Intelligent Design, a version that Dr. Newberg calls his "neurotheology." His lectures would likely be enthusiastically welcomed by all advocates of Intelligent Design who believe, as Dr. Newberg does, that emotional experiences of Christians when meditating on or praying to the Christian God proves the scientifically validated objective existence of that God. Using the same line of his "neurotheological" reasoning, when ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Norsemen, Persians, etc., etc. meditated on and prayed to the immense host of their various gods, then it also always proved the scientifically validated objective existence of each one of their many gods. Does the emotional state brought about by believers in the Tooth Fairy or Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus meditating on or praying to them proves the scientifically validated objective existence of either the Tooth Fairy or Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus? Could perhaps wishful thinking be a large ingredient in the emotional brew of Dr. Andrew Newberg's :"neurotheology"? According to Dr. Newberg's "neurotheology," what are the gods or goddesses whose "neurotheologically" validated objective existence is proven by the emotional states of expert practitioners of Zen Buddhist mediation, mindfulness mediation, transcendental meditation, Chakra meditation, Lotus mediation, Yoga meditation, etc., etc.?

====
The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience Unknown Binding – January 1, 2012
by Prof. Dr. Andrew Newberg (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars    3 ratings 3.6 on Goodreads 173 ratings
Does God exist? Do we have a soul? Is it possible to make contact with a spiritual realm? How should we respond to the divine? Will life continue beyond death?Most people, whether deeply religious or outright doubters of any spiritual power, have probably pondered these questions for themselves. In fact, the religious impulse is so powerfully pervasive that neuroscience has posed a provocative question: Are our brains wired to worship? Now, in a series of 24 riveting lectures from an award-winning scholar and practicing neuroscientist, you can explore the exciting field of neurotheology - the new discipline aimed at understanding the connections between our brains and different kinds of religious phenomena. Using an academic, experimental approach into what he calls "objective measures of spirituality," Professor Newberg attempts to explain what others have previously only guessed at: the neuroscientific basis for why religion and spirituality have played such a prominent role in human life. In these captivating lectures, you'll learn how religious experiences originate, their meaning, and the reasons why religion plays such a huge role in human experience - peering directly into the seat of all human thought and action as you delve into the relationship between brain function and spirituality. A leading researcher in neurotheology, Professor Newberg offers you innovative approaches to ancient beliefs and practices. Using brain imaging and other cutting-edge physiological studies, he helps you to better understand how the brain controls or responds to religious and spiritual beliefs and behavior.

twikkione
5.0 out of 5 stars the spiritual brain
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2014
Verified Purchase
the great courses scientific view of religion, poses some interesting questions and thoughts about religious experience.
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D. Nykiel
4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking and intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2018
In his Great Courses series, “The Spiritual Brain,” neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Newburg---who, by the way, is also interviewed in the excellent documentary, “Awake: The Life of Yogananda,” about the life and work of the great Hindu yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda (1893-1952)---devotes twenty-four lectures to what is, in effect, the neuroscience of religion, or “neurotheology,” as he calls it. Lectures 1 and 2 are a general introduction to the course, asking why humans have a spiritual brain. Lecture 3 tackles the question of brain function and rreligion, while lecture 4 analyzes the various scientific approaches to the study of religion. Lecture 5 discusses actual experiments that have been done, scanning the brains of people of faith on the one hand, and atheists on the other to determine whether certain parts of their brains are active more than others, while lecture 6 talks about spiritual development. Lecture 7 discusses “The Myth-Making Brain,” while lecture 8 talks about the effect of religious rituals on the brain. Lecture 9 discusses the biology of spiritual practices, while lecture 10 discusses religion and health; Lecture 11 discusses religion and mental health, and lecture 12 discusses religion and brain dysfunction. Lecture 13 talks about the role of neurotransmitters in religious experience, while lecture 14 tackles the subject of stimulated states and religious experience. Lecture 15 talks about near-death experiences and the brain, while lecture 16 talk about “The Believing Brain.” Lecture 17 discusses how our brains come up with religious ideas, while lecture 18 talks about revelation, salvation and the brain. Lecture 19 talks about the mechanisms in the brain that influence us to be religious, while lecture 20 discusses the effect brain function may have on individual concepts of God, while lecture 21 talks about how religion and religiosity effects the brain. Lecture 22 asks the question, why people continue to remain religious, or, as Prof. Newburg phrases it, why God won’t go away. Lecture 23 discusses the mystical mind, and lecture 24 sums up the course.
When Prof. Newburg was talking about how the both the quiescence and arousal portions of the brain and how they are effected by certain rituals, I can totally relate to that because I have gone to many sessions of what in Hinduism is known as “kirtan”---that is to say, call-and-response Hindu chanting where the audience chants either the names of particular deities and/or sings songs in praise of particular deities along with the performer(s)---such as when I have gone to kirtans led by the American-born Hindu converts Krishna Das, Bhagavan Das, and Jai Uttal as well as David Durga Das Newman, for instance---and I can totally attest to this. When Krishna Das, for example, sings one of his more lively chants, such as any number of variations on the Mahamantra (Hare Krishna chant), Sita Ram, or the Hanuman Chalisa (the famous 40-line hymn to the Hindu god Hanuman, the god of wisdom who, according to the Hindu epic poem, the Ramayana, is the servant of the Hindu god and historical king Rama) which had been written by the poet Tulsi Das (1487-1623) in the late sixteenth century), I do remember clapping along more fervently than if he were to sing one of his more meditative chants such as Tulsi Das’ “Hanuman Stawan” (a.k.a. “Hanuman Puja,” or “Prayer to Hanuman”) or “Shri Guru Sharanam” (a song about seeking spiritual refuge with one’s guru), in which case, I---and probably others---are more likely to go into a more meditative state.
While, as a deeply spiritual person myself, I enjoyed this course very much, I deduct one star from this review for two reasons. First, I take issue with the trend that seems to have been prevalent in the study of religion ever since the days of the famous religion scholar, folklorist and anthropologist Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) and his friend and contemporary the famous Christian theologian, novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist, C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) of using the terms “myth” or “mythology” as catch-all terms for folklore, religion AND false claims and the tendency on the part of those who use these terms in this way to defend their usage---or misuse---of these terms by subsequent religion scholars and folklorists, when, in reality, the word ‘myth’ comes from the Greek word ‘mythos,’ meaning ‘falsehood.’ In fact, it irritated me that Prof. Newburg went even farther than Campbell or Lewis and even gave the Greek word an inaccurate translation. He claimed that the Greek word ‘mythos’ meant ‘word,’ when in reality, the word for ‘word’ in Greek is ‘Lexi.’ If we become so flippant and lackadaisical---or even ideologically motivated---then why give words definitions in the first place? The fact that Dr. Newburg---and others---redefine such clear-cut terms in this way indicates to me that, however well-intentioned they may be, people who define words in this way have the potential to open the ideological flood-gates for people to potentially justify using much more derogatory, offensive terms by claiming that they mean things that they do not. Secondly---and this criticism is somewhat minor---when making reference to the energy that we now know is actually channelled when one meditates, chants, etc, Dr. Newburg made the mistake of calling the aforesaid energy "Ch'i"---a Chinese term which, while referring to a similar concept, is technically NOT the term used by yogis and yoginis to refer to this type of energy. The term used in yogic philosophy to refer to the energy that gets channeled when one meditates, chants, does yoga, etc---depending on the source one consults---is called either "Prana," "Kundalini," or "Kundalini Shakti." Taoists and other practitioners of T'ai Ch'i are the ones who use the term "Ch'i." Yogis and yoginis do not. My third reason is that, while I am a deeply spiritual person, based on how few times prayers have been answered in my life, I remain extremely skeptical of the efficacy of prayer, not because I question the existence of the supernatural---I don’t---but rather, because based on my own experiences and how few prayers have been answered in my own life, I have been forced to draw the conclusion that the gods of all the world’s religions have a predetermined list of people in every generation who they favor and whose prayers they will answer, while everyone else is on his or her own, and that the gods will only answer the prayers of those who are NOT on their special list if they are feeling generous, are in a good mood, or just want to throw us a bone. That is why, as a spiritual person, while I have no problem praying for other people, and while I am certainly flattered when people offer to pray for me, I rarely pray for what I want anymore unless I have exhausted all other means by which a particular desire or need could be fulfilled. Furthermore, I disagree even more with the intriguing---though implausible---notion that science is a form of myth. Now, if we were to talk about one of the many pseudo-sciences that exist, or possibly about the worldview referred to by the philosopher Susan Haack as “Scientism” (i.e. the worldview that sees science as the only source or truth or the only way to answer life’s questions), THEN I could see science possibly being a form of myth, but if a scientific theory is proven through experimentation, then the statements of a particular scientist or group of them becomes fact (or at the very least, a very logical conclusion). When Prof. Newburg was talking about the effects of being part of a religious community on the brain, I had mixed feelings about what he was saying. While he was certainly right that being part of a religious group could foster a sense of community and collective commitment to a belief system, and while he was certainly right to warn against the potential dangers of the effects of cultlike brainwashing, that was when he lost me because sometimes I think that the alleged detrimental effects of religion and religious commitment on our free will are often overemphasized in our increasingly secular, anti-religious society. The fact remains that while cults do exist that can harm us and brainwash us, it is also true that in this increasingly secular age, many perfectly benign religions---particularly many of the Afro-Caribbean religions such as Haitian Vodou, Santería, Candomble, etc and the various sects of Hinduism---are often---unjustly---categorized as “cults,” usually by either ultra-conservative members of the Abrahamic religions, by disgruntled former members, or by people who are hostile toward religion more generally. Thus, while Prof. Newburg is right to warn against the effects of brainwashing, he would have done well NOT to overemphasize it. In essence, this argument can be made in order to dissuade anyone from converting to any religion or joining any organization with whose worldview one may disapprove, or even just simply disagree. I was very disappointed that those who were editing those lectures neither cut out nor---at the very least---suggested that Dr. Newburg leave his own personal views of religion out of the series. Regarding religion and Health, and regarding the studies that show a correlation between (for instance) church attendance and a decreased likelihood to die of heart disease or lung disease, I don’t know if there is a direct correllatiom between attending a church vs. another house of worship, or whether the people doing this study looked at people who didn’t attend church. The only possible connection I could make between church attendance and the decreased risk of lung disease or heart disease might be the fact that the people who attended those services probably thought about whether or not they would go to Heaven or Hell---or maybe they were motivated to live a healthier lifestyle because they felt that God was tracking their progress or that their health problems were the result of sins which they now tried their best to avoid committing and therefore were rewarded by God with better health. Those, I suspect, are the only objective connections between health and attending religious services. Regarding the studies that showed that more religious elderly people were less likely to notice their health problems or less likely to see themselves as disabled, I suspect that has everything to do with the fact that they put their trust in the higher power who they worshipped. Regarding the effect that religion has on the alleviation of pain, I suspect that praying or meditating while sick or in pain helps much in the same way that meditation relieves stress. If there is a relation, as one study points out, between attending religious services and decreased mortality, that, I suspect has less to do with science than it does with the fact that the deity who those people worshipped rewarded them for their religiosity by extending their life. I also suspect---and this was confirmed by Dr. Newburg---that religion may have a role in relieving stress and also, in the cases of some religions, steering one away from unhealthy behaviors (e.g. drinking, smoking, sexual promiscuity, etc). I could, however, see the psychological benefits of being religious (e.g. how it would relieve stress, etc) and, on the flip side, how not believing in God could be detrimental because the people who don’t believe in God very well may not see life as having any meaning at all (as with people like Sigmund Freud, Jean-Paul Sartre, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Bertrand Russell, etc). I also think that the social aspect of religion might possibly contribute to better health, but I don’t think that the religion in and of itself is what keeps them alive. I will, however, say that I do believe that what religion does do for sick or injured people is give them some sort of comfort. I also believe that with the exception of birth, all good things that happen to us are divine rewards for good deeds, and that, with the exception of natural death (i.e. dying of natural causes), all bad things that happen to us are, in fact, punishments for sins we may have committed at some point in our life.As far as the study of several meditators and their impact on whether or not an overall society is violent or peaceful, I am EXTREMELY skeptical of the notion that the crime rate supposedly dropped once they just plopped these random meditators into a city with a high crime rate. I highly doubt that the very presence of these people in that city reduced the crime rate. That, I suspect, is a bit of a stretch. As far as lecture 16---the one on “The Believing Brain”---is concerned, there was hardly any discussion about spirituality or faith in it at all, except for at the very end when Dr. Newberg was summing up his conclusions, which is why, frankly, in sharp contrast to the other lectures, which were interesting and compelling, this lecture, by contrast, was rather disappointing. In essence, this lecture was less about spirituality than about psychology. In that lecture, Dr. Newberg simply spent half an hour discussing the Placebo Effect---the idea that people can imagine or be convinced that they will feel better if they are given an otherwise ineffective treatment for whatever medical problem they are having. This has very little to do with science or religion, simply because both an atheist and a person of faith can be convinced that something completely ineffective is a cure-all if he or she is gullible (or desperate) enough. When I listened to that lecture, I began to wonder whether lecture 16 even belongs in a series of lectures on spirituality and religion and whether it might fit more comfortably in a lecture series on secular psychology. This is why, while I allowed this lecture to be downloaded onto my iTunes on my computer, I did not drag it into my iPod. By contrast, I did drag the lecture on near-death experiences onto my iPod because that lecture really did have to do with a religious subject.
All in all, I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in neuroscience, spirituality, religion---or to someone who simply just wants to learn something new.
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