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September 2006 (Volume 59, Issue 9) >
Page 60, doi:10.1063/1.2364250
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
Reviewed by Arthur Zajonc
Amherst College,
The Universe in a Single Atom
 First edition | |
| Author | Dalai Lama |
|---|---|
| Original title | The Universe in A Single Atom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Buddhism |
| Publisher | Morgan Road Books |
Publication date | 2005 |
| Pages | 216 |
| ISBN | 978-0-7679-2081-0 |
The Universe in a Single Atom is a book by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama and published in 2005 by Morgan Road Books.[1] In this book Dalai Lama engages in several scientific areas. He explores the topics of quantum physics, cosmology, consciousness and genetics in relation to Buddhism.
Rationale[edit]
Tenzin Gyatso, at the age of 6, was chosen as the 14th Dalai Lama. He is believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessors.[2] At an early age, Gyatso showed interest in science and the scientific method. In this book, "The Universe in a Single Atom", Tenzin Gyatso explores the commonality and difference between Buddhism and scientific argumentation.
Beginnings in Science[edit]
In this book, "The Universe in a Single Atom," The Dalai Lama exhibits humble beginnings in science, including finding a brass telescope from the thirteenth Dalai Lama. With the telescope, he was able to find "the rabbit on the moon," a Tibetan saying for a landform on the moon.[3] Utilizing other apparatuses such as cars and watches, the Dalai Lama took interest in the mechanical operations of the objects.
Commonality between Buddhism and Science[edit]
In the book, The Dalai Lama creates exigency for the peaceful relationship between Buddhism and science. The goal is to mitigate human suffering from both Buddhist philosophy and science.[4] Scientists and Buddhists acknowledge that Buddhists use sensory perceptions and introspective thinking requiring cooperation of the body.[3] In the 1980s, The Dalai Lama sought scientific advice from Francisco Varela. A product of the meeting was Varela's realization that the act of meditation through introspective thinking could complement science.[5]
Quantum Physics and Buddhism[edit]
Buddhist teachings prove everything is changing and transitory. Essentially, thoughts come into our minds, then move on. Buddhists believe this is what causes suffering. The Dalai Lama believes in justifying the concept of micro-matter through the definition of inconsistent flow. The nature of a paradoxical reality mirrors the Buddhist philosophy of emptiness. Quantum physics debates the sustainability of having the notion of reality, as defined by Buddhist philosophy.[4]
Cosmology and Buddhism[edit]
One way Buddhists and scientists agree is their understanding of the Buddha's lack of explanation for the formation of the universe. However, Buddhist cosmologists have created the notion of a universe that has a form, expands, and then is destructive. Both sides, science, and Buddhist cosmologists, do not immediately resort to creating a Godly being as the origin of all matter. Moreover, in Buddhism, the universe is depicted as infinite and beginningless. The Dalai Lama wishes, in the book, to venture beyond the big bang and process thoughts about the possible structures and activity before the big bang.[6]
Consciousness and Buddhism[edit]
According to Dr. Hugh Murdoch of The Theosophical Society Australia, the concept of consciousness has been insignificantly proven through scientific study. The Dalai Lama asks the question for scientists, what about the direct observation of consciousness itself? The concept of consciousness was discussed by the Buddha who said the mind is paramount above all things. Buddhists believe in the concept of matter, mind, and mental states. The Dalai Lama wishes for scientists to quit questioning if consciousness is favored in dualism, or materialism and study through the first-person perspective.[6]
Genetics and Buddhism[edit]
Buddhists believe the primary purpose of life is to eliminate suffering. The Dalai Lama has no objection to cloning, only if it is based on altruistic motivation. The Dalai Lama supports the human genome project because it shows the difference between different ethnicities is minimal at best.[6]
Critical reception[edit]
After closely analyzing The Universe in a Single Atom, Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic Magazine, concludes, " So I would caution both Christians and Buddhists alike: be careful what you wish for in this endeavor to unify science and religion-you may not like what you find."[7]
Arthur Zajonc, president of the Mind and Life Institute states, "The Universe in a Single Atom is an open-minded engagement between intellectual traditions, an engagement that enriches our shrinking planet."[5]
Critic Lisa Liquori states,"Though the Dalai Lama aims to reach a wide audience and offers a fair, nicely written, and thoughtful treatise, the subject matter will primarily appeal to spiritual types and to altruistic, ethical physicists and biologists.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ Lama, His Holiness the Dalai (2006). The universe in a single atom : the convergence of science and spirituality. New York: Broadway Books. ISBN 0767920813.
- ^ "Dalai Lama Biography". Biography. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ a b Wallace, Alan. "Response to George Johnson's Review of The Universe in a Single Atom" (PDF). Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ a b Armengol, Guillermo (2007). "THE UNIVERSE IN A SINGLE ATOM ACCORDING TO THE DALAI LAMA: The Dalai Lama on Science and Religion" (PDF). Pensamiento. 63 (238): 821–825. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ a b Zajonc, Arthur (September 2006). "The Universe in a Single Atom". Physics Today. 59 (9): 60–62. doi:10.1063/1.2364250.
- ^ a b c Murdoch, Hugh. "The Universe in a Single Atom by The Dalai Lama". The Theosophical Society in Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Shermer, Michael. "Science Without Borders". Skeptic. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- ^ Liquori, Lisa (2005). "The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality". Library Journal. 130 (16): 84–86. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
| hide Books My Land and My People (1962) Essential Teachings (1974) The Art of Happiness (1998) The Power of Buddhism (1999) An Open Heart (2002) The Universe in a Single Atom (2005) My Spiritual Autobiography (2009) The Book of Joy (2016)  Organized vision Family Related |
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Home >
September 2006 (Volume 59, Issue 9) >
Page 60, doi:10.1063/1.2364250
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
Reviewed by Arthur Zajonc
Amherst College,
Amherst, Massachusetts, US
PDF
Physics Today 59, 9, 60 (2006); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2364250
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality ,
Physics Today 59, 9, 60 (2006); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2364250
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality ,
Dalai Lama ,
Morgan Road Books, New York, 2005. $24.95 (216 pp.).
Last November, amid some controversy, Tenzin Gyatso, Dalai Lama XIV, addressed more than 10 000 scientists at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. He spoke about recent developments in the “neuroscience of meditation” and the ethical implications of science. The Dalai Lama’s talk was the most recent instance of his lifelong interest in science, a story engagingly told in his The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality.
Last November, amid some controversy, Tenzin Gyatso, Dalai Lama XIV, addressed more than 10 000 scientists at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. He spoke about recent developments in the “neuroscience of meditation” and the ethical implications of science. The Dalai Lama’s talk was the most recent instance of his lifelong interest in science, a story engagingly told in his The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality.
The Dalai Lama articulates the need for what he terms an “urgent engagement” between Buddhist philosophy and science. He writes that both traditions seek to reduce human suffering, but each uses complementary methods: Science labors to understand and to master the outer conditions of humanity; Buddhist philosophy seeks insight into and mastery over the inner causes of suffering. Both are necessary in his view, and society can only benefit by an open and sustained dialog between the two traditions.
In the book one reads about the Dalai Lama’s childhood fascination with telescopes, watches, and automobiles in a Tibet that, outside the Potala Palace where he lived, lacked all modern machines. As a child it seems he was unique in his curiosity concerning Western science and technology. His flight from an occupying Chinese army in 1959 brought him squarely into a contemporary Indian society that was fast becoming a technologically sophisticated culture, a fact that impressed him mightily.
As both the temporal and spiritual leader of the Tibetan government in exile, the Dalai Lama traveled widely, and he sought out scientists for conversations, both technical and philosophical. For example, he spoke often with Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker and David Bohm, each of whom became his friend and mentor and whom he describes with great appreciation. By the mid-1980s, he had also begun extensive conversations with neuroscientist Francisco Varela, who in 1987 organized the first of a dozen Mind and Life discussions in which five or six scientists would meet with the Dalai Lama for an intensive five-day exchange concerning important topics at the intersection of science and philosophy. I have been part of several of these remarkable meetings, most actively in those dealing with physics and cosmology. The Universe in a Single Atom is the fruit of those many Mind and Life dialogs, as well as conversations with scientists during his travels.
Varela recognized that Buddhist meditative introspection could offer an important complementary perspective to that granted by conventional third-person methods of investigating the mind that are common to Western neuroscience. In cognitive neuroscience the combination of Buddhist meditative introspection and Western neuroscience has been remarkably fruitful, with experiments running at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Princeton University, Harvard University, and the San Francisco and San Diego campuses of the University of California that can be traced back to the Dalai Lama dialogs.
Not until 1997 did a Mind and Life dialog on physics and cosmology take place, for which I was the scientific organizer. Since then, attendees Anton Zeilinger, Steven Chu, Piet Hut, George Greenstein, David Finkelstein, and others have worked with the Dalai Lama, explaining the subtleties of quantum mechanics, relativity, and astrophysics—as well as debating their philosophical implications. The Dalai Lama’s special interest in modern physics stems from the manner in which it challenges naive views of reality. How should we as a society conceptualize reality, and what is the appropriate philosophical attitude toward theories and their primitives? The critical analysis of reality advanced by Buddhism is primarily philosophical, not empirical. It argues against naive realism or an immutable independent reality, and for what Buddhists term “emptiness.” For example, to the Dalai Lama, the problem of observation in quantum mechanics appears as “resonant” with the logical arguments of Buddhist philosophy, particularly the Prasangika school’s view of co-dependent origination. And the property of quantum entanglement resonates with the Buddhist concept of interdependence. He considers such exchanges as genuine aids to a deeper understanding of reality, thus becoming a basis for the mitigation of suffering.
I expect that many scientists will approach the book with skepticism. What can one learn that is relevant to science from the leader of a world religion? Some Mind and Life participants arrive at the dialog sessions with such an attitude, but the Dalai Lama quickly establishes his openness to well-reasoned arguments and data, even if it entails abandoning long-established Buddhist doctrine. His enthusiasm for science and its contributions to society is genuine, but he distinguishes between the findings of science and the philosophical position of scientific materialism. Not surprisingly, he rejects the latter in favor of a fuller view of reality, a view I share.
The Universe in a Single Atom is an important exemplar of open-minded engagement between different intellectual traditions, an engagement that enriches our shrinking planet. The Dalai Lama, like us physicists, recognizes the powerful role that science has had and continues to play in shaping the world. He has listened and learned much from those scientists who have generously given their time to working with him. He has repaid us with a thoughtful and challenging volume that I believe will become a small classic in the dialog between science and religion.
© 2006 American Institute of Physics.
==
Top reviews from the United States
Matthew RapaportTop Contributor: Philosophy
4.0 out of 5 stars About the intersection between western science and Buddhism, both overlap and differences
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
Who can critique the Dalai Lama? He is a smart, wise, man with a curiosity about pure science, and a pragmatic streak about technological applications. Should they benefit mankind, alleviate suffering, they are good. The Dalai Lama seems to have wanted to write this book thanks to a life-long fascination with science coupled with insights of his years of Buddhist training. He tells us as a boy growing up he had no training in western science whatsoever, but he was fascinated with a few (first-half 20th century) examples of western technology belonging to his predecessor. As a young man, once vested in his office, he availed himself of a new-found access to many of the world's greatest minds, philosophers, scientists, artists, and so on. He has gone on talking and learning from great minds ever since.
After this introduction, the book looks at the physical (cosmology, quantum mechanics, relativity) and then life sciences. I was hoping he would not get into a "Buddhism discovered it first" argument, and mostly he does not. He comes close on the subject of quantum mechanics but I think mostly because at the time, the people from whom he learned it still took seriously the idea that individual human minds (for example that of a researcher) could be responsible for wave-function collapse. If this were true (the idea has long been put to rest as concerns individual minds) the tie-in with the Buddhist mind-first world-view and deep exploration of that first-person (consciousness) world would indeed be strong.
Even within quantum mechanics his eminence is sensitive to the great gulf between the western scientific paradigm and the focus of Buddhism. He well illustrates these differences while pointing out to scientists that much of what they take to be the "structure of reality" is a metaphysical assumption. It does not follow necessarily from scientific methodology which so well illuminates structure as concerns the physical world.
But this same methodology can say very little about consciousness. It is with consciousness that he spends much of the book examining the views of modern brain-science and how they might relate to Buddhist discoveries. The views of these different worlds stem as much from the purposes of their separate investigations as the technique; empirical 3rd-party evaluation versus highly-trained rigorous introspection. Becoming a master monk takes as many years as obtaining a PhD in physics (more in fact), but he mis-uses the term 'empirical' here. What the monk does and what the monk learns in the doing should not be dismissed by western science, but it is still subjective and for that reason not empirical. He advocates for joint research. Neuro-scientists together with trained monks, he thinks, might help unlock some of the mind's mysteries. He also is aware that not all mysteries are unlock-able!
In the book's penultimate chapter he uses the then-new technology of genetic manipulation to plead with the scientific community to take it slow. He wants us all to be asking the right questions concerning the long term affects of the possibilities on our humanity. Here the contribution of Buddhism is the importance of compassion, of constant awareness of the mission to alleviate suffering. He is very good at identifying frightening possibilities in the technology and lists them. At the same time, aspects of the field, the need to produce more food, provided it isn't motivated purely by financial gain, can be good. In his last chapter, his eminence returns to the same subject, a cooperation between science and Buddhism's focus on bettering the human estate, not only physically or biologically, but socially, psychologically, and spiritually.
The book is full of interesting philosophical implications I will perhaps explore on my blog. These have more to do with physics, cosmology, and what western philosophy calls metaphysics than with consciousness which Buddhism takes more or less for granted. The idea that the stuff of the universe is fundamentally phenomenal suffuses all schools of Buddhism, while in the West the idea, while not unknown, is viewed with great suspicion. Where consciousness is concerned, his emphasis falls on intentionality, our capacity to direct our attention, but he never mentions free will. Like consciousness itself, perhaps Buddhism takes free will for granted.
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9 people found this helpful
Aaron J Dykstra
4.0 out of 5 stars Can we observe consciousness from outside ourselves?
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2006
Verified Purchase
The Universe in a Single Atom is a book by Dalai Lama XIV which goes into how he feels Buddism and the scientific method meet. His Holiness has had the opportunity to meet with some of the greatest scientific minds and has used those times to gain a greater understanding of state of science and attempt to apply them to philosophies and manuscripts within his faith. At times, I found this book to feel like a sales pitch for how Buddism is a religion that works hand in hand with science through the use of first person, introspective studies whereas science utilizes the third person, observant methodologies. But there are other times in this book, that he is able to bring about a real focus on some of the issues that we will soon have to face as a result of the great advances we have made in science.
I enjoyed this book. I attribute that to the fact that I enjoy the exercise of thinking on various focused topics. His Holiness is talks on the topics of Quantum Mechanics, the Big Bang, Evolution, Genetics, and Consciousness, and puts them in context of his beliefs and faith which provides an interest context in which to work though. One example is where the Dalai Lama shows how the Big Bang can be applied to one of manuscripts of Buddist teachings where the universe is of a cyclical nature and that the scientific studies have made many conjectures where this is a possibility where the universe will collapse the spin out yet another universe for the matter that once created the old.
Based on this, I recommend this to those that enjoy this sort of mental exercise and would like to learn a little of Buddism along the way.
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8 people found this helpful
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Jon S. Wesick
5.0 out of 5 stars A Level-Headed Look at Science and Religion
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2007
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As a Zen student with a Ph.D. in physics I often ponder the integration of scientific and religious world views. This is a bit easier for Buddhists because our religion places less emphasis on belief than other faiths do. I see science as a tool that uses measurement to understand nature, while religion deals with ethics and human experience. The Dalai Lama comes to similar conclusions, although more eloquently, in his book "The Universe in a Single Atom."
Both science and religion inspire a sense of wonder and help us understand our place in the cosmos, so comparing them, as the Dalai Lama does in this book, can be worthwhile. He writes well about science. I found his descriptions of physics accurate, although he missed some of the subtleties of the EPR experiment. As expected from a meditator, he points out that science has yet to explore subjective experience. The Dalai Lama draws parallels between the empirical exploration of mental states in the Tibetan tradition and the scientific method. This empiricism first drew me to Buddhism. In fact, my intimate thoughts and feelings have often seemed more immediate and real than some ghostly trace on an oscilloscope that represents "objective reality."
The Dalai Lama gently points out questionable assumptions made by scientific reductionists. For the most part I think his criticisms are valid. Although he's willing to abandon doctrines disproved by modern science, I wonder if the Dalai Lama would be willing to put the Buddhist bedrock teachings of karma and rebirth to the empirical test. If these are truly universal laws, they should be demonstrable by more than personal anecdote. I would have been interested if he'd discussed this more.
This is a fascinating, well-written book. I recommend it to fellow Buddhists and anyone interested in the interaction between science and religion.
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10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
KenJT53
5.0 out of 5 stars Deceptively simple!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2012
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If you are looking for a clear introduction to the science/spirituality debate, which is everything to do with the issues generated by differing worldviews, then this is an excellent place to start. The Dalai Lama takes you through his journey into and through science and clearly points out and clarifies the landmarks on the way. So he provides you with some excellent orienteering in a region that could easily overwhelm.
But, just in case you make the assumption that this is therefore only for newcomers to the discussions that have been taking place between thoughtful people in both science and religion for many years, take a pause. This is a wonderfully clear overview that will provide those readers already acquainted with the issues with a valuable summary of what's involved. The dialogue between Buddhism and Science is proving to be very fertile, especially in the area of brain, mind and consciousness; the Dalai Lama's ability to communicate wonder, generosity and humility reveals just how nourishing and fruitful that dialogue can be.
If you've been irritated or perhaps saddened by the simplistic treatment of the human search for meaning, purpose and value by the headline grabbers in the field of science and religious debate, enjoy this rich and deceptively simple exploration of the domain.
3 people found this helpful
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Dr. David R. Hamilton
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read. HH The Dalai Lama makes Tibetan Buddhist ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Fantastic read. HH The Dalai Lama makes Tibetan Buddhist philosophy easy to understand, which helps make it easier to practice the teachings in our lives.
One person found this helpful
===
과학과 불교 - 한 원자 속의 우주
달라이 라마 (지은이),삼묵 (옮긴이)
하늘북2007-05-22
기본정보
204쪽
목차
하나
1. REFLECTION 회상
둘
2. ENCOUNTER WITH SCIENCE 과학을 만나다.
셋
3. ENPTINESS, RELATIVITY, AND QUANTUM PHSICS 공(空), 상대론 이론 그리고 양자 물리학
넷
4. THE BIG BANG AND THE BUDDHIST BEGININING UNIVERSE 대폭발 이론과 불교의 시작 없는 우주론
다섯
5. EVOLLUTION, KARMA, AND THE WORLD OF SENTIENCE 진화와 업보 그리고 유정의 세계
여섯
6. THE QUESTION OF CONCIOUSNESS 의식에 대한 질문
일곱
7. TOWARD A SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS 의식의 과학을 향하여더보기
저자 및 역자소개
달라이 라마 (Tenzin Gyatso) (지은이)
구매자 (2)
전체 (2)
공감순
두껍지 않은 책이네요. 불교와 과학에 대해서 감을 잡을 수 있을 거 같습니다. 구매
HERM 2015-05-16 공감 (0) 댓글 (0)
Thanks to
공감
책을 구하고 지금 세 페이지를 읽으면서 일단 덮었습니다. 아, 번역하신 분께 정말 죄송한 말씀이지만 다시 정돈할 필요가 있어 보입니다. 번역한 용어가 비상용어라 뜻이 잘 안통하고 번역한 문장도 앞뒤가 잘 안맞아서 무슨 말인지 모를 곳이 많습니다.
존자님께 누가 될까 염려됩ㄴ
===
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
by
really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 9,349 ratings · 597 reviews
Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Niels Bohr, Einstein. Their insights shook our perception of who we are and where we stand in the world, and in their wake have left an uneasy coexistence: science vs. religion, faith vs. empirical inquiry. Which is the keeper of truth? Which is the true path to understanding reality?
After forty years of study with some of the greatest scientific minds, as well as a lifetime of meditative, spiritual, and philosophic study, the Dalai Lama presents a brilliant analysis of why all avenues of inquiry—scientific as well as spiritual—must be pursued in order to arrive at a complete picture of the truth. Through an examination of Darwinism and karma, quantum mechanics and philosophical insight into the nature of reality, neurobiology and the study of consciousness, the Dalai Lama draws significant parallels between contemplative and scientific examinations of reality.
This breathtakingly personal examination is a tribute to the Dalai Lama’s teachers—both of science and spirituality. The legacy of this book is a vision of the world in which our different approaches to understanding ourselves, our universe, and one another can be brought together in the service of humanity. (less)
After forty years of study with some of the greatest scientific minds, as well as a lifetime of meditative, spiritual, and philosophic study, the Dalai Lama presents a brilliant analysis of why all avenues of inquiry—scientific as well as spiritual—must be pursued in order to arrive at a complete picture of the truth. Through an examination of Darwinism and karma, quantum mechanics and philosophical insight into the nature of reality, neurobiology and the study of consciousness, the Dalai Lama draws significant parallels between contemplative and scientific examinations of reality.
This breathtakingly personal examination is a tribute to the Dalai Lama’s teachers—both of science and spirituality. The legacy of this book is a vision of the world in which our different approaches to understanding ourselves, our universe, and one another can be brought together in the service of humanity. (less)
Paperback, 224 pages
Published September 12th 2006 by Harmony (first published January 1st 2005)
Feb 25, 2008Amy Drew rated it it was amazing
very few people are able to give me hope about mankind and our future as a species. the dalai lama delivers that and so much more in all his books, but this one stands out to me because of my interest in science, and especially my fascination with (if complete misunderstanding of) the universe and quantum physics, etc. this book contains all those big universe questions that are usually way too scary to ask (where did time begin? how big is space? what existed before the big bang?) but presents them in conjunction with religion, and not in contrast to it, like pretty much everyone else likes to see those 2 institutions. this is the kind of book where I read 10 pages, then have to close the book and just think for about a half hour, then pick up and start reading again. (less)
Nov 17, 2008Steven Stark rated it it was amazing
This is a brilliant book. The Dalai Lama's theme is that science's emphasis on non-personal, "third-person" study and religion's emphasis on "first person" experience and awareness could be complementary.
If you have heard the Dalai Lama speak in his non-native tongue (English), he is a fantastic personality and he smiles a lot, but his communication is limited. It is a pleasure to read his ideas written first and then translated into English. This book reveals a mind that sparkles with wit, intelligence and an ability to pierce through to the heart of an issue.
He tells the story of his discovery and fascination with Western science. He writes of Buddhism's need to update some of its teaching methods and mythologies in the light of mankind's recent discoveries. He also writes of science's need to address issues of personal awareness and the need to be more open-minded concerning an attitude of total materialism. He also points out how akin Buddhism and science really are, as they have applied similar experimental methods to study awareness and the material world respectively.
Throughout, the Dalai Lama's logical process is a pleasure to read, and he comes across as always being open to new input, striving not to color it with preconceptions. This book is highly recommended to anyone interested in the relationship between science and religion. (less)
If you have heard the Dalai Lama speak in his non-native tongue (English), he is a fantastic personality and he smiles a lot, but his communication is limited. It is a pleasure to read his ideas written first and then translated into English. This book reveals a mind that sparkles with wit, intelligence and an ability to pierce through to the heart of an issue.
He tells the story of his discovery and fascination with Western science. He writes of Buddhism's need to update some of its teaching methods and mythologies in the light of mankind's recent discoveries. He also writes of science's need to address issues of personal awareness and the need to be more open-minded concerning an attitude of total materialism. He also points out how akin Buddhism and science really are, as they have applied similar experimental methods to study awareness and the material world respectively.
Throughout, the Dalai Lama's logical process is a pleasure to read, and he comes across as always being open to new input, striving not to color it with preconceptions. This book is highly recommended to anyone interested in the relationship between science and religion. (less)
A thought-provoking analysis and exposition on why the subjective, first person investigative methodology of spiritual tradition without its fundamentalist trappings and the objective third person investigative methodology of scientific tradition without its reductionist trappings are both indispensable and must go hand-in-hand if we are to fully comprehend reality and genuinely alleviate suffering. The ease and sharpness with which the Dalai Lama draws parallels and acute phenomenological similarities between modern scientific disciplines like cosmology, quantum Physics and neurobiology and the foundational tenets of the Buddhist spiritual tradition and the epistemological and ontological bricks and mortar of Buddhism that were put in place by Indian logicians like Nagarjuna, Asanga,Dharmakirti and Vasubandhu - was the most captivating part of the book for me.
That isn't to say the exposition was very lucid(atleast for me with no prior knowledge of Buddhist epistemology) - but with some application you could think them through and self-verify and assimilate. The book also has a lot of autobiographical snippets on the Dalai Lama's troubled political life, the daily rigors of his contemplative practice, and interesting details from his meetings with several other world leaders and scientists in Dharamsala and elsewhere.
Overall an immersive and appealing read, which has done enough to get me looking to read more of Dalai Lama XIV. (less)
That isn't to say the exposition was very lucid(atleast for me with no prior knowledge of Buddhist epistemology) - but with some application you could think them through and self-verify and assimilate. The book also has a lot of autobiographical snippets on the Dalai Lama's troubled political life, the daily rigors of his contemplative practice, and interesting details from his meetings with several other world leaders and scientists in Dharamsala and elsewhere.
Overall an immersive and appealing read, which has done enough to get me looking to read more of Dalai Lama XIV. (less)
This book might seem a strange reading choice since I am an atheist. During my years of life and travels around the world, I have found that of all the world's multitude of religious beliefs it is generally Buddhism that seems most comfortable with the concept of a coterminous relationship, if not a synergistic symbiosis, with science. This is not meant to imply that Buddhists make better scientists than say a Hindu or a Muslim, rather that the religion itself seems comfortable with the concepts of science. Other religions, primarily Christianity and Islam, have had a contentious and oft abhorrent relationship with science. Thus this book was an interesting insight into how a very religious man, the Dalai Lama, views science.
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, has had a very interesting life. After having to leave Tibet due to the Communist Chinese invasion, the Dalai Lama had opportunities to meet and study with some eminent scientific minds. This book is his attempt to explain how a Buddhist monk entered into the world of modern science and concepts such as bubble chambers, particle accelerators and quantum physics.
It is not often, though there are some Jesuits I can think of, that I hear a religious leader express such comfort with the reality of science. He admits that this is not an attempt to unite the two spheres. They can not be united as one is the realm of myth and belief, while the other is an empirical discipline (or multi-disciplinary if you wish to look at all the various specialties of science) meant to explain how the world,I prefer the term reality, around us truly works. What I appreciate about the Dalai Lama's book was his very unassuming and simple take on many of the more esoteric concepts. He admits that his, knowledge of the mathematics underlying the science is poor. So when the scientists explained things to him they used general concepts which would be readily understood by a Tibetan monk and his translator. That's fine, this is not a technical book at all. It attempts to juxtapose traditional Buddhist thought with rationalism. It's the Dalai Lama's disarming honesty, humility and respectful tone that truly drew me to this book.
Rare is it for a major religious figure to say the following:
"...scientific investigation proceeds by experiment, using instruments that analyze external phenomena........if science shows something to exist or to be non-existent (which is not the same as not finding it), then we must acknowledge that as a fact. If a hypothesis is tested and found to be true, we must accept it. Likewise, Buddhism must accept the facts-whether found by science or found by contemplative insights. If, when we investigate something, we find there is reason and proof for it, we must acknowledge that as reality-even if it is in contradiction with a literal scriptural explanation that has held sway for many centuries or with a deeply held opinion or view."
That last line would be considered anathema, if not outright heresy, by many of the world's leading religious leaders. They fear science and thus have a confrontational view of it. I found no such undercurrent in this book. The Dalai lama makes clear that science is reality, though there are elements such as quantum physics that have some elements of spirituality about them. This book then shows how certain aspects of Buddhist thought, and the various schools of the philosophy underlying the lore, have been able to find some similarities in broad concepts, especially in the field of quantum physics.
In the end this book gets a 3 star rating because while it is an interesting story about how this Tibetan monk was introduced to the world of science and his attempts to balance the modalities of both types of thought. But, in the end I find the usefulness of trying to justify any particular religion and that religion's dogma/beliefs to actual science as about as useful as discussing how the Force from Star Wars "works" in or with science. Well it doesn't. At all.
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Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, has had a very interesting life. After having to leave Tibet due to the Communist Chinese invasion, the Dalai Lama had opportunities to meet and study with some eminent scientific minds. This book is his attempt to explain how a Buddhist monk entered into the world of modern science and concepts such as bubble chambers, particle accelerators and quantum physics.
It is not often, though there are some Jesuits I can think of, that I hear a religious leader express such comfort with the reality of science. He admits that this is not an attempt to unite the two spheres. They can not be united as one is the realm of myth and belief, while the other is an empirical discipline (or multi-disciplinary if you wish to look at all the various specialties of science) meant to explain how the world,I prefer the term reality, around us truly works. What I appreciate about the Dalai Lama's book was his very unassuming and simple take on many of the more esoteric concepts. He admits that his, knowledge of the mathematics underlying the science is poor. So when the scientists explained things to him they used general concepts which would be readily understood by a Tibetan monk and his translator. That's fine, this is not a technical book at all. It attempts to juxtapose traditional Buddhist thought with rationalism. It's the Dalai Lama's disarming honesty, humility and respectful tone that truly drew me to this book.
Rare is it for a major religious figure to say the following:
"...scientific investigation proceeds by experiment, using instruments that analyze external phenomena........if science shows something to exist or to be non-existent (which is not the same as not finding it), then we must acknowledge that as a fact. If a hypothesis is tested and found to be true, we must accept it. Likewise, Buddhism must accept the facts-whether found by science or found by contemplative insights. If, when we investigate something, we find there is reason and proof for it, we must acknowledge that as reality-even if it is in contradiction with a literal scriptural explanation that has held sway for many centuries or with a deeply held opinion or view."
That last line would be considered anathema, if not outright heresy, by many of the world's leading religious leaders. They fear science and thus have a confrontational view of it. I found no such undercurrent in this book. The Dalai lama makes clear that science is reality, though there are elements such as quantum physics that have some elements of spirituality about them. This book then shows how certain aspects of Buddhist thought, and the various schools of the philosophy underlying the lore, have been able to find some similarities in broad concepts, especially in the field of quantum physics.
In the end this book gets a 3 star rating because while it is an interesting story about how this Tibetan monk was introduced to the world of science and his attempts to balance the modalities of both types of thought. But, in the end I find the usefulness of trying to justify any particular religion and that religion's dogma/beliefs to actual science as about as useful as discussing how the Force from Star Wars "works" in or with science. Well it doesn't. At all.
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I had really, really high hopes for this book, and I feel awful for giving the freaking Dalai Lama a bad book review (of all things), but it was a major disappointment. I couldn’t help but continuously wonder where the narrative was going, the anecdotes and stories weren’t particularly intriguing or compelling, and it was frankly hard to finish. There are other, more interesting books on this and related topics. I hope this assault on the Lama’s writing doesn’t mean that I’m slated to reincarnate as a rat or something.
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Sep 25, 2017robin friedman rated it it was amazing
The Dalai Lama Discusses Science
For many years, I have belonged to a Sutta study group in which we have read many of the key texts of the Pali canon, the earliest of the surviving Buddhist scriptures. We recently read the famous text (Sutta no. 63) in the Mahjima Nikaya, the mid-length discourses, in which the Buddha tried to discourage certain kinds of speculation by offering a simile based upon a poisoned arrow. If someone is struck by such an arrow, the important thing is to have it removed rather than to worry about the type of the arrow's wood or feathers, the clothing worn by the person who shot it, etc. The Buddha suggests that those who worry about certain metaphysical questions, such as whether the world is finite or infinite, whether the world is eternal or transient, or whether the soul is separate from the body or part of it, are like those people who ask irrelevant questions about the poisoned arrow rather than try to remove it as expeditiously as possible. This simile to me seems to capture something important about the relationship between Buddhist spirituality and certain scientific questions, and it encouraged me to read the Dalai Lama's recent book, "The Universe in a Single Atom."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's eloquent book in fact discusses this enigmatic Sutta together with the divergent interpretations it has received in Buddhist thought. Difficult as the Sutta is, I think it captures a great deal of the Dalai Lama's message in his book, both in his teachings themselves and especially in the tone and manner with which the Dalai Lama conveys his teachings.
The Dalai explores the Sutta I have mentioned in an appropriate place -- in the context of a discussion between the relationship between Buddhist thought and the big bang theory of the origin of the universe. The Sutta and the discussion suggest to me that spiritual questions have an urgency and immediacy of their own, notwithstanding scientific findings. But for me, the most revealing parts of this book were not the sections in which the Dalai Lama discusses the relationship between Buddhist thought and specific scientific teachings. Rather, I thought the most moving discussions were in the opening chapters and in the conclusion. In the opening chapters the Dalai Lama offers some personal biographical information about growing up in Tibet, his monastic training and teachers, and his budding interest in mechanical and scientific subjects. He describes with obvious affection the many Western scientists he has met over the years and how he has responded to what they have taught him. He also tries to draw a distinction between scientific study, which is based upon repeatable, empirical observation and theory -- what he describes as the standpoint of the "third party" and introspection and the search for meaning, which is subject of spirituality and of creative and altruistic endeavor. Science and spirituality frequently interpenetrate, for the Dalai Lama, and have much to give each other. He expands upon this discussion throughout his book and in its conclusion.
In successive chapters of his book, the Dalai Lama discusses, quantum physics, the big bang theory, and evolution. He frequently draws parallels between the results of contemporary science and the results of Buddhist thought. In some cases, he points out that scientific discoveries invalidate certain crude assumptions about the nature of the physical universe found in early Buddhist texts. He candidly recognizes that where specific scientific findings conflict with a Buddhist teaching, the Buddhist teaching must give way. But in other cases, the Dalai Lama is somewhat critical of scientific theory. Thus, the Dalai Lama seems to suggest that the theory of evolution takes too little account of karma -- the nature of consciousness and intentionality -- that he believes necessary to a full understanding of the world. In my opinion, these criticisms of evolutionary theory are unnecessary to the weight of the Dalai Lama's message to look within, to study consciousness and to develop wisdom and compassion. In the process of discussing evolutionary theory, however, the Dalai Lama gives a lucid discussion of kamma, distinguishing it from simple mechanical causation of from the fatalism with which it is sometimes confused.
The strongest scientific discussions in the book are those of the last several chapters where the Dalai Lama discusses consciousness, as developed in Buddhist texts and in the practice of meditation. He suggests ways in which scientists working with the brain and with meditation practitioners can interact in valuable ways that complement their respective practices without denying either of them. Because these discussions of consciousness and introspection involve subjects the Dalai Lama knows intimately and at first-hand, I found them more persuasive than some of the other writing in the book about the interaction between science and Buddhism.
What I took from this book, and from the Pali Sutta discussed at the outset of this review, is that, in some instances, such as those captured by the poisoned arrow simile, spiritual questions are separate from those of science but that in other instances these questions interpenetrate. (That is, a person trying to understand him or herself needs to understand where science belongs in that particular endeavor) The results of scientific investigation, including specifically evolutionary theory, must be respected. But whatever science teaches, one must try to understand oneself and one's feelings, to understand suffering and grief, and to work towards a development of wisdom, compassion, and understanding. This is the message I took from the Dalai Lama's wonderful book.
Robin Friedman (less)
For many years, I have belonged to a Sutta study group in which we have read many of the key texts of the Pali canon, the earliest of the surviving Buddhist scriptures. We recently read the famous text (Sutta no. 63) in the Mahjima Nikaya, the mid-length discourses, in which the Buddha tried to discourage certain kinds of speculation by offering a simile based upon a poisoned arrow. If someone is struck by such an arrow, the important thing is to have it removed rather than to worry about the type of the arrow's wood or feathers, the clothing worn by the person who shot it, etc. The Buddha suggests that those who worry about certain metaphysical questions, such as whether the world is finite or infinite, whether the world is eternal or transient, or whether the soul is separate from the body or part of it, are like those people who ask irrelevant questions about the poisoned arrow rather than try to remove it as expeditiously as possible. This simile to me seems to capture something important about the relationship between Buddhist spirituality and certain scientific questions, and it encouraged me to read the Dalai Lama's recent book, "The Universe in a Single Atom."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's eloquent book in fact discusses this enigmatic Sutta together with the divergent interpretations it has received in Buddhist thought. Difficult as the Sutta is, I think it captures a great deal of the Dalai Lama's message in his book, both in his teachings themselves and especially in the tone and manner with which the Dalai Lama conveys his teachings.
The Dalai explores the Sutta I have mentioned in an appropriate place -- in the context of a discussion between the relationship between Buddhist thought and the big bang theory of the origin of the universe. The Sutta and the discussion suggest to me that spiritual questions have an urgency and immediacy of their own, notwithstanding scientific findings. But for me, the most revealing parts of this book were not the sections in which the Dalai Lama discusses the relationship between Buddhist thought and specific scientific teachings. Rather, I thought the most moving discussions were in the opening chapters and in the conclusion. In the opening chapters the Dalai Lama offers some personal biographical information about growing up in Tibet, his monastic training and teachers, and his budding interest in mechanical and scientific subjects. He describes with obvious affection the many Western scientists he has met over the years and how he has responded to what they have taught him. He also tries to draw a distinction between scientific study, which is based upon repeatable, empirical observation and theory -- what he describes as the standpoint of the "third party" and introspection and the search for meaning, which is subject of spirituality and of creative and altruistic endeavor. Science and spirituality frequently interpenetrate, for the Dalai Lama, and have much to give each other. He expands upon this discussion throughout his book and in its conclusion.
In successive chapters of his book, the Dalai Lama discusses, quantum physics, the big bang theory, and evolution. He frequently draws parallels between the results of contemporary science and the results of Buddhist thought. In some cases, he points out that scientific discoveries invalidate certain crude assumptions about the nature of the physical universe found in early Buddhist texts. He candidly recognizes that where specific scientific findings conflict with a Buddhist teaching, the Buddhist teaching must give way. But in other cases, the Dalai Lama is somewhat critical of scientific theory. Thus, the Dalai Lama seems to suggest that the theory of evolution takes too little account of karma -- the nature of consciousness and intentionality -- that he believes necessary to a full understanding of the world. In my opinion, these criticisms of evolutionary theory are unnecessary to the weight of the Dalai Lama's message to look within, to study consciousness and to develop wisdom and compassion. In the process of discussing evolutionary theory, however, the Dalai Lama gives a lucid discussion of kamma, distinguishing it from simple mechanical causation of from the fatalism with which it is sometimes confused.
The strongest scientific discussions in the book are those of the last several chapters where the Dalai Lama discusses consciousness, as developed in Buddhist texts and in the practice of meditation. He suggests ways in which scientists working with the brain and with meditation practitioners can interact in valuable ways that complement their respective practices without denying either of them. Because these discussions of consciousness and introspection involve subjects the Dalai Lama knows intimately and at first-hand, I found them more persuasive than some of the other writing in the book about the interaction between science and Buddhism.
What I took from this book, and from the Pali Sutta discussed at the outset of this review, is that, in some instances, such as those captured by the poisoned arrow simile, spiritual questions are separate from those of science but that in other instances these questions interpenetrate. (That is, a person trying to understand him or herself needs to understand where science belongs in that particular endeavor) The results of scientific investigation, including specifically evolutionary theory, must be respected. But whatever science teaches, one must try to understand oneself and one's feelings, to understand suffering and grief, and to work towards a development of wisdom, compassion, and understanding. This is the message I took from the Dalai Lama's wonderful book.
Robin Friedman (less)
For all my introspection and soul-searching on the subject of how to integrate Western science into my philosophical views of the world, I wish that I had read this book years ago – it would have saved me a lot of hard thinking on my own. Ouch. As it turns out, the Dalai Lama has been on a decades-long campaign to import much of the Western science canon into the training of new Tibetan Buddhist monks. A large part of the book is spent discussing where science fails (reductionism/materialism) and how Buddhism can be used to bolster the scientific understanding of the natural world. The Dalai Lama’s arguments for incorporating science into formal Buddhist training are two-fold: In his view, Buddhism is empirically based. If the mind is put through a certain set of exercises, certain results can be expected. This empiricism meshes well with the construct of Western science. As a result, if something can be empirically proven, then that finding trumps any historical religious teachings, dogmas, or texts.
The second reason is that the Dalai Lama has great hope in meshing the spirituality of Buddhism with science. In particular, he is interested in applying the powers of science to the study of consciousness. Whereas science has historically taken on the role of a third person observer, the D.L. would like to produce a science of the first person where consciousness can be pulled out into the open and more fully described and appreciated. Fascinating stuff.
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The second reason is that the Dalai Lama has great hope in meshing the spirituality of Buddhism with science. In particular, he is interested in applying the powers of science to the study of consciousness. Whereas science has historically taken on the role of a third person observer, the D.L. would like to produce a science of the first person where consciousness can be pulled out into the open and more fully described and appreciated. Fascinating stuff.
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Aug 24, 2010Chelsea rated it it was amazing
I can't remember the last book I read that so far exceeded my expectations. As soon as I finished the book I flipped right back to the first page and started all over again. I'm about half-way through the second read now, and I still find myself jotting down notes, re-reading passages, and taking long moments to pause and contemplate the profound ideas put forth in this text. I've never read a book by the Dalai Lama before, and to be honest I wasn't expecting him to be all that skilled of a writer--especially given the fact that English is not his first language and that he's writing on the topic of science. He far surpassed my expectations, however, and I throroughly enjoyed learning about the overlap between modern Buddhist and Scientific perspectives. Given the scope of scientific topics covered in this book-- including cosmology, quantum physics, biological evolution, consciousness, psychology, and even stem cell research-- his holiness was able to speak to the complexity of his subjects in simple, yet comprehensive language. He covered points of intersection and departure between science and buddhism, doing so without reducing ideas upon which the two paradigms seem to disagree to black/white issues. He even addressed the ontological and empistemological underpinnings of both paradigms, noting how scientific reductionism can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. Fantastic read for the scientifically- and spiritually- minded reader alike. Highly recommended! (less)
Dec 03, 2007Walter rated it liked it
This was a pretty nice exploration of the intersection of Science and Buddhist religion. The Dalai Lama came at this material from a very humble standpoint and makes that his religion could be greatly improved by approaching it from the standpoint of science (e.g. he admits that Buddhist cosmology is hopelessly archaic and should be replaced with current models).
Interestingly, he also points to some current research where Buddhist monastic disciplines have made contributions to the science of the brain: see PNAS vol. 101 no. 46 p 16369–16373 (2004). This was very nice work.
On the whole it was nice to see a religious leader that was not contemptuous of science and excited to work with scientists to expand our knowledge through sharing wisdom (old and new). (less)
Interestingly, he also points to some current research where Buddhist monastic disciplines have made contributions to the science of the brain: see PNAS vol. 101 no. 46 p 16369–16373 (2004). This was very nice work.
On the whole it was nice to see a religious leader that was not contemptuous of science and excited to work with scientists to expand our knowledge through sharing wisdom (old and new). (less)
Jul 07, 2008Mazola1 rated it it was amazing
With this book, the Dalai Lama shows that he is at once the most spiritual of persons, and the most practical. In
The Universe In A Single Atom, he shows one possible method for people living in the modern age of nuclear power, quantum physics and genetic engineering to combine the knowlege of science with the wisdom of spirituality. Just as Einstein thought that religion without science is blind and science without religion is lame, the Dalai Lama believes that "spirituality and science are different but complementary investigative approaches with the same greater goal, of seeking the truth."
The Universe In A Single Atom briefly tells the story of the Dalai Lama's education, spiritual and scientific, and explains his thoughts on how we can use both science and religion to make the world a better place. In doing so, the Dalai Lama examines the strengths and limitations of both. For instance, although he believes that science cannot answer such questions as the meaning of life or good and evil, and that there is "more to human existence and reality than science can ever give use access to," he although feels that "spirituality must be tempered by the insights and discoveries of science," and that a mind-set that ignores these "can lead to fundamentalism."
This book is full of common sense and wisdom. It can help anyone who has wrestled with the hard questions of the meaning of life to learn to live with the compassion and peace that comes from spirituality and the practical knowledge and wonder that springs from scientific understanding. (less)
I find it encouraging that the Dalai Lama is so open to new scientific ideas. Our world is changing at such a rapid rate. The ideas exploding into the field of physics are absolutely revolutionizing the way we view reality. It is interesting to hear some Buddhist commentary on the advancements of our age. I really enjoyed the last bit where he talked about some of the ethical consequences of bio genetic engineering, and was proud that he addressed this issue with such a strong stance for both plants and animals. The eastern way of thinking lends so well to enveloping and including all species of life in the great circle. I always find it concerning when spiritually minded individuals neglect or ignore their more real world thinking selves. Furthermore I think it is a good reminder of the importance of spirituality in the life of the academic. Learning to look at the world from all views brings wholeness and peace. (less)
Apr 24, 2008Mozzarella rated it really liked it
I've been a Hawking fan for years, but couldn't quite reconcile science with religion till I read this book. This was my introduction to the Dalai Lama, and I felt very comfortable first understanding his background and his curiosity, and, of course, his wisdom, as he explains, explores how empirical science and spirituality can coexist. In fact, one cannot exist without the other. I still have a lot of trouble with the Big Bang Theory, but am able to wrap my head around it a little better when you can add religion to the mix. Not mutually exclusive anymore. And I especially liked the Dalai Lama's humble way of presenting. The book felt friendly and not pedantic. (less)
Jan 17, 2008Mako rated it it was ok
Basically his ramblings about being interested in science. A good introduction to science/buddhist intertwinnigs.
Jun 25, 2019Jenny rated it liked it
I definitely wanted this to be more in depth about the relationship between science and spirituality than just his interest in science, but I would still rate this 3.5 stars. He obviously is very wise and interested in learning, as well as devout in his faith, and believes that you can invest in both science and spirituality. The line that really resonated with me was fairly early on in the book, when he said "Just as we must avoid dogmatism in science, we must ensure that spirituality is free from the same limitations." The world is not science vs faith/spirituality, there is room for it all to intertwine. (less)
Sep 23, 2020David rated it it was amazing
As always, the Dalai Lama's synthesis of what appears to be the objective and the subjective, of science and spirituality is thought-provoking, uplifting and leads us to places where only someone with his extraordinary perspective is able to go. Brilliant and highly recommended! (less)
Apr 23, 2008Jaime rated it did not like it
I really wanted to like this book, but I decided to quit about 50 pages in. I skimmed the rest and decided that I had made the right decision. I found that the majority of this book was a bland and unfocused account of the Dalai Lama's friends who happened to be scientists over the years. It reads more like a biography than an intellectual exploration of the compatability (or lack thereof) between science and religion. I was hoping for a Jared Diamond-like narrative of facts and insights, but I got a bunch of fluff instead. Very disappointing--perhaps even more so than Art of Happiness (which I at least finished). I'm done with books by or about the Dalai Lama (although maybe something else on Buddhism might be worthwhile). (less)
I liked the premise of the book - it's refreshing to see a major spiritual leader challenge religious folks to look at science. He proposes that in order to get the "whole picture" you've got to look at both sides - science and spirituality. But I slogged through the first few chapters, then just skipped right to the conclusion. Some of the sciency parts were over my head (and apparently over his head too). Perhaps I'm just not enough of a "thinker" (or wasn't in a thinking mood when I tried to read this). Just wasn't my cup o' tea! (less)
Nov 16, 2007Katie rated it did not like it
I was just too confused with the concepts and details in this book. I really gave it an honest effort and read as much as I could. This is probably the first book in 8 years that I have started and not finished. I just didn't have it in me. ...more
Jun 01, 2014Noah Rasheta rated it it was amazing
Maybe my favorite read so far about how science and faith can work together. The Dalai Lama is rapidly becoming one of my favorite religious figures.
Nov 06, 2013Blair rated it liked it
Shelves: non-fiction-book-club, philosophy, philosophy-of-science
There is More To Science than Dreamt Of by the Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama clearly has a long-standing and genuine interest in science. He has access to the best minds in science, and hosts an annual conference on science. To his credit, he is humble about his limited understanding, and does not claim to have divine knowledge about what is true science. While he faithfully records what the scientists tell him in the book, it seems that he does not always understand them.
On page 12 he presents a concise summary of his philosophy of science, tied together with dubious logic. Unfortunately it ignores what the scientists told him. As it nicely sums up what is wrong in this otherwise worthwhile book, this review will examine it in detail, rather than evaluate the entire book.
“I have noticed that many people hold an assumption that the scientific view of the world should be the basis for all knowledge and all that is knowable. This is scientific materialism.”
The scientific view of the world is that it is comprehensible. We can explain what we observe by conjecturing rules, and testing to ensure they work. As our knowledge and investigative tools improve, we can observe new things that were unimaginable before. So science is the basis for all that is observable, remembering that there is always much more to be discovered. Ideas are an integral part of the reality that science investigates. Science itself is driven by our creativity, inventing new ideas to explain how the world works. “Scientific Materialism” is misleading if it means that scientific method is excluded from studying our mental processes or philosophy.
“This view upholds a belief in an objective world, independent of the contingency of its observers. It assumes that the data being analyzed within an experiment are independent of the preconceptions, perceptions, and experience of the scientist analyzing them.”
Science is indeed based on the concept of a single objective reality. The confusion here comes from the distinction between the reality of an object and our observation of it. Observation is certainly affected by the expectations and techniques of the scientist. Science is about overcoming these biases to arrive at an ever-improving approximation of the truth. The fact that we do not know exactly what is the truth does not mean there is no truth at all. This is a false dichotomy.
“Underlying this view is the assumption that, in the final analysis, matter, as it can be described by physics and as it is governed by the laws of physics, is all there is. Accordingly, this view would uphold that psychology can be reduced to biology, biology to chemistry, and chemistry to physics.”
Objective reality does not require or lead to reductionism. This misconception comes from the fact that an important part of science is about decomposing systems to investigate their parts. But science is also about unifying observations to create universal explanations. The alternative to reductionism is the view that when a certain level of complexity is reached, new laws emerge that cannot be described by the laws of the lower level. For example, your body is made up of cells. But even if we had perfect knowledge of how cells work, it would never describe you. Your life depends on your cells, you act through your cells, but it is impossible to understand you knowing only about your cells. Physics is therefore not sufficient to understand the world, even though everything that happens is ultimately based on physics. While there are no hard boundaries between physics, chemistry, biology and psychology, these sciences are separate disciplines because that is the only way to study the higher level rules that define them.
“My concern here is not to argue against this reductionist position, but to draw attention to a vitally important point: that these ideas do not constitute scientific knowledge; rather they represent a philosophical, in fact a metaphysical, position.”
This is indeed a vital point. For example, Newton’s laws of motion have been thoroughly tested and verified. But this established fact does not provide support for common metaphysical belief at the time in a clockwork universe, or for the physical assumption that time is the same everywhere. These notions were never experimentally verified, and have turned out to be false. We must always be careful to distinguish between verified scientific knowledge and the unverified theories and opinions of individual scientists.
When the Dalai Lama said on page 3 that Buddhism must align with “scientific analysis” he means verified knowledge, as opposed to unproven assumptions and metaphysics. As verified knowledge is rather limited in his domain of psychology, few of his fundamental beliefs are actually challenged. To his credit, he is willing to discard some of the myths that Buddhism inherited from Hinduism.
“The view that all aspects of reality can be reduced to matter and its various particles is, to my mind, as much a metaphysical position as the view that an organizing intelligence created and controls reality. The danger is that human beings may be reduced to nothing more than biological machines, the products of pure chance in the random combination of genes, with no purpose than the biological imperative of reproduction.”
A science that recognizes emergent properties knows that we are more than our cells, more than our genes, and more than our evolutionary heritage. Reductionism may be used as an excuse for nihilism, but it is curious how moral relativism, which is based on the rejection of the existence of objective reality, also leads to nihilism. Scientific method and Buddhism may both be seen as a middle way to the truth.
“According to the theory of emptiness, any belief in an objective reality grounded in the assumption of intrinsic, independent existence is untenable. All thing and events, whether material, mental, or even abstract concepts like time, are devoid of objective, independent existence. To possess such independent, intrinsic existence would imply that things and events are somehow complete unto themselves and are therefore entirely self-contained. This would mean that nothing has the capacity to interact with and exert influence on other phenomena.”
For a middle-way guy this is a hardline view. It is based on a false dichotomy playing on the word “independent”. Objects can exist independent of our observation of them without making them completely independent and isolated from everything.
Next we are told that belief in objective reality leads to “attachment, clinging, and the development of our numerous prejudices.”
The attachment issue is another false dichotomy. Some attachment is necessary to have any goals and get anything done (including meditation), while excessive attachment interferes with rational thinking. For example, the Dalai Lama seems to have an attachment to the theory of emptiness, not to mention to the independence of Tibet. The solution for attachment problems is not to wish the real world out of existence. This is like curing acne with suicide. As for prejudice, its very definition is to believe what you want to believe, rather than accept objective reality.
The denial of objective reality is not a problem for Buddhism because it also hands its students a pre-packaged purpose in life. For others, the logical conclusion is that if nothing objectively exists, you cannot really know anything. So believe anything you want, why care about anything?
The Dalai Lama does not support this kind moral relativism, if I understand this book at all. He seems to think first person introspection is ruled out by science. But if meditation actually leads to a tangible change, such as the state of mind or physiology of the meditator, or increased compassionate behavior, then this is also the realm of science. Why would the Dalia Lama invite scientists to study meditators if there was no reality to it? Again, an unnecessary restriction is being placed on science.
There is much to like about this book other than the philosophy of science it presents. Listen carefully to what the scientists tell him, as opposed to his conclusions, and remember that science can be broader than he gives it credit for.
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The Dalai Lama clearly has a long-standing and genuine interest in science. He has access to the best minds in science, and hosts an annual conference on science. To his credit, he is humble about his limited understanding, and does not claim to have divine knowledge about what is true science. While he faithfully records what the scientists tell him in the book, it seems that he does not always understand them.
On page 12 he presents a concise summary of his philosophy of science, tied together with dubious logic. Unfortunately it ignores what the scientists told him. As it nicely sums up what is wrong in this otherwise worthwhile book, this review will examine it in detail, rather than evaluate the entire book.
“I have noticed that many people hold an assumption that the scientific view of the world should be the basis for all knowledge and all that is knowable. This is scientific materialism.”
The scientific view of the world is that it is comprehensible. We can explain what we observe by conjecturing rules, and testing to ensure they work. As our knowledge and investigative tools improve, we can observe new things that were unimaginable before. So science is the basis for all that is observable, remembering that there is always much more to be discovered. Ideas are an integral part of the reality that science investigates. Science itself is driven by our creativity, inventing new ideas to explain how the world works. “Scientific Materialism” is misleading if it means that scientific method is excluded from studying our mental processes or philosophy.
“This view upholds a belief in an objective world, independent of the contingency of its observers. It assumes that the data being analyzed within an experiment are independent of the preconceptions, perceptions, and experience of the scientist analyzing them.”
Science is indeed based on the concept of a single objective reality. The confusion here comes from the distinction between the reality of an object and our observation of it. Observation is certainly affected by the expectations and techniques of the scientist. Science is about overcoming these biases to arrive at an ever-improving approximation of the truth. The fact that we do not know exactly what is the truth does not mean there is no truth at all. This is a false dichotomy.
“Underlying this view is the assumption that, in the final analysis, matter, as it can be described by physics and as it is governed by the laws of physics, is all there is. Accordingly, this view would uphold that psychology can be reduced to biology, biology to chemistry, and chemistry to physics.”
Objective reality does not require or lead to reductionism. This misconception comes from the fact that an important part of science is about decomposing systems to investigate their parts. But science is also about unifying observations to create universal explanations. The alternative to reductionism is the view that when a certain level of complexity is reached, new laws emerge that cannot be described by the laws of the lower level. For example, your body is made up of cells. But even if we had perfect knowledge of how cells work, it would never describe you. Your life depends on your cells, you act through your cells, but it is impossible to understand you knowing only about your cells. Physics is therefore not sufficient to understand the world, even though everything that happens is ultimately based on physics. While there are no hard boundaries between physics, chemistry, biology and psychology, these sciences are separate disciplines because that is the only way to study the higher level rules that define them.
“My concern here is not to argue against this reductionist position, but to draw attention to a vitally important point: that these ideas do not constitute scientific knowledge; rather they represent a philosophical, in fact a metaphysical, position.”
This is indeed a vital point. For example, Newton’s laws of motion have been thoroughly tested and verified. But this established fact does not provide support for common metaphysical belief at the time in a clockwork universe, or for the physical assumption that time is the same everywhere. These notions were never experimentally verified, and have turned out to be false. We must always be careful to distinguish between verified scientific knowledge and the unverified theories and opinions of individual scientists.
When the Dalai Lama said on page 3 that Buddhism must align with “scientific analysis” he means verified knowledge, as opposed to unproven assumptions and metaphysics. As verified knowledge is rather limited in his domain of psychology, few of his fundamental beliefs are actually challenged. To his credit, he is willing to discard some of the myths that Buddhism inherited from Hinduism.
“The view that all aspects of reality can be reduced to matter and its various particles is, to my mind, as much a metaphysical position as the view that an organizing intelligence created and controls reality. The danger is that human beings may be reduced to nothing more than biological machines, the products of pure chance in the random combination of genes, with no purpose than the biological imperative of reproduction.”
A science that recognizes emergent properties knows that we are more than our cells, more than our genes, and more than our evolutionary heritage. Reductionism may be used as an excuse for nihilism, but it is curious how moral relativism, which is based on the rejection of the existence of objective reality, also leads to nihilism. Scientific method and Buddhism may both be seen as a middle way to the truth.
“According to the theory of emptiness, any belief in an objective reality grounded in the assumption of intrinsic, independent existence is untenable. All thing and events, whether material, mental, or even abstract concepts like time, are devoid of objective, independent existence. To possess such independent, intrinsic existence would imply that things and events are somehow complete unto themselves and are therefore entirely self-contained. This would mean that nothing has the capacity to interact with and exert influence on other phenomena.”
For a middle-way guy this is a hardline view. It is based on a false dichotomy playing on the word “independent”. Objects can exist independent of our observation of them without making them completely independent and isolated from everything.
Next we are told that belief in objective reality leads to “attachment, clinging, and the development of our numerous prejudices.”
The attachment issue is another false dichotomy. Some attachment is necessary to have any goals and get anything done (including meditation), while excessive attachment interferes with rational thinking. For example, the Dalai Lama seems to have an attachment to the theory of emptiness, not to mention to the independence of Tibet. The solution for attachment problems is not to wish the real world out of existence. This is like curing acne with suicide. As for prejudice, its very definition is to believe what you want to believe, rather than accept objective reality.
The denial of objective reality is not a problem for Buddhism because it also hands its students a pre-packaged purpose in life. For others, the logical conclusion is that if nothing objectively exists, you cannot really know anything. So believe anything you want, why care about anything?
The Dalai Lama does not support this kind moral relativism, if I understand this book at all. He seems to think first person introspection is ruled out by science. But if meditation actually leads to a tangible change, such as the state of mind or physiology of the meditator, or increased compassionate behavior, then this is also the realm of science. Why would the Dalia Lama invite scientists to study meditators if there was no reality to it? Again, an unnecessary restriction is being placed on science.
There is much to like about this book other than the philosophy of science it presents. Listen carefully to what the scientists tell him, as opposed to his conclusions, and remember that science can be broader than he gives it credit for.
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Aug 05, 2019Katerina rated it liked it
3/5
DNF
I have read a few books by the Dalai Lama XIV, that are based on the combining of spiritual practice and the science that drives the world. I have always loved his work, his thoughts, and his message. He truly is a blessed man.
I am keeping this review short because there are a few reasons on why I did not finish (DNF) this book.
1. Time - this was a library book that was sent to me from another library quite a ways away. Due to travel, time commitments, and finishing up 3 other books I was unable to get to this book until the last minute. Which is very unfortunate.
2. I did not like the actual science portion of the book. So, I picked up this book thinking how science and spirituality can be intertwined in today's technological empire. While I did get a feeling for this when the Dalai Lama would explain - at the end of each section - why the two are similar and not similar, I felt like the book was more on the basis of science. In some parts I felt like I was reading on science book on quantum phsyics, atom division, and so forth. Now this was explained at the beginning of the book on Lama's journey into science and that he would be delving into science very deeply, I just wish there was an emphasis on the actual Science into Spirituality and vice versa.
Now I am not saying I won't pick up this book in the future, because I would really like to read more into what he has to say on the subject. Currently, however, I must have not been in the mood to delve into the science portion at the level he has written. (less)
DNF
I have read a few books by the Dalai Lama XIV, that are based on the combining of spiritual practice and the science that drives the world. I have always loved his work, his thoughts, and his message. He truly is a blessed man.
I am keeping this review short because there are a few reasons on why I did not finish (DNF) this book.
1. Time - this was a library book that was sent to me from another library quite a ways away. Due to travel, time commitments, and finishing up 3 other books I was unable to get to this book until the last minute. Which is very unfortunate.
2. I did not like the actual science portion of the book. So, I picked up this book thinking how science and spirituality can be intertwined in today's technological empire. While I did get a feeling for this when the Dalai Lama would explain - at the end of each section - why the two are similar and not similar, I felt like the book was more on the basis of science. In some parts I felt like I was reading on science book on quantum phsyics, atom division, and so forth. Now this was explained at the beginning of the book on Lama's journey into science and that he would be delving into science very deeply, I just wish there was an emphasis on the actual Science into Spirituality and vice versa.
Now I am not saying I won't pick up this book in the future, because I would really like to read more into what he has to say on the subject. Currently, however, I must have not been in the mood to delve into the science portion at the level he has written. (less)
As an astrophysicist interested in Buddhism also currently reading a book in neuroscience, this book was right up my alley. I’m definitely glad I had that background, because this book really requires an understanding of the topics to appreciate the depth and philosophy of the relative discussions. I’d recommend three books to read beforehand:
1) Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction, by Damien Keown
2) Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, by Neil deGrasse Tyson [I may sub this for something more quantum focused]
3) Livewired, by David Eagleman
While the chapters on consciousness got a little long and lost for me in relating back to the connection with science, I thought the initial chapters on astrophysics and neuroscience, as well as the last chapter on the ethics of technology were particularly thought provoking. While there are some things I don’t agree with, they were still interesting ideas to think about. I was trying to imagine each person having a karmic Gaussian in time and that summing up to introduce a habitable world. Other things like the ancient Buddhist stories that include time dilation absolutely blew my mind (in a good way) though of how people can imagine this pre-relativistic physics.
A section of this book that I read in college is part of the reason why I became so interested in Buddhism and I really love the “Science and Religion can go together” argument. (less)
1) Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction, by Damien Keown
2) Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, by Neil deGrasse Tyson [I may sub this for something more quantum focused]
3) Livewired, by David Eagleman
While the chapters on consciousness got a little long and lost for me in relating back to the connection with science, I thought the initial chapters on astrophysics and neuroscience, as well as the last chapter on the ethics of technology were particularly thought provoking. While there are some things I don’t agree with, they were still interesting ideas to think about. I was trying to imagine each person having a karmic Gaussian in time and that summing up to introduce a habitable world. Other things like the ancient Buddhist stories that include time dilation absolutely blew my mind (in a good way) though of how people can imagine this pre-relativistic physics.
A section of this book that I read in college is part of the reason why I became so interested in Buddhism and I really love the “Science and Religion can go together” argument. (less)
Sep 20, 2019Holly rated it it was amazing
Yikes, this one took a long time, but every minute was worth it. Deep insights, accessible explanations of the development of Buddhist philosophy and thought, and compelling arguments for both the feasibility and value of reconciling western science with Buddhism, all in an extraordinarily well-written, accessible package. An almost unbelievable achievement for a non-native English speaker who states that his "personal encounter with science began in an almost entirely prescientific world where ...more
Oct 22, 2018Logan Streondj rated it it was amazing
Largely this is an autobiographical book about the Dalai Lama's personal journey with science and the fascination he has had for it since his childhood.
It does have some introductory material on how science works and some points of comparison between science and Buddhism.
Near the end it turned into a soft warning regarding the potential dangers of genetic modification.
There were many parts of the book I found quite inspirational especially some of his questions which led me on journeys to find my own answers. (less)
It does have some introductory material on how science works and some points of comparison between science and Buddhism.
Near the end it turned into a soft warning regarding the potential dangers of genetic modification.
There were many parts of the book I found quite inspirational especially some of his questions which led me on journeys to find my own answers. (less)
I did not enjoy all of this, nor did I fully understand all of this (!) but the chapter on evolution and the chapter on genetics and ethics were fascinating.
“One empirical problem in Darwinism’s focus on the competitive survival of individuals (...) has consistently been how to explain altruism (...)” p. 112
What a fascinating thought.
“One empirical problem in Darwinism’s focus on the competitive survival of individuals (...) has consistently been how to explain altruism (...)” p. 112
What a fascinating thought.
I have to admit that I missed - couldn't comprehend - a lot of his points but the ones I could understand resonated very strongly. (less)
Uranda and Martin Exeter, who were the foundational leaders of Emissaries of Divine Light, brought an understanding of eternal creative laws and principles that restore wholeness to human experience. Their teachings resonate with the truth brought by visionaries and spiritual leaders through the ages. The essence of what they taught is full of great possibility for the future of humanity.
I believe that any culture has the potential to exhibit the worst qualities of a cult by this definition. The spiritual groups I know about certainly have the potential to be a cult, and that includes Emissaries of Divine Light. But Emissaries of Divine Light is not, in any way, unique in this regard. All spiritual and religious groups, large and small, and indeed all cultures, can display the worst qualities of a cult. It is easy to point to the worst offenders–Nazi Germany, Charles Manson, and Jonestown come easily to mind. Most people are unaware of any cultic tendencies in the culture in which they, themselves, live. They are like a fish in water–they hardly notice they are getting wet.
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