Contemplative Science

Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge

Nonfiction, Health & Well Being, Medical, Specialties, Internal Medicine, Neuroscience, Science & Nature, Science, Religion & Spirituality
Cover of the book Contemplative Science by B. Alan Wallace, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: B. Alan Wallace ISBN: 9780231510950
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: October 24, 2006
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: B. Alan Wallace
ISBN: 9780231510950
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: October 24, 2006
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

Science has long treated religion as a set of personal beliefs that have little to do with a rational understanding of the mind and the universe. However, B. Alan Wallace, a respected Buddhist scholar, proposes that the contemplative methodologies of Buddhism and of Western science are capable of being integrated into a single discipline: contemplative science.

The science of consciousness introduces first-person methods of investigating the mind through Buddhist contemplative techniques, such as samatha, an organized, detailed system of training the attention. Just as scientists make observations and conduct experiments with the aid of technology, contemplatives have long tested their own theories with the help of highly developed meditative skills of observation and experimentation. Contemplative science allows for a deeper knowledge of mental phenomena, including a wide range of states of consciousness, and its emphasis on strict mental discipline counteracts the effects of conative (intention and desire), attentional, cognitive, and affective imbalances.

Just as behaviorism, psychology, and neuroscience have all shed light on the cognitive processes that enable us to survive and flourish, contemplative science offers a groundbreaking perspective for expanding our capacity to realize genuine well-being. It also forges a link between the material world and the realm of the subconscious that transcends the traditional science-based understanding of the self.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Science has long treated religion as a set of personal beliefs that have little to do with a rational understanding of the mind and the universe. However, B. Alan Wallace, a respected Buddhist scholar, proposes that the contemplative methodologies of Buddhism and of Western science are capable of being integrated into a single discipline: contemplative science.

The science of consciousness introduces first-person methods of investigating the mind through Buddhist contemplative techniques, such as samatha, an organized, detailed system of training the attention. Just as scientists make observations and conduct experiments with the aid of technology, contemplatives have long tested their own theories with the help of highly developed meditative skills of observation and experimentation. Contemplative science allows for a deeper knowledge of mental phenomena, including a wide range of states of consciousness, and its emphasis on strict mental discipline counteracts the effects of conative (intention and desire), attentional, cognitive, and affective imbalances.

Just as behaviorism, psychology, and neuroscience have all shed light on the cognitive processes that enable us to survive and flourish, contemplative science offers a groundbreaking perspective for expanding our capacity to realize genuine well-being. It also forges a link between the material world and the realm of the subconscious that transcends the traditional science-based understanding of the self.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Excessive Saints by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Nakba by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Holocaust Cinema in the Twenty-First Century by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book The Holy Mountain by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book People in Nature by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Strolls with Pushkin by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Anthropologists in the Field by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book The Death of Philosophy by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Mutual Aid Groups, Vulnerable and Resilient Populations, and the Life Cycle by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book The Future of Organized Labor in American Politics by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Hidden Atrocities by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book River of Fire and Other Stories by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Chikamatsu by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book Understanding Through Fiction by B. Alan Wallace
Cover of the book The Trouble with Post-Blackness by B. Alan Wallace
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy