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The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet explores questions such as how did the universe come into being and what is the meaning of human life against the blackness of infinity? Religion and science have many answers to these and similar questions, answers that sometimes meet but more often diverge.
In this book-length conversation, French Buddhist monk Ricard and Vietnamese-born astrophysicist Trinh explore how Buddhism and modern science address life's big questions. Among the matters they touch on, sometimes fleetingly and sometimes in depth, are the illusory nature of phenomena, the guiding intelligence of nature, and the search for the mechanisms that drive planets and humans alike. Both authors, each conversant in the other's medium, argue against reductionist views of nature. And both provide plenty of data that support Albert Einstein's declaration that "if there is any religion that could correspond to the needs of modern science, it would be Buddhism".
Hard-nosed sceptics will perhaps find Ricard and Trinh's reconciliation arguable. Still, the record of their conversation makes both for fascinating reading and for a useful overview of scientific reasoning and spiritual inquiry. --Gregory McNamee --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
This transcribed and expanded dialogue between Buddhist monk Ricard and astrophysicist Thuan claims few original insights but provides a good general introduction to science-and-religion issues representing two notably different Buddhist perspectives. At its best, the book is animated by contrasts. Thuan, a Vietnamese-American trained at CalTech, identifies with Buddhist ethics and spirituality, but his worldview often reflects Western science and philosophy. Ricard, a French biologist who emigrated in the 1970s to become a disciple of Khyents‚ Rinpoche, speaks from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Although Thuan and Ricard find common ground on many ethical matters and agree in a general way about the "interconnectedness of phenomena," they also run into genuine disagreements about cosmic origins, the nature of consciousness and the orderliness of the universe all areas where traditional Buddhist beliefs are in tension with scientific theories or their implications as commonly understood in the West. To the authors' credit, they avoid superficial reconciliation of these differences, although Ricard, who renounces "dogmatism" but consistently defends orthodoxy, sometimes claims to "refute" opposing viewpoints a little too neatly. The conversational format also limits the precision and depth of the authors' positions and at times becomes unnecessarily repetitive. Philosophical dialogue is an ancient but exquisitely difficult art, and even the most engaging verbal exchange may occasionally appear banal or rambling in print, especially when the same points of debate arise time and again.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Are there any grounds for a dialogue between science and Buddhism? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Are there any grounds for a dialogue between science and Buddhism? Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Frontiers of the Mind unravelled by Ancient Wisdom,
By Dave Benn "milarepa_dave" (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet (Hardcover)
The mystery of the wonderful journey of Human-kind is here secretly unravelled through the power of Mind-kinds of two brilliant scientist,Trinh Xuan Thuan and philosopher, Matthieu Ricard. An astonishing dialog that brings us closer to the crossroads of the 2500 years old Wisdom of buddhism and a younger but strongly established network of Science. Matthieu Ricard acts in this fake fighting, full of sharp remarks, to put on our still unconscious self-screen an image of what could be called Wisdom. Producing counter-arguments that provoke a tension, worthwhile to find our way, Trinh Xuan Thuan proves the western intellect has enough material to compete and some ideas of high calibra. In the end, the question is left for us to decide if these two worlds can accmodate a common ground. This should not be a problem, given the Quest is the same: what is Wisdom?A book highly recommended for those who want to broaden their mind. Don't worry, apparently it has no boudaries...
4.0 out of 5 stars
An intellectual clash between Buddism and Quantum theory,
By
This review is from: The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet (Paperback)
Whew !!! If you want to purchase a book that will require you to read it a number of times because of its complex content, this is it! A scientist who became a Buddist Monk and a Buddist who became an astrophysicist have an open and recorded conversation about the meaning (if any) of life, the illusive definiton of consciousness, the origin of the universe and in what direction is man evolving are the main topics of this discussion. While, at first glance, this appears to be predictively as successful as mixing water with oil, the results are surprisingly enlightening. The Buddist mantra that has been with us for over 2500 years is proving to be scientifically verifyable through quantum mechanics and relativity. And conversely, the last decades which have led to the uncertainty principles of the science of physics are proven out in through the contemplative exercizes of Buddism. East has truly met West and are in at least partial agreement with one another in most of major questions of existence that have been with us throughout the ages.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book,
By
This review is from: The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet (Paperback)
Was totally what I was expecting from this book. I've shared this book with 3 friends already and they've loved it. It's enlightening and will show you what Buddhism knew thousands of years ago that western science is discovering now.5 stars - Recommended
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