Bokus
B. Alan Wallace - Hidden Dimensions, Häftad

Häftad, Engelska, 2010

Hidden Dimensions

Av B. Alan Wallace

230 kr

Beställningsvara. Skickas inom 5-8 vardagar. Fri frakt över 249 kr.

Beskrivning
Bridging the gap between the world of science and the realm of the spiritual, B. Alan Wallace introduces a natural theory of human consciousness that has its roots in contemporary physics and Buddhism. Wallace's "special theory of ontological relativity" suggests that mental phenomena are conditioned by the brain, but do not emerge from it. Rather, the entire natural world of mind and matter, subjects and objects, arises from a unitary dimension of reality that is more fundamental than these dualities, as proposed by Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung. To test his hypothesis, Wallace employs the Buddhist meditative practice of samatha, refining one's attention and metacognition, to create a kind of telescope to examine the space of the mind. Drawing on the work of the physicist John Wheeler, he then proposes a more general theory in which the participatory nature of reality is envisioned as a self-excited circuit. In comparing these ideas to the Buddhist theory known as the Middle Way philosophy, Wallace explores further aspects of his "general theory of ontological relativity," which can be investigated by means of vipasyana, or insight, meditation.Wallace then focuses on the theme of symmetry in reference to quantum cosmology and the "problem of frozen time," relating these issues to the theory and practices of the Great Perfection school of Tibetan Buddhism. He concludes with a discussion of the general theme of complementarity as it relates to science and religion. The theories of relativity and quantum mechanics were major achievements in the physical sciences, and the theory of evolution has had an equally deep impact on the life sciences. However, rigorous scientific methods do not yet exist to observe mental phenomena, and naturalism has its limits for shedding light on the workings of the mind. A pioneer of modern consciousness research, Wallace offers a practical and revolutionary method for exploring the mind that combines the keenest insights of contemporary physicists and philosophers with the time-honored meditative traditions of Buddhism.
Produktinformation
  • Utgivningsdatum: 2010-01-21
  • Mått: 150 x 232 x 11 mm
  • Vikt: 291 g
  • Format: Häftad
  • Språk: Engelska
  • Serie: Columbia Series in Science and Religion
  • Antal sidor: 176
  • Förlag: Columbia University Press
  • ISBN: 9780231141512
Utforska kategorier
Betyg & recensioner

1 recensioner, genomsnitt 2/5

  1. 2/5 Ingvar

    I'm presently studying two thin volumes dealing with very complicated and important matters; the human consciousness - which, in scientific circles is named "the hard problem"; how our consciousness evolved, and what it really is. I am suspicious of thin volumes trying to say something valid for "the common man" about highly advanced matters - but many times the hardcore science lingo is too hard to get into, without being a specialist of the matter yourself, mainly because of very advanced mathematics, or medical or other specialities that you have to be highly educated in yourself to grasp. So I read on - but it is strange in this case how I have had to shift center of gravity as I advance through the books. One of them comes from a Buddhist-tinted world of thought, while the other is a truly hardcore concentrate of naked Western science - and they both clearly dislike the other's approach, in principal, not personally; they never mention each other. It's just that I happen to get both their books simultaneously. Living in a Buddhist world of thought myself (which this matter doesn't affect), I clearly am fascinated to the core by the naked science and brilliant thinking and writing of ZOLTAN TOREY in his little volume THE CONSCIOUS MIND, published as one book in a series from MIT PRESS called ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE SERIES (2014). The other book is written by B. ALAN WALLACE, and entitled HIDDEN DIMENSIONS; the unification of physics and consciousness, published by COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS in a series called COLUMBIA SERIES IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION (2007). Torey's book is a sort of Reader's Digest version of his broader science and another, fatter volume of his, while Wallace's book tends to be mostly a defense for philosophical world views that I do support, but which cannot (because of their nature) be judged scientifically, with the kind of science we accept today. He supports, for example, the view that the one way to understand your consciousness is by introspection, meditation. Torey, on the other hand, explains in extremely clear wordings and syntax his views, which really get to you and sort of light you up. He uses no more words than is necessary, while Wallace keeps repeating himself page after page, until you get tired. Perhaps the publisher should have had a better proof reader, to weed and sanitize the text, but then the volume would perhaps just have ended up a leaflet. Buddhist thinking is extremely clear and guided by diamond logic, so I gather it is the inferior professionalism of Wallace that brings his theories down, even though someone with a thinner and harder pencil and a more rested and not so irritable mind would have had the possibility to raise these views from the Buddhist sphere as high or higher than Torey's magnificent arguments.

Mer från samma författare