Berkley Center

The reigning model for the current engagement between Buddhism and science is to scientifically test the effects of Buddhist meditation to learn more about the brain and the physiological benefits of contemplative practices. Some people worry that this form of engagement can diminish Buddhism by neglecting its own history and values as scientists take the lead in determining what is important and true about Buddhism. In this talk, Francisca Cho and Richard Squier proposed a completely different kind of dialogue between Buddhism and science that utilized Buddhist ideas to reflect on the contemporary Western tensions between Biblical religion and science—the very tension that lead many people in the West to turn to Buddhism. While certain aspects of Buddhism harmonize with the intellectual practices and goals of science, some key Buddhist religious claims also critique reigning Western conceptions of "religion" and "science," and help us to think differently about these relationships.