Mind in the Balance - (Columbia Science and Religion) by B Alan Wallace (Paperback)

About the Book

By establishing a dialogue in which the meditative practices of Buddhism and Christianity speak to the theories of modern philosophy and science, B. Alan Wallace reveals the theoretical similarities underlying these disparate disciplines and their unified approach to making sense of the objective world. He begins by exploring the relationship between Christian and Buddhist meditative practices, showing that, though these two faiths differ in their belief systems, their methods of cognitive inquiry provide similar insights into the nature and origins of consciousness. From this convergence Wallace connects the approaches of contemporary cognitive science, quantum mechanics, and the philosophy of the mind, combining a concrete analysis of conceptions of consciousness with a guide to cultivating mindfulness and profound contemplative practice.

Book Synopsis

By establishing a dialogue in which the meditative practices of Buddhism and Christianity speak to the theories of modern philosophy and science, B. Alan Wallace reveals the theoretical similarities underlying these disparate disciplines and their unified approach to making sense of the objective world.

Wallace begins by exploring the relationship between Christian and Buddhist meditative practices. He outlines a sequence of meditations the reader can undertake, showing that, though Buddhism and Christianity differ in their belief systems, their methods of cognitive inquiry provide similar insight into the nature and origins of consciousness.

From this convergence Wallace then connects the approaches of contemporary cognitive science, quantum mechanics, and the philosophy of the mind. He links Buddhist and Christian views to the provocative philosophical theories of Hilary Putnam, Charles Taylor, and Bas van Fraassen, and he seamlessly incorporates the work of such physicists as Anton Zeilinger, John Wheeler, and Stephen Hawking. Combining a concrete analysis of conceptions of consciousness with a guide to cultivating mindfulness and profound contemplative practice, Wallace takes the scientific and intellectual mapping of the mind in exciting new directions.

Review Quotes

Anyone interested in understanding more about the mind and consciousness would enjoy reading this book.--Marcia Howton "Inquiring Mind"

Thought-provoking and at times insightful, this volume raises many interesting philosophical issues and presents many useful references.-- "Choice"

Wallace is a master, guiding our inquiry into consciousness in exciting new directions.-- "Shift"

About the Author

B. Alan Wallace spent fourteen years as a Buddhist monk, ordained by H. H. the Dalai Lama. His Columbia University Press books are Meditations of a Buddhist Skeptic: A Manifesto for the Mind Sciences and Contemplative Practice; Hidden Dimensions: The Unification of Physics and Consciousness; Contemplative Science: Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge; and Buddhism and Science: Breaking New Ground (editor). A prolific writer who has translated numerous Tibetan Buddhist texts, he is also the founder and president of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies (http: //www.sbinstitute.com).