课程介绍

 

　　TheDalaiLamahassaidthatBuddhismandsciencearedeeplycompatibleandhasencouragedWesternscholarstocriticallyexamineboththemeditativepracticeandBuddhistideasaboutthehumanmind.Anumberofscientistsandphilosophershavetakenupthischallenge.TherehavebeenbrainscansofmeditatorsandphilosophicalexaminationsofBuddhistdoctrines.TherehaveevenbeendiscussionsofDarwinandtheBuddha:DoearlyBuddhistdescriptionsofthemind,andofthehumancondition,makeparticularsenseinlightofevolutionarypsychology?ThiscoursewillexaminehowBuddhismisfaringunderthisscrutiny.Areneuroscientistsstartingtounderstandhowmeditation“works”?Wouldsuchanunderstandingvalidatemeditation—ormightphysicalexplanationsofmeditationunderminethespiritualsignificanceattributedtoit?AndhowaresomeofthebasicBuddhistclaimsaboutthehumanmindholdingup?We’llpayspecialattentiontosomehighlycounterintuitivedoctrines:thattheselfdoesn’texist,andthatmuchofperceivedrealityisinsomesenseillusory.Dotheseclaims,radicalastheysound,makeacertainkindofsenseinlightofmodernpsychology?Andwhataretheimplicationsofallthisforhowweshouldliveourlives?Canmeditationmakeusnotjusthappier,butbetterpeople?

 

　　课程目录

 

　　1Introduction

 

　　1.1IntroductionReligiousBuddhismand‘Secular’Buddhism

 

　　1.2FeelingsandIllusions

 

　　1.3TheFirstTwoNobleTruths

 

　　1.4EvolutionaryPsychologyandtheFirstTwoNobleTruths

 

　　1.5OfficeHours1

 

　　2TheBuddhistPrescription

 

　　2.1TheEightfoldPath

 

　　2.2Meditation

 

　　2.3MindfulnessMeditationandtheBrain

 

　　2.4CanOurFeelingsBeTrusted?

 

　　OfficeHours2

 

　　3DoesYourSelfExist?

 

　　3.1TheBuddha’sDiscourseontheNot-Self

 

　　3.2WhatDidTheBuddhaMean?

 

　　3.3ModernPsychologyandtheSelf

 

　　OfficeHours3

 

　　4ANewModeloftheMind

 

　　4.1DelusionsaboutOurselves

 

　　4.2WhatMentalModulesAren’t

 

　　4.3WhatMentalModulesAre

 

　　4.4OfficeHours4

 

　　5MentalModulesandMeditation

 

　　5.1Choosing‘Selves’ThroughMeditation

 

　　5.2‘Self’Control

 

　　5.3TheExperienceofNot-self

 

　　5.4OfficeHours5

 

　　6WhatisEnlightenment?

 

　　6.1Not-SelfasInterconnection

 

　　6.2EssentialismandEmptiness

 

　　6.3BuddhistandDarwinianEnlightenment

 

　　6.4ANaturalisticReligion?

 

　　OfficeHours6