About this course: The Dalai Lama has said that Buddhism and science are deeply compatible and has encouraged Western scholars to critically examine both the meditative practice and Buddhist ideas about the human mind. A number of scientists and philosophers have taken up this challenge. There have been brain scans of meditators and philosophical examinations of Buddhist doctrines. There have even been discussions of Darwin and the Buddha: Do early Buddhist descriptions of the mind, and of the human condition, make particular sense in light of evolutionary psychology? This course will examine how Buddhism is faring under this scrutiny. Are neuroscientists starting to understand how meditation “works”? Would such an understanding validate meditation—or might physical explanations of meditation undermine the spiritual significance attributed to it? And how are some of the basic Buddhist claims about the human mind holding up? We’ll pay special attention to some highly counterintuitive doctrines: that the self doesn’t exist, and that much of perceived reality is in some sense illusory. Do these claims, radical as they sound, make a certain kind of sense in light of modern psychology? And what are the implications of all this for how we should live our lives? Can meditation make us not just happier, but better people?
Taught by: Robert Wright, Visiting Lecturer
Religion Department and the Center for Human Values
| Commitment | 2-5小时/周 |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Spanish |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
- Reading: The Basics
- Reading: Course Overview
- Reading: About the Instructor
- Reading: Contact us
- Video: Feelings and Illusions
- Video: The First Two Noble Truths
- Video: Evolutionary Psychology and the First Two Noble Truths
- Video: Office Hours 1
- Reading: Resources for Week 1
- Video: Meditation
- Video: Mindfulness Meditation and the Brain
- Video: Can Our Feelings Be Trusted?
- Video: Office Hours 2
- Reading: Resources for Week 2
- Video: What Did The Buddha Mean?
- Video: Modern Psychology and the Self
- Video: Office Hours 3
- Reading: Resources for Week 3
- Reading: Guidelines for Grading Assignments
- Video: What Mental Modules Aren’t
- Video: What Mental Modules Are
- Video: Office Hours 4
- Reading: Resources for Week 4
- Video: ‘Self’ Control
- Video: The Experience of Not-self
- Video: Office Hours 5
- Reading: Resources for Week 5
- Video: Essentialism and Emptiness
- Video: Buddhist and Darwinian Enlightenment
- Video: A Naturalistic Religion?
- Video: Office Hours 6
- Video: Extra Office Hours 1
- Video: Extra Office Hours 2
- Video: Extra Office Hours 3
- Reading: Resources for Week 6
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
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Dr. Wright is fantastic, and does an excellent job teaching challenging course material.
THis course was very helpful and informative, i liked the science aproach contrasted with the experiences of meditators.
what a great intellectual stimulation this course provides! after the course, i loved the instructor so much that i enrolled his "bloggingheads" website and read a couple of his famous publications. he is very engaging and great to explain the complex concepts with humor and clarity. he does ramble a lot during his office hours though, which is amusing and thought-provoking at the same time. i highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in philosophy, religion, evolution theory, and/or psychology.
Great course for those interested in the eastern ideals of Buddhism and parallels with modern psychology. Thought provoking and interesting studies, readings and guests providing various thoughts and knowledge on the topi