tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post6596461007676051607..comments2023-09-21T09:49:28.326-07:00Comments on Fierce Dandelions: Zennists, Materialism, and some Wild FoxNathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-76410111680114000582009-12-19T10:06:24.553-08:002009-12-19T10:06:24.553-08:00I believe that there are neuroscientists who are a...I believe that there are neuroscientists who are able to maintain a sense of sacredness and mystery, even as they delve into neural substrates and meditation. Often they are meditators themselves, and I've heard a number of them through the Mind/Life dialogues.<br /><br />But I also agree that there is a tendency among scientists, perhaps inherent in the paradigm of the physical sciences (andAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-35575042710859453752009-12-19T09:39:47.369-08:002009-12-19T09:39:47.369-08:00I am with you, Nathan, and the Zennist also . . . ...I am with you, Nathan, and the Zennist also . . . Neuroscientists' efforts to pin down "happiest man in the world" did it for me. Our Western culture's need to quantify, acquire, materialize really knows no bound. <br /><br />Back to the Dharma, and just sitting, and paying attention to breath . . . Traveling on the path, without trying to accomplish anything in particular, Marguerite Manteau-Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956537059369707663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-68590392762511038082009-12-19T08:41:30.138-08:002009-12-19T08:41:30.138-08:00Buddhism versus Materialism<a href="http://seanrobsville.blogspot.com/2009/12/buddhism-versus-materialism.html" rel="nofollow"> Buddhism versus Materialism </a>seanrobsvillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01135048988031819619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-1446281640442913242009-12-18T07:49:15.743-08:002009-12-18T07:49:15.743-08:00Hi Eliza,
I definitely didn't mean to sound d...Hi Eliza,<br /><br />I definitely didn't mean to sound dismissive of science, and am also interested in neuroscience as well. It's most important to me that both science and spiritual wisdom can share space, and are not considered enemies. My post was pointing at the tendency for people in science-heavy societies to accept new research uncritically, or to simply dismiss the same work as Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-71311263318937130622009-12-17T15:14:10.196-08:002009-12-17T15:14:10.196-08:00Neuroscience is making fascinating leaps and bound...Neuroscience is making fascinating leaps and bounds - plenty of material for me to geek out on. Especially thought-provoking are some of the implications of mirror neurons “that fire not only as we perform a certain action but when we watch someone else perform that action (http://daviddobbs.net).” What happens when what was once simply something we sensed and took for granted becomes "Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418520448563256081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-65158345744048095952009-12-17T12:29:20.185-08:002009-12-17T12:29:20.185-08:00Hi Richard,
I like the Buddhist Geeks and they...Hi Richard,<br /><br />I like the Buddhist Geeks and they've done some good work. I did see those three recent podcasts on neuroscience, though, and haven't bothered to listen for similar reasons to what you mentioned. I like it when they've interviewed teachers addressing issues in practice, or when they've discussed a topic as a group. The archives are worth checking out for Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-10480497753086216862009-12-17T12:06:14.217-08:002009-12-17T12:06:14.217-08:00Interestingly, I've been contemplating similar...Interestingly, I've been contemplating similar thought trails. I was really "geeked" about the site Buddhist Geeks and think the podcasts are quite cool. But lately, I'm viewing more as entertainment rather than serious inquiry. Why? Just seems to me to be a lot of simsapa leave I don't need to mess with. While it's very cool to think about how the brain handles the Richard Harroldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02943119066949899198noreply@blogger.com