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MindScience

An East-West Dialogue

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About The Book

What is the subtle relationship between mind and body? What can today's scientists learn about this relationship from masters of Buddhist thought? Is it possible that by combining Western and Eastern approaches, we can reach a new understanding of the nature of the mind, the human potential for growth, the possibilities for mental and physical health?

MindScience explores these and other questions as it documents the beginning of a historic dialogue between modern science and Buddhism. The Harvard Mind Science Symposium brought together the Dalai Lama and authorities from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience, and education. Here, they examine myriad questions concerning the nature of the mind and its relationship to the body.

About The Authors

Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and a beacon of inspiration for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. He has persistently reached out across religious and political lines and has engaged in dialogue with scientists in his mission to advance peace and understanding in the world. In doing so, he embodies his motto, “My religion is kindness.”

Photograph by Margaret Kois
Herbert Benson

Herbert Benson, MD, is the Mind Body Medical Institute Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. He is the author of the mega-bestselling book, The Relaxation Response, as well as ten other trade books. His groundbreaking work established the modern field of mind body medicine. Dr. Benson is the Director Emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Robert Thurman

Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner is the John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero. Among numerous honors, Gardner received a MacArthur Prize Fellowship in 1981. In 2005 and again in 2008, he was selected by Foreign Policy and The American Prospect magazines as one of the 100 most influential public intellectuals in the world. Most recently, Gardner received the 2011 Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences. The author of twenty-eight books translated into thirty-two languages, and several hundred articles, Gardner is best known in educational circles for his theory of multiple intelligences, a critique of the notion that there exists but a single human intelligence that can be adequately assessed by standard psychometric instruments.

Photograph by Frank Ward
Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman is the bestselling author of several books, including Emotional Intelligence, Focus, and Optimal. He was a science journalist for The New York Times, received the American Psychological Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and was honored by Harvard for his contributions to education, business, and society. He lives near New York City. Find out more at DanielGoleman.info.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Wisdom Publications (November 1, 1999)
  • Length: 152 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780861710669

Raves and Reviews

"A lively and interesting description of the dynamic interaction between Buddhism and mainstream science...full of pearls."

– Shambhala Sun

"Comprehensive. cuts right to the core issues of its compelling topic."

– The Quest

"Both sides have come together in a spirit of mutual respect."

– Parabola

"The Dalai Lama synthesizes scientific materialism and Western psychology with the ancient mind of the Buddha-without any apparent contradiction. Other notable scholars contribute to the discussion. MindScience captures the spirit of genuine inquiry and offers a glimpse of Buddhist psychology and its potential applications in the West today."

– Tricycle

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