Consciousness: Buddhist and Neuroscientific Perspectives

3 credits · Undergraduate

Twenty-five years ago the Dalai Lama suggested that a dialogue between Buddhist practitioners and Western scientists interested in the nature of consciousness and its relationship to the world might lead to new ideas and be of benefit to both communities. While science and religion are not generally considered to be natural collaborators, the dialogue that ensued quickly gained momentum and catalyzed new strands of research, most notably in the area of the neuroscience of meditation and emotion. We will continue this dialogue, first by laying the necessary groundwork in our respective fields, and then by exploring areas of convergence and divergence around certain themes.