Buddhism and Cognitive Science

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Do habitual patterns of thought and behavior shape our experience of the world? And if so, is there anything that we can do to eliminate or transform their effects? Can we cultivate experiences of selflessness, for example, and in the process become more compassionate beings? Buddhist philosophers have developed a rich network of strategies for answering such questions. And in this course, we will examine some cases where their insights seem to converge with research questions in psychology and cognitive neuroscience. For example, we will explore questions about the nature of consciousness, the malleability of experience, and the value of meditation. We will also consider some of the methodological and metaphysical assumptions that make it challenging to unify Buddhist insights with data from the cognitive sciences; and we will explore proposals for integrating these perspectives, in an attempt to develop a more plausible account of cognition and consciousness.