Fourteenth Dalai Lama · 2005
The Universe in a Single Atom
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
This introductory review draws on the publisher’s public excerpt, not the whole book. The English original appeared in 2005. [1] [2]
In the excerpt, the Dalai Lama asks how empirical investigation and contemplative traditions might inform a dialogue about the world. He also asks how compassion and ethics should guide the use of knowledge. [1]
The author distinguishes the scientific method—measurement, experiments and independent verification—from the philosophical claim that only matter exists. He questions the latter as a philosophical position, while valuing science as a powerful way to understand the world. This is his argument; it is not a scientific disproof of materialism. [1]
A practical question: when considering a technology, which claims can be tested, and which choices depend on human values? Dialogue does not establish that Buddhist teachings and scientific theories are identical.