“The Universe in a Single Atom”
A review of The Universe in a Single Atom by the current Dalai Lama.
First, this is an enjoyable read, written from the perspective of a non-scientist as he is "looking into" modern science — quantum mechanics, relativity, questions of consciousness, genetics, etc. This makes it easy to relate to since many of us are also outside of science looking in. The Dalai Lama has had the unique opportunity, however, to have spoken with some of the greatest scientific (and philosophic) minds of modern times. Thus, his experience of science is colored by direct conversations with some of its biggest thinkers.
Second, this isn’t a book of revelation. How many books really are? You’re not going to find magical knowledge that is only now being revealed by the Dalai Lama. But, that’s a good thing here, in a book clearly intended for a wide audience, crossing religious and scientific boundaries. What you’ll get is a coherent, well-thought, and well-purposed book. As a bonus, you could view the entire book as an introduction to portions of Buddhist thought. This was perhaps the greatest treasure for me. After reading this book, I realize now that the Buddhist tradition is one of exploration — exploration of the human condition.
The book aims to (gently) relate and contrast modern scientific thought with Buddhist thought. To that end, he presents an excellent analogy/term/concept which I found at once simple and unique. He terms modern science as "third person science". That is, it looks out to the world as an observer and studies and considers valid only what is observable in that world. In contrast, Buddhist thought could then be considered a "first person science". That is, it looks into the world of the private mind, emotion, thought, spirit, consciousness, studies that and considers it as equally valid as the observable external world. Buddhist tradition, like modern third person science, is also one of corroboration. They corroborate multiple first person perspectives much as modern science corrobrates multiple third person perspectives. Through this corroboration they draw an ever more complete view of the internal map of the mind, as modern science draws an ever more complete view of the external map of the world.
The analysis and comparison of these two perspective traditions, Buddhism and modern science, is the overarching theme of the book. The Dalai Lama clearly values and is fascinated by modern science, its implications and treasures, and has been since he was a child. Ultimately the proposition is that a complete view, a complete map of reality, can only be had by melding these two perspectives, first and third person. Or, at the very least letting them interact to mutual benefit of each perspective.
It’s not hard to tell from the articles on this site that I agree principally with this book — there is a missing piece to modern science — a piece that science has gotten along without for some time, but which is quickly becoming more problematic (for progressional and ethical reasons). If we could gently begin expanding the perspective of science, then I can only agree that there would be mutual benefit to its perspective and our own. This is no easy task, and the Dalai Lama does not offer a solution, but instead a general recognition that a discrepancy exists nonetheless. And, I guess recognition is a good place to start.
