Why I Am Not a Buddhist
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Why I Am Not a Buddhist
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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See moreWhy I Am Not a Buddhist is a provocative essay challenging the idea of Buddhist exceptionalism, from one of the world’s most widely respected philosophers and writers on Buddhism and science.
Buddhism has become a uniquely favoured religion in our modern age. A burgeoning number of books extol the scientifically proven benefits of meditation and mindfulness for everything ranging from business to romance. There are conferences, courses, and celebrities promoting the notion that Buddhism is spirituality for the rational, compatible with cutting‑edge science, indeed, “a science of the mind.”
In this provocative book, Evan Thompson argues that this representation of Buddhism is false.
In lucid and entertaining prose, Thompson dives deep into both Western and Buddhist philosophy to explain how the goals of science and religion are fundamentally different. Efforts to seek their unification are wrongheaded and promote mistaken ideas of both. He suggests cosmopolitanism instead, a worldview with deep roots in both Eastern and Western traditions.
Smart, sympathetic, and intellectually ambitious, this book is a must‑read for anyone interested in Buddhism’s place in our world today.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
“Well argued and engaging...
It asks the reader to deeply reflect on a number of important philosophical issues that are frequently circumvented in the popular Buddhism-science discourse.” — Anna Lutkajtis, Journal of Religious History
“Thompson's erudite and eminently engaging essay should be required reading of all those interested in Buddhist modernism.” — Robert Sharf, University of California, Berkeley
“Philosophy should be a project reaching beyond age-old geographical divides... With inspiring intellectual courage, Thompson shows us the way forward.” — Marcelo Gleiser, Dartmouth College
“In this beautifully written philosophical memoir, Evan Thompson takes us through his incredible intellectual journey... A deeply thoughtful book.” — Owen Flanagan, author of The Geography of Morals
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300264678
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 March 2022
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 22.0mm
Width: 127.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 240
About the Author
Evan Thompson is professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
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