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Clarke Scott is a fully ordained Buddhist monk trained in the Tibetan tradition. A student of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Clarke has received personal instructions—direct one-to-one instructions—on Madhyamaka philosophy and meditation from His Holiness. Recently Clarke moved to Tasmania to pursue a Ph.D in Buddhist philosophy from the University of Tasmania.
Scientist studies brain from the inside out.
By Loden Jinpa – March 20, 2008 · Contemplative Science, Videos
In a truly inspirational video (although I’m not a fan of overly flowery language) neuroanatomist Jill Taylor describes an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened — as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding — she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.
Clearly there are meditators who can identify with the experiences she describes. Either way I have confidence that scientists will over time expand on the current theories of consciousness espoused by people like Dan Dennet to one that is closer a line to Buddhist theory of consciousness. I also think that we as Buddhists need to be open minded about the theory of consciousness.
Simply dismissing the western science view outright is not useful for the individual or Buddhism. We can learn from each other. There is no doubt that the brain plays some role in how we experience the world. I believe this video shows this. I also think it shows that subtle consciousness is not reliant on the brain.
Regardless it is a good watch!
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8 Responses to “Scientist studies brain from the inside out.”
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[...] Loden Jinpa has a great video on neuroanatomist Jill Taylor describing a massive stroke step by step — her own stroke. [...]
[...] Loden Jinpa is a monk (a real one, not a fun one like me) in the Tibetan Gelug tradition. He is a fantastic person and his blog contains a great mixture of topics from modern to ancient traditions, contemplative science, and western psychology. A recent post: Scientist studies brain from the inside out. [...]
[...] read the biographies of great yogis like Milarepa. If you are a science type, find articles on the science of meditation or http://www.danielgoleman.info/blog/2008/01/01/the-inexplicable-monks/ to inspire you. The point [...]
You mention: ’subtle consciousness is not reliant on the brain’.
How can that be? Is it possible? Do you teach that consciousness exists independently of the brain? If so, where is that consciousness? If it is not reliant on the brain, what IS it reliant on?
Hi John,
You speak as if science has “proven” that consciousness is nothing more than an emergent property of the brain. This is simply not the case. Clearly the brain plays a role in the process of thoughts etc, but it is many believe, myself included (at this point in time) that there is more to it than this. Many western sciencstics and philosophies do not hold this view, although it is a secular belife that they so. So, I think you will find that the jury is still out on this one.
In fact, there are many scienticst that will admit they do not fully understand what consciousness is. So, perhaps you could look into a little more such as here http://consc.net/consc-papers.html
Really… I was not speaking as if science has proven anything… I was sincerely asking you 5 questions in a spirit of enquiry and wonder.
When I was writing my questions I did not have answers to those questions within my own consciousness. Now after receiving your response I still do not have answers to those questions. :-)
Perhaps they were irrelevant questions, or too difficult, or perhaps expressed poorly.
Here.. I’ll have a go at refining my expression of the first question:
1. How can consciousness exist without the brain?
Please notice that this is not a statement, it is a question. I am not negating the possibility of consciousness existing without the brain. I am asking about the nature of that existence.
The question is not seeking an answer of ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It is perhaps better understood as a question that contains the pre-supposition, (or at least the hypothesis): ‘yes, consciousness exists independently of the brain’. From that assertion the question is leading on to an answer in terms of ‘the mechanism is….’, or ‘we can understand the nature of non-reliant consciousness like this….’.
Perhaps then, the question is better expressed as:
“Given that consciousness can exist without the brain, what is the nature or mechanism of that existence?”
In that formulation perhaps the sincerity of the enquiry is perceived. And, perhaps the answer is “no human has yet been able to adequately explain that mechanism…” or “it is certain that that existence cannot be explained in mechanistic terms”.
What do you think? Or, what does Tibetan Buddhism teach here?
Thanks for the Ref, I am reading.
I have some questions which you can answer & I wish your guidance for the same.
What is Brain?
What is Mind?
What is the difference between Mind & Brain?
What are the Uses of Mind & Brain? How they Function?
Hoping your reply, if possible with picture/snaps at earliest.
While it would be nice to reply, I simply am not qualified to do so. However, this is a book you should read.
http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Life-Biology-Phenomenology-Sciences/dp/0674025113/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240198965&sr=1-1