Without Discoverable Beginning (The limitations of science)

by dhw, Friday, January 20, 2012, 14:35 (4473 days ago) @ xeno6696

MATT: http://www.skeptiko.com/upload/skeptiko-155-shinzen-young.mp3

This interview with a Western Buddhist...
Yeah, I would love to be able to talk with him regularly.
Shinzen Young discusses things like NDEs and the profound idea...
That we can even go BEYOND these things...

Maybe I was expecting too much, but although Shinzen Young seems a nice enough man, I’m afraid I found this interview extremely frustrating. Some good questions, but the answers were evasive, and not even skilfully so. My hopes were raised when Shinzen said he was a hard-nosed scientist, and I thought, “Great! Here’s a kindred spirit of Matt’s, who will explain how he reconciles materialism with Buddhist spirituality.” Did he? Like heck. All we got was that it was a paradox and not a contradiction. Which applied to most of what he had to say. Even I can give a better explanation of the “paradox” underlying the need to improve the self and at the same time lose the self. As for NDEs, no he didn’t discuss them. After an embarrassing session of humming and hawing, he admitted he didn’t know much about them, but he thought they were similar to some other experiences. Atheists? Well some Buddhists are and some aren’t – but what does he believe? Reincarnation? Not a mention. Situation of women? Not a mention. Soul? Not a mention. Just a load of wool about “knowingness”, “mindfulness”, “be a good person”. And the profound idea, the going beyond? Just words that sound profound, that sound as if they’re… going beyond. No doubt he knows a lot more than this, but I’m afraid it left me with no urge “to talk with him regularly”. I get more out of discussions with you – but thanks all the same!