Science Flashcards
Why do scientists emphasise evidence?
Empirical evidence is fundamental in science / science concerns the physical world / theories can only be proved or disproved through evidence
Why do scientists emphasise reason?
Reason is required to interpret evidence and figure out whether it supports a particular theory or not / some of the claims of science e.g. about the quantum world are not directly observable so require the application of reason
What is the name of the view that all knowledge starts from experience?
Empiricism
What is the name of the view that all knowledge starts from reason?
Rationalism
What is the name of the view that science alone can give true knowledge of reality; that it alone can determine what is meaningful, and that eventually it will explain everything?
Scientism
How has science challenged belief in karma?
The different states experienced by human beings can be better explained through evolution and DNA / karma relies on belief in life after death and so is unfalsifiable / karma rewards moral behaviour and science has shown no proof that the universe is inherently moral
What are the different ways Buddhists could respond to the scientific challenges to karma?
Redefine karma so it fits scientific understanding e.g. a law of cause and effect regulating the physical world / insist that the law of karma is ‘hidden’ and represents a higher truth than science / point out that beliefs about karma and life after death are scientifically testable e.g. children with past life memories (Ian Stevenson research)
How has science challenged belief in miracles?
Reason can generally identify a natural explanation / Miracles do not meet the standards of scientific evidence as they are not repeated in lab conditions / Miracles violate natural laws which are well-established by science
What are the different ways Buddhists could respond to the scientific challenges to miracles?
If scientists rule out miracles because they go against established laws, this shows attachment to their theories / Miracles come from the enlightened mind which may be beyond the reach of scientific testing / some Buddhists may accept the criticisms of science and take a more selective attitude to Buddhist scripture (e.g. Batchelor and secular Buddhism)
In the Unanswerable Questions, what questions does the Buddha refuse to answer?
Whether the universe is eternal / whether the universe is finite / whether a Buddha continues to exist after death / whether the body and self are the same entity
In the Theravada version of the Unanswerable Questions, why does the Buddha refuse to answer?
Malunkya is distracted by the questions and Buddha wants him to focus on his meditation
In the Mahayana version of the Unanswerable Questions, why does the Buddha refuse to answer?
Buddha is concerned that Malunkya would misunderstand any possible answers he would give to the questions, since the questions presuppose certain false beliefs. It was more skilful (Upaya) to remain silent.
What does the Parable of the Poison Arrow suggest about unanswerable questions?
If we waste our time on metaphysical speculation we will not be able to achieve enlightenment/end suffering
Why do some Buddhists take the unanswerable questions to suggest that Buddhism should not value science?
Many scientific questions, e.g. those about the origin of the universe, may be unanswerable and dedicating our lives to them will not help us achieve our spiritual goals
Would some Buddhists argue that the unanswerable questions do not show a critical attitude towards science?
The unanswerable questions are religious/metaphysical - scientific questions concern the physical world and are generally answerable / many scientific questions will help us end suffering (e.g. through medical research/energy conservation
Why is quantum mechanics seen as introducing an element of mystery into science?
It postulates that certain facts about the world are not knowable (Uncertainty Principle) / it runs against our common sense and conceptual understanding (Double-slit experiment)
What is unusual about the behaviour of electrons in the double-slit experiment?
- They behave like waves, rather than particles as we originally thought
- They return to particle-like behaviour whenever they are being consciously observed
What are the two interpretations of the double-slit experiment and what do they suggest?
Copenhagen - electrons exist in a probabilistic state but once measured “collapse” into one of the probabilities
Everett - there is no “collapse”; measurement causes the probabilities to branch off into different “worlds”
What does quantum mechanics suggest about consciousness?
It plays a role in shaping reality / you cannot separate the conscious observer from the experiment
What is entanglement?
The idea that two particles, once connected as part of a system, can continue to affect each other across seemingly impossible distances - “spooky action at a distance”
What is the uncertainty principle?
Heisenberg’s principle that the momentum and position of a particle cannot both be precisely determined at the same time.
How could the Everett Interpretation support rebirth/realms?
If measuring the quantum world causes it to ‘branch’ into different universes then it is possible that consciousness may survive the death of the physical body and be reborn in other realms.
Why is the double-slit experiment relevant to Buddhists?
Buddhists treat the mind as a sixth sense which can directly shape reality. Intention counts towards karma and the enlightened mind can perform miracles impacting the physical world. The double slit experiment appears to prove this.
Which Buddhist teaching would most obviously agree with the findings of entanglement?
Sunyata: although everything appears to have independent existence, everything actually experiences “inter-being”: the flower appears to exist independently but is in fact “empty” of “flowerness” and full of the cosmos around it.
How does Thich Nhat Hanh suggest science shows the difference between conventional and ultimate truth?
Classical (Newtonian) science = conventional truth - the way the world appears
Quantum physics = ultimate truth - the way the world actually is
Which sutra does Thich Nhat Hanh name as evidence that the Buddha takes a scientific attitude towards new theories?
The Kalama Sutta
What does Thich Nhat Hanh suggest about the future of Buddhism and Science?
They will be able to “go hand in hand” to “promote insight”
What is genetic engineering?
The direct editing of an organism’s DNA to alter its characteristics. Can be practiced on plants, animals, and humans.
What examples could be given of genetic engineering?
Designer babies / GM rice to contain more Vitamin A / glow-in-the-dark rabbit / ‘Frankenswine’ pig (better able to absorb phosphorous) / use of banana DNA in vaccines
What does the Dalai Lama suggest are the benefits of genetic engineering?
GM food - shelf lives, immunity to pests, etc.
Therapeutic cloning - medical benefits
What does the Dalai Lama suggest are the issues with genetic engineering?
GM food - long-term effect on environments, ecosystems etc.
Reproductive cloning - the use of fully-cloned humans for body parts leads to “instinctive feelings of revulsion”
Why does the Dalai Lama suggest that science (specifically genetic science) can be a stimulus for ethical thinking?
The higher our levels of knowledge and power, the greater our moral responsibility - new discoveries require us to think more carefully than before about right and wrong
What organisation did the Dalai Lama help set up to build a bridge between Buddhism and Science?
Mind & Life
What is the particular focus of the Mind & Life Institute?
Exploring the benefits of meditation, mindfulness, compassion, etc.
