[Buddha-l] David Lopez's book on Science and Buddhism

[Jim Peavler]

On Mar 26, 2009, at 3:00 PM, jkirk wrote:

> David?
> you mean Donald S. Lopez, Jr.  Buddhism and Science: A Guide for
> the Perplexed (Buddhism and Modernity); U Chicago Pr., 2008?

Yes, it is Donald S Lopez. My careless error.

I have not read the book -- only a review to see if the book sounded  
like I ought to read it. It seems a little late in the day to flog  
some imaginative scientists of a couple of decades ago for claiming to  
believe that perhaps the ancient Hindu's understood quantum physics.  
It seems a mite brash to claim that the Dali Lama is not a buddhist  
because he goes around saying that current buddhists (of his calling)  
should try to take account of modern science in their world view.

The review I read suggests what Dan Lusthaus said, that he is likely  
to grab all the hot buttons he can and mush them together in what  
purports to be leading us through the precarious twists and turns of  
the history of religion and the history of science. I am always  
skeptical of scientists writing about religion (other than their own)  
or of religious writing about science. As a person who once considered  
himself a historian of science and a hobbyist in the history of  
buddhism, I guess I am doubly skeptical about anyone who claims to  
make good sense of both at the same time.

Here is the review for your perusal.

http://www.miller-mccune.com//culture_society/parallel-paths-1076



Jim Peavler
jmp at peavler.org