Contemplative Science

      

I've been reading Alan Wallace's book Contemplative Science recently, and continue to be amazed by how simple and profound his idea of creating a contemplative science academic program is. As I understand it from getting a sneak peak of a talk of his on Buddhist Geeks (everyone else will have to wait a little longer, but stay tuned) he's planning to create a Ph.d program designed to further the study of consciousness through first person inquiry. The way he puts it in his book is that objective science uses technology to extend the scope of our five senses to carry out its empirical research. Interior research, or research of the mind, likewise must find a way to further the scope of introspection, or the mind looking at itself. While no external technology has been devised to aid in such a process, awareness training developed by the world's great contemplative traditions, is more than adequately able to refine such an instrument.
    My sense is that what Mr. Wallace is doing is far more profound than it seems at face value. Besides finding a way to actually reintegrate the long forgotten first person perspective back into academia and science, he is creating an avenue by which Buddhism might actually take root in America—and thrive! This a topic we've been discussing quite a bit in my Buddhism in America class, and something I plan on writing about for my final paper (which I will surely post when completed). People can't seem to find a way to make monasticism work here in America, despite it's centrality in all other Buddhist cultures. There simply is no social fabric to support such a way of life—people refuse to pay for people "doing nothing". Monasticism and the protestant ethic do not meet eye to eye in this way. Besides financial viability, a culture of monasticism is never likely to thrive because it's not a socially respectable occupation, like it is in many of the Asian cultures of which it is a part. However, integrating a more or less monastic way of life into an academic Ph.d program conveniently moves around both of these obstacles. Assuming, the program is supported by a working academic institution, it should be able to offer financial aid and teaching and research fellowships, and getting a Ph.d—in anything—is a socially respectable thing to do in America. Who knows what will become of this endeavor, but I believe it has a lot of promise. What will be interesting to see is how such a program with a 6-10 year scope is integrated into everyday life. Alan talks about a normal program requiring 8-12 hours a day of work, which in this context would be put aside for meditation and other intellectual work. However, will one need to reside in a tucked away community? Will one be able to maintain family relations with a spouse and children? Is the Western form of monasticism a celibate one or is it a hybrid one? These are all interesting questions, and I look forward to exploring them more deeply in the future. Who knows, you might see me in his program if it ever gets off the ground.