I have always had a soft spot for grand ideas. You know, ideas that, on the surface, seem detached and theoretical, but, if true, have profound implications on how we situate ourselves in relation to the rest of the universe: Copernicus’ assertion that the earth revolved around the sun, the theory of evolution, and the discovery of DNA’s double helix… these are grand ideas. In The Universe in a Single Atom (Broadway Books, 2005), His Holiness the Dali Lama—who also has as soft spot for grand ideas—examines modern scientific revolutions and offers us his thoughts on how humanity and grand ideas converge.
He begins by tackling the physical nature of the world through a detailed examination of Newtonian, Einsteinian, and Quantum physics. Linking the Buddhist idea of “dependent origination”—the notion that the existence of any thing in the universe is reliant upon its relationship to other things—to Einstein’s theories of relativity and the to quantum mechanics, His Holiness argues that far from only being scientific descriptions of matter, these scientific theories are worldviews with implications for human action. Once we see the world as relative and transient, we will be able to avoid the materialism and envy that is the cause of so much sadness and be more kind to other sentient life.
He moves from there into a discussion of the origin of life. Though the Dali Lama concedes that Darwin’s explanation of evolution is perhaps plausible to explain the variety of flora and fauna on earth, he questions its focus on competitive victory as the defining characteristic for success and questions why compassion is not considered in this theory
The Dali Lama goes on to explore modern neuroscience and cognitive psychology, arguing that their attempts to explain consciousness are, ultimately, limited due to the subjective nature of consciousness. Modern science may be able to point to the part of the brain that process color or discuss how to we think about color, but it will never be able to explain the phenomenological experience of seeing a color.
As a bookend, His Holiness investigates the bioethical considerations that accompany cloning, gene therapy, selective reproduction and the like. He argues that we are in a place where our technology is moving faster than our ethical discussion, and encourages all of society to become engaged in debates on these topics before it is too late.
For Buddhism, the purpose of life is the cessation of suffering and the development of compassion. It is not enough, he argues, to explain the world around us through science, there must be a next step: somehow science must benefit humanity. In the words of the Dali Lama, “a full human understanding must not only offer a coherent account of reality, our means of apprehending it, and the place of consciousness but also include a clear awareness of how we should act.”
This book is a fulfilling exploration of the vast scope of modern science and a comforting reminder of the need for spirituality. The Dali Lama’s approach to the nexus of science and spirituality is humble and contemplative; sophisticated and approachable. And while I am grateful he took the time to share these thoughts with us, I find myself wishing for a world where his call for a return to spirituality, ethics, and compassion is unnecessary.
