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Alan Watts on Buddhist and Christian Mythographies

April 27, 2012 by Daniel Horne 12 Comments

Watch on YouTube. I liked the meta-discussion that kicked off the second PEL naturalized Buddhism episode, specifically on what knowledge we gain by assessing the supernatural “rules” contained within “religious” Buddhism. Even after rejecting a supernaturalist stance, there’s value in reviewing the form of life revealed within Buddhism’s supernatural tenets. In that spirit, I enjoyed Boddhisatva’s Brain most for its comparison of different philosophical worldviews. Continue Reading …

PREVIEW-Episode 54: More Buddhism and Naturalism

April 6, 2012 by Mark Linsenmayer 82 Comments

The Buddha

Continuing our discussion of Owen Flanagan’s The Bodhisattva’s Brain: Buddhism Naturalized (2011). Are the basic tenets of Buddhism compatible with a respect for science? We talk (eventually) about talk about karma, nirvana, emptiness, no-self, and the four noble truths.

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Episode 54: More Buddhism and Naturalism (Citizens Only)

April 6, 2012 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

The Buddha

Continuing our discussion of Owen Flanagan’s The Bodhisattva’s Brain: Buddhism Naturalized (2011). Are the basic tenets of Buddhism compatible with a respect for science? We talk (eventually) about talk about karma, nirvana, emptiness, no-self, and the four noble truths. Learn more.

End song: “Who Wants to Love Me” by Mark Lint

Flanagan on Buddhist Eudaimonia

March 29, 2012 by Mark Linsenmayer 11 Comments

So just what is the good life, according to Buddhism, according to Flanagan, according to this post I’m writing right now? (…According to the inner, private language that my attempts to write are meant to reflect, according to the reality as perceived which my inner words are attempting to express, according to the reality itself to which my reality as Continue Reading …

PREVIEW-Episode 53: Buddhism and Naturalism with Guest Owen Flanagan

March 26, 2012 by Mark Linsenmayer 72 Comments

Owen Flanagan

Discussing The Bodhisattva’s Brain: Buddhism Naturalized (2011) with Owen Flanagan. What philosophical insights can we modern folks with our science and naturalism (i.e. inclination against super-natural explanations) glean from Buddhisim? Flanagan says plenty: We can profitably put Buddhist ethics in dialogue with familiar types of virtue ethics. However, we need to be skeptical of any claims to scientific support the superior happiness of Buddhists.

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A Summary of Owen Flanagan’s The Bodhisattva’s Brain

March 26, 2012 by Wes Alwan 1 Comment

For those of you who didn’t get a chance to do the reading for our recent discussion with Owen Flanagan about his book The Bodhisattva’s Brain (and our soon-to-be posted follow up conversation without Owen), you can download my summary of the main points of the book here. — Wes Alwan

Episode 53: Buddhism and Naturalism with Guest Owen Flanagan (Citizens Only)

March 26, 2012 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

Owen Flanagan

Discussing The Bodhisattva’s Brain: Buddhism Naturalized (2011) with Owen Flanagan. What philosophical insights can we modern folks with our science and naturalism (i.e. inclination against super-natural explanations) glean from Buddhisim? Flanagan says plenty: We can profitably put Buddhist ethics in dialogue with familiar types of virtue ethics. However, we need to be skeptical of any claims to scientific support the superior happiness of Buddhists. Learn more.

End song: “A Few Gone Down” from Mark Lint & the Fake Johnson Trio (1998).

Spirituality Without Religion? (James and Flanagan)

March 16, 2012 by David Buchanan 6 Comments

In the same way that Owen Flanagan wants to naturalize Buddhism by stripping its hocus-pocus, William James focused his attention on personal religious experience rather than the “smells and bells” of traditional institutions. As biographer Robert Richardson puts it, “much of what one usually thinks of as religion James rejects at the start”. James says he has no interest in Continue Reading …

Owen Flanagan Interview on Buddhism Revived

March 13, 2012 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

We spent our winter holidays reading about Buddhism in preparation for a January interview with Owen Flanagan, which he then had to reschedule. It’s back on, scheduled to happen a mere two days from now. If you have questions or comments to throw out to inspire our discussion, post them here, where I’ve also updated my previous topic announcement post, Continue Reading …

Now Taking Questions for Owen Flanagan on Buddhism and Science

December 26, 2011 by Mark Linsenmayer 21 Comments

We are currently scheduled to talk with Owen Flanagan about his book The Bodhisattva’s Brain: Buddhism Naturalized. I’ll put up the formal “topic announcement” when I have a better idea what the discussion will focus on (i.e. after we actually interview him). For now, anyone who is already familiar with the book, or his work, or this topic in general Continue Reading …

Topic for #53/#54: Buddhism and Science with Guest Owen Flanagan

December 26, 2011 by Mark Linsenmayer 30 Comments

In episode 53, the full four-man PEL crew spoke with Duke University’s Owen Flanagan, mostly about his book The Bodhisattva’s Brain: Buddhism Naturalized, which has a number of aims: -To argue that supernatural beliefs can be removed (or “tamed”) from Buddhism and still leave an elaborate enterprise relevant to modern life. -To put Buddhist conceptions of virtue and happiness in Continue Reading …

Buddhism Naturalized?

November 7, 2011 by Seth Paskin 15 Comments

Given our recent exploration of moral theory, the excitement around our announcement of a Euthyphro episode and my own current interest in Buddhist thought, I guess it was inevitable that I would stumble across and then buy this book.  Or perhaps it was that Mark mentioned it in an email which I had overlooked.  In any case, the author, Owen Continue Reading …

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About The Partially Examined Life

The Partially Examined Life is a philosophy podcast by some guys who were at one point set on doing philosophy for a living but then thought better of it. Each episode, we pick a text and chat about it with some balance between insight and flippancy. You don’t have to know any philosophy, or even to have read the text we’re talking about to (mostly) follow and (hopefully) enjoy the discussion

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