Abstract
Since it was first introduced to the West in early 1900s, many scholars and practitioners have discussed Zen along with sciences in various foci. What has not been fully discussed, however, is the potential role of Zen as an overarching ethical guideline for the behavior of scientists as well as the consumers of science. In this chapter, Reverent Rosan Yoshida Roshi argues the importance of establishing and adhering to such a guideline and states that Zen is particularly suitable to promote it. First, Yoshida argues that unlike our image of science as being value-free and bias-free, science is a human enterprise which is extremely vulnerable to our tendency to prioritize the demands from ego (i.e., me-ism/selfishness/sinfulness), which is often manifested as utilitarianism, materialism, militarism, and the money-ism. Yoshida then states that these tendencies are destructive and threatens the entire ecosystem. According to Yoshida, Zen teachings can counteract or mitigate this tendency as it emphasizes collective wholeness as its ultimate goals and presents remedies for lessening these egocentric demands.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barney, G. O. (1999). Threshold 2000: Critical issues and spiritual values for a global age. Ada, Minnesota: CoNexus Press.
Chiesa, A. (2009). Zen meditation: An integration of current evidence. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(5), 585–592. doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0416
Dogen, E. and (2004). Beyond thinking: A guide to Zen meditation. In Kazuaki Tanahashi (ed.). Boston, US: Shambhala Publications.
Dogen, E., Nishiari, B., Okumura, S., Suzuki, S., & Weisman, S. M. (2011). Dogen’s genjo koan: Three commentaries. Barkeley, CA, US: Counterpoint.
Dogen, E., Uchiyama, K., Okumura, S., & Leighton, T. D. (1997). The wholehearted way: A translation of Eihei Dogen’s Bendowa with commentary by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi. North Clarendon, VT, US: Tuttle Publications.
Easlea, B. (1980). Einstein’s political struggle. In M. Goldsmith, A. Mackay, & J. Woudhuysen (Eds.), Einstein: The first hundred years (pp. 117–125). Pergamon.
Gergen, K. J. (1983). Zen Buddhism and psychological science. Psychologia: An International Journal of Psychology in the Orient, 26(3), 129–141.
Iino, N. (1962). Dogen’s Zen view of interdependence. Philosophy East and West, 12(1), 51–57. doi:10.2307/1397245
Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL, US: University of Chicago Press.
Kung, H., & Kuschel, K. J. (1993). A global ethic: The declaration of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. New York, US: Continuum.
Kurak, M. (2003). The relevance of the Buddhist theory of dependent co-origination to cognitive science. Brain & Mind, 4(3), 341–351. doi:10.1023/B:BRAM.0000005468.95009.86
Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. W. (1972). The limits of growth: A report for the club of Rome’s project on the predicament of mankind.
Mikulas, W. L. (2008). Buddhist psychology: A Western interpretation. In K. R. Rao, A. C. Paranjpe, A. K. Dalal, K. R. Rao, A. C. Paranjpe, & A. K. Dalal (Eds.), Handbook of Indian psychology (pp. 142–162). New Delhi, India: Cambridge University Press India/Foundation Books.
Muramoto, S. (2002). Buddhism, religion and psychotherapy in the world today. In P. Young-Eisendrath, S. Muramoto, P. Young-Eisendrath, & S. Muramoto (Eds.), Awakening and insight: Zen Buddhism and psychotherapy (pp. 15–29). New York, NY, US: Brunner-Routledge.
Nanamoli, B., & Bodhi, B. (2005). The middle length discourses of the Buddha: A translation of the Majjhima Nikaya.
Rosemont, H. J. (1970). Is Zen Buddhism a philosophy? Philosophy East & West, 20, 63–72.
Skinner, B. F. (1974). About behaviorism. Oxford, England: Alfred A. Knopf.
Suzuki, D. T. (1996). Zen Buddhism: Selected writings of D. T. Suzuki. New York, US: An Image Book.
Suzuki, D. T. (2010). The training of the Zen Buddhist Monk. New York, US: Cosimo, Inc. (original work published in 1934).
Thera, S. (1981). Kalama Sutta: The Buddha’s charter of free inquiry Berkeley. CA, US: Buddhist Publication Society.
Uchiyama, K., & Okumura, S. (2014). The Zen teaching of homeless Kodo. Somerville MA, US: Tuttle Publications.
Wallace, B. A. (2003). Introduction: Buddhism and science—Breaking down the barriers. In B. A. Wallace (Ed.), Buddhism and science: Breaking new ground (pp. 1–30).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Yoshida, R. (2017). Zen and Science: Zen as an Ethical Guideline for Scientists’ Conducts. In: Masuda, A., O'Donohue, W. (eds) Handbook of Zen, Mindfulness, and Behavioral Health. Mindfulness in Behavioral Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54595-0_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54595-0_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-54593-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-54595-0
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)