Why Science Can't Make You Happy | Full Talk | Rupert Sheldrake

Science has long been seen as opposing spirituality.

Might this be a mistake? Biologist and author of The Science Delusion Rupert Sheldrake makes the case for a science of faith.

Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. At Cambridge University he worked in developmental biology as a Fellow of Clare College. He was Principal Plant Physiologist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and from 2005 to 2010 was Director of the Perrott-Warrick project, Cambridge.

#rupertsheldrake #science #spirituality

Visit IAI.tv for our full library of debates, talks, articles and podcasts from international thought leaders and world-class academics. The Institute of Art and Ideas features videos and articles from cutting edge thinkers discussing the ideas that are shaping the world, from metaphysics to string theory, technology to democracy, aesthetics to genetics.

[TheInstituteOfArtAndIdeas]

What do you think of this talk? Leave a comment below

[nightjar]

I can't get enough of listening to this guy. I've started to figure out certain plant behaviors, wonder about minor scale resonance and why the mind reacts with sadness to it and even think why aspects of string theory might be valid. It's all starting to make sense now.

[metalkokorea]

he is right.
praying to God with humble mind, then something happens.

[janellemckinley]

I've enjoyed Rupert Sheldrake since Dogs Who Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home. And laughed merrily at the triologues, especially the one about the crop circles. But Rupert can't be everywhere so he still thinks there's a "Judeo-Christian". tradition. I thought so too until I heard Michael Hoffman on the subject and then others including Lorraine Day, MD, Who Rewrote the Bible? -- 900pp. Bertrand Comparet said Rabbi Stephen Wise said it best: "The return from Babylon and the introduction of the Babylonian Talmud mark the end of Hebrewism and the beginning of Judaism." They are fundamentally opposed.

[bradmodd]

He should debate Richard Dawkins, I think they would cancel each other out like matter and anti-matter. Breathing life into the lifeless body of God...what an idea...whatever we are, it is as good as god anyway, omnipotence may just be the thing that happens to us before we create the next universe, because we worked out how the last God created the last one

[kenanderson]

Sound the same as all the others making money out of tell other people how they have to think. Rich people telling poor people to be grateful. All religion are about power and greed for a few.

[drsalka]

20:20 SAVAGE - love Sheldrake so much <3

[mitchellclare]

Science and the Bible isn't necessarily to be fully trusted. I trust in the universe (or God) more than humans.

[jimrutin]

Interesting that European countries where Christianity was suppressed during the Communist era are now experiencing a Christian resurgence, and those countries where people were free to believe in God have seen a decline or a dispersal into many different paths which, having no example like Christ, might be watered down, which is not to side with Bible beaters of which there are very few, but rather to know that the story of Christ still carries extraordinary power, and is still, in my humble opinion the best conduit to the Devine by a quantum leap and then some. At least that is my experience having studied many religions and settled on my own brand of Christianity.

[ezbody]

Next: why happiness can't make you happy.

[patrickleahey]

If science doesn't make you happy, then you are doing it wrong and i think Sheldrake is great

[Vlogs_Dharma]

In the Western world, theologians have been unable to scientifically present the laws of God or, indeed, God Himself, and thus in Western intellectual history a rigid dichotomy has arisen between theology and science. In an attempt to resolve this conflict, some theologians have agreed to modify their doctrines so that they conform not only to proven scientific facts but even to pseudoscientific speculations and hypotheses, which, though unproven, are hypocritically included within the realm of "science." On the other hand, some fanatical theologians disregard the scientific method altogether and insist on the veracity of their antiquated, sectarian dogmas.

Thus bereft of systematic Vedic theology, material science has moved into the destructive realm of gross materialism, while speculative Western philosophy has drifted into the superficiality of relativistic ethics and inconclusive linguistic analysis. With so many of the best Western minds dedicated to materialistic analysis, naturally much of Western religious life, separated from the intellectual mainstream, is dominated by irrational fanaticism and unauthorized mystic and mystery cults. People have become so ignorant of the science of God that they often lump the Krsna consciousness movement in with this odd assortment of fanciful attempts at theology and religion. Thus dharma, or true religion, which is strict and conscious obedience to God’s law, is diminishing.

Satyam, truthfulness, is also diminishing, simply because people do not know what the truth is. Without knowing the Absolute Truth, one cannot clearly understand the real significance or purpose of life merely by amassing huge quantities of relative or hypothetical truths.

Ksama, tolerance or forgiveness, is diminishing as well, because there is no practical method by which people can purify themselves and thus become free of envy. Unless one is purified by chanting the holy names of the Lord in an authorized program of spiritual improvement, the mind will be overwhelmed by anger, envy and all sorts of small-mindedness. Thus daya, mercy, is also decreasing. All living beings are eternally connected by their common participation in the divine existence of God. When this existential oneness is obscured through atheism and agnosticism, people are not inclined to be merciful to one another; they cannot recognize their self-interest in promoting the welfare of other living beings. In fact, people are no longer even merciful to themselves: they systematically destroy themselves through liquor, drugs, tobacco, meat-eating, sexual promiscuity and whatever other cheap gratificatory processes are available to them.

Because of all these self-destructive practices and the powerful influence of time, the average life span (ayur) is decreasing. Modern scientists, seeking to gain credibility among the mass of people, often publish statistics supposedly showing that science has increased the average duration of life. But these statistics do not take into account the number of people killed through the cruel practice of abortion. When we figure aborted children into the life expectancy of the total population, we find that the average duration of life has not at all increased in the age of Kali but is rather decreasing drastically.

Balam, bodily strength, is also decreasing. The Vedic literature states that five thousand years ago, in the previous age, human beings—and even animals and plants—were larger and stronger. With the progress of the age of Kali, physical stature and strength will gradually diminish.

Certainly smrti, memory, is weakening. In former ages human beings possessed superior memory, and they also did not encumber themselves with a terrible bureaucratic and technical society, as we have done. Thus essential information and abiding wisdom were preserved without recourse to writing. Of course, in the age of Kali things are dramatically different.
Prabhupadas Purport of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Twelve
Chapter Two
The Symptoms of Kali-yuga )

[chrislanier]

"Spiritual practices can make you feel worse."
No kidding. A good meditation practice should be something like snaking out a toilet. Shit is going to come up. If it doesn't, it may not be working.

[science]

In the next world*Universe or next consciousness, Y'all will enter another 'Realm' where all is done out of 'Love'. There is no money to work for, all you do will be out of 'Pure-choice' because you just love to do it, like Grandma's birthday cake she made for you, all love. There is no sex so there is no ego, so you can truly be your very own-person not being a phony for one second, like 99.9% of peeps are now.

[waerlogauk]

"for most people interest in spiritually has not gone away" or perhaps most people never had any significant interest in the first place, but were obliged to pretend to be part of society.

[science]

We are pure consciousness having material experiences at the moment. Peeps used to 'Fast' all the time too, which will also give you a clear understanding of who you are.

[CandideSchmyles]

Dawkins and Sheldrake. Thesis and Antithesis. It sells books.