Chopra Deepak - War of the worldviews: science vs. spirituality

P RAISE FOR

This book, by two outstanding intellectuals, is a timely revival of the debate between science and spirituality. In alternate chapters each author defends his position without disrespecting the other, and the result is a remarkable contribution to the history of ideas; eminently readable, no matter which side of the fence you are on.

V. S. R AMACHANDRAN , distinguished professor and director, Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego, and author of The Tell-Tale Brain

Science is rapidly gaining the capability to explore the nature of consciousness and the origins of all thingsa domain sacred to Eastern spirituality. The inevitable result, as science encroaches on spiritualitys turf, is this compelling clash between scientist Leonard Mlodinow and spiritual advocate and physician Deepak Chopra.

K IP S. T HORNE , Feynman Professor of Physics, emeritus, Caltech, and author of Black Holes and Time Warps: Einsteins Outrageous Legacy

Two compelling figures of our time mindfully joust on the battlefield of brain, cosmos, and evolution. This is a win-win for the authors and for every reader.

R UDOLPH T ANZI , Ph.D., Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

An interesting and provocative book that will be read and talked about for a long time to come.

H ANS P ETER D UERR , director emeritus, Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics

A lively, engaging and far-ranging debate between a sharp-witted physicist and a proponent of Eastern spirituality whose poetic metaphors about science appeal to the heart.

C HRISTOF K OCH , chief scientific officer, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Lois and Victor Troendle Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Biology, California Institute of Technology, and author of Confessions of a Romantic Reductionist

In War of the Worldviews, Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow have given us one of the most compelling, important, and significant books written on the relation of science and spirituality in todays world.

K EN W ILBER , author of The Integral Vision

Whether you root for science or spirituality, you will find in these incisive, insightful essays more than enough ammunition to get you through your next debate over the two opposing ways of seeing the world. And you just may find that the other side scores some points, too. A fascinating, thought-provoking tour through some of the deepest questions of existence.

S HARON B EGLEY , author of Change Your Mind, Train Your Brain and science writer, Newsweek

We physicists are concerned with observations of the physical universe and the mathematical theories that explain them. Others seek enlightenment through a focus on subjective experience. In this book these approaches meet, often throwing off sparks, occasionally agreeing, and always remaining both illuminating and entertaining.

J AY M ARX , Executive Director, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Laboratory, Caltech

Most conflicts in life can be traced to worldview differences, and none more so than the worldviews of science and religion. War of the Worldviews is the best single volume Ive ever read on this vital subject. Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow well capture the essence of the debate and do so in such an engaging style that you cant stop reading. This book is a game changer in the science-and-religion wars.

M ICHAEL S HERMER , publisher of Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist for Scientific American, adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University and Chapman University, author of Why Darwin Matters and The Believing Brain

A refreshing and more useful approach to the old combat between science and religion. The two authors want the best for humanity, and their zeal is revealed even when they fiercely disagree. The value of this book will only become greater and more appreciated with time.

M ENAS K AFATOS , Ph.D., Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor in Computational Physics; Dean, Schmid College of Science, Vice Chancellor for Special Projects, Chapman University

Quantum mechanics demonstrates the reality of particle entanglement. The reality of todays world is that all of our lives are entangled. The dialogue between these two extraordinary writers serves as a source of awe and inspiration to all of us.

J AMES R. D OTY , M.D., Professor of Neurosurgery, Founder and Director, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), Stanford Institute of Neuro-innovation and Translational Neuroscience, Stanford University School of Medicine

Astrophysicist Sir James Jeans wrote: The Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. This is the essence of Chopras view: that a great consciousnesswhich we shareis the basis of the Universe and all reality. From Mlodinows perspective it is unimaginable that consciousness could be anything more than brain chemistry at work and certainly not something capable of creating a universe. The book presents a lively and articulate debate on this most important human question: Are we simply complex biological machines destined for oblivion at death, or are we immortal spiritual beings temporarily experiencing reality through physical bodies?

B ERNARD H AISCH , astrophysicist

Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow argue convincingly for their particular worldviews. However, reading this book convinces me they should call a truce: science and spirituality are two sides of a quantum coin.

S TUART H AMEROFF , M.D., Professor, Anesthesiology and Psychology; Director, Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona, Tucson

Finally! The beginning of a dialogue in the true spirit of open-ended science that should be inclusive of all phenomena including spirituality. Congratulations to Chopra and Mlodinow for the breakthrough.

A MIT G OSWAMI , quantum physicist and author of The Self-Aware Universe and How Quantum Activism Can Save Civilization

Is consciousness an aspect of nature that had no precursor prior to the appearance of life, or is it a feature of nature that was in some form always present? This question is debated in this lively, informative, and entertaining book coauthored by two skilled writers. Chopra argues for the pervasiveness of consciousness, while Mlodinow argues for emergence of everything from the purely physical, in the absence of adequate scientific evidence to the contrary. This book is a good read even if, and particularly if, you already have a fixed opinion on the matter.

D R . H ENRY P. S TAPP , physicist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, and author of Mind, Matter, and Quantum Mechanics and Mindful Universe: Quantum Mechanics and the Participating Observer

Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow have opened the discussion on the fundamental physics of the spirit.

J ULIANA (B ROOKS ) M ORTENSON , M.D., Founder, General Resonance

Ours is a time of unprecedented change and complexity. Never before have so many worldviews, belief systems, and ways of engaging reality converged. Such a moment of contact has many consequences. On the one hand, there are abundant instances of conflict and intolerance, as people fail to see other points of view. On the other hand, the situation can lead to the creative emergence of new and more sustainable ways of being together in our otherwise fragmented world. Such is the promise of this thoughtful and provocative book. As Chopra and Mlodinow, two masters in their respective fields, come together to consider the challenges of merging science and spirituality, they offer an essential guidebook for shaping the future of our shared humanity.