Deepak Chopra - War of the Worldviews: Science Vs. Spirituality

P RAISE FOR

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.

M ARILYN S CHLITZ , Ph.D., President and CEO, Institute of Noetic Sciences

In this latest skirmish of the age-old War of the Worldviews, we find a spirited defense of both science and spirituality. The authors are masters of their domains, and their debate makes it crystal clear that the battle will not be settled any time soon. Reading this book may make your brain hurt, but it is an experience that is fascinating, exasperating, and definitely worthwhile.

D EAN R ADIN , Ph.D., Co-Editor-in-Chief, Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing; Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, Sonoma State University; Senior Scientist, Institute of Noetic Sciences

In War of the Worldviews, Chopra and Mlodinow prove to be eloquent proponents for their respective points of view. Though it is clear they remain far apart on many issues, the mere act of these two acclaimed thinkers addressing them together provides hope that the divide between science and spirituality can be narrowed.

J IM B. T UCKER , M.D., Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia Health System

A tension exists between the way that we think about the laws of physics and our own subjective experience. Chopra and Mlodinow ponder both perspectives in their lively debate, leaving the reader enriched to see the world with a new depth. War of the Worldviews offers clear choices for these rapidly changing times.

J EFF T OLLAKSEN , Director, Center for Quantum Studies, Head of Physics Faculty, Schmid College of Science, Chapman University

As a brilliant scientist and mathematician, Leonard Mlodinow believes that physics can account for the creation of the universe through the laws of nature, without the participation of a deity. To Deepak Chopra, the truth exists in consciousness. The time has come for humanity to open its mind to all levels of reality.

L OTHAR S CHFER , Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas

Deepak Chopra did an excellent job explaining why the all-embracing quantum field suggests a dynamic, alive cosmos. This is 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

War of the Worldviews offers a fascinating and detailed debate focusing on how the spiritual and the scientific approaches to understanding reality often clash. Physician Deepak Chopra and physicist Leonard Mlodinow provide a rich set of reflections and easy-to-understand introductions to the various topics, from the nature of mind and consciousness to God and the brain. Diving into the conceptual friction and heated emotional tension of this important and passionate conversation between two leaders in these fields inspires us to weave a tapestry of our own, blending the hard-won insights from an empirical approach to reality with the important journey to make a life of meaning and interconnection in our daily lives.