Enlightenment, Meaning, and the Religion versus Science-Academia Divide: Waking up versus “Waking up”

The materialist scientific view of life faces problems such as missing heritability, which may support dualistic or religious beliefs. Humans have an innate dualistic understanding of life, and the questionable DNA basis for life offers a preliminary argument for basic dualism common to religions. The article focuses on experiences of transcendence or enlightenment from religious and mystical practices, using Jacque Lusseyran's account of unity in 'And There Was Light' and a sequence of similar Buddhist experiences. A framework connects these to a soul and meaning. Comparisons are drawn between traditional Buddhism and its Western, science-influenced version, exemplified by Sam Harris' 'Waking Up', suggesting other traditions face similar detours in a science-led, meaning-deprived era.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The unfolding problems with science’s materialist understanding of life are obviously noteworthy in and of themselves, but the associated potential support for dualistic/religious beliefs is particularly significant. Beyond a number of behavioral conundrums, the general problem facing the scientific molecular-only vision is the unfolding missing heritability (or DNA origins)—problem. Given our innate dualistic/religious understanding of life and its presumed—but increasingly questionable—DNA basis, it is argued here that this combination offers a straightforward preliminary argument supporting the basic dualism common to religions. With this as a backdrop, a focus herein will be placed on experiences of transcendence (or unified consciousness or enlightenment) associated with religious/mystical practices. With such real-life transformations, there is the possibility of glimpsing the ultimate goal associated with religious practices. An introduction will be provided via the independent Unity experience given in Jacque Lusseyran’s And There Was Light. Next, a sequence of similar experiences associated with Buddhist practices is given. A suggested framework then connects such experiences to the religious/dualistic element, a soul, and with this a potential new avenue for discussions on meaning. A modern framing of these discussions is found in comparisons between traditional Buddhism, and its contemporary science-influenced, Western peer. Sam Harris’ Waking Up is utilized in part as a guide to the latter. It is not unlikely that other spiritual or religious traditions are facing analogous detours in our science-led, meaning-deprived, and increasingly superficial era.