Recent studies in neurology exploring the connection between the brain and transcendent experiences bridge the oft discussed gap between science and faith. Whether by finding evidence of why we believe or exploring the effects of deep meditation about compassion, scientists are using brain imaging to study questions previously left to philosophers and the religious. As noted by David Brooks in today’s New York Times: “researchers now spend a lot of time trying to understand universal moral intuitions. Genes are not merely selfish, it appears. Instead, people seem to have deep instincts for fairness, empathy and attachment.” These studies, he believes, will prove a powerful challenge to the orthodoxy and doctrine of religion, with an emphasis on “self-transcendence…[rather than] in divine law or revelation.”

Beyond why we believe, scientists are also studying the ways in which people can train and change their brains, a field called neuroplasticity. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, research is being conducted on Tibetan monks with great experience in meditation to probe the way in which “compassion can be enhanced through practice.” Richard Davidson, a neuroscientists involved in this research, says that “there’s no question that even short-term practice produces discernible changes in the brain.”

For more, check out this episode of Dan Rather Reports:

Tags: science

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 4:15 pm and is filed under Karen Armstrong's Wish Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.