The Quiet Mind: Science, Culture, and Contemplation in a Post-Pandemic World

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A lecture by ICE Fellow Matthew C. Nisbet

During his ICE fellowship, Matthew Nisbet is researching a book length project that examines the intersections among Buddhist meditation, yoga, and stoicism; their shared histories and philosophical underpinnings; the scientific mysteries (and deep uncertainties) of how these practices might influence our mind and bodies; the reasons for their rising popularity in North America, the U.K., and other Anglo-sphere countries; and the essential lessons that these ancient traditions hold for living a better life in today’s accelerating culture and post-pandemic world. Drawing on a common stream of philosophy originating around the 6th century BCE, contemporary teachings about meditation, yoga, and stoicism share similar points of emphasis which include 1) the core problems of suffering and seeing reality clearly; 2) the transitory, impermanent nature of our lives and the events around us; 3) the recognition that our perception of reality is clouded by elaborate delusions made worse by an individualistic and consumerist society; and 4) that confused thinking and suffering can be managed by way of contemplation, self-mastery, and self-restraint. In his presentation, Nisbet will outline the emerging framework by which he is tackling the topic and present preliminary findings on how Buddhist meditation and mindfulness have been portrayed over the past four decades in the U.S. and U.K. elite press, including scientific claims about meditation’s effects on emotion, behavior, and health.

Recorded live online on September 25, 2020