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Cosmology and Buddhist Thought: A Conversation with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson Kindle Edition

3.3 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

Cosmology and Buddhist Thought is the result of a conversation with astrophysicist and television celebrity, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, that took place in New York at the end of May, 2011.

While cosmologists look at the outer space with massive instruments and difficult calculations using mathematics, Buddhists look at inner space with mindfulness and concentration.

Both paths lead to insights about fundamental questions about why and how we got here, what we are doing here, what are our connections and interactions with the universe, and what is our destiny.

Cosmologists study life on earth from an objective point of view and examine its causes. Buddhists study life on earth with regard to understanding its challenges and how to resolve them.

Both Buddhism and cosmology recognize that we live in an emerging, evolving, and impermanent universe – everything is changing.

Dr. Tyson’s insights into the origins of life on earth, time scales, ecology, and religion are inspiring, to say the least, and extremely wise to read and contemplate.

His responsiveness to Buddhist ideas of co-dependent arising, interbeing (interconnectedness), impermanence, the self, nirvana, and consciousness demonstrates much more than a “Reader’s Digest knowledge of Buddhism.”

A close reading of the conversation reveals that Buddhist thought does not have much to contribute to cosmology. Cosmology, on the other hand, has a lot to contribute to Buddhism.
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00FM5P9F4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dr. Jerome Freedman
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 2, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 537 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 87 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.3 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

About the author

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Jerome Freedman
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Dr. Jerome Freedman is a remarkable individual whose life journey spans a diverse tapestry of roles and contributions, each reflecting his unwavering dedication to well-being, mindfulness, and the betterment of our world.

As an accomplished author, Dr. Freedman shares his wisdom and insights through a series of transformative publications, including Cosmology and Buddhist Thought: A Conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Mindfulness Breaks, Stop Cancer in its Tracks, and Healing with the Seven Principles of Mindfulness. These works serve as practical guides for those seeking mindfulness as a path to healing and personal growth.

Jerome's impactful career extends beyond writing. He is a compassionate healthcare mentor, offering invaluable guidance to individuals navigating the complexities of health and healing. His certification as a mindfulness meditation teacher and trauma-sensitive practitioner underscores his commitment to promoting mental and emotional well-being.

A resilient bladder cancer survivor since 1997, Jerome's personal journey has fueled his passion for supporting others facing health challenges. His experiences have imparted profound insights into the resilience of the human spirit.

Rooted in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, Jerome is an ordained member of the Order of Interbeing, exemplifying his dedication to mindfulness and compassionate living. His active involvement in various committees within this tradition underscores his commitment to fostering its teachings.

Currently, Jerome imparts his wisdom as a teacher of Mindfulness in Healing at the Pine Street Clinic in San Anselmo, California, where he has transitioned to virtual instruction through Zoom. He also shares daily reflections and guidance on his blog, Meditation Practices, offering a source of inspiration and mindfulness tools to a global audience.

Jerome's compassion extends to his role as a contributing author of I Am With You: Love Letters to Cancer Patients, a heartfelt collection offering support and solace to those navigating the challenges of illness, co-authored with Nancy Novak, PhD, and Barbara K. Richardson.

Beyond his contributions to healthcare and mindfulness, Jerome has made a lasting impact in advocacy. His service on the Board of Directors of the Marin AIDS Project and the Advisory Council of the Institute for Health and Healing between 2007 and 2010 highlights his commitment to community well-being.

In recent years, Jerome has been a tireless advocate for medical research, serving as a patient advocate for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) and presenting at the 2022 Bladder Cancer Summit. His advocacy has even taken him to the halls of Congress, where he passionately advocates for research funding for the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network.

Jerome is a dedicated environmental activist and a long-time contributor to the Earth Holder Sangha, the Plum Village climate response community. Through his advocacy for earth protection, he seeks to inspire positive change and stewardship of our planet.

With a Ph.D. in computer science, two master's degrees in physics, and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, Jerome bridges the worlds of science and spirituality. His thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson on cosmology and Buddhist thought in 2011 exemplifies his ability to explore the intersection of these disciplines.

Customer reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2025
    Got this book for my husband, he liked it. Thank you.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2014
    Ever have a prof who just loved to hear himself talk? Who was so supremely egotistical that he was in love with his own (specious) reasoning and assumed everyone else was, too? Yeah, that's this guy.

    I'm only sorry it cost Neil deGrasse Tyson an hour of his life (the time the author spent pontificating at him.) I cannot, in good conscience, call it an "interview". I only regret that it cost me four hours of my own life before I'd finally realized that it wasn't going to get any better. It became almost painful to read his obvious interview gaffes, one after another.

    What a disappointment for such a promising title! Two of my favorite subjects! It looked like the literary equivalent of that old Reese's commercial "Two great tastes that taste great together!" In a more competent writer's hands, this could have been really intriguing but by chapter four it was clear the guy only loved to hear himself talk and was only interested in showing off for Tyson (and frequently having to be corrected by Tyson because he'd gotten it wrong...again). What do we call it when a scientist enters into an experiment with an end result in mind, then attempts to "stack" the experiment to produce those results? That's right: bad science. The author started with a preconceived outcome in mind and then came his ham-fisted attempt to force the outcome of the interview to support his own preconceptions. That's what I call "bad writing."

    My takeaway: Go find books by Thich Nhat Hanh (whom the author frequently quotes in the beginning) and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and avoid any other books by this author. I had briefly thought "Now THAT would be the dialogue I'd love to read!" but quickly realized that wouldn't happen. Neither would feel the need.

    If I could assign "no stars" with an understood meaning of "don't waste your time," I would.
    24 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2020
    I loved reading this. It's good to find a book that will grab an atheist attention and this is it
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2025
    This is one of the worst books I've ever read. Written by someone clearly illiterate and trying to bite off someone famous to sell this trash. There are no connections as the book suggests. Do not buy this book
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2015
    Literally the best promotion for science out there. Terrible book by a Buddhist philosopher, it's almost like he didn't care.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2024
    Unbelievable. That two authors holding multiple PHD's could produce such disjointed drivel is remarkable.
    I have a hard time accepting that Dr. Tyson would sign off on this scatterbrained conversation.
    The reading of this little chapbook reminded me of a copy written in Hindi transcribed by a 5th grade student in China translated to English by another 3rd grade student.
    Ugggh!
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2017
    I enjoyed Tyson's comments.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2013
    Wow, I expected some sort of rational discussion and thoughtful writing about Buddhism and science. What Freedman self published was a 1 hour conversation where the only sense came from deGrasse Tyson, who firmly knocked aside all of Freedman's attempts to find some special harmony between science and religion, in particular Buddhism.
    Worse still, the raw transcripts of the interview are pathetically transcribed, not well proof read, and not edited for flow.
    Worst of all, Freedman uses 32 of the books 80 pages as a soapbox for his various and incoherent ideas on many topics.
    25 people found this helpful
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  • jagredondo
    1.0 out of 5 stars Decepcionante
    Reviewed in Spain on January 4, 2015
    Dos capítulos de introducción a la cosmología y al budismo (no está mal para empezar), unos cuantos dedicados a la conversación conTyson, en donde el autor no consigue de ninguna forma que el astrofísico colabore en buscar conexiones entre budismo y cosmología, para finalizar con un capítulo dedicado a los temas más variados - cambio climático, seguridad alimentaría - en definitiva un libro que aprovecha la popularidad de Tyson y su prestigio para ofrecer un producto que mas bien parece un refrito hecho a toda prisa en vez de un libro.
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