Deepak Chopra's Most Recent Book - Quite a Read

[_Philo Sofee]

"You are the Universe." A most fascinating read to be sure, in light of my looking into Buddhism (at least on the intellectual level). Now before you go off on tangents and label him as woo woo or New Agey wishful thinking etc., it would pay to at least read his analysis. I found it refreshing - convincing as another view entirely - and was written with a Quantum Physicist which helped Deepak keep things on the level. I appreciated that combination as the Quantum really has changed our intellectual paradigms for reality in valid ways, and Choprah doesn't appear to me to go flying off on tangents, but kept things on a credible level. I rather liked the book myself. Worth reading, and stimulated my thinking, which is what good books are supposed to do, without question.

If anyone else has read it, what were your thoughts? Is consciousness finally going to get its due instead of being slighted since Descartes so incorrectly separated mind from nature?

[_DoubtingThomas]

"You are the Universe." A most fascinating read to be sure, in light of my looking into Buddhism (at least on the intellectual level).

Philo,

If you have the human need to just believe something then sign up for cryonics and become a transhumanist.

Sadly cryonics is a pseudoscience, but I think it is must better than religious doctrines like the Christian resurrection and Buddhism.

[_Philo Sofee]

Well, since I am exploring all options, that might be one I get to eventually....

[_DoubtingThomas]

If anyone else has read it, what were your thoughts? Is consciousness finally going to get its due instead of being slighted since Descartes so incorrectly separated mind from nature?

You should have told us about Michael Shermer's endorsement of the book. I might buy it now.

[_Philo Sofee]

If anyone else has read it, what were your thoughts? Is consciousness finally going to get its due instead of being slighted since Descartes so incorrectly separated mind from nature?

You should have told us about Michael Shermer's endorsement of the book. I might buy it now.

That is important all right. Why prejudge it however? His isn't the only blurb that raised my eyebrows and helped me decide to buy the book.... and enjoy reading it! Not that it has the last say so, but it is an interesting say so without question! As is Max Tegmark's stunning book "The Mathematical Universe." Day-um what a book!!!

[_Doctor Steuss]

If we're tossing out religion suggestions; become Druze.

[_Nomomo]

Dr. Deepak K. Chopra (born 1947) is the deepest most visible public proponent of mind-body woo, quantum woo, and alternative medicine (specifically Ayurvedic medicine). He is a writer of New Age self-help spiritual books that say things like "look around you[note 1] at the beauty of the Earth" and "look into the beauty of yourself". Chopra sells Ayurvedic medicine, which is traditional Indian medicine filtered through the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and mixed with "physics" in order to treat the dangerously low levels of money in Chopra's wallet.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Deepak_Chopra

[_cinepro]

If anyone else has read it, what were your thoughts? Is consciousness finally going to get its due instead of being slighted since Descartes so incorrectly separated mind from nature?

You should have told us about Michael Shermer's endorsement of the book. I might buy it now.

Is this really an "endorsement"? It sounds more like damning with faint praise:

“I am often asked if Deepak Chopra really believes the many controversial and provocative ideas he espouses in his many writings. Now that I have gotten to know him I can answer unequivocally in the affirmative, and there is no better encapsulation of his scientific worldview than You Are the Universe, which he co-authored with the highly respected physicist Menas Kafatos, my colleague at Chapman University. If you want to understand the worldview in which human consciousness is primary, and how that perspective can be defended through science, this is the book to read. In my own journey to better understand Deepak and his worldview this book was the most enlightening path I took.” —Michael Shermer, PhD, Publisher Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist Scientific American, Presidential Fellow Chapman University, author of The Moral Arc, The Believing Brain, and Why People Believe Weird Things

[_honorentheos]

Hey Philo,

Thought you might find these two clips interesting.

Michael Shermer talking about Deepak -
https://youtu.be/ZbkF2CPqfA0?t=123

Sean Carroll talking about the misapplication of QM by people like Deepak, talking to Joe Rogan -
https://youtu.be/UnQGX0axKWg?t=445

JRE is a lot of things, many not great but some are very much in my wheelhouse. I listen because I like MMA, comedy, and can appreciate that Joe represents most of us in being interested dummies, but is famous enough he can get quality thinkers to take the time to try and explain things so a Bro can totally not understand it but maybe kinda think they might get it.

[_Jersey Girl]

"You are the Universe." A most fascinating read to be sure, in light of my looking into Buddhism (at least on the intellectual level).

Why don't you let yourself be taught by a Buddhist? Some part of me thinks that it would fit you.

I really do.