From: Anders Sandberg
>Is it just me, or doesn't it look like there is ample room for an
>interesting synthesis of transhumanist thinking with some of the
>eastern philosophical systems without having to throw important things
>like critical thinking and empiricism overboard (as you often have to
>do when trying it with western religions)?
Yes, I think so. Like other aspects of emerging singularity-related acceleration, the convergence of science and contemplative approaches seems entirely appropriate, if not inevitable. Notwithstanding the mysticism of books such as _The Tao of Physics_ (familiar to many on this list, no doubt), prominent men and women of science have occasionally offered enlightened comments concerning cosmology and the significance of life. Remember, for example, Einstein's famous line, "God does not play dice." (So, Pascal, take your silly wager and... )
As an aside (and hopefully not to affend anyone), what does "western
religions" mean?
Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all come from the Middle East. Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Taoism all come from the East. "western religion" must mean
Paganism, Animism, and Shamanism?
-zen