Much like physicists, Eastern mystics learn through observation.

Similarly, there’s a rational element to Eastern mysticism. Nonetheless, the rational side of physics also enjoys an intuitive component scientists would never get anywhere without the creativity needed to develop theories and gain new insights. They seek a nonintellectual experience of reality that can be obtained through meditative states of consciousness. It’s a practice of measuring and quantifying to classify and analyze material reality.īy contrast, Eastern mystics are more interested in intuitive knowledge that goes beyond intellectual positions or sensory perceptions. For instance, science is widely considered the realm of rational knowledge. While they’re clearly distinct, both forms can be seen in Western science and Eastern mysticism alike. That being said, the two domains have compelling parallels, all of which begin with the human notion of “knowledge.” Generally speaking, knowledge can be broken into two forms, the rational and the intuitive. Physics is a science expressed through the highly precise and rational language of mathematics, while Eastern mysticism, encompassing the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, is a spiritual discipline based primarily on meditation. What do modern physics and Eastern mysticism have in common? At first glance, it may seem like nothing at all. why there is no space without time, and no time without space.how particles and waves can be seen as a parallel to yin and yang and.what sort of paradoxes are found in both quantum physics and Eastern religions.In this summary of The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra, you’ll learn Whether it’s the basic interconnectedness of all particles or the nature of space and time in Einstein’s theory of relativity, it seems that Eastern religions have been presenting similar concepts for millennia.Īlthough science has made huge strides since the book’s first publication in 1975, The Tao of Physics remains a source of inspiration for believers and atheists alike. But as you’ll see in this book summary, when we compare some of the fundamental notions of the major Eastern religions – namely Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism – with modern science, especially modern physics, we see many similarities. Science and religion are often considered entirely disparate concepts and a clear line is often drawn between Western “rational thinking” and more intuitive or spiritually oriented Eastern schools of thought.

The tao of physics