tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13617569.post7505297016035274214..comments2024-03-27T02:13:58.088-07:00Comments on Integral Options Cafe: Sam Harris picks a fight with God (as usual)william harrymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06981478282688361274noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13617569.post-63491947383353264852010-02-26T15:02:50.976-07:002010-02-26T15:02:50.976-07:00Yeah, I think it was in various radio/video interv...Yeah, I think it was in various radio/video interviews that I heard the most about Harris's personal experiences regarding meditation. Below are a couple of written interviews where he impressed me with his grasp of meditative states. Of course, he could just know this stuff on a cognitive level. I don't know. In the Science Network interview he does mention that when 9/11 happened, he had already been "studying meditation" for a decade. Not sure if that means practicing regularly. <br /><br />Have a great weekend, Bill!<br /><br />http://www.slumdance.com/blogs/brian_flemming/archives/001324.html<br /><br />http://thesciencenetwork.org/media/videos/295/Transcript.pdfBobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11085360049433404620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13617569.post-80838416520412716282010-02-26T14:30:40.586-07:002010-02-26T14:30:40.586-07:00Hey Bob,
I was not aware that Harris had been doi...Hey Bob,<br /><br />I was not aware that Harris had been doing meditation that long - I have not heard and read about that. I remember him mentioning a year or two ago that he had done a 3 week retreat (or maybe a month), and that he had maintained the practice.<br /><br />A long-term practice is even better. It only Dan Siegel a one-month retreat to change the whole focus of his research in neuroscience, so maybe Harris will follow the same path and start looking at the deeper aspects of meditative brain states.<br /><br />I like Harris, too, despite my occasional frustration with him (like when he argued in favor of torture).<br /><br />Peace,<br />Billwilliam harrymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06981478282688361274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13617569.post-4016006932083024722010-02-26T09:15:03.156-07:002010-02-26T09:15:03.156-07:00Bill,
I agree, Harris most definitely is not a ty...Bill,<br /><br />I agree, Harris most definitely is not a typical atheist given his interest in meditation and his advocating for a contemplative science. I don't think "dabbling" is an apt term to describe his experience with meditation, though. He studied with meditation masters in India and Nepal, and as far I tell from his numerous articles and interviews, he has been practicing meditation for about twenty years. He doesn't talk much about the specifics of his practice, and calls his gains in this area "modest," but perhaps he is really just being modest. In any event, his descriptions of meditative states are as clear as any I have read, so I see no reason to assume he's a mere dabbler.<br /><br />But then again, I'm a big fan of the guy, and so I tend to rise to his defense even when he's not being criticized!Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11085360049433404620noreply@blogger.com