Book Description

Ideas can change the world but rarely do. Some call for pause. What if Western thought is warped by an illusion so compelling that it affects almost every aspect of our understanding, including modern science? Scientists look for objective knowledge. But suppose the distinction between the subjective mind and the objective reality does not exist. Fathoming this is called nondual awareness, and it is so counterintuitive that it remains rare. Nonetheless, reason demands a nondual world, as Existential Rationalism explains. This has far-reaching consequences. For example, science relies heavily on replicable experiments. But without an objective reality, what makes empirical data scientific? To answer this question, Eschauzier goes back nearly three centuries when David Hume made his case for empiricism, challenging the validity of pure reason to obtain scientific knowledge. Rationalism never recovered from Hume's challenge. Eschauzier argues that nondual awareness is the missing insight to reinstate reason as the supreme scientific principle: Without an objective reality, reason justifies empirical science. Thus revitalized, the principles of rational thought can still provide groundbreaking clarity today. From understanding the dualistic disposition in psychology to debunking the quantum computer mythology, Existential Rationalism is a trailblazing synthesis of Western rationalism and Eastern nondualism. "I am a firm believer that great things happen when different practices and schools of thought converge to create something new. Arts and hard sciences are often pitted against each other as contradictory and opposite ends of our spectrum of knowledge. This book is a wonderful example of how philosophy and science can be integrated to deepen our understanding of both. [...] Kudos to the author for this inspiring contribution to the world!"-Amazon customer