The Tao of Physics (Flamingo): An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism (Flamingo)

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The Tao is a dynamic force too: “Returning is the motion of the Tao” and “going far means returning”, said Lao Tzu in the 7th century BC.

Most physicists assume this growth will go on forever, but others say it will slow down one day and maybe even begin to contract. In either case: its movement is never going to stop. Movement is a fundamental rule for all entities big and small, from planets to subatomic particles. He has written popular books on the implications of science, notably The Tao of Physics, subtitled An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism. The Tao of Physics asserts that both physics and metaphysics lead inexorably to the same knowledge. After touring Germany in the early 1980s, Capra co-wrote Green Politics with author Charlene Spretnak in 1984. The Tao of Physicsbrought the mystical implications of subatomic physics to popular consciousness for the very first time. Many books have been written in the ensuing years about the connections between quantum theory and the ideas of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism, butFritjofCapra’s text serves as the foundation on which the others have been built—and its wisdom has stood the test of time. Its publication in more than twenty-three languages stands as testimony to its universal applicability and its enduring significance. Leon M. Lederman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and current Director Emeritus of Fermilab, criticized both The Tao of Physics and Gary Zukav's The Dancing Wu Li Masters in his 1993 book The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What Is the Question? [9]The Taoist master Lao Tzu also taught that there’s an energy that pervades and unites everything, such as the Hinduist Brahman and the Buddhist Dharmakaya. He called it the Tao, or “the way”. But there’s more! Einstein even discovered that matter and energy are also just two different aspects of the same reality. This is the deep meaning of his famous formula: E = mc2. Any amount of energy can be represented as a certain mass at a certain speed and vice versa. A special edition of the “brilliant” best-selling classic on the paradoxes of modern physics and their relationship to concepts of Eastern mysticism ( New York Magazine) In 1929, the astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the universe was born around 10 billion years ago from a big explosion called the Big Bang. Since then, it had kept on slowly expanding. I joined the Vedanta Society in early 2000s, and a man named Dave DeLuca came to the temple in San Diego and gave a lecture on The Four Yugas. He had a section in it where he talked about Quantum Physics. Much like Capra’s book, he used the teachings of Quantum theory as a way to compare it with Hinduism. I liked his lecture so much that obtained his lecture and still have it. It wasn’t the comparison to Hinduism that I liked, but the way physicists saw the nature of reality. (I didn’t last in Vedanta, but that is another story.)

I showed the manuscript to him chapter by chapter, briefly summarizing the content of each chapter and emphasizing especially the topics related to his own work. Heisenberg was most interested in the entire manuscript and very open to hearing my ideas. I told him that I saw two basic themes running through all the theories of modern physics, which were also the two basic themes of all mystical traditions-the fundamental interrelatedness and interdependence of all phenomena and the intrinsically dynamic nature of reality. Heisenberg agreed with me as far as physics was concerned and he also told me that he was well aware of the emphasis on interconnectedness in Eastern thought. However, he had been unaware of the dynamic aspect of the Eastern world view and was intrigued when I showed him with numerous examples from my manuscript that the principal Sanskrit terms used in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy- brahman, rta, lila, karma, samsara, etc.-had dynamic connotations. At the end of my rather long presentation of the manuscript Heisenberg said simply: "Basically, I am in complete agreement with you." Peter Woit (2006). Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law. Basic Books. pp.141–145. ISBN 978-0-465-09275-8. One of the most disrupting concepts in Einstein’s theory of relativity was that time and space are interdependent. Since light takes time to reach the human eyes, the further an event takes place from an observer, the later it occurs. Energy itself is also a form of movement in the form of waves and particle vibrations. Clearly, the dance of elements in our universe never stops! Lesson 3: Eastern wisdom has known reality is oneness and dynamism for millennia.The highest spiritual state one can achieve in Hinduism is liberation. It happens when you are able to feel this unity and constant movement. However, liberation is not something you can achieve using rationality. You can only develop your perception through the practice of yoga and meditation. Born in Vienna, Austria, Capra attended the University of Vienna, where he earned his PhD in theoretical physics in 1966. He conducted research in particle physics and systems theory at the University of Paris (1966–1968), the University of California, Santa Cruz (1968–1970), the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (1970), Imperial College, London (1971–1974) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (1975–1988). While at Berkeley, he was a member of the Fundamental Fysiks Group, founded in May 1975 by Elizabeth Rauscher and George Weissmann, which met weekly to discuss philosophy and quantum physics. [3] He also taught at U.C. Santa Cruz, U.C. Berkeley, and San Francisco State University. One of the key concepts of Hinduism is Brahman, the inner essence of all things. What’s more, it sees the world as an ever-changing reality, where things and their mutual connections evolve continuously. Learning from Leonardo: Decoding the Notebooks of a Genius (2013), offers a glimpse into the works of the prescient thinker, Leonardo da Vinci, whose pioneering genius contributed to many scientific fields. Eastern religions discourage rationality. They say we should find knowledge by intuition, through which we might learn to perceive immeasurable truths.