--- product_id: 46125276 title: "Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion)" brand: "b. alan wallace" price: "$54.13" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 6 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/46125276-mind-in-the-balance-meditation-in-science-buddhism-and-christianity store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion) **Brand:** b. alan wallace **Price:** $54.13 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion) by b. alan wallace - **How much does it cost?** $54.13 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/46125276-mind-in-the-balance-meditation-in-science-buddhism-and-christianity) ## Best For - b. alan wallace enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted b. alan wallace brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion) ## Images ![Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion) - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Z5Bxc2ipL.jpg) ![Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion) - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51laTtNTP+L.jpg) ![Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity (Columbia Series in Science and Religion) - Image 3](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31CuGPDF9VL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐ Needs a more tolerant attitude towards his prospective partners *by J***Z on Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2015* I've given this book three stars because I find it difficult to rate. There are two parts to this book: the lesser part on Wallace's discontents with science, and the greater on Buddhism. Wallace also compares Buddhist ideas about meditation to various Christian mystics. Mr. Wallace, who was a monk for fourteen years and has an undergraduate degree in physics and the philosophy of science, as well as a doctorate in religious studies has impressive credentials for both parts of his work.I recommend knowing the basics of Buddhism before reading this book, because Wallace writes assuming some prior knowledge on the part of the reader and his focus is on meditation and mental states. Wallace spends a great deal of the book discussing meditative techniques alternating with chapters explaining the theory.As I read through Wallace's rants against science, I began to wish that I could tell him to sit down, try to calm his mind, and take deep breaths. Inhale peace, exhale frustration. Ask yourself: just why are you so angry? Despite his credentials, he seems to be be on a hobby horse about science, ignoring all nuance. Does he get equally upset about other religions that don't believe in reincarnation? This is best demonstrated by the fact that he will rave against science's materialism, and then tell us about experiments in which scientists study Buddhist practitioners. He is outraged by something one scientist said, and rails against all of science, and a couple of pages later be citing a scientist whose views he likes. He is also frequently speaking of psychology, whose credentials as a science, especially in earlier times, are somewhat dubious, often complaining about already discredited or modified ideas. In some ways, this is odd for an adherent of a religion whose founder said that one should not trust teachers, traditions, or scriptures, but test his ideas empirically and see if they work. I think that the idea of science studying meditators and other people who enter into altered states of mind is excellent, but I think Wallace would be better off with a more positive attitude toward his prospective partners. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extraordinary *by T***E on Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2009* The book deals a devastating blow to the cognitive sciences as practiced today. Wallace argues that cognitive scientists and neuroscientists hold materialism -- the view that consciousness can be explained on a physical level -- as dogma. These fields tend to dismiss what may be learned from direct contemplation of the mind. In a simple and brilliant stroke, Wallace shows materialism to be a faith-based view. Why? The physical basis of consciousness has not been established. Wallace quotes Christoph Koch, a leading neuroscientist at CalTech, who says that the relationship between consciousness and the physical brain remains a mystery.Another deft move in the book is Wallace's revival of introspection as a means of understanding the mind. He revisits the early history of modern psychology when William James viewed introspection as a research method. Later, during the rise of behaviorism and the cognitive revolution, introspection was pooh-poohed as "unscientific." Behaviorists believed anything that could not be observed and measured empirically was not real. Wallace exposes this as nonsense. He suggests that meditation, being a direct experience of the mind, is akin to James' introspection, and has yielded profound insights into consciousness which can inform the cognitive sciences.A third line of inquiry explores whether nature has an absolute reality outside of human perceptions, or instead, nature can only be understood through the language and tools we bring to bear on it (a Phenomenalist view). Wallace highlights the work of distinguished contemporary scholars and scientists who have arrived at the latter view. He ties this view back to the Buddhist teaching that the entire world emerges from the "substrate" and returns to it. It is striking that certain strands of Western science and philosophy have ended up in the same territory as Buddhist contemplative wisdom.Throughout the book, Wallace fishes out prominent and obscure figures from history: Pythagoras, Nicholas of Cusa, Franklin Merrell-Wolff, Richard Feynman, and Düdjom Lingpa, to name just a few. Wallace nimbly traverses the fields of history, philosophy, science, and religion.The author's voice is lucid, even-keeled, and confident. But taken as a whole, the book deals a withering blow to certain received truths of Western science. The contrast between the calm lucidity of the prose and the force of its argument is quite pleasing! But the book is much more than a critique of science as we know it; it offers a vision for how a contemplative perspective can enrich scientific inquiry.Wallace's ideas should be considered carefully by cognitive scientists of all stripes, philosophers of science, and anyone interested in the encounter between Western and Buddhist worldviews. I also give it the highest recommendation to any inquiring person who is willing to let his curiosity lead him into new territory. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Contemplative practices in Christianity *by R***A on Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2018* I am born a Hindu and I have deep interest in Buddhism. I had wondered about the contemplative practices in Christianity and this book turned out to be what I needed. Kudos to the author for writing such an informative book. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/46125276-mind-in-the-balance-meditation-in-science-buddhism-and-christianity](https://www.desertcart.us/products/46125276-mind-in-the-balance-meditation-in-science-buddhism-and-christianity) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-05-19*