Engaging Buddhism | Robert Wright & Jay Garfield [The Wright Show]

00:56 Teaching Buddhist philosophy
09:23 Jay’s book, Engaging Buddhism
15:54 Why “you” might not exist
24:06 Buddhism and determinism
39:48 When clarifying your view of reality makes you a better person
54:09 The error of essentialism
Robert Wright (Bloggingheads.tv, The Evolution of God, Nonzero) and Jay Garfield (Smith College, jaygarfield.org, Engaging Buddhism)
Recorded on June 1, 2017
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[@jonwhite8815]

Jay Garfield stoked my curiosity about the geneaology of the concept of free will. I love the way he deconstructs the supposed problem of free will vs determinism that so many Western philosophers have tried to contend with. Such an insightful interview and I look forward to reading his latest book.

[@stevemiller1433]

Hhghhhhhhh you vhhghhhhhhh hype guy C g C h

[@lobsangsherap2559]

Jay Garfield seems to have absorbed Buddhist teachings well. He probably had a series of highly experienced masters. What a fortunate person and hope he will impart those teachings to others

[@dannygardillia9414]

i like how your descriptions help the viewer navigate. thanks gentlemen

[@simonnathan2065]

You should get Jay back on! He has released another great book called Losing Ourselves

[@dannygardillia9414]

also just overall juicy content.

[@radioguy3193]

Nice job! :)

[@vimalkirti4845]

the self is an illusion because you are what you think - but your thinking changes all the time so your self is always changing so how can there be "a" self ?

[@kynismos]

How much can you know Buddhism, if you do not practice Buddhism?

[@demidupasan9023]

I think Buddhism is a science

[@ravivaradhan4956]

If you are teaching "Stoic philosophy," people don't ask you are you a "Stoic?" So, why do they ask whether you are a Buddhist if you teach Buddhist philosophy? Is there an implicit expectation that practice and philosophy should go together? If that is the case, shouldn't they also ask about whether you practice Socrates' philosophy or Spinoza's philosophy to professors who teach philosophy?

[@trentstrong9018]

I find it hard to believe that the concept of free will didn't exist before Saint Augustine.

[@waterkingdavid]

Yes I found this a huge stretch to say that the entire Western world as opposed to the Eastern World thinks in terms of free will because of St. Augustine. Or do I misunderstand what Jay is saying? Surely he isn't saying that?

[@tomisaacson2762]

He's talking about a particular way of conceptualizing free will. There are many others that don't posit an uncaused causer.

[@jamesstevenson7725]

The Buddhist tradition is unique

[@MrPynchon]

Garfield is the best interpreter of Mahayana in the West.

[@moesypittounikos]

if I'm not my body then who's underwear am I now wearing?

[@demidupasan9023]

Buddhism is the truth

[@bofbob1]

Can't say I find it particularly bothersome that people just say "philosophy" for "Western philosophy". Same thing happens in Chinese, but vice-versa. I've been seeing this with music theory lately. Bunch of people very intent on specifying it as "Western art music theory" or something like that, just to make it explicit in the name that it's a specific theory of music rooted in a specific tradition. I've noticed that those people aren't any better at all at approaching other musical systems than people who just say "music theory". It's as if the issue was the underlying attitudes, and not the words we happen to use...

[@bigdaddyfilmmaker]

15 minutes in and they haven’t said a goddam thing. Cue Charlie Brown’s teacher voice.

[@mary-gladyskent7709]

okay dharma and awaken? okay

[@lbdeuce]

That’s a stout ass man to be discussing Buddhism

[@vimalkirti4845]

most are too concerned with words instead of trying to understand, reflect and trying to practice to draw out the meaning and its implications on the whole life of oneself and others

[@gregjustsitting]

A billionaire would never say he built that. That is an accusation borne in envy by a non builder

[@frankfeldman6657]

interesting blah blah blah re free will-though it's kinda telling and funny that he keeps explaining it by saying, "if i..." this, "if i..." that. hahahaha

[@AtlasandLiberty]

Tell him you voted for Trump and watch unmitigated fireworks.....Then tell him AUM save me from Mara thoughts because Trump is too Great for Earth...Because he believes in the Holy Trinity and not in the Buddha's limited thinking.

[@waterkingdavid]

Trump believe in the Holy Trinity? Do you mean business, money and power? You are surely not referring to the Holy Trinity of Christianity for which Trump obviously has not the slightest respect. He wooed Christians purely for political gain. Nothing more nothing less. You do a disservice to Jesus and his teachings. Trump is about as far away from being an example of someone following Jesus's teachings as you could possibly get.

[@gregjustsitting]

I am willing to bet that their is a lot of belief in wealth re-distrubution, reparations, man made global going on in this talk. The left has co-opted Buddhism in America.

[@AtlasandLiberty]

@Khaled Rapp Says the Non-Playable Character...Ha ha ha...By the way Buddha was not in fact either Enlightened or a Buddha...Because to be enlightened Brahma/Father in Heaven must be inside the soul. P.S. Ha Ha Ha

[@if-not-now]

Robert’s neutral face is a frown