How the World Can Be the Way It Is: An Inquiry for the New Millennium into Science, Philosophy, and Perception

by Steve Hagen

Uses examples from physics, philosophy, and Zen teachings to describe a purely objective style of perception

Genres: Buddhism, Science

344 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Stephen Tokan "Steve" Hagen, Rōshi, is the founder and former head teacher of the Dharma Field Zen Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a Dharma heir of Dainin Katagiri-roshi. Additionally, he is the author of several books on Buddhism. Among them as of 2003, Buddhism Plain & Simple was one of the top five bestselling Buddhism books in the United States. In 2012, Hagen updated and revised How the World Can Be the Way It Is and published it as Why the World Doesn't Seem to Make Sense—an Inquiry into Science, Philosophy, and Perception.

Reviews

[Bob Couchenour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Hagan makes no secret of the influence of Zen Buddhism in his life from the very beginnng, and I was thus skeptical at first regarding what he might be presenting. But I was encouraged as I discovered explanations of scientific theories in the field of Quantum Physics, which I have some familiarity with, which expanded my understanding, as limited as that may be for any concerning Quantum Physics. These were brought into alignment with possibilities of "seeing" the world in a different light than what we have, for the most, been taught to "conceive". The necessity to "perceive" as opposed to "concieve" is stressed as fundamental to experiencing the "real" world, whether that which is "material" or that composed of "thought" or "spiritual".

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hagen is a scientist at heart and by profession. That has always been clear in his writings. I have thoroughly enjoyed his later works, and wanted to back track to read this one. It's incredibly scientific and mathematical. At times I found it difficult to follow; this is a work that would benefit from multiple read throughs in order to fully grasp all that Hagen's trying to say. Or, one could just read Buddhism Plain and Simple and get the layman's version.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging, fascinating book about the fundamental element of existence -consciousness. I refrained from giving five stars, because the book was a bit opaque in places. Also, the author did not give much account to instinct and evolutionary theory.

[Barbara Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fractals section is powerful. I don't much like Hagen's set-up, as it's too intellectually driven to draw me in, but there's great material here. Worth reading.

[Marcy Marisela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The enlightenment is real..

We're never called on to do what hurts. We just do what hurts out of ignorance and habit. Once we see what we're doing, we can stop.