Thinking Beyond Materialism: A Contemplative Manifesto

Draws on the revolutionary discoveries of modern physics to reveal a universe built on experience and relationship, offering a new foundation for an ethical and spiritual life. For centuries, science and spirituality have been viewed as irreconcilable. For the physicist Arthur Zajonc, this conflict is based on a profound misunderstanding. The true obstacle is not science itself but its entanglement with scientific materialism—a philosophy that, Zajonc argues, has been dismantled by the very discoveries of twentieth-century physics. In Thinking Beyond Materialism, Zajonc takes the reader on a journey through the implications of relativity and quantum mechanics, revealing a universe built not on inert matter but on the inner dimensions of human experience, relationship, and a productive, existential ambiguity. Drawing on his dual expertise as a physicist and meditation teacher, and his pioneering work with the Mind & Life Institute and the Dalai Lama, Zajonc charts a path toward a new worldview. The result is a "contemplative manifesto" that moves beyond outdated dogmas, proposing a science that befriends subjectivity, embraces holism, and rediscovers a firm foundation for an ethical and spiritual life.

Book details

• Publication date: 1 July 2026
• Page count: 224
• Dimensions: Height 229 mm; Width 152 mm
• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9798855808049