The Meaning of Life in the 21st Century

About the Book

A collection of twenty cutting-edge essays on issues raised by biotechnology's increasing impact on humans and nature, The Meaning of Life in the 21st Century provides a forward-looking discussion by a wide array of prominent experts on where today's scientific discoveries are taking humankind. The theme is that there are expanded perspectives for retaining unique meanings of being human in the 21st century.

This collection is the result of a 2005 conference organized by the Yoko Civilization Research Institute of Japan. Organized into themes by Dr. Don Hanlon Johnson, these essays present deeply informed, sometimes conflicting views of complex issues, which, in the contemporary world, are inescapably global, including:

• Science and religion in a pivotal age
• Science, experience, and values
• Stem cells, embryos, and the meaning of embodiment
• Enhancement and transformative practices
• Religion and ecology: a growing alliance

Bringing a diversity of prominent thinkers from several continents to the scientific, sociopolitical, and religious issues at the forefront of contemporary challenges, this collection makes clear that the world is now a community which faces these issues together. This serious, thoughtful book, rich in dialogue, provides hope for new perspectives for developing a positive, sustainable future.

About the Author

Don Hanlon Johnson, Ph.D., is professor and founder of the graduate studies program in Somatics at the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. In this book, he presents essays from a 2005 international conference of the Yoko Civilization Research Institute of Japan.