The monk and the philosopher : east meets west in a father-son dialogue / Jean François, Revel and Matthieu Ricard ; translated from the French by John Canti.

Includes bibliographical references.

From scientific research to spiritual quest -- Religion or philosophy? -- The ghost in the black box -- A science of the mind -- Looking for reality: Buddhist metaphysics -- Acting on the world and acting on oneself -- Buddhism and the West -- Religious and secular spirituality -- Tracing violence to its sources -- Wisdom, science, and politics -- The red flag on the roof of the world -- Buddhism: decline and renaissance -- Faith, ritual, and superstition -- Buddhism and death -- The supremacy of the individual -- Buddhism and psychoanalysis -- Cultural influences and spiritual tradition --Progress and novelty -- The monk's questions to the philosopher -- The philosopher's conclusion -- The monk's conclusion.