Humans inherently seek meaning, often viewing the universe through a naturalistic lens in Western culture, assuming science offers the complete picture. Yet, a broader vision integrates science with a transcendent dimension, recognizing humans as "spiritual beings"—homo religiosus—who possess an innate "fifth dimension" allowing them to respond to a corresponding dimension of the universe. This capacity, evidenced by ancient burial practices, points to realities beyond the purely physical. The Axial Age, a pivotal period, fostered individual consciousness and a profound sense of human incompleteness—understood as sin in Semitic religions or spiritual ignorance (dukkha) in Eastern traditions. Post-axial faiths universally offer paths to transform this inherent self-centeredness into a radically new orientation centered in the Divine. The ultimate reality, termed the Transcendent or the Real, is considered "transcategorial," lying beyond direct human conceiving and the limits of our language. Therefore, religious descriptions of the Ultimate are not literal but allusive and metaphorical, reflecting how human consciousness, via its cultural and conceptual systems, interprets its "impact." This "critical realist" perspective explains how diverse religious experiences can be authentic responses to the same ultimate reality. While a naturalistic worldview can appear bleak, highlighting pervasive suffering and unfulfilled human potential, religious "big pictures" offer "cosmic optimism." This signifies a belief in the Ultimate's fundamentally benign nature and a future where human existence culminates in limitless good, often continuing beyond this present life. This profound hope is a cornerstone of faiths like Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, each offering a unique path to salvific transformation for all.
0. Introduction: The Big Picture, Beyond A Scientific Worldview
1. The Naturalistic Assumption And Its Implications
2. Naturalism: Good News or Bad News for Humanity?
3. The Big Bang And The Ambiguity Of The Universe
4. Windows On The Transcendent
6. Turning The Critical Realist Key
7. The Religious Meaning Of Life
8. Cosmic Optimism In The East.
9. Cosmic Optimism In The West
10. Beyond Concepts: The Pluralist Hypothesis And The Ineffable Real
11. Ultimate Reality: How Eastern Wisdom Bridged the Absolute and Pluralism
12. Altered States of Consciousness: Unfiltering Reality's Hidden Depths
13. Religious Experience: Unpacking Consciousness, Transcendence, and the Human Mind