The Science of the 1st Person: Its Principles, Practice and Potential

by Douglas E. Harding

This book is about the heart of religious experience, namely Enlightenment (which is finding the truth concerning oneself), and about science (which is finding the truth concerning other things), and about the relationship between them. It claims that Enlightenment is more truly scientific than science itself; and that, without Enlightenment, science is only half the story and therefore full of contradictions, of insoluble problems both theoretical and practical. It shows how, when at last one turns one's attention round and ceases to overlook the Looker--the 1st Person at the near end of one's microscope or telescope or spectacles--these contradictions are resolved. Some 37 examples are given, taken from such diverse fields as physics, mathematics, semantics, epistemology, and psychotherapy, to show how nothing less than Enlightenment makes sense and works out. The Reader will find that Enlightenment is not, after all, an unattainable mystery, but perfectly natural and instantly accessible to anyone who carries out the simple test--the basic experiment of the Science of the 1st Person-- which this book describes. Of Harding's numerous works, the most comprehensive is The Hierarchy of Heaven and A New Diagram of Man in the Universe , the best-known is On Having No The Rediscovery of the Obvious , and the most thorough and rigorous is The Science of the 1st Its Principles, Practice and Potential.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Psychology

128 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Horia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to call this book unconvincing.
It starts with a promise that it's going to prove the assertions that it makes, but it falls short on that. I read a couple of chapters (10-12) that don't have clear proof nor exercises that could be used to construct a proof.
Without proof, all 37 chapters remain just fiction for me.

[AP Dwivedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Most of this book was a profound and articulate description of first principles. But ghosts? Put another way, chapters 26 and 27 disagreed with chapter 10, whereas SCIENCE-1 and SCIENCE-3 must still agree.

[Sirius B · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion Douglas Harding was the greatest sage of the 20th century. He wrote many excellent books, but this is my favourite.
Unless you're a terminal materialist, this work of genius will point you straight back to your original nature and gently but firmly encourage you to remain here.
Whereas someone like Alan Watts waxed lyrical on spiritual subjects, eloquently entertaining the mind, but not really making much of an impression, Douglas hits the spot over and over again. He demystifies everything with such mind stopping candour that the real mystery is revealed as ones own subjective nature.

[Stanley Biggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first glance childishly silly; but it’s value lies in actually performing the simple experiments and enquiries for yourself. I did the headless experiments a couple of years ago and felt “so what”, but this time around it is quite profound. This book starts from enquiry rather than touting any esoteric, mythical or mystical assertions. Simply written from an enquiring mindset which I found so natural to my Western background. And it is perhaps exactly that matter-of-fact western-scientific angle which makes this book so accessible and a treasure.

[Daniel Greenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

One of The best books that I’ve read on the topic of the first person perspective/1st personal giveness /mindfulness. Simple clear and concise. I wish that I have read this book 50 years ago.

[Daniel Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awakening made simple, and more achievable than ever.