Handbook home
The Art and Science of Meditation (MULT10020)
Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
Semester 2
Principal Coordinator:
Dr Haisu Sun
haisu.sun@unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject draws on history, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, cognitive neuroscience, and psychology to explore the traditional contexts and contemporary application of mindfulness, meditation and other contemplative practices to day-to-day life. There will be an emphasis on evidence and rationale for the validity (or otherwise) of such practices to achieve individual and societal goals. The subject will integrate 1st person (experiential), 2nd person (intersubjective) and 3rd person (objective) forms of inquiry. This approach will help students build an integrated understanding of contemplative practices and their place in 21st Century existence.
Students will develop critical insight into the history and contemporary practice of meditation, and what we know about certain implementations (e.g. ritual practice, smartphone apps, online programs, healthcare-based courses). We will also raise important ethical questions about where and when such practices may or may not be appropriate (e.g. schools, business, military) and the diverse and potentially contradictory aims held by individuals, organisations and traditions in relation to them. Partnered with direct practice in types of meditation from varying religious and secular traditions, students will gain both academic and practical insight into how contemplative practices work and what they can and cannot offer.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Articulate and apply concepts from multiple disciplines to the critical understanding of contemplative practices
- Identify and interpret empirical research on mindfulness, meditation and other contemplative practices
- Use styles of reasoning and evidence from multiple disciplines to assess the role of contemplative practices in addressing individual and societal challenges
- Analyse disagreement and criticism relating to varying conceptualisations of meditation practices and their optimal applications to individual and societal challenges
- Evaluate their own values, goals and approach to meaning in relation to scientific, philosophical, sociological, and anthropological reasoning
- Engage with, and reflectively consider, forms of contemplative practice and meditative experience from a first-person perspective
Generic skills
- Critical thinking and reasoning;
- Written, spoken and interpersonal communication;
- Perspective taking;
- Global citizenship;
- Self-awareness and reflection;
- Evidence synthesis
Last updated: 8 November 2024