AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion

News & Events: Public Lecture

Cosmology and Kabbalah
29 November 2001

 

Central questions of the Kabbalah, "Why did God do it?” or "How did God do it?” share some fascinating and instructive similarities with contemporary cosmology. Similarities between the modern picture of the Big Bang and the Kabbalistic cosmology of Medieval Jewish mysticism will be presented. The social role of the Kabbalistic cosmology, and the possible social and ethical impacts of modern cosmology will be discussed. Lawrence Kushner will also share some short passages on a new Kabbalistic novel he is working on whose characters are obsessed with finding out the answers.

Keynote speaker:

• Joel Primack, Ph.D. , Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Respondent:

• Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Rabbi-in-Residence, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion