Society for the Integration of Science and Human Values (SISHV)

The Society for the Integration of Science and Human Value (SISHVa) is a member The Local Societies Initiatives that have societies in thirty seven countries. The Local Societiea is one of the projects intiated by the Metanexus Institutes; Metanexus Institute is a Philadelphia-based educational center that promotes the engagement between science and religion from a religious perspective. It seeks to advance research, education and outreach on the interplay of religion and science.

SISHVa takes into account the fact that in the Sri Lankan context the major religious tradition that has influenced people’s thinking and behaviour is Buddhism. While recognizing the significance of other major religious traditions that have a deeply humanizing influence the special focus of the group will be on the integration of science and human values based on the doctrinal elements contained in the Buddhist tradition.

The society seeks to make people aware of the fact that the parting of ways between those who recognize the value of science and those who recognize the wisdom contained in spiritual traditions is due to a lack of an understanding of the underlying unity and the possibility of integrating these two seemingly divergent modes of human thought. A narrow materialistic

scientism is as damaging as a narrow spiritualistic idealism. Modern man can no longer reject science. Nor can he restrict himself to a lifestyle devoid of moral and spiritual concerns.

The Society main objective is to dispel certain established myths and dogmas and open up new avenues of thinking that could lead to a more complete realization of the human potential.

In the first year of the Society held five Dialogues and numerous other activities that were attended both by the academia and the general public. The Societies is in the process of publishing the proceeding from the talks given in the various Dialogues.

The Society proposed programs for the second year :

Topics for 2006-2007

• Meditation and Yoga – the Search for Change in Human Behaviour
• Religious Behaviour from the Perspective of Social Sciences
• Religious Incentive for Environmental Friendly Behaviour
• Social Development Through Religious Ideas
• Role of Religion in Conflict Behaviour