The Dalai Lama: The Global Impact of Climate Change

What can a spiritual leader teach us about the scientific method itself? In this excerpt, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama offers his perspective on the value of scientific skepticism, praising the work and methods of skeptical scientists and encouraging open-mindedness and collaboration in the pursuit of knowledge. Rather than positioning faith and science as opposing forces, the Dalai Lama highlights the intellectual humility inherent in rigorous scientific inquiry — a quality he sees as complementary to spiritual practice. This excerpt is drawn from “The Global Impact of Climate Change,” a broader discussion he led at the University of California, San Diego in April 2012, as part of the Compassion Without Borders series. Featured as part of UCTV’s “Prime Cuts” series, this short segment distills a compelling message about the shared values of curiosity, humility, and openness that unite scientific and spiritual approaches to understanding the world.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama joins esteemed scientists Richard Somerville and Veerabhadran Ramanathan at UC San Diego to discuss the need for humanitarian values and universal responsibility in responding to the impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems. This lecture is part of the Dalai Lama’s “Compassion without Borders” symposium in San Diego. Series: “Dalai Lama” [5/2012] [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 20669]