Over all a good piece however you go a bit far when you say thatscience can't not shed light on everything. It can and will, even the human mind.
Can the author give an insight into nature that science can not shed light on rather then the vague assertions in this peice. Buddhism may help guide your life and may help you to understand yourself, but I don't think it gives you any better information then say a good mental health counsellor would.

This is an interesting article Ian.

I agree intrinsically that science assists human beings in understanding the world but for some there is a need for spiritual enlightenment that science cannot provide.

Buddhism is certainly one way to achieve that spirituality, but religion will probably be with us for some time yet, many being born into the belief of a supernatural deity.

Not all concepts of Buddhism are rooted in science such as reincarnation. Buddhism is similar to mainstream religions in that it believes in the concept of doing good in this life to be able to achieve a positive reincarnation experience in the next life. This is akin to the stick and carrot approach of religions like Christianity (heaven and hell).

It appears for some to find spiritual peace or happiness some form of organised religion or way-of-life groups like Buddhism are important, which suggests as you say that there are some aspects of the human psychology which manifests this need.

Perhaps in the Western world it is because most of our Maslow hierarchical needs are met and some might seek a 'higher meaning', whereas those in poorer nations seek religion as comfort for not having met those basic needs. The human mind is certainly an interesting organ.

What a refreshing change, especially compared to the usual christian attempts to reconcile science, religion and Spirituality with their ding-bat theology and their mommy-daddy "creator" or santa claus good-luck god-ideas.

Also refreshing because it uses simple 21st century reality-language.

The quantum physicist David Bohm had a series of conversations re Buddhism and science with the Dalai Llama some years back.

a religion that does not have man accounting for his actions is very attractive to many who want to enjoy their sin and pretend they won't be answerable for it. It actually fits in quite well with secular humanism and its dogmas. In this life you can hide behind Buddha or you can hide behind pseudo science but Christ is the only One who can forgive your corruption and sin. It is Him you will be answerable to not some man whose flesh rotted long ago.

Ah, so this is why Buddhist nations consistently lead the world in scientific research and discovery!

Hang on...

Yes, science and religion are both belief systems. The only difference between them is that science works, and religion doesn't. When you get an aircraft to fly by chanting mantras, let me know.

I agree that Buddhism is compatible with science as taught by the Buddha, however it is most usually practised as a combined religion and culture, which unfortunately detracts from the key "no attachment" message.
Fundamental Buddhism acknowledges that all is due to Kamma (or Karma), which is literally: cause and effect. this acknowledges that the scientific method can and should work and there is no room for supernatural agents. There is also the recognition that "things" are processes and processes are "things". People consist of atoms. It is not the atoms that are special but their arrangement in space and time. The pattern of the process makes the particular atoms in your body "special"...next year there will be mostly new atoms yet because the essential pattern remains the same, you still exist.
Reincarnation is mostly misunderstood: Given an infinite universe/multiverse, the "essential" pattern that is you can/will/does exist in countless instances. Whilst living you can decide what is essential to you, and therefore decide your essence...which can then be considered a start-point in countless other instances. It is true that the enlightened create their own heaven, and the damned create their own hell. Forget the simplistic: Live-Die-Reincarnate...this is only a "lie to children" or straw man. The real picture, as with real science, is vastly more multidimensional.
Buddhism is regularly re-discovered by any rational mind that seeks spirit without abandoning rationality, indeed I couldn't believe how similar my own personal philosophy based on strict "no supernatural" fits in with the core of Buddhist thought. Just beware of the cultural aspects when looking into it...just because it is said "Buddhists believe" does not make it so, and if so it is often not Buddhism.
Good article!