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73rd out of 283 books
—
176 voters
A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science & Spirituality
by
Ken Wilber
Here is a concise, comprehensive overview of Wilber's revolutionary thought and its application in today's world. In A Theory of Everything, Wilber uses clear, nontechnical language to present complex, cutting-edge theories that integrate the realms of body, mind, soul, and spirit. He then demonstrates how these theories and models can be applied to real-world problems in...more
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
October 16th 2001
by Shambhala
(first published 1996)
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I thought Wilber did at best an incomplete job of fulfilling the extraordinary aspirations of this title. Admittedly, his TOE could only be a philosophical (metaphysical) foundation rather than natural (scientific) one, but even in this context I was left with only glimmers of a truly compete theoretical structure. The assumption that Wilber builds his theory upon- a "Great Chain of Being and Knowing- from matter to body to mind to soul to spirit"- in his own terms, holarchy, is a good one, but...more
As a philosophy, Integral Theory is both extremely promising and profoundly useful. Wilber's approach, which draws heavily from a field called Spiral Dynamics, offers a uniquely sensible framework in which to understand the seemingly disjointed myriad of systems of thought that have developed throughout history (the key word being "developed," considering Wilber's focus on the concept of evolution). More generally, Integral Theory itself represents a basic conceptual platform on which to formula...more
Post Modern - Cosmic Humanist
Most essential Wilber book. Easy read. Ken Wilber's seminars are attended by the elites - Bush, Blair, etc. Wilber’s books are vital for understanding where our society is headed. He has been called "the father of Post-Modernism". Some good, some lies. I think Wilber has a lot right but has dangerous perspectives on globalism and sexuality.
Most essential Wilber book. Easy read. Ken Wilber's seminars are attended by the elites - Bush, Blair, etc. Wilber’s books are vital for understanding where our society is headed. He has been called "the father of Post-Modernism". Some good, some lies. I think Wilber has a lot right but has dangerous perspectives on globalism and sexuality.
I read this book again recently. I wasn't as annoyed by it the second time as I was the first time. Perhaps I've mellowed with age. However, I still don't understand what the 'big deal" is about Wibur's thought. His prose is not as jargony and seemingly willfully undecipherable as it is in other of his works, but this still reads to me like a graduate school summary of thought (without citing all the sources, I might add). This book is valuable in that it gives the 50K foot flyover view of Wilbu...more
This book answered my search for ways to put perspectives in context, largely through memes, archetypes, metaphors (dead or alive) & belief systems. It explains how the humankind went from egocentric consciousness (don't tell me what to do) to tribal consciousness (don't tell my group how to behave) to care, love, patience and gratitude for all living things unknown and known, even if some of your own kind despite you. The philosophy of Ken Wilber is written across a large collection of publ...more
Nov 10, 2008
lallyiam
added it
The Integral Theory that Wilber introduces here, provides the best explanation I have read on how to approach the social challenges of our times in such a way as to bring sustained change and find solutions that can work for everyone, incorporating our differing views. The meme structure highlighted here is revolutionary, and I believe places the world and the conflicting view points of the world in a more manageable context. Although it is clearly not a theory of everything, it does incorporate...more
IMHO - this one is a must read. The title is ambitious, some might even say pretentious - but it's accurate. The book provides a framework that can be applied in the study of almost anything, although it clearly most applicable in the humanities: social sciences, politics, history, etc.
Ken Wilber is an amazing thinker. Think secular humanist, Zen master scientist/mystic and you're getting close. This is an interesting attempt to combine all of human experience, physical, mental, social, and spiritual, into one unified whole. Spiral dynamics rocks. Are you an authoritative, religious Blue? A career driven, super-consumer Orange? An environmentally friendly Green? Or have you, like most folks who find themselves nerding around on a booklovers social network, evolved beyond merel...more
Ken Wilber is an incredible intellectual and author. He is a great source for those of us who enjoy exploring the crossroads between philosophy, science, and spirituality.
This is probably Wilber's best book. It is certainly the best introduction to Integral Theory.
This is probably Wilber's best book. It is certainly the best introduction to Integral Theory.
A profound attempt to unite political philosophy, human development, science, religion, and so on. Brilliant, no question about it, despite getting a bit vague and touchy-feely at times. It's surprisingly accessible too. Recommended.
Brilliance, pure brilliance. The integral model created by Ken is complex yet simple and very robust. It's a mainstay of my work and how I look at the world. My copy is full of dog-eared pages!
Dec 15, 2012
Hira
is currently reading it
On chap3 and trying to wrap my head around spiral dynamics and pre/post fallacy. Incredibly interesting. And fascinating. Written in very clear, concise prose. But confusing at times for me.
Feb 19, 2009
Sebastian
is currently reading it
Recommends it for:
People who are bored, and exploring meaning while letting life pass them by
Recommended to Sebastian by:
Required reading for Doctoral Program
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Wilber's All-quadrant, All-level approach has helped clarify many things I have grappled with in the past, and given me a resulting insight into many of today's issues.
What the hell was he thinking? Seriously. Not worth the time, and I would say not worth the effort, but it requires none to understand it...very simple.
Taken from the roots of 'A Brief History of Everything' this dives into some of the topics on a deeper level, a in a more metaphysical perspective
Excellent companion to Don Beck's Spiral Dynamics. For those interested in evolutionary sociology/psychology/culture, this is a must read.
The all quadrant, all levels approach.....rarely has anyone impressed me more with the quality of thinking that KW brings to bear.
Just as I suspected, Ken Wilber is a contemporary genius. His clear, practical writing is the perfect intro to a subject which is far from being practical and immediate to the common mind. But, with order and method, even the great tasks are easily accomplished and this is also true when we're talking about 'A Theory of Everything'. Not going into details, it provides us a practical method to apply an integral vision to our daily life. What's an Integral Vision? Well, for that you have to read W...more
Dense, but very insightful. Very slow reading, though. Maybe 2-3 pages per day maximum to fully absorb it.
This book gave me insights into the possilities of human growth and the stages of such growth.
A little dogmatic, but the integral vision makes sense as a general guide for our evolution.
A fascinating and thought-provoking extension of Wilber's basic ideas into the various spheres of human life and activity. One of the most interesting sections contains Wilber's analysis of other commentators' analyses of human progress, or lack thereof, (The End of History, etc).
This is a writer and thinker who deserves a higher profile in the UK.
This is a writer and thinker who deserves a higher profile in the UK.
I really enjoyed it. Made me want to read more from him.
A nice introduction to Wilber.
Dec 22, 2010
Dr.josef Mayer
added it
same concept as allways
decent
Jan 22, 2008
Bryon Medina
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in the big picture.
I have to admit that I wasn't fully paying attention when I bought this book. I thought that I was getting a book about physics, but this is more of a look into cultural development.
In this book he talks about an integral approach to education, religion, politics, and more,taking into account the different ways in which people and cultures develop.
This book may not be entertaining all of the time but you'll be entertaining new world views when you're done.
In this book he talks about an integral approach to education, religion, politics, and more,taking into account the different ways in which people and cultures develop.
This book may not be entertaining all of the time but you'll be entertaining new world views when you're done.
Ken Wilber tackles an incredible amount of information with an impressive amount of success. By examining our physical observations and spiritual beliefs, and graphing them in context of the way we cognitively identify "I", "it" "we" and "its" into quadrants, he maps belief systems into an integrative theory that pushes for an acceptance of many lenses. He makes an ethical case for the much needed inclusion and evolution of multiple diverse progressive belief systems.
Wow, this book benefits conservatives and liberals alike with a fresh way of viewing each other. It's not a book about politics though, necessarily, it addresses stages of learning and development on a general scale, and allows all peoples in all locations to progress in their own time and in their own way. It's not light reading, but it's reachable. And he does have flaws in his theory, but he's got a lot of great principles he's promulgating, too.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embarrasingly Obvious Theory Of Everything | 4 | 10 | Nov 13, 2012 07:18am |
Ken Wilber is the most widely translated academic writer in America, with 25 books translated into some 30 foreign languages, and is the first philosopher-psychologist to have his Collected Works published while still alive. Wilber is an internationally acknowledged leader and the preeminent scholar of the Integral stage of human development, which continues to gather momentum around the world. Hi...more
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Aug 10, 2012 06:04am