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The Holographic Universe

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 2,915 ratings · 229 reviews

Today nearly everyone is familiar with holograms, three-dimensional images projected into space with the aid of a laser.

Now, two of the world's most eminent thinkers -- University of London physicists David Bohm, a former protege of Einstein's and one of the world's most respected quantum physicists, and Stanford neurophysiologist Karl Pribram, one of the architects of ou...more

Paperback, 352 pages

Published May 6th 1992 by Harper Perennial (first published 1991)

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Dec 05, 2008 Abailart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: slowly-reading

I have decided to add a new shelf called 'slowly reading'. I am reading this book slowly and carefully. Sometimes a paragraph or two is enough for me to stop and digest. Also, often I want to 'spin off' from a section and read related stuff, in books or on the internet. I am reading this in conjunction with Murray Gell-Mann's 'The Quark and the Jaguar', and as happens sometimes they seem to make a good pair. Both are very different in content and approach, yet they are similar in that they show...more

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Jul 31, 2007 Brandon rated it 3 of 5 stars

by michael talbot. this is a fun forray into the grand theory of everything. basically, everything is a hologram acording to physicist David Bohm ("Wholeness and the Implicate Order"): waves interfere with each other to form images, objects, everything. that which we can perceive is the explicate order and that which we cannot is the implicate. the implicate contains the explicate, and the boundaries are also constantly wavering. the interesting thing about a hologram is that every part of the h...more by michael talbot. this is a fun forray into the grand theory of everything. basically, everything is a hologram acording to physicist David Bohm ("Wholeness and the Implicate Order"): waves interfere with each other to form images, objects, everything. that which we can perceive is the explicate order and that which we cannot is the implicate. the implicate contains the explicate, and the boundaries are also constantly wavering. the interesting thing about a hologram is that every part of the hologram contains all parts of itself. therefore if you take a piece of holographic film and split it in half, the image does not split, but remains as two whole images. the results are quite profound: the normal distinctions we draw don't actually exist. you and i don't exist as separate entities but are just an interference pattern from the same cosmic unity. moreover, time doesn't exist in the linear sense that we think it does, the "past" and "future" are equally accessible as the present.

talbot starts from the interesting results of quantum mechanics (nonlocality, uncertainty, conscious observer effect) and moves on to note findings in not only physics, but neurobiology, dreaming, psychokinesis, near death experiences, out of body experiences, religious miracles, reincarnation, psychic powers, and even ghosts. see? fun! what's more interesting is that people are starting to study things like psychokinesis and the results are startling - it seems that we all have the ability (at least to some degree) to control and effect the world around us with our beliefs and minds.

moreover, there is a bias or trend in science to discount these experiences as not testable or verifiable, which means they are often not studied or simply ignored. it has also been shown that the belief of the scientist running the "new agey" experiments influences the actual results of the experiment. children often experience these "other dimensions" more often than adults perhaps because adults have had so much conditioning as to what "is possible."

some interesting notes:
*an ink drop spun in a glycerine tube undergoes reverse entropy
* stigmata is manifest through deep belief: stigmatists portray wounds on the palms instead of the more accurate location of the wrists. this is likely due to artistic interpretation of crucifiction occuring on the palm.
*when we dream, we typically have access to information that is beyond our waking knowledge (i.e., we can learn new things when dreaming).
*in chinese medicine, the method of mapping the entire body to the foot, or the ear is an example of a hologram
* people being able to see with with the tips of their fingers, ear lobes, tip of the nose, and even, yes, armpits.
* Immanuel Kant's *Dreams of a Spirit-Seer* an account of Swedenborg: "we are constituted by the intersection of two flows: one direct from the divine, and one indirect from the divine through our environment."
* The Conibo Indians of the Peruvian Amazon use of ayahuasca ("soul vine") - a hallucinogenic plant that when taken transports even lay people to exceedingly similar dimensions that the Conibo shamans visit regularly.(less)

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Jul 20, 2010 Pooyan Ra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

نظریه ی هولوگرافیک اعجاب انگیزه , اما در حین این که با (اون کله ی هولوگرافیکتون!) در این کتاب غرق شدین این رو هم داشسته باشین که این به هر حال هنوز تنها یه نظریه ست
و حقیقت محض نیست.
و در ضمن ترجمه ی خوبی نداره(چون که مترجمش کارگردانه یعنی در واقع مترجم نیست اصلا!) مخصوصآ حدود صد صفحه ی اول که خیلی علمی تره ترجمه ی بد - به نظر من- بیشتر از اون چه که هست پیچیده ش کرده.
با همه ی این ها این کتاب هنوز ارزش پنج تا ستاره رو داره
...و ارزش این که تو کتابخونه ی همه باشه

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Saleh Sepehrifar البته داریوش مهرجویی از یکی از دانشگاه های آمریکا لیسانس فلسفه دارند.
Sep 30, 2011 12:35am

Pooyan Ra Saleh wrote: "البته داریوش مهرجویی از یکی از دانشگاه های آمریکا لیسانس فلسفه دارند."
ترجمه در هر صورت با صرفن دانستن زبان تفاوت دارد و آن هم چنین کتابی...more
Sep 30, 2011 02:04am

Saleh Sepehrifar در مورد مفاهیم بنیادی فیزیک کوانتوم که در قسمتهای اول این کتاب آمده، فکر میکنم ساده تر از این گفتن این مطالب عملاً لوث کننده کتاب باشه. من خودم کارشنا...more
Oct 07, 2011 10:19am

Jul 27, 2008 Andrew Lutz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Q: So the Universe is one enormous holograph aye?
A: Uh-huh.

Q: Does that mean that all those AmRep Dope, Guns, and F*$@ing in the Streets cassettes aren't as good as I remember?
A: No. And I'm not sure how they directly relate to the book.

So every part of a holograph contains the entirety of the holograph. So if you were to cut it in two, each piece would contain the whole "image." Suddenly you would have two pictures of a dolphin jumping over a rainbow. Then four! Et cetera!!! This books likens...more

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May 27, 2008 Cathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very fun book to read! This book presents anecdotal and scientific evidence in the argument that the universe is actually a combination of various frequencies which our brains then interpret into what we experience as reality. The author uses examples ranging from Near Death Experiences to salamander brain experiments to argue his point.
Overall, I believe a lot of what he is presenting. He does a good job of noting references, but near the end he starts getting a bit more personal in presenting...more

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May 12, 2013 Daniel Pendergraft rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book.... whoa. I didn't at first like it because metaphysical theories usually make sense to me intuitively and the pace seemed kind of slow and pedantic, but that's just necessary since most would not find the information easily digestible. As it picked up steam... quite amazing. There were many times in reading where my inner skeptic was yelling in protest, but the psychic, "supranatural" phenomena he discusses are well-documented (though not understood). Yet the mainstream science commun...more

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May 12, 2012 Christopher Hivner rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first part of this book is fascinating as the author explains a theory of how the brain works like a hologram. Apparently if you cut a piece of holographic film, each piece still contains the entire object. The theory states that each section of the brain contains all of our memories and knowledge. Then it moves on to a theory of the universe as a hologram, stating that every electron actually contains all the matter and time of the universe. I'll admit I found the physics theory hard to com...more The first part of this book is fascinating as the author explains a theory of how the brain works like a hologram. Apparently if you cut a piece of holographic film, each piece still contains the entire object. The theory states that each section of the brain contains all of our memories and knowledge. Then it moves on to a theory of the universe as a hologram, stating that every electron actually contains all the matter and time of the universe. I'll admit I found the physics theory hard to comprehend. Fascinating, but hard to believe. These theories have been suggested by highly intelligent, well respected men in their fields which adds some gravitas to them.

The book started to lose me after this though. The author goes on to explain how you can perceive any number of phenomena through the lens of a holographic universe, including your health, miracles, psychokinesis, out of body experiences, near death experiences, stigmata and the list goes on. It started to sound like an infomercial selling you on the merits of the holographic theory. The biggest problem was no real distinctive proof was offered. The book collapses under the weight of all the anecdotal evidence. Dozens of studies done by dozens of doctors are cited. Historical legends about mystics and holy men and women from the past being able to create things out of mid-air and leave their bodies whenever they wanted to.

I have always been fascinated by paranormal sciences and the possibility that it is possible to leave your body or see things of the future in your mind or that you can influence events just by thinking about it. But I haven't seen any real proof of much and this book doesn't offer it. The stories from 700 years ago can't be held accountable because of the length of time and the predilection for hyperbole from the people who recorded these events. The anecdotes from more modern history seem to be heavily from India and Indonesia. Why not more from industrialized countries?

By the end of the book you find out the author himself claims to have some of these paranormal abilities and then you realize why there isn't a counterpoint in the book. The author believes these theories whole heartedly and he's just trying to get you to wise up. This is a well written book and at times fascinating and hard to put down. However, I would have liked a more balanced approach and more solid attempts at proof.(less)

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Apr 29, 2012 Ruhl rated it 5 of 5 stars

With The Holographic Universe Michael Talbot has created his Masterpiece.
For anyone even remotely interested in the convergence of Science and Metaphysics, this book is a must-read. Talbot masterfully combines science, research, theories on Human Consciousness, and eloquence into a colorful collage which in my opinion remains un-rivaled as the pinnacle of its genre. His narrative is factually detailed while remaining unpretentious; at times he is capable of reducing the empyrean to the mundane....more

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Aug 30, 2011 Mangoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was probably one of the first to divulgate the conceptions of Bohm about implicate/explicate order, and of Pribram about the nature of brain's activity, and to derive from them some conclusions for our daily world view. This by itself makes the book worth having, though the actual discussion it includes may not please everyone.
Bohm and Pribram agreed that our reality is in fact holographic, and so was the operational principle of the brain (a reader of information concerning the hologr...more

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May 03, 2011 Sophia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, paranormal, non-fiction

The premise of The Holographic Universe drew me to this book of which I quickly became and remained skeptical. The early chapters start off discussing the properties of holograms (of which I was not aware), well-known corollaries of quantum mechanics, and the mind-body-wellness connection. The idea that the universe and the mind are arranged like holograms—where a piece contains all the information of the whole, among other properties—is intriguing and plausible, despite the paucity of data prov...more

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Jul 29, 2009 Robert Cooper rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a popular treatment of the ideas of psychologist Karl Pribram and physicist David Bohm, which in turn are based on the concept of holography. Hungarian scientist Dennis Gabor invented (discovered?) holography, and was awarded the Nobel Prize the development of the laser allowed University of Michigan scientists to verify Gabor's theory in the laboratory. Holography produces, in thin air, the three-dimensional image (a hologram) of an object. This is accomplished by splitting a laser...more

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May 06, 2009 Helena Harper rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Holographic Universe

This must be one of the most fascinating, if not the most fascinating book I have ever read, and it is a must-read for anyone who is even remotely curious about who and what we really are or who wants to see spirituality meeting science. The claims that are made are backed up by numerous scientific studies, but it doesn't blow you away with scientific jargon. It's written in an easy-to-read style and the different chapters are split up into subsections, which also helps....more The Holographic Universe

This must be one of the most fascinating, if not the most fascinating book I have ever read, and it is a must-read for anyone who is even remotely curious about who and what we really are or who wants to see spirituality meeting science. The claims that are made are backed up by numerous scientific studies, but it doesn't blow you away with scientific jargon. It's written in an easy-to-read style and the different chapters are split up into subsections, which also helps. Michael Talbot explains what a hologram is and then goes on to argue that the holographic model can be used to explain multiple personality disorders (extraordinary! - if you know nothing about MPD, then you absolutely must read this section), psychokinesis, miracles, the human energy field (or energy bodies), past/present/future existing seemlessly together, near death experiences (NDEs), UFO sightings and much more. Whether you accept the holographic theory or not, just reading the results of the various scientific studies mentioned in the book is fascinating and for me, personally, as a poet and author, it was also inspiring. The idea that everything is interconnected in this holographic universe of ours and is part of the same continuum inspired me, for example, to write a poem called 'My Life' to try and make sense of it ('...all that I see and don't see, hear and don't hear, touch and don't touch, smell and don't smell, taste and don't taste I am - I am the eternal energy of everything...'), whilst the story of the woman in the NDE chapter who said that 'she hadn't danced enough yet', making the being of light she was talking to laugh heartily and enabling her to return to physical life, gave me an idea for a children's story. In short, I found the book riveting and inspirational - jam-packed full of extraordinary scientific fact way more mind-blowing and thrilling than any science fiction I've ever read - and I am now reading it for a second time and will probably read it a third and fourth time as well!(less)

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May 22, 2008 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Jennifer by: BodyTalk Reference

Basically, a mind-blowing book that should be a requirement for anyone interested in the universe, themselves, others, and how they are all really the same thing. Explains paranormal abilities incredibly well...enough to make the skeptic take note. Incidently, also explains how BodyTalk works...i.e. there is truly only one person in the room during a session. Muscle testing is used to confirm what the practitioner already knows.

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Apr 28, 2010 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

The Holographic Universe is a fascinating work. If you are interested in the paranormal – primarily in regards to psychic and telekinetic abilities – you will enjoy this book. Although Talbot’s analogy of the universe as a hologram in the first couple of chapters might be difficult to understand if not hard to swallow, the cases, scenarios, and experiments he refers to thereafter are quite intriguing. Even if you are skeptical of Talbot’s dated perception of the hologram, it is a pretty fun read...more

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Aug 31, 2008 Dennis rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book that will change your life. Without wanting to spoil the read, or without the urge to get to in-depth about the subject matter in a simple review, I can sum the book up as an alternate view on both quantum physics and neuro-science, and the postulations that the book makes throughout its course are simply marvelous to read about. If there were 6-stars, I'd give this a 6.

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Aug 09, 2008 Saman added it · review of another edition

خرداد 87 كه به كتابفروشي رفتم ديدم اين كتاب براي چهارمين بار تجديد چاپ شده است و خوشحال شدم. چهار بار چاپ همچين كتاب جدي و سخت‌خواني نشان‌گر اين است كه خواننده‌ي جدي خوان نيز در بين كتابخوانان پيدا مي‌شود

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Aug 15, 2010 Thom Foolery rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Thom by: Mark J. Williams; *Poker Without Cards,* Ben Mack

Shelves: science, consciousness, neuro, science-physics, shadow-culture, simulation, virtual-reality, aliens, alternative-medicine, altered-states, hinduism, buddhism, new-age, philosophy, parapsychology, religion, psychology, shamanism

"Considered together, Bohm and Pribram's theories provide a profound new way of looking at the world: Our brains mathematically construct objective reality by interpreting frequencies that are ultimately projections from another dimension, a deeper order of existence that is beyond both space and time: The brain is a hologram enfolded in a holographic universe." (p. 54)

As you may imagine, I was fascinated with this book when I began reading it in 1994 at the suggestion of a respected friend. At...more "Considered together, Bohm and Pribram's theories provide a profound new way of looking at the world: Our brains mathematically construct objective reality by interpreting frequencies that are ultimately projections from another dimension, a deeper order of existence that is beyond both space and time: The brain is a hologram enfolded in a holographic universe." (p. 54)

As you may imagine, I was fascinated with this book when I began reading it in 1994 at the suggestion of a respected friend. At about the sixth chapter--right where the author started discussing auras, astral bodies, and chakras--I hit a snag, and put the book down with the intention of finishing it "soon." Sixteen years later and tens of thousands of other pages later, and I again got bogged down in the exact same section (at this point I guess I felt like the book was attempting to shoehorn every single new age trope into the author's new "paradigm.") This time, though, I persevered through what I considered two-star material, and got to the final chapter which unveils Talbot's image of a holographic universe where the part and the whole comprise one another, where everything literally "inter-is" everything else. On the whole, a fascinating--if nowhere near convincing--speculation on the nature of reality and a theoretical framework for what Greg Egan has elsewhere decried as "quantum mysticism" and what I consider really awesome if we could provide substantial evidence for it.

"Indeed, the holographic model itself is highly controversial and is by no means accepted by a majority of scientists. Nonetheless, and as we shall see, many important and impressive thinkers do support it and believe it may be the most accurate picture of reality we have to date." (p. 3)

"We are indeed on a shaman's journey, mere children struggling to become technicians of the sacred. We are learning how to deal with the plasticity that is part and parcel of a universe in which mind and reality are a continuum, and in this journey one lesson stands out from above all others. As long as the formlessness and breathtaking freedom of the beyond remain frightening to us, we will continue to dream for ourselves that is comfortably solid and well defined." (p. 302)(less)

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Aug 07, 2007 Stephan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: the phy-curious

This foray into the new physics of the 20th century, including the most theoretical of the theoretical, the holographic model for the universe, is on the short list of books that knocked down some walls inside my brain. Maybe you have to read it when you're young, though, before you brain gets calcified with age, unbending, certain. I'm glad I read it when I did.

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Feb 05, 2013 Robert Jacoby rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'd been meaning to read this book for years. Really, since it first came out in 1992. Now, two decades later, I'm getting to it.

The first sections on the physics were completely captivating. I had a really hard time putting the book down from the first page to the early portions of Part 2 (The Brain as Hologram and The Cosmos as Hologram). The author very adroitly explains the holographic theory, how a physicist and a psychologist (Bohm and Pribram, respectively) coming at it from their fields...more I'd been meaning to read this book for years. Really, since it first came out in 1992. Now, two decades later, I'm getting to it.

The first sections on the physics were completely captivating. I had a really hard time putting the book down from the first page to the early portions of Part 2 (The Brain as Hologram and The Cosmos as Hologram). The author very adroitly explains the holographic theory, how a physicist and a psychologist (Bohm and Pribram, respectively) coming at it from their fields were stumbling upon data/findings in experiments/patients that were leading them to the ideas of reality and how it may be thought of as "imaginary". The author does a very nice job of laying out the particulars, too, for 20th century thought on the subject.

Then, unfortunately (for me), the author veers off into psychics and mind-body healing and chakras and chis and auras and ... you get the idea. This portion of the book follows a very typical formula that you'll see in similar books. Some kind of person or event is noted; then there is a paragraph or two or three devoted to its details; then there is some text explaining how this fits into the main idea being covered. This goes on for, literally, dozens of pages in the middle of the book. I found myself scanning, not reading, this material. Some of it I'd read elsewhere, anyway. It got to be too much when the author shares his own psychic abilities; how he "saw" himself as a werewolf when he was writing a book about werewolves; how another psychic castigated him for trying to heal himself, for "yelling at his spleen" (You cannot make this stuff up: "...she immediately described what was wrong with my spleen and then paused, scowling as if she was confused. 'Your spleen's very upset about something,' she murmured. And then suddenly it hit her. 'Have you been *yelling* at your spleen?' I sheepishly admitted that I had." p. 186)

My advice? Stop yelling at your spleen.

Then there's a section on clairvoyants such as Stefan Ossowiecki, George McMullen, and Gerard Croiset. Look them up to see what they're about, if you like. Then we go into hauntings and fairy sightings and remote viewing and precognition. And reincarnation and out of body experiences and near death experiences. In each case the author provides some examples as proof of the phenomenon; and then usually provides a "But that's not all!" hook. And proceeds to give yet another example from yet some other 'researcher' that is even more incredible than what came before. (Reminded me of the Ronco infomercials: "But wait! There's more!")

When the author gets to Swedenborg, I took note. I'd never heard of the man, so I went to his Wikipedia page and found all I needed, and more. Interestingly, the author does *not* state that Swedenborg was a Christian. More interesting is that the author leaves out the fact that Swedenborg himself said that he was commanded by the Lord to publish his writings. And that a 'new church' was founded based on his theology. These are pretty big details to leave out.

We continue with the author into shamanistic traditions. Much is discussed; similar experiences abound across cultures and across time. The author quotes a (yes!) psychoneuroimmunologist: "Matter can neither be created nor destroyed, and perhaps biological information flow cannot just disappear at death and must be transformed into another realm." (This is simply conservation of mass.) Then he touches on the UFO phenomenon, and what that may or may not *really* be. (I have my own solid thoughts based on much study over the years.)

So, I confess, I read this book through my Christian mind that's been soaked in a foundation of readings, teachings, and experiences from a variety of ancient, modern, and current Christian philosophers, theologians, and teachers. I've learned many simple truths over the decades; one being: "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." In other words: Be careful what you let into your mind.

The book was not entirely what I expected it to be. As I say, it started extremely strong for me, sagged terribly in the middle, but then came back around with nice closure on the topic, including the "Evolutionary Thrust toward Higher Consciousness". (Something is happening, but not what the author thinks.)

Recommend reading with an open (and guarded) mind. 3/5 stars. (liked it; on Amazon 4/5 is for 'liked it') This book provided a nice introduction to the subject for me. It is dated now, so I'll be looking for more recent material.(less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first few chapters were excellent, but the book quickly focuses on 'all of the things science cant currently explain' and simply states..."but if the holographic universe idea is real...then all of this can suddenly be explained!"
I really liked the direct comparisons this book makes between current scientific understanding and this new way of thinking...I also liked the facts, the experiments, the unusual findings that have been documented and simply make so little sense that it begins to...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Zac Wendroff rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Holographic Universe is a novel that examines a model of reality that could potentially replace our current understanding of the world around us. Using experiments, evidence, and logic, the author supports a idea that was initially difficult to imagine. The holographic model for the universe connects the world we perceive to how a hologram works. The correlation between how humans see, hear, feel, and think have unique similarities to how a hologram operates. After documenting the various ex...more The Holographic Universe is a novel that examines a model of reality that could potentially replace our current understanding of the world around us. Using experiments, evidence, and logic, the author supports a idea that was initially difficult to imagine. The holographic model for the universe connects the world we perceive to how a hologram works. The correlation between how humans see, hear, feel, and think have unique similarities to how a hologram operates. After documenting the various experiments that have been done to support this theory, the implications of the model, and how it can answer some of the difficult questions humanity has posed. The books explanation of paranormal phenomena such as UFO visits and near-death experiences really makes this theory better than our current model, just because it can provide answers to the previous unexplainable. The author quotes one scientist saying “I propose that UFOs and other phenomena are difficult to categorize because we are trying to hammer them into a picture of reality that is fundamentally incorrect.” This is one instance where the author shows how the holographic model can better explain some phenomena better than our current view of the universe.

This book really makes you think. We are obviously biased in our perception of the world based on the senses that we have. According to The Holographic Universe there is technology that is beginning to decode the messages that are sent to our brains that correspond to what we see, hear, and feel. If we can figure out the reality of our universe, beyond our feeble senses, it opens doors to far greater possibilities than our current research can expect. I am a believer in the paranormal. In this time the database of witnesses and experiences related to the paranormal is too great to ignore. Instead of suppressing the evidence we have in confidential government files, we should be studying it in renowned public laboratories and teaching it in universities.

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants more out of life, and that understands that there is something else going on than the little bubble we choose to live in. This book Either continue to ignore the signs that there is a deeper reality around us or become intelligent in your understanding of life, death, and the universe.

(less)

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Feb 21, 2009 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating journey through the new-age belief system. Near death experiences, ESP, the afterlife, UFO's, glowing beings of pure thought -- its all here, explained in terms of a holographic view of reality -- apparently everything is just a hologram projected by the universal mind, or suchlike. Slightly rewritten, it would make a great science fiction novel/screenplay. In fact I can think of several based on these ideas already. The most compelling information presented here is anecdotal, as u...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Nox Prognatus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was an excellent read, and the first half is full of scientific back up to the Holographic Theory. Specifically citing the works of Bohr, Bohm , Pribram and others. How this is applied to our "reality" is compelling and warrants merit, and more research. After this the book goes onto list phenomena such as NDE, OBE, Lucid dreaming, UFos and many other paranormal phenomena, with examples through history ad infinitum. This list at times, although interesting initially, becomes a little tediou...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book explores an alternate theory of reality first introduced by Neils Bohr; a view not well accepted amongst scientists. The view is however gaining support as more and more of its tennets are being found to be true. Michael Talbot spends part of the book explaining the prinicples of the Holographic Universe and then goes on to discuss a variety of topics that can be explained by the new view that traditional science fails to explain. Some of the stories seem too out there to be true, but...more

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May 01, 2013 Ahmad Abolfathi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

حرکت روی لبه‌ی علم؛ محتاطانه. تالبوت در پیشگفتارِ کتابش خیالِ دانشمندان را راحت می‌کند: جهان هولوگرافیک یک نظریه‌ی علمی نیست. لااقل هنوز. او با این حرکتِ استراتژیک خیال خودش را هم راحت می‌کند. به این طریق می‌توان پریبرام و بوهم را به حضرت عنایت الله خان و عرفای مسلمان دوخت و فحشی را هم به جان نخرید!
نویسنده یک پیشنهاد دهنده است. در نهایت این خواننده است که محتوای کتاب را برمی‌گزیند. این کتاب را به عنوان ماده‌ای اولیه برای گسترش مرزهای جسارت برای تخیل‌ورزیِ داستانی خواندم. از این منظر کتابِ پرثمری...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Robert Caraway rated it 3 of 5 stars

An overall wonderful read, but there is at least one major flaw that brings into question the legitimacy of the entire book.

The fatal flaw I refer to is Talbot's use of Sai Baba as an example of how the mind can produce material items out of thin air. A simple Google search quickly reveals Baba to be an obvious phony. Granted Talbot wrote this before Al Gore invented the Internet, but still, I would have liked to have seen him use a little more discretion in his research. For me it makes everyth...more

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Jan 20, 2009 P.S. marked it as to-read

I flipped through this book years ago in the era of 'grand unified theories'. As I recall, it proposed a common explanation for normal and paranormal phenomena based on what we perceive as the universe, as being a projection of a differently-dimensioned reality. Recently, as in today, I came across an article speaking the same way in the wake of accumulated discoveries and disputes around string theory, black holes, etc.;
http://www.newscientist.com/article/m...

...so I want to go back through the...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Jacqueline rated it 5 of 5 stars

I _loved_ this book -- sooo eye-opening when I read it in the early 90s. This book definitely shifts the paradigm from how I thought the world worked to how I think it actually might work... which if far more interesting than what meets the eye. The sense that we are all connected, that our thoughts intermingle and we might all swim in a pool of psychic energy of sorts is given credence in all the studies written about in the Holographic Universe. It would be fascinating to read an update of thi...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Martin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

With the intention of forwarding an inclusive Theory of Everything or (TOE) Talbot has weaved a convincing argument. Enfolded reality, interconnectivity, auras and frequency matter. These are just some of the concepts put forward in The Holographic Universe.

This is a well researched and well executed book, though I found myself doubting many of his assertions. Talbot is utterly convinced of the value of his theory and while much of what he writes feels intuitively correct, anyone versed in physi...more

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Dec 10, 2011 Mahya rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

کتاب خوبیه . دنباله کتاب تائوی فیزیک میشه در نظر گرفتش . مسائل پیچیدۀ
فیزیکی و متافیزیکی رو به بیان ساده توضیح میده و اونا رو به هم مرتبط می کنه.
در واقع نه تنها مرز های علم و نیروهای ماورایی رو صد در صد از هم تفکیک نمیکنه، بلکه اونها رو در خیلی جاها یکی میدونه و به کمک قوانین فیزیکی اونواثبات میکنه

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About Michael Talbot

Talbot attempted to incorporate spirituality, religion and science to shed light on profound questions. He was originally a fiction/science fiction author and contributed articles to The Village Voice and other publications.

His non-fiction books include Mysticism And The New Physics, Beyond The Quantum, and The Holographic Universe.

Talbot died of lymphocystic leukemia.

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Your Past Lives: A Reincarnation Handbook

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