Wonder: From Emotion to Spirituality

by Robert C. Fuller

The attempt to identify the emotional sources of religion goes back to antiquity. In an exploration that bridges science and spirituality, Robert C. Fuller makes the convincing case that a sense of wonder is a principal source of humanity's belief in the existence of an unseen order of life. Like no other emotion, Fuller argues, wonder prompts us to pause, admire, and open our hearts and minds.

With a voice that seamlessly blends the scientific and the contemplative, Fuller defines wonder in keeping with the tradition of Socrates--as an emotion related to curiosity and awe that stimulates engagement with the immediate physical world. He draws on the natural and social sciences to explain how wonder can, at the same time, elicit belief in the existence of a more-than-physical reality. Chapters examining emotions in evolutionary biology and the importance of wonder in human cognitive development alternate with chapters on John Muir, William James, and Rachel Carson, whom Fuller identifies as "exemplars of wonder." The writings and lives of these individuals express a functional side of that the very survival of life on earth today may depend on the empathy, compassion, and care that are aroused by a sense of wonder.

Forging new pathways between the social sciences, philosophy, belief, and cultural history, Wonder deepens our understanding of the complex sources of personal spirituality and fulfillment.

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Bridging science and spirituality, Robert Fuller makes the convincing case that a sense of wonder is a principal source of humanity's belief in the existence of an unseen order of life. Like no other emotion, he argues, wonder prompts us to pause, admire, and open our hearts and minds. Chapters examining emotions in evolutionary biology and the importance of wonder in human cognitive development alternate with chapters on John Muir, William James, and Rachel Carson, whom Fuller identifies as "exemplars of wonder." The writings and lives of these individuals express a functional side of that the very survival of life on earth today may depend on the empathy, compassion, and care that are aroused by a sense of wonder.
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Genres: Philosophy, Psychology, Spirituality, Science, Emotion

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Dr. Robert Fuller has received national and international acclaim for his unique contributions in the areas of American cultural history and the interaction of religion and the social sciences. Author of twelve books, including five by Oxford University Press, and numerous articles published in professional journals, he is among the top authorities in his field with a number of his books being used in university classrooms across the country.

Reviews

[Jessica Zu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly a book on Religion and psychology through the sense of "wonder". It raises quite a few interesting questions but leaves many things open-ended (I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or bad thing, but I feel uncomfortable with too many loose ends)