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The Wisdom of Ancient Cosmology: Contemporary Science in Light of Tradition
Wolfgang Smith, drawing upon a rare combination of expertise in mathematical physics, philosophy and traditional metaphysics, has written extensively on interdisciplinary problems relating to these respective domains. The present book has evolved out of a key ontological recognition consonant with time-honored metaphysical doctrine. In keeping with a realist view of cognitive sense perception, it rejects the Cartesian dichotomy of res extensa and res cogitans, and obviates what Whitehead referred to as the fallacy of bifurcation. In an earlier book (The Quantum Enigma, 1995) the author established two facts: first, that a consistent non-bifurcationist interpretation of physics can be formulated; and second, that this eliminates at one stroke the various forms of "quantum paradox" resulting from superposition and the so-called collapse of the state vector. The crucial ingredient of the new approach, mandated by the aforesaid recognition, is an ontological distinction between the physical domain, accessed via measurement, and the corporeal, accessed by way of cognitive sense perception.
In the present book the author extends this metaphysically-based interpretation from fundamental physics to contemporary cosmology. With the aid of a few additional conceptions consonant, say, with the Thomistic doctrine - such as the concept of what he terms "the extrapolated universe" or the notion of "vertical causation" relating to intelligent design - he treats a broad range of issues from a unified metaphysical point of view. Not surprisingly, his conclusions tend to be radically at odds with the prevailing interpretations of scientific data, regardless of whether these are based upon naturalistic or scientistically theistic presuppositions. The author's approach may thus be characterized as the third alternative: the sole option, it appears, consistent with the Aristotelian and Platonist traditions, and with the wisdom of Christianity, as delineated especially in the Patristic writings.
In the present book the author extends this metaphysically-based interpretation from fundamental physics to contemporary cosmology. With the aid of a few additional conceptions consonant, say, with the Thomistic doctrine - such as the concept of what he terms "the extrapolated universe" or the notion of "vertical causation" relating to intelligent design - he treats a broad range of issues from a unified metaphysical point of view. Not surprisingly, his conclusions tend to be radically at odds with the prevailing interpretations of scientific data, regardless of whether these are based upon naturalistic or scientistically theistic presuppositions. The author's approach may thus be characterized as the third alternative: the sole option, it appears, consistent with the Aristotelian and Platonist traditions, and with the wisdom of Christianity, as delineated especially in the Patristic writings.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Wolfgang Smith
32 books109 followersWolfgang Smith is a scholar and researcher in the fields of mathematics and physics, but is also a writer on theology, metaphysics, and religion. Because of his unusual qualifications in both scientific and theological disciplines, he is able to write with great authority on many topics of concern to religious and scientific scholars today. He has published extensively on mathematical topics relating to algebraic and differential topology. However, ever since his youth, Smith has had a deep interest in metaphysics and theology. Early on, he acquired a taste for Plato and the neoplatonists, and traveled in India to gain acquaintance with the Vedantic tradition. Later he devoted himself to the study of theology, and began his career as a Catholic metaphysical author.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 23, 2015
A must-read for anyone interested in the effects of philosophy and scientism on modernity. An introduction to the quantum enigma, Thomist metaphysics and the perennial philosophy, covering a wide range of quantum and cosmological subjects.
Read the review by Marilyn Prever: http://www.sacredweb.com/online_artic...
Read the review by Marilyn Prever: http://www.sacredweb.com/online_artic...
August 6, 2013
Carl Sagan famously brought images of the cosmos into the homes of millions of Americans. With the Hubble photos we all saw with our own eyes the immensity and beauty of the Universe. But what exactly does that immediately recognizable beauty mean? Is the beauty of a pet animal in its genetic and biological composition, or is it much more? In this book, Wolfgang Smith argues that the cosmos must be taken as something apart from terrestrial reality, and proposes a traditional method of understanding.
Smith writes: "The heavens, I contend, will declare, either 'the glory of God,' or the supreme futility of existence: here there can be no middle ground, precisely because the stellar world, in its iconic function, signifies the highest cosmic sphere. If that consists simply of particles engaged in meaningless motion, then all human aspirations must in the end prove vain." (145)
When the first colonists came to the New World, a few churchmen had the open minds necessary to understand the depth of the Native American worldview. But the great majority could see the Indians only in their failure to correspond to Western standards at spiritual, cultural, and racial levels. Today, too, a select few Traditionalists recognize the real otherness of the bright bodies in our sky, while the majority of the world can only see them in their bleak mineral landscapes and their failure to be Earth. The true antidote to this is to read Dante or Plato, but for those of us for whom that vision is clouded, "Wisdom of Ancient Cosmology" may clear some things up.
I rate this book only three stars because of a few flaws in its structure. Its Traditional perspective may be a bit of a footnote to Schuon, who wrote various statements like: "The earth seems flat, and the stars seem to revolve around it; the symbolism based upon appearances has nothing to fear, however, from their illusory character, which cannot invalidate it; the reality symbolized was before the symbol." This is easy enough to understand without falling back on quantum physics. Smith does not seem to have inverted his modern way of thinking as well as Schuon and Guenon did. Metaphysics should come first, and physics second. And the physics described in this book is not necessarily good science; there is a lot of pseudoscience handled without recognition that it is an erroneous aping of a profane scientific method. Finally, Smith uses the word "behooves" far too often.
Smith writes: "The heavens, I contend, will declare, either 'the glory of God,' or the supreme futility of existence: here there can be no middle ground, precisely because the stellar world, in its iconic function, signifies the highest cosmic sphere. If that consists simply of particles engaged in meaningless motion, then all human aspirations must in the end prove vain." (145)
When the first colonists came to the New World, a few churchmen had the open minds necessary to understand the depth of the Native American worldview. But the great majority could see the Indians only in their failure to correspond to Western standards at spiritual, cultural, and racial levels. Today, too, a select few Traditionalists recognize the real otherness of the bright bodies in our sky, while the majority of the world can only see them in their bleak mineral landscapes and their failure to be Earth. The true antidote to this is to read Dante or Plato, but for those of us for whom that vision is clouded, "Wisdom of Ancient Cosmology" may clear some things up.
I rate this book only three stars because of a few flaws in its structure. Its Traditional perspective may be a bit of a footnote to Schuon, who wrote various statements like: "The earth seems flat, and the stars seem to revolve around it; the symbolism based upon appearances has nothing to fear, however, from their illusory character, which cannot invalidate it; the reality symbolized was before the symbol." This is easy enough to understand without falling back on quantum physics. Smith does not seem to have inverted his modern way of thinking as well as Schuon and Guenon did. Metaphysics should come first, and physics second. And the physics described in this book is not necessarily good science; there is a lot of pseudoscience handled without recognition that it is an erroneous aping of a profane scientific method. Finally, Smith uses the word "behooves" far too often.
July 25, 2017
Having only introductory physics as my only insight into the subject this book was one of the harder reads I have come by. I appreciated how the author would introduce a certain theorem in each chapter/essay then mention how it is found in a higher form in traditional ways of life, creeds. The author used a fair bit of examples from St. Thomas of Aquinas, which has incited a drive to learn more about the great Sage. I have to admit defeat as I haven't completely finished reading the book, but once I gain more knowledge on the topics I am sure I will come back to it. I throughly enjoyed the first chapter and was hoping for more of the same. As a medical student when I saw Bell's theorem it invoked dreadful memories of "the curve," however it was a completely different Bell.
June 15, 2022
Outstanding. This book has fundamentally changed my view of cosmology and the importance of the Sophia perrenis in modern scientific discovery.
April 20, 2020
I have never in my life read something so intelligent and so beautifully written
March 1, 2020
not that much of a science guy but this was quite interesting; more a collection of essays than a single work, hence it can get repetitive at time, but you just give it to the man for checking the science behind esoteric concepts like Oetinger's "himmlische Leiblichkeit" or the patristic exegesis of Genesis as expounded by Fr. Seraphim Rose
May 12, 2021
This is a much needed work in our quest of reconciling (integrating) modernism with traditional wisdom.
The structure of the book could have been better: chapters of the book are comprised from various articles and this leads to some unnecessary repetition. Other than that, it is a great book
The structure of the book could have been better: chapters of the book are comprised from various articles and this leads to some unnecessary repetition. Other than that, it is a great book
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May 16, 2022One of the greatest minds of our time
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews