A Brief History of Everything: Revised Edition
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Product Description
Product Description
'A Brief History of Everything' is an engaging, accessible and friendly excursion into the history of consciousness. Wilber examines the course of evolution as the unfolding manifestation of Spirit, from matter (the cosmos) to life (the biosphere) to mind (human consciousness), including the higher stages of spiritual evolution, when Spirit becomes conscious of itself. In each of these domains of evolution, he finds, there are recurring patterns, and by looking closely at these patterns, we can learn much about the predicament of our world and the direction humanity must take if global transformation is to become a reality. Written in question-and-answer format, 'A Brief History of Everything' is a compelling and provocative polemic about some of the most important issues of our time. 'Ken Wilber is the most important explorer of consciousness alive today.' Deepak Chopra 'Wilber helps us see the world as a whole and liberates us from narrow perspectives on the human adventure.' Michael Murphy, author of The Future of the Body 'Integrates the partial visions of specialists into a new understanding of the meaning and significance of life.' David Lorimer Other books by Ken Wilber Grace and Grit Marriage of Sense and Soul A Theory of Everything.
About the Author
Ken Wilber is one of the most widely read and influential American philosophers of our time. He is the author of over a dozen books including 'Grace and Grit', 'The Marriage of sense and Soul', and 'A Theory of Everything'.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Every few years I find myself reading a book that enables me to breath a huge sigh of relief: this is one such book. The relief is twofold: the knowing that the painful truth about life that's been dawning on me is shared by a respected philosopher and second, that the hard work I've been doing to help me move forward in life IS the way forward . . . indeed, the only way forward for each of us . . . and for humanity and our planet.
Like The Celestine Prophecy and The Power of Now, this book is one that those of us who are ready just HAVE to read . . . and in doing so find we're being reminded of deep truths and profound wisdom that we actually know already: it's just been buried by what Ken calls Flatland - the current and all prevailing world-view: objective, scientific, industrial . . . denying all else.
Ken charts the rise and fall of different philosophical eras and shows how these relate to evolution of life . . . to the unfolding of Spirit in life itself. All life. Without exception. In describing the problem we have within humanity Ken also offers hope and advise: a clear guide as to what's necessary for each of us to rise above the Flatland mentality and find our own higher consciousness: not an easy path, but if we want a life with heart, soul, depth and spirit, it's something we just have to get on with!
Like The Celestine Prophecy and The Power of Now, this book is one that those of us who are ready just HAVE to read . . . and in doing so find we're being reminded of deep truths and profound wisdom that we actually know already: it's just been buried by what Ken calls Flatland - the current and all prevailing world-view: objective, scientific, industrial . . . denying all else.
Ken charts the rise and fall of different philosophical eras and shows how these relate to evolution of life . . . to the unfolding of Spirit in life itself. All life. Without exception. In describing the problem we have within humanity Ken also offers hope and advise: a clear guide as to what's necessary for each of us to rise above the Flatland mentality and find our own higher consciousness: not an easy path, but if we want a life with heart, soul, depth and spirit, it's something we just have to get on with!
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Q: so the whole book is in Q&A format?
A: yes, all 500+ pages.
Q: Really. So how did that make you feel?
A: I found it very irritating indeed. It means there are continual breaks in the flow, and the chummy nature of the questions just didn't work for me.
Q: I'm sorry to hear that. What about the content itself?
A: It's fascinating (like both the other KW books I've read so far). It has similar content to "Integral Psychology", but is more accessible for those new to the subject.
A: yes, all 500+ pages.
Q: Really. So how did that make you feel?
A: I found it very irritating indeed. It means there are continual breaks in the flow, and the chummy nature of the questions just didn't work for me.
Q: I'm sorry to hear that. What about the content itself?
A: It's fascinating (like both the other KW books I've read so far). It has similar content to "Integral Psychology", but is more accessible for those new to the subject.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ken Wilber's book is separated into three parts, with the last chapter of the third part being an epilogue of sorts. I was riveted in the first two parts, partly bored in the third, and enjoyed the ending.
The book is written in Q & A style, which I thought worked quite well with the subject matter. Although the questions were, of course, leading the reader to a certain path, it did help me think through the points the author was trying to make.
The first part ("Spirit in Action") I thought of as "world evolution". This section lays the foundation of Wilber's thinking, how systems evolve, and proposes a four-quadrant approach for thinking about that evolution in a holistic fashion. The four quadrants encompass the inside and outside of the self ("I" and "it", the conscious and the physical) and the inside and outside of groups, or cultures ("we" and "its"). This leads to an discussion about world evolution, describing how the world has evolved from archaic to magic to mythic to rational and on.
The second part ("The Further Reaches of Spirit-in-Action") I thought of as personal evolution. Using the same framework and providing background from psychology and philosophy studies, Wilber shows a personal evolution through "fulcrums" or steps (eureka moments?) as a person moves up the spiritual/thought evolution. Parallels are drawn between the world evolution and personal evolution, and it is reinforced constantly that this must be an integral approach, i.e., it cannot just be logical ("it") and it cannot just be consicousness ("I") but must be a non-dualistic approach.
The third part ("Beyond Flatland") was a much too-long treatise on Wilber's opinion on why and how we have gotten off of the path of these two evolutions, personal and world. He makes quite a good argument, but goes to great lengths to categorize previous philosphers and thinkers into different buckets to prove his main point (which is that we have gone into many different dis-integrated directions, lead by the "Ego" set (logical thinkers without spirituality) and the "Eco" set (back to nature, everything is feeling) when we should be heading for a non-dualistic integrated approach). There is much too much academic argument in this section than there were in the previous two parts, and, while I am certain it serves the purpose of making Wilber's point, I found it slowed the book down tremendously, ala a textbook.
The last chapter of the third part is a summary of where Wilber thinks we are now in our evolution and where we should go. This was a excellent ending to the book, pulling together his thinking of an "Integral Vision".
This was my first Ken Wilber book. Although the Q&A turned me off at first, the first two parts were quite readable and accessible. I reccommend those two sections for any and all. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Wilber's works.
The book is written in Q & A style, which I thought worked quite well with the subject matter. Although the questions were, of course, leading the reader to a certain path, it did help me think through the points the author was trying to make.
The first part ("Spirit in Action") I thought of as "world evolution". This section lays the foundation of Wilber's thinking, how systems evolve, and proposes a four-quadrant approach for thinking about that evolution in a holistic fashion. The four quadrants encompass the inside and outside of the self ("I" and "it", the conscious and the physical) and the inside and outside of groups, or cultures ("we" and "its"). This leads to an discussion about world evolution, describing how the world has evolved from archaic to magic to mythic to rational and on.
The second part ("The Further Reaches of Spirit-in-Action") I thought of as personal evolution. Using the same framework and providing background from psychology and philosophy studies, Wilber shows a personal evolution through "fulcrums" or steps (eureka moments?) as a person moves up the spiritual/thought evolution. Parallels are drawn between the world evolution and personal evolution, and it is reinforced constantly that this must be an integral approach, i.e., it cannot just be logical ("it") and it cannot just be consicousness ("I") but must be a non-dualistic approach.
The third part ("Beyond Flatland") was a much too-long treatise on Wilber's opinion on why and how we have gotten off of the path of these two evolutions, personal and world. He makes quite a good argument, but goes to great lengths to categorize previous philosphers and thinkers into different buckets to prove his main point (which is that we have gone into many different dis-integrated directions, lead by the "Ego" set (logical thinkers without spirituality) and the "Eco" set (back to nature, everything is feeling) when we should be heading for a non-dualistic integrated approach). There is much too much academic argument in this section than there were in the previous two parts, and, while I am certain it serves the purpose of making Wilber's point, I found it slowed the book down tremendously, ala a textbook.
The last chapter of the third part is a summary of where Wilber thinks we are now in our evolution and where we should go. This was a excellent ending to the book, pulling together his thinking of an "Integral Vision".
This was my first Ken Wilber book. Although the Q&A turned me off at first, the first two parts were quite readable and accessible. I reccommend those two sections for any and all. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Wilber's works.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A redundant theory?
"A brief history of everything" is a good introduction to the thinking of Ken Wilber. I haven't read his magnum opus "Sex, Ecology, Spirituality", but this book seems to be a... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ashtar Command
review
This book to me helps a person to understand the world for a particular view through levels of development and different levels of consciousness and starts to give you a view of... Read more
Published 15 months ago by zorro
thought provoking if rather flawed
The real attraction of this book is the scope and the volume of concepts from established philosophers thrown in. Read more
Published on 12 April 2009 by Reed Bukz
Hmmm.
Wilbur presents some interesting ideas; the concepts of SDi have now incorporated Wilburs ideas with Spiral Dynamics which, in my opinion is an improved model. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2006 by Paul Tsang
earthshattering
I just finished an earthshattering book. It was philosophical/evoltionary/spiritual book called the "Brief History of Everything" (pretty ambitous title, huh? Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2001 by emma.3.phillips@bt.com
Awe inspiring
When you pick up a book like this which purports to provide a view of everything - EVERYTHING - you wonder at the ambition of the author. Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2000 by Colin Harper
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