Science and the Reenchantment of the Cosmos: The Rise of the Integral Vision of Reality

Ever since the beginning of the rise of modern science, according to Laszlo, we have been living in a disenchanted cosmos. The mechanistic view of the universe touted by Newton and others tore apart the organic fabric of the world and robbed humanity of its prescientific unity with the cosmos. In a repetitious and overly simplistic manner, Laszlo, philosopher and president of the international think tank the Club of Budapest, argues that science has now rediscovered a unified universe. (Laszlo points to his own discovery of the Akashic field, which imbues the universe with meaning and coherence.) According to Laszlo, all aspects of the cosmos are connected and integrated; this means that "not only my spouse and my dog but also particles and galaxies have consciousness." This integral vision of reality recalls the spiritual visions of a unified universe in Hinduism and Native American religions. Further, human morality involves a conscious decision to promote coherence with the universe. The final section of the book contains 12 congratulatory essays by writers as diverse as process theologian Ewert Cousins and biologist Jane Goodall. But Laszlo's romantic vision of the world fails to offer any insights not contained in The Dancing Wu Li Masters and other works. (Mar.)

ISBN-13: 978-1594771026