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gdp60's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting topic. Very dense, difficult for me to understand even though he kept the physics simple.
chaosmavin's review
5.0
This is a great little listen about the intersection of physics and eastern mystic traditions. It's really quite fascinating… I always think of it being more about quantum physics and mysticism but they make very valid points for just regular old physics as well. I don't wanna give any spoilers here but you know how in most mystical spiritual traditions the focuses on how we are all connected with everything... Separation from the source is an illusion... And physics is like yeah that's true because everything is made up of the same stuff... But they say it much smarter with way better examples!
mbrandmaier's review against another edition
5.0
The author compared many ancient religions and philosophies to modern physics, showing all the parallels. Fascinating stuff. I must read this again.
andreashappe's review against another edition
3.0
Science and mysticism can coexist. That's the book's primary thesis and seemed to be revolutionary when the book was originally published. It doesn't seem too far-fetched right now (or at least there seems less enimity between those two right now), so this book might have been written for another time.
To achieve this, the book gives a rough summary of quantum physics as well as of the mayor eastern religions.
To show that mysticism and science are compatible, similarities between "modern" quantum physics and mysticism is shown: both try to communicate something that cannot easily be communicated through words. Both focus upon the unity of things (everything is connected), dynamism and on change/transformation.
I do see a problem with this logic: everything is reduced to those three points and then expanded again. So if I could claim that Jediism seems unity, connectiveness and change than jediism is the same as science or mysticism. It's just too easy to reduce things and then create a relationship on the reduced tenants. Also a lot of wishful thinking takes place in the book, e.g., using single phrases from one religion, comparing them with feelings that arise when reading physic theories and then claiming that both are equal. There is zero emphasis upon falsification or falsificability (if that is even a word). Also some assumptions feel far-fetched: claiming that experiments done in physics and meditation are both of-the-same level when it comes to probing into the world is an example of that.
Would I read it again? Not sure, I might rather just read "the big picture" for a more up-to-date version.
One sentence in the book explains it quite well: "science does not need mysticism and mysticism does not need science but man needs both". I can fully understand why the author tries to integrate them and I praise his goals of finding a new ecological, earth-oriented, post-patriarchal spirituality.. but the method feels not too agreeable. Stating that feels highly arrogant, esp. when the author mentions that he incorporated feedback by Heisenberg, et al. into the book.
To achieve this, the book gives a rough summary of quantum physics as well as of the mayor eastern religions.
To show that mysticism and science are compatible, similarities between "modern" quantum physics and mysticism is shown: both try to communicate something that cannot easily be communicated through words. Both focus upon the unity of things (everything is connected), dynamism and on change/transformation.
I do see a problem with this logic: everything is reduced to those three points and then expanded again. So if I could claim that Jediism seems unity, connectiveness and change than jediism is the same as science or mysticism. It's just too easy to reduce things and then create a relationship on the reduced tenants. Also a lot of wishful thinking takes place in the book, e.g., using single phrases from one religion, comparing them with feelings that arise when reading physic theories and then claiming that both are equal. There is zero emphasis upon falsification or falsificability (if that is even a word). Also some assumptions feel far-fetched: claiming that experiments done in physics and meditation are both of-the-same level when it comes to probing into the world is an example of that.
Would I read it again? Not sure, I might rather just read "the big picture" for a more up-to-date version.
One sentence in the book explains it quite well: "science does not need mysticism and mysticism does not need science but man needs both". I can fully understand why the author tries to integrate them and I praise his goals of finding a new ecological, earth-oriented, post-patriarchal spirituality.. but the method feels not too agreeable. Stating that feels highly arrogant, esp. when the author mentions that he incorporated feedback by Heisenberg, et al. into the book.
sagarioo's review against another edition
4.0
Bogen giver en fin introduktion til østlig filosofi og et indblik i de store gennembrud i fysikken, der skete i starten og indtil midten af 1900-tallet.
Den drager nogle interessante og spændende paralleller, og det sætter virkelig nogle tanker igen. Både om fysikken, men også om, hvordan man skal forstå verden.
Jeg glæder mig til en dag at genlæse bogen, når jeg har lært endnu mere fysik, og derfor i højere grad forstår de emner og jeg dermed kan dykke dybere ned i paralleller med den østlige filosofi
Den drager nogle interessante og spændende paralleller, og det sætter virkelig nogle tanker igen. Både om fysikken, men også om, hvordan man skal forstå verden.
Jeg glæder mig til en dag at genlæse bogen, når jeg har lært endnu mere fysik, og derfor i højere grad forstår de emner og jeg dermed kan dykke dybere ned i paralleller med den østlige filosofi
tyleradavis220's review against another edition
4.0
"Science does not need mysticism and mysticism does not need science; but men and women need both."
More than 300 pages of writing to illustrate that there is nothing to be said at all. To be clear, this is praise for the book. If that makes no sense to you, I highly suggest you get to reading.
Capra is a physicist, so naturally the book is heavily reliant on the facets of cosmology and subatomic science; though it still does delve greatly into Eastern philosophy and mysticism, the content ratio of physics to mysticism is largely in favor of physics. Regardless, whether the reader is a physicist, a mystic, or hardly a layman of either, there is plenty of ground to stand on when approaching Capra's writing.
The reason I offer 4 stars rather than 5 is that I often found myself skimming the more intricately detailed parts of particle physics near the end of the book, save the last chapter. Make no mistake, it is all quite gripping to a degree, but as I'm one who prefers to study the philosophy far more than the Feynman diagrams, I felt it slowed me down to keep focusing on every paragraph after I got the point.
I'd also like to point out the use of the word "mysticism" rather than "religion," in the title and used throughout the book. In the West, philosophies such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism are thought by many to be religions. While this holds proper weight, the term religion carries a great deal of connotation that does not apply to these mystic outlets the same way that it applies to faith-based Abrahamic religions.
Overall a fantastic read. I highly recommend it to anyone open to learning, and even more so to those who aren't.
More than 300 pages of writing to illustrate that there is nothing to be said at all. To be clear, this is praise for the book. If that makes no sense to you, I highly suggest you get to reading.
Capra is a physicist, so naturally the book is heavily reliant on the facets of cosmology and subatomic science; though it still does delve greatly into Eastern philosophy and mysticism, the content ratio of physics to mysticism is largely in favor of physics. Regardless, whether the reader is a physicist, a mystic, or hardly a layman of either, there is plenty of ground to stand on when approaching Capra's writing.
The reason I offer 4 stars rather than 5 is that I often found myself skimming the more intricately detailed parts of particle physics near the end of the book, save the last chapter. Make no mistake, it is all quite gripping to a degree, but as I'm one who prefers to study the philosophy far more than the Feynman diagrams, I felt it slowed me down to keep focusing on every paragraph after I got the point.
I'd also like to point out the use of the word "mysticism" rather than "religion," in the title and used throughout the book. In the West, philosophies such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism are thought by many to be religions. While this holds proper weight, the term religion carries a great deal of connotation that does not apply to these mystic outlets the same way that it applies to faith-based Abrahamic religions.
Overall a fantastic read. I highly recommend it to anyone open to learning, and even more so to those who aren't.
jcthiem's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting concept. I could accept some overlap between the two but this book really didn't draw out or expand on any connections as I thought it might have.
adrianlarose's review against another edition
3.0
Mostly a book about physics. Essentially there's a short section on several Eastern mystic traditions, then the rest is a book on particle physics, and at the end of each chapter in that book (each chapter being akin to a lesson/lecture in physics) there is a quick few-page analogy or explanation of how Eastern mysticism relates to the particular physics lecture in that chapter. It is accessible but not really what I expected, probably my fault.