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Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution, Second Edition Kindle Edition

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 188 ratings

Hailed as “one of the most significant books ever published,” this work of far-reaching vision is a comprehensive exploration of the evolution of human consciousness

In this tour de force of scholarship and vision, Ken Wilber traces the course of evolution from matter to life to mind and describes the common patterns that evolution takes in all three of these domains. From the emergence of mind, he traces the evolution of human consciousness through its major stages of growth and development.

Wilber particularly focuses on modernity and postmodernity: what they mean; how they impact gender issues, psychotherapy, ecological concerns, and various liberation movements; and how the modern and postmodern world conceive of Spirit. This second edition features forty pages of new material, new diagrams, and extensively revised notes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This is the first in a projected set of three volumes charting recent thought in the title's interrelated areas, the title itself being a slight misnomer since sex and ecology are the foci of the forthcoming volumes. Here, however, Wilber elaborates at great length several contemporary systematic theories concerned with the biological, psychological, spiritual and metaphysical aspects of life and the various evolutionary stages of each. He then offers an overview of spiritual practices that can lead to an evolved "omega point" of consciousness. Wilber, a transpersonal psychologist and the author of No Boundary, among other works, has unfortunately tried too hard to cram everything possible into this massive undertaking. The result is that even the hundreds of pages of notes (sometimes useful, sometimes merely repetitive) become a mass of ideas and names. Wilber is a well-read, sophisticated and energetic thinker; yet his style veers from the discursively expansive to the overly condensed. Those seeking A Theory of Everything will be more than satisfied. For others, the book's sheer length and lack of organization may make this a very frustrating read.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This is a sprawling synthesis of evolutionary and "systems" theory from the Presocratics to Piaget, permeated by the mysticism of Plotinus. Odd as it may seem for a book with more than 500 pages of text and 200 of notes, it suffers from a tendency to make unsubstantiated or inadequately referenced claims, especially in passing references to various feminisms and postmodernisms. But the reader can take this to be one aspect of the book's oral character: it reads like a composition dictated and transcribed. That is a strength as well as a weakness, since it imparts a lively and passionate tone to a text that could become simply tedious. The book's greatest strengths are its ambitious scope and its relentless attention to the materialist flattening of evolutionary and developmental theories in Western tradition. Wilber follows earlier devotees of Plotinus in insisting on a world composed not of parts and wholes but of wholes that are also parts and parts that are also wholes--wholes within wholes, remarkably similar to the "monads" of Anne Conway and Leibniz. Given a widespread hunger for spirituality and a widespread misunderstanding of materialist readings of development, even a flawed attempt to deepen developmental perspectives with developmental insights from mysticism is a step in the right direction. Steve Schroeder

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KWKRAM4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shambhala; Revised edition (January 2, 2001)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 2, 2001
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2024 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 884 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 188 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
188 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They describe it as insightful, addressing complex philosophical topics in clear language with extensive end notes. Readers appreciate the author's exploration of creativity as an inherent aspect of reality. Overall, they describe the book as a multifaceted and well-researched overview of God's nature.

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14 customers mention "Readability"11 positive3 negative

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They describe it as a good read, profound, and worthwhile. Readers mention feeling humbled and excited about life after reading it.

"...I read the introduction and found it interesting, as is everything he writes. I have no doubt that I will enjoy the book immensely...." Read more

"...It’s a beautiful, unifying metatheory that is worth the struggle to read it. But yes, it is a tough read...." Read more

"...It is an "interesting" read though and when you are through it will make a great paper weight...." Read more

"...He said thank you and it was a good read." Read more

11 customers mention "Thought provoking"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and well-researched. They appreciate its clear language and end notes that add scholarly depth. The book provides a comprehensive overview of human psychology and explores various aspects of human experience. Readers appreciate the thought-provoking ideas and references throughout.

"A multi-multfaceted, amazingly researched overview explanation of God’s Spirit driven evolution of humankind." Read more

"...to be spiritually helpful, and am gratified to find it a fine synthesis of the scientific, philosophic, and personal approaches." Read more

"...Still many things to learn, even on a second reading." Read more

"...He is academically accurate and discusses complex philosophical issues with great clarity and without watering down the subject...." Read more

4 customers mention "Creativity"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and rich. They appreciate the author's exploration of creativity as an inherent aspect of reality that manifests in all spheres. The book covers many topics, from evolution to the Four Quadrants.

"A multi-multfaceted, amazingly researched overview explanation of God’s Spirit driven evolution of humankind." Read more

"This is Wilber's magnum opus with extraordinary depth and scope, covering many topics, from evolution, the Four Quardrants to the four stages of..." Read more

"...key insight here is this: Love, transcendence, and creativity are inherent properties of reality and manifest in every sphere of being...." Read more

""There are truths that can always heal..." Honest, rich, and helpful. A multi-dimensional exploration of human experience...." Read more

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  • Andreu O.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Molt interessant
    Reviewed in Spain on January 31, 2019
    Molt interessant..diferent.
  • Mercure
    5.0 out of 5 stars On devrait pouvoir mettre dix étoiles !
    Reviewed in France on June 29, 2017
    Que dire ?
    Ce livre est juste le résumé le plus magistral et le plus clair possible de l'aventure de l'humanité, d'un point de vue non seulement philosophique, mais aussi scientifique, rationnel, spirituel.
    C'est tout simplement époustouflant.

    Le titre de "Einstein de la conscience " souvent donné à Wilber est plus que mérité.
    Et, 20 ans après parution, ce livre n'existe toujours pas en français...

    Nos pauvres philosophes français, enfermés dans leur carcan terriblement étroit, vont se réveiller un jour et réaliser combien de décennies de retard ils ont accumulé par rapport à où se développe aujourd'hui la philo de demain.

    Génial : ce livre est tout simplement génial.
  • Sylvie Lemieux
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2016
    I was told it was the best of Wilber and I agree!
  • Paul Nelson
    5.0 out of 5 stars a great behemoth of a book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2016
    This is Ken Wilber's magnum opus, a great behemoth of a book, tremendous in energy and ambition. It might help if before attempting it you have read one or other of his simpler introductions to Integral thought, or perhaps the Ken Wilber Reader. But (being basically on his side) I found this an exhilarating read...brilliant from beginning to end, opinionated, argumentative, and hope-giving. The footnotes alone are worth the price of the book. Wonderful, though not for the faint-hearted.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2017
    Just as described, thanks

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