A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science, and Spirituality

by Ken Wilber

Book Overview

A concise, comprehensive overview of the "M Theory" and its application in today's world, by a renowned American philosopher

Ken Wilber has long been hailed as one of the most important thinkers of our time, but his work has seemed inaccessible to readers who lack a background in consciousness studies or evolutionary theory--until now. In A Theory of Everything, Wilber uses clear, non-technical language to present complex, cutting-edge...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570628556
• ISBN13: 9781570628559
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.8" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Mission Accomplished

Some reviewers have criticized "A Theory of Everything" because it only had a page and a half on the implications of such a theory on business. I am a college professor and am very interested in the implications for education (which got even less space than business) but Egad! The book is only 189 pages and covers everything, how much could business or education realistically get? Once again the criticism of Wilber's work seems to be from those who think their favorite area hasn't been given enough importance. As Wilber says in the introduction to the book, "The first four chapters introduce a Theory of Everything, and the last three outline its relevance in the `real world' where we will discuss integral politics, integral business, integral education, integral medicine, and integral spirituality-as they are already finding widespread and enthusiastic application." The inside jacket of the book says that the book is "a concise comprehensive overview of Ken Wilber's revolutionary thought and its application in today's world." I think the book delivers exactly what it promises, and beautifully. For those who want to pursue the theory's applications in business and other areas further, Wilber includes numerous leads and links to pioneers in the field, many of whom are members of the Integral Institute, an exciting new venture started by Wilber and some of his associates. This is proverbial "cutting edge" stuff, and this book is a brief report on the state of the art at the cutting edge. I for one am grateful to be kept up to date, even if, as Wilber says, "all such attempts, of course, are marked by the many ways in which they fail. The many ways in which they fall short, make unwarranted generalizations, drive specialists insane, and generally fail to achieve their stated aim of holistic embrace."I am thankful that Ken Wilber has the kahunas to put himself on the firing line by presenting this critically important information as it comes "hot off the press" as it were. I have read all his books and look forward to the next with great anticipation.

Ken Wilber's fascinating vision.

Read this book. It provides a thought-provoking introduction to Ken Wilber's "integral vision," a theory that attempts to integrate all things--science, religion, art, morals, physics, politics, medicine, education, ecology, sociology and business. Wilber observes that approximately 20 percent of the population is poised for "second-tier" integral transformation (p. 33), and that we are at "a branch point:" we can continue travelling the road of scientific materialism, fragmented pluralism, and deconstructive postmodernism, or we can pursue a more integral, more embracing, more inclusive path to travel (p. xiii). The book's first four chapters introduce us to Wilber's "Theory of Everything," and the last three demonstrate the theory's "real world" relevance. In the final chapter, Wilber reduces his theory to a personal level of "integral transformative practice." Throughout the book, Wilber's prose is conversational in tone. For me, reading this book has sparked a fascination with Wilber's philosophy, and as a brief introduction to his writings, this book left me eager to read Wilber's other books to hopefully obtain a deeper understanding of his integral vision. G. Merritt

A Theory of Everything

To appreaciate Wilber, you have to read what he writes; not necessarily with a fine tooth comb - but almost...A Theory of Everything is a book that is about a vision- an integral vision. I've read everything Wilber has written so far and highly recommend A Theory of Everything. Having been a Wilber fan for almost ten years I can say that this book is one of his most important. It is certainly not his biggest or most technical undertaking, but don't be turned off or mislead as to it's significance by this fact. Read what he writes; this book has no intention of precisely detailing the necessary steps for an integral future. It is an attempt at reaching out to a wider audience - an audience that might not even dive into such massive texts as Sex, Ecology, Sprituality (which by the way is only number one of a three volume series). This book is more about beginning a dialogue than stating how things really should or could be per se. While some have said that there is almost nothing about business in this book, it might be worth considering what place that should occupy in a book with the premise of A Theory of Everything...Perhaps it's that business, while all the rage in our booming hometown USA, holds an excessively influential role in our world and is therefore less significant than say politics or science in the future, even though it appears otherwise, if in fact that future is to be a truly integral one. Read this book with an eye towards a future that isn't already determined, because it's not. Read this book and any Wilber, for that matter, carefully; I have found that Ken can be surprisingly subtle in his approach. Don't let the size or his pithyness in A Theory of Everything throw you - this is a remarkable man with a remarkable vision. Read this book as a primer for reflecting on the world we live in and what the future of us could be like. Let your imagination run wild; Wilber is not predicting anything, but rather sketching a loose map of the road ahead if that is the path we choose to follow. How we drive down that road is up to all of us and this book should make that abundantly clear.

An excellent introduction to Wilber

This intelligent and wide-ranging introduction, provides a comprehensive, fully-integrated view of existence and conscoisness according to one of the most exciting contemporary intellectuals living today. With style, wisdom, and grace, Wilber covers an extenvsive array of topics to yield "an integral vision for business, politics, science and spirituality." This book is in many ways a nice compliment to another recently publshed book, Michael Learner's Spirit Matters, as both books provide a map of reality that is in stark contrast to the individualism and cosumerism that shapes much of American culture today. The fact that books like these are being published and widely read makes me more hopeful for the future: A future that emphasizes enlightened consciousness, wisdom, and kindness.