Rating: 
Summary: A good "Marriage."
Review: I made a New Year's resolution to read all of Ken Wilber's books this year. In this first book to meet my goal, Wilber promises the marriage of sense and soul, and he delivers. He takes on "perhaps the greatest task confronting the postmodern world" (p. 105), integrating scientific truth with religious meaning, by showing "how we might begin to think about both science and religion in ways that allow their reconciliation and eventual integration, on terms acceptable to both parties" (p. 5).We are living in an "Age of Chaos" (p. 103), a "modern wasteland" (p. 188), and a "flatland" where everything is "reduced to the flattest surface" (p. 135), devoid of interior meaning: "no within, no deep" (p. 139). "Gone the mind, gone the soul, gone the spirit," Wilber writes, "and in their place, the unending nightmare of monochrome surfaces, the disqualified universe of flatland holism, the great and utterly meaningless system of dynamically interwoven ITs" (p. 187). However, Wilber sees hope in evolution. Although we may have "lost touch with the primal Eden" (p. 109), evolution "is simply Spirit-in-action, God in the making, and the making is destined to carry all of us straight to the Divine" (p. 104). Wilber, like Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel before him, believes there is no going back to connect with "a lost Spirit" (p. 108). Whereas the Romantic, Idealist, and Postmodern rebellions failed (p. 139), he argues that if "we are to effect a genuine integration of science and religion, it will have to be an integration of real science and real religion, not bogus science and bogus religion. And that means each camp must jettison its narrow and/or dogmatic remnants, and thus accept a more accurate self-concept, a more accurate image of its own estate" (pp. 169-70). "Engage the injunction" of contemplation, he instructs: "take up the injunction or paradigm of meditation; practice and polish that cognitive tool until awareness learns to discern the incredibly subtle phenomena of spiritual data; check your observations with others who have done so, much as mathematicians will check their interior proofs with others who have completed the injunctions; and thus confirm or reject your results" (p. 173). Thus, Wilber views Zen and other contemplative traditions as "a deep science of the spiritual interiors" (p. 203). "With the eye of contemplation, Spirit can be seen. With the eye of contemplation, God can be seen. With the eye of contemplation, the great Within radiantly unfolds" (p. 174). This is not an easy book, and some readers new to Wilber might find this a downright difficult MARRIAGE. Wilber also challenges his readers to adjust their attitudes toward both science and religion in establishing his integration. Still, this is a good MARRIAGE, and as the saying goes, a good marriage takes work. G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: A good "Marriage."
Review: I made a New Year's resolution to read all of Ken Wilber's books this year. In this first book to meet my goal, Wilber promises the marriage of sense and soul, and he delivers. He takes on "perhaps the greatest task confronting the postmodern world" (p. 105), integrating scientific truth with religious meaning, by showing "how we might begin to think about both science and religion in ways that allow their reconciliation and eventual integration, on terms acceptable to both parties" (p. 5). We are living in an "Age of Chaos" (p. 103), a "modern wasteland" (p. 188), and a "flatland" where everything is "reduced to the flattest surface" (p. 135), devoid of interior meaning: "no within, no deep" (p. 139). "Gone the mind, gone the soul, gone the spirit," Wilber writes, "and in their place, the unending nightmare of monochrome surfaces, the disqualified universe of flatland holism, the great and utterly meaningless system of dynamically interwoven ITs" (p. 187). However, Wilber sees hope in evolution. Although we may have "lost touch with the primal Eden" (p. 109), evolution "is simply Spirit-in-action, God in the making, and the making is destined to carry all of us straight to the Divine" (p. 104). Wilber, like Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel before him, believes there is no going back to connect with "a lost Spirit" (p. 108). Whereas the Romantic, Idealist, and Postmodern rebellions failed (p. 139), he argues that if "we are to effect a genuine integration of science and religion, it will have to be an integration of real science and real religion, not bogus science and bogus religion. And that means each camp must jettison its narrow and/or dogmatic remnants, and thus accept a more accurate self-concept, a more accurate image of its own estate" (pp. 169-70). "Engage the injunction" of contemplation, he instructs: "take up the injunction or paradigm of meditation; practice and polish that cognitive tool until awareness learns to discern the incredibly subtle phenomena of spiritual data; check your observations with others who have done so, much as mathematicians will check their interior proofs with others who have completed the injunctions; and thus confirm or reject your results" (p. 173). Thus, Wilber views Zen and other contemplative traditions as "a deep science of the spiritual interiors" (p. 203). "With the eye of contemplation, Spirit can be seen. With the eye of contemplation, God can be seen. With the eye of contemplation, the great Within radiantly unfolds" (p. 174). This is not an easy book, and some readers new to Wilber might find this a downright difficult MARRIAGE. Wilber also challenges his readers to adjust their attitudes toward both science and religion in establishing his integration. Still, this is a good MARRIAGE, and as the saying goes, a good marriage takes work. G. Merritt
Rating: 
Summary: A great book specifically intended for the lay mainstream
Review: I read the reviews of this book on this page and found that the ones that rated it poorly--including the _Kirkus Reviews_ review--demonstrate in their explanation a serious misunderstanding of what they ostensibly read. I don't have time for specifics, but I just wanted to say that this book is an excellent introduction to some of Wilber's ideas for the average reader unfamiliar with Wilber's more technical works (_Sex, Ecology, Spirituality_, _The Eye of Spirit_, _Up From Eden_, to name a few). More importantly, it is also an excellent explanation of the differences between science and religion, the differences between different conceptions of science, and the differences between different conceptions of religion--all of which, I assure you, Wilber understands perfectly. If you're at all interested in the topic, read this book. If you're looking for something a little more in-depth, you can't beat Wilber's _Sex, Ecology, Spirituality_.
Rating:
Summary: Well Written and Inspiring!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This book moved me to read all of his other books, per his advice at the end of this one. I found his tour through the various knowledge movements beginning with Romantic times and on through postmodernism to be entertaining and enlightening. His style is very clear and understandable, and he writes for layman and academics alike. He seems to have intended this book for a wider audience than his other books, and as such, leaves plenty of areas rather vague by just touching on them lightly. Having read his other works, people who are interested in the ideas put forth in Marriage of Sense and Soul should definetly use this book as a springboard to his other books. And that I think is this book's strength: a very good introduction to the complex world of integral studies. Whether "correct" all the time or not, he represents the cutting edge of the movements, perhaps from the sheer number of philosophers, mysticists, psychologists, theorists and academics that he has read and attempted to integrate; it is clear from reading only a few pages that Wilber is well read! The assumption that Wilber seems to be operating under is that spiritual experience is indeed "something". Something that can be verified, explained, replicable, and studied. It may not be able to be observed in the laboratory, or in a test tube, but using a broad definition of the "scientific method" that he offers, spirituality is given a new, modern light that can be understood by anyone, and most of al, *experienced* by anyone. If this assumption is not shared by the reader, then this book might not be very interesting or worth the effort. All in all, Marriage of Sense and soul is a very good read on a complex topic with a set of ideas that are ultimately very egalitarian.
Rating:
Summary: Well Written and Inspiring
Review: I throughouly enjoyed this work. After reading this book, I was moved to read all that I can by Ken Wilber, starting (per his advice) with _Brief History of Everything_ and _The Eye of Spirit_ and almost everything after all. Its his style that I like best--that is, he writes for the layman, first time reader, and academic alike. This books addresses the thread that can connect sprituality with science. That is all it is--not by reducing each, but by showing how they connect. It's really quite elementary in approach and it makes more and more sense with time. The thread is that if something, some form of knowledge (beit scientific or spiritual) can be known, anyone can know it. It can be known each time someone (scientist or a spiritual seeker) sets out to find it. Do something, get results, compare with results of others doing the same thing. How much more scientific could an apporach be? Or even, how much more egalitarian could one hope for? The assumption for this, and all of Wilber's books, is that spiritual experience is indeed "something." It might not be able to be seen in the laboratory, or in a test tube, but it is "something" and as such, can be studied, verified, debated, agreed upon--but more than that, can be *experienced*. If the reader does not share the same assumption, then she might not find much in this book worth much. That thread is the crux of the book, and the rest is an interesting account of how historical movements (romantic on through post-modernism) have viewed knowledge. And in doing so, he provides the layman with a clear and general account of the movements, enough to give readers a working understanding and the ability to jabber and babble about "intellectual things" at parties. This book does not address in great detail much of his work in transpersonal psychology, which perhaps is his strongest suit, and for that I'd recommend his newly published "Collected Works, Volume Four".
Rating:
Summary: If you read only one KW book, make it this one
Review: I've read five Wilber books so far (Brief History of Everything, Theory of Everything, One Taste, Eye of the Spirit, and Marriage of Sense and Soul) and this one contains the most comprehensive, clear and complete exposition of his ideas. I don't know why Kirkus calls it "labarynthine", because I found it also among the most readable and humorous. I love hearing him slam away at the excesses of post-modern theorists. I also think this book has the most lucid descriptions of the quadrant theory, the pre/trans falacy and other big Wilber constructs. The "theory of everything" books both felt like he was always talking about the theory without ever really taking you through it. This is the one to get to really get going with Wilber.
Rating:
Summary: Yogis, philosophers
Review: In the globalization of the world's religions the inexorable collision of the great Indian yogas, or rather their disorganized traditions, and the 'western' heritage of both philosophy and science requires some kind of intelligent mediation and this work deserves mention hands down on that basis, without any particular agreement as such with the views taken. In fact, its clear insight into the limitations of western pyschologies is very much to the point, although something the fans of Indian traditions forever enjoy pointing out. I found problems however from the first, although it is more an issue of the New Age wasteland than of Wilbur's reasonable clarifications. Philosophy evokes contempt in yogis, but these paths fail to see the logic of history, where filling a postmodern void with theosophical noise will in the end wreck the modern project. Is that redemptive?
It is clear that we have a Darwin problem, and it is clear that scientism, and the 'it-science' Wilber skewers, is susceptible to this one-dimensional thinking, may as well toss in the towel here, but can we justifiably reinvent the Grain Chain of Being to resolve these questions, as a new science? Who is the intermediary here, save a new priesthood?
The trap, and here Wilber, unlike many New Agers, shows a surprisingly cogent interest, was in fact seen by the great phase of German philosophy, at least in its Kantian version. Face it, the New Age is a metaphysical wasteland of borderline concepts, a dash of Kant might help. This Western wildflower 'Upanishadic' vein, is really a cousin, and should be of interest at the point where nine out of ten Buddhists spend forever deciphering the meaning of 'anatta'. Wilber's insight here suddenly becomes cavalier, and we are 'de-Kantianized' quite cleverly for the usual rerun of metaphysical mischief, with Fichte now to meditate out of his difficulties (head tied in knots by Kant), and the whole failure is now postmodern symptomology, etc... (Wilber is too smart, one hopes, to produce postmodern excesses, but he tends to harp on this issue, and to hope the New Age will fill some illusory postmodern void suggests these initiatives have a poor sense of history). If the Western tradition spawns philosophy instead of meditation, there is a reason, and if this did not bring us Patanjali, it is also true they worked hard to create a society that welcomes the 'autonomy' of the true yogi, something the history of guruism was unable to accomplish. Soul, divinity, and 'free will/freedom/causality' in the Kantian triple spawns three civilization for each one, and the 'yoga' of the west is concealed in these philosophies too many New Agers contemptuously dismiss.
In fact, it is the Western critical attitude that now tells us the original Gita wasn't even theistic, which drives one to examine Wilber's 'post-Kantian' cleverness on this issue, here we go again. In general, the legacy of spiritual movements of this type is one of unique cultural degradation, whence this excessive confidence in the deliverance of the 'postmodern' West with these methods?
All in all this work is much better than so many New Age treatments of the issues, that I should note this cavil is partly pro forma. Interesting book, and some time behind 'enemy' lines. I could hardly judge, and note the way these yogas adapt to new environments, now the American.
For the seeker after meditation these are quibbles, perhaps, and this approach of Wilbur's might help more than philosophy! Since he means to pied piper children (Fichtes!) away from philosophy (understanding) we can gloat that he steps into Kantian flypaper.
Rating: 
Summary: Bringing preliterate thinking into the modern era...
Review: is pointless, inadvisable, and ultimately impossible. Very good writing, though. This may be the most gripping book I've ever read that was completely wrong from beginning to end.
Rating: 
Summary: An overly cerebral work
Review: Ken sure has done lots of reading himself and has lots to draw on. However, his thesis reminds me of writings from the 19th Century, people sure used lots of words to say very little. Being able to quote many sources and place them into neat categories is not a sign of mastery. This book is very analytical, too much so. Too much time is wasted with the meat of the book coming only in the last part and the best parts at the very end. Ken does not provide an inspired view of integrating science and religion at all. He has done lots of research and put his conclusions into a detailed four quadrant map. But his work is generally not practical, hard to get your hands around, and does not exhibit much of the real spiritual genius that a proposed integration would need. The test of the ancients, those of the Great Chain of Being he references is 'Does it grow corn?' This book does not. This book denegrades the flat land scientific approach of the right quadrants and yet itself exists a 99% right-brain book showing little integration in the authors own mind of the conceptual spheres he is attempting to 'integrate'. Without more emphasis on the spiritual sides of the analyis the book remains a dissonant work itself.
Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to Wilber
Review: Ken Wilber is quite possibly the most significant philosopher writing today. Yet his work is dense, academic, and difficult for those outside of academia or professional psychology to grasp.
With "The Marriage of Sense and Soul", Wilber writes a popular introduction to Integral thought, in which he outlines the basics of his philosophy- the "nest of being", interiors vs. exteriors, prerational/rational/transrational thinking, mystical states of consciousness, and the rest of the essentials of his philosophy. While there's still a lot of terminology to digest, and Wilber drops more than a few names that non-academics probably won't recognize, Wilber does manage to strip his philosophy down to a brief introduction that is far more elegant and feels like less of an abridgement than "A Brief History of Everything".
At the same time, I don't know if Wilber succeeds in pulling off the mission of the book- "Integrating Science and Religion." While Wilber does a fine job of defining science and the limits of science, his definition of religion throws out the very components of religion that are most relevant to the typical religious believer! He strips religion down to meditative contemplation, while rendering the other components of religion irrelevant to his model. Ultimately, his "integration" is only possible by redefining religion into his model. While Wilber's philosophy is powerful and coherent, (and hence I'm not ashamed to admit to being a "Wilberian") his explaining-away of religion makes the own purpose of his book impossible. You might as well ask Richard Dawkins (the famously atheistic evolutionary biologist) to write a book on the integration of science and religion- it would be just as unsatisfactory.
Despite this, however, the book does do an excellent job of presenting integral theory to a broader audience. As a companion volume, I'd recommend Robert Wright's "Nonzero" as another fine book on the integral vision.
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