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Summary: A Reflective Work of Genuine Worth
Review: The unique aspect of Marriage of Sense and Soul for me is the literate and informed conversation Wilber has with the great thematic works of the West. His reflective appreciation of Kant's three critiques and the centrality Kant's efforts have in Wilber's overall reflection was refreshing. It is in my mind a touchstone of serious consideration to engage, in a 'meaty' way, with central themes that were, by some's analysis, definitively defined by Kant in his critiques. Wilber's subsequent tracing of that thematic line up through Habermaus was again reassuring of the seriousness of his consideration. So many of "New Age" authors, while creative and personally helpful, seem deaf to the serious reflections within their own lebenswelt that not only display similar interests, but substantive contributions. So, having proven himself conversant with "his" lebenswelt, the introduction of Eastern themes of similar parentage was enlightening. This recognition of familial roots generates, in my mind, a convergence of the two streams, and give Wilber's work it's truly reflective deepth. What some readers measured as difficulty, I would suggest is the work's reflective depth echoing against our own shallowness.
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Summary: Wilber's vision is unique and important
Review: There are some people that suggest that Wilber has been too repetitive in his last few books. That he's simply been repeating the same basic refrain over and over again. I can understand that criticism, but I disagree with it. Wilber's theory of integration is both complex and important, and I find it incredibly useful to have new books in which he expands the examples of his theory. My own feeling is that the integral theory is a very important theory to understand, so the more in depth Wilber goes, and the various diffirent paths of exploration he goes at his thory from, the happier I am, as I feel like I have a greater grasp of what he's speaking about. As an aside, there is a wondeful novel called We All Fall Down by Brian Caldwell which seems to take quite a bit of Wilber's theory, and even mentions him several times in the book. The novel is a great example of a man caught trying to transform his life into something better, but who is able only to translate. It's about the frustration and difficulties in trying to move up to the next level of consciousness. Techinically, it's set in a Christian framework, but it elevates past that small structure and uses it to really bring home quite a few of Wilber's theories. It's a wonderful novel and I'd highly recomend it to any fan of Wilber.
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Summary: It still has me thinking
Review: This book is part history and part analysis. Historically this book traces Western theology and philosophy from the Enlightenment to Postmodernism and even to what Wilbur calls extreme postmodernism. As he follows this chronology Wilbur explores the strengths and weaknesses of the significant philosophical developments during that time period and explains how especially in a postmodern world we seek to a way to integrate (without lessening the autonomy of) art, science, and morality. His analysis of the short comings of other proposed integrative solutions is so good that without Wilbur's proposed solutions this book has great value. With Wilbur's solution which I think is very close to the only solution this book is priceless. The one major drawback to this book... the tone and topic of this book is essentially the same as every other Wilbur book. If you've read anything else by him then you won't be surprised by this book at all. However, that certainly didn't stop me from reading it and it won't stop me from getting other Wilbur books.
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Summary: The best integrative view since Alan Watts'
Review: This is a great book! This is the book that you give to your hard-core scientist friends and simply say, "Please read this and stop your endless, atheistic bickering!"
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Summary: BRILLIANTLY ARTICULATED UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH SPHERES!!!
Review: This is by far one of the BEST books I have ever read in my life!!! Ken Wilber brilliantly addresses one of the most difficult arguments of the modern world... The integration of science and religion. Ken Wilber approaches this enormous beast by penetrating to the very CORE of all the world's great spiritual and wisdom traditions and empirical sciences. The dignities AND disasters of BOTH spheres are categorized and laid down on the table with a perspective that is absolutely astonishing! This book could very well lay the foundations for an integration that would FOREVER change our perception of the INTERIOR and EXTERIOR universe!!! I HIGHLY recommend this book and/or audio cassette to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, Challenging, Stimulating-- with needed ideas.
Review: This is not an easy read. But it is brilliant and a real eye-opener and a bridge builder with concrete, practical suggestions for building a "marriage" between science and religion-- sense and soul. It takes a historical look at the pre-modern, modern, post-modern, Romantic, Idealist approaches, starting with Kant through Nietszche and Wittgenstein (at least that's how far I've gotten.)Wilber discusses how it is tempting to look back to pre-modern times for answers on how to resolve the differences between science and the more ethereal spheres of human functioning. But he argues that there are fallacies in going that route, since we must give up the benefits which came after those nostalgic times. We need to move forward and weave together science with an integrational approach to those higher functions-- an approach that treats the scientific approach as an essential but not unique or minimal means. He points out a new way of thinking about a science which includes changes in cognitive and even spiritual experiencing-- and also discusses the liabilities of only using a flat, physical approach to dealing with processes which include emergent properties. I am confident that once we reach this point, the "technology" (just as Robert Thurman, in INNER REVOLUTION characterizes Tibetan mental discipline is a technology) will become a highly valued tool used in health care and education. Wilber suggests that even nonlinear and quantum-type scientific approaches still end up "flattening" the appraisal of processes which are more than just objective, ie., including social, moral, artistic, soul, spiritual dimensions. He characterizes empirical evaluation/science as "it", spiritual/moral as "we" and artistic as "I" based ways of knowing and experiencing. Wilber suggests that in the modern world, the good thing is that science art and spirit/morals have successfully differentiated, whereas in the old world, these three were all combined together, so that religious leaders, for example, controlled thinking about science and art. The differentiation was good, in that it led to the ideas of democracy, freedom, logical explanation of the world, independent creative expression in the arts, etc. But, Wilber says, the differentiation went too far, and science became so powerful that its viewpoint has virtually wiped out the other two viewpoints as legitimate ways of looking at the world, that this is pathological. He suggests that the way to fix the problem is to integrate the three different ways of experiencing and knowing the world. Interestingly, Wilber dedicates considerable space to discuss how the idea of Paradigms is usually wrongly used-- that Popper never intended for the idea of a paradigm shift to apply to any new idea, and he points out that Popper never uses the term anymore. Bottom line is that we need to apply the same standards to any of the three categories of knowing-- whether to the material, mental or spiritual worlds-- 1) define the methodology and training and experience required to to competently evaluate the condiditions-- whether using a microscope, using a specific cognitive activity or engaging in a specific meditation practice. 2) describe the results/experience produced by following the methodology 3) share these findings to cofirm that they are the same for anyone appropriate prepared to perform the methodology. So, for example, to evaluate a given spiritual approach, a form of meditation by Nuns, for example, and any relevant results, then by sharing these reports and findings, we can determine whether there is consistency. Wilber suggests the same approach can be used to scientifically explore what happens going all the way up to the highest levels of ecstatic spiritual union. There's a lot of epistemological, post-modernity, phenomenology jargon to wade through, but there's a lot of meat too. It's worth the effort.
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Summary: Meaning is under your nose!
Review: This is one of the two best books about meaning and science and religion. Spirituality is not necessarily against science. It actually needs the sport from science! The other book I am referring to is "Get Real: A Philosophical Adventure in Virtual Reality." It convinces me that through virtual reality and teleoperation we humans can re-create the whole universe and then we become co-creators of a new world. The best part is chapter 4 that demonstrates how such a re-creation is related to meaning of life. His concept of Humanitude is very enlightening.
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Summary: This is the one.
Review: This is the book on modern philosophy. Everyone should read this, Ken Wilbur fan or not. His ideas are revolutionary. The integrating of science and religion is one of the most important things we need today in our society, so it is imperative that we all understand this. Definately the pennacle of Wilbur's work.
Rating: 
Summary: Integrating Science and Religion
Review: With The Marriage of Sense and Soul, Ken Wilber is trying to do something that most people believe impossible¾marry science and religion into a cohesive whole. Not only does Wilber, an author of over a dozen other books, brilliantly prove this thesis, but he also argues that integration of these practices is essential for a balanced life. Read by Denis deBoisblanc, this is a provocative and challenging program that cannot help but change the way you view the world.
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