Rating: 
Summary: Creative Pessimism
Review: Bibliophiles often experience an irresistable urge to sneak a peak at the last few pages of a book knowing full well that surrending to such temptation often diminishes the joy of reading the work in its entirety. That being said, I wholeheartedly wish now that I inhabited one of those parallel universes to which Robert Wilson refers in "The New Inquisition" so that I might have the chance to do just that. Had I thumbed through Wilson's final chapter "Creative Agnostism" as a prerequisite to reading this book, I surely would have read the previous 221 pages with a more jaundiced eye. The voice of Wilson here is clearly not that of an avuncular psychologist-slash-metaphysician-slash-standup-comic-slash-armchair quantum physicist. It is the voice of a brooding, new age Hamlet seemingly overwhelmed by, and looking for, a quick escape from the "Real" universe that less-enlightened human beings not only construct from the gossamer tissue of consciousness, but must endure. Looking for a feel-good ending to Wilson's exploration into ontology? You won't find it here: "This is the self-image of humanity: ...the sad clowns of Picasso--the frenzied monsters of his middle period--the defeated heroes and heroines of Hemingway and Sartre and Faulkner--the cosmic butcher shop (Whoa!)of Bacon--the homicidal nightmare of such arch-typical films as 'Dead End' and 'Bonnie and Clyde' and 'Chinatown'--the bums and thugs and the endless succession of self-pitying and easily-defeated rebels in virtually all the novels and plays and films that claim to be naturalistic...--the apotheosis finally achieved by Beckett: man and woman in garbage cans along with the rest of the rubbish." And a little later (reflecting on Hitler): "...The world looked on in horror, learned nothing...and so we stumble on to a bigger Holocaust than the Nazis could imagine...the "Real" universe (which Wilson describes more or less as 'brutally impersonal') will not give us a chance." Is there any wonder why this guy wants out? As I suggested, reading Wilson's final chapter first (upon a second reading)provides a startling context for much of that which preceeds it. "The New Inquisition", thus approached, seems to me less like an objective defense of the freedom of expression than it does one man's fevered attempt to escape experiencing the suffering that the Buddha knew was inevitable. To this end Wilson labors tirelessly in an attempt to fashion metaphysical "parachutes" from the whole cloth of quantum mechanics, Taoism, Buddhism, and an ultimately tedious recounting of what seems like hundreds of reports of strange-but-possibly-true phenomena such as a rain of cookies, the finding of a woman's shoe on the north slope of Mount Everest, and a flying sled. Again: begin at the beginning as I did the first time around with the book's somewhat clinical first chapter and you will inevitably ask the question "What the hell is going on with me?". Plow through chapter eight as the book's preface and you'll wonder "What in God's name is going on with Robert Wilson?". This is not to say that there are not some very useful and interesting nuggets to be mined from the author's vast accumulation of esoterica or his impressive familiarity with the basics of numerous disciplines. Wilson poses a series of questions to the reader two or three times throughout the book and it is somewhat intriguing to observe the answers to these questions change with an increased awareness of one's cognitive idiosynchrisies. On balance, were it not for the remarkable dissonance between Robert Wilson's light, almost frivolous tone throughout the body of this book and his aforementioned melancholy in its final passages, I might have subscribed to the author's basic premise more readily. As written, however, I am left to wonder which side of the street Robert Wilson is really working. Has he, by buying into the philosophical premises he expouses in this book, discovered the ecstasy that is the fruit of embracing his "model agnosticism", or does he, in the secret chamber of his heart, like most of us who are fated to dwell in the "real world", often echo the sentiment of the anonymous poet who wrote, "...I, a stranger and afraid, in a world I never made..."?
Rating: 
Summary: Distressing Only to the Dogmatic
Review: I actually sought this book out after reading an unfavorable review by a notable skeptical organization(wink, wink, science cops:) I think it was an ultimately fair critique of the modern skeptical movement and asked some really big questions on why skepticism has come to mean automatically dismissive. Dean Radin has a book called "The Conscious Universe" which dissects the motives of skeptics in more detail(as well as offering one of the most convincing arguments for psychic phenomena of the 20th century). Bottom line: Read this if you want to see how science has been tainted with politics. If your an irrational skeptic, don't read it unless you like having a nervous fit.
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Summary: Wilson is himself a scientist
Review: I always find it interesting to read scientists' negative reactions to books such as this. They say far more about a book than the praise. This book is, as all of Wilson's work, a treasure, and a plea for intellectual rigor beyond the rigor mortis of scientific puritanism which it has taken as its sole trust.
Rating:
Summary: The genius of Wilson strikes again!
Review: I love the style of this man. As in his other writings, Robert Anton Wilson entertains and challenges with intelligence and wit in The New Inquisition. Wilson takes the reader on a philosophical, scientific and linguistic journey, shattering expectations and preconceptions along the way, leaving one feeling that nothing is completely real and that everything is possible. Or something like that. What is this "reality" thing anyway!? Wilson argues for creative agnosticism in all areas of thinking and ideology. Models are regarded as "tools to be used only and always where appropriate and replaced (by other models) only and always where not appropriate". All forms of dogmatic thinking are cleverly undermined with irreverent humour and intelligence, Wilson continually pointing out the consequences of accepting limited perception. The ideas of various 20th century "heretics" are explored to support Wilson's insights. Wilhem Reich, Velikowsky, David Bohm, Rupert Sheldrake and Jung are just some of the original thinkers touched on. Throw in some quantum physics, UFO sightings, all manner of reported strange phenomena, a bit of Zen, and you have some idea of what this book is about. Brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: for the open minded
Review: If you are an open minded materialist ready to question what you believe to be true about what Wilson might call the Church of Scientific Materialism, then this is a fantastic book. It's fantastic because there are few sources that ask questions in a logical reasonable manner. Wilson has been through a lot in his life, and he is smart enough to commit the sin of Socrates-- admitting his ignorance while mercilessly spearing those who claim they know the "truth." Stay away from this book if you aren't willing to read it with an open mind. It will either frustrate or bore you.
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Summary: PLEA FOR FREE THOUGHT
Review: In many ways we have made little progress from the days of the Holy Spanish Inquisition; on TV, Radio, Magazines, Newspapers, from the halls of Academia and the halls of religous institutions to the halls of Congress, we are showered, bombarded and pressured to THINK a certain way...and woe to those who preach heresy. Wilson's book strikes me as a plea for free, and sane, thought. Wilson will point out with devastating clarity how often we are straight-jacketed into reality tunnels both of our own making and those imposed on us by EXPERTS. (digression here...if you enjoyed this book and Wilson's shots at the "experts", watch the film FAKE by Orson Welles. Great fun.) Wilson challenges us to be Creative Agnostics, to not be so quick to dogmatize, to be a little less constipated about how Universe works and acts. Warning though...if you are a layman, as I am, to scientific and philosophical terminology, keep a good dictionary of those terms handy! Is well worth it, though, fellow laymen! Wilson is the Groucho Marx of Academia; if he is obnoxious, it's only the more to point how insultingly pretentious the EXPERTS are that he gives the rasberry to. And ohhhhhh what a relief it is... Buy this book, keep some dictionaries handy, bowl of popcorn, and for God's sake watch the skies...
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Believe Everything You Read
Review: In this book Robert A. Wilson drives home the point that the scientific "establishment" is prone to acting like religious fundamentalists when it comes to offbeat new ideas that don't conform to accepted "laws" of science. Just like the old inquisition attempted to destroy all examples of thought or action that did not comply with their religious dogma to the letter, mainstream scientists of today have become a new inquisition and have suppressed and often incarcerated eccentric thinkers like Reich or Velikovsky. So the point is, you can't believe everything that you hear from the scientific establishment, as "evidence" that is compiled to dispute offbeat theories often shows traces of simply conforming to preconceived notions. A common example is the "mass hallucination" excuse that is often trotted out to explain UFO sightings or religious visions that are witnessed by many people. Mainstream scientists may even compile "evidence" to justify the mass hallucination theory, which is not a theory at all but a reaction to an uncomfortable or unacceptable idea. Wilson asks us, which is harder to believe - UFO's or mass hallucinations? If you're open minded, you can see the gaps in the establishment's reactions, without resorting to outlandish theories yourself. Wilson manages to stay objective and open-minded through most of the book, though he shows tendencies of the worst conspiracy theorists by assuming that simply piling on examples of suppressed ideas actually proves the existence of an organized conspiracy against them. This fails, as does Wilson's use of the vague term "Citadel" as the supposed cabal of mainstream scientists who have devoted their lives to stifle creative thinking. Of course there are specific examples of this, as Wilson convincingly demonstrates, but he fails to reveal an organized effort by "the enemy." And as always, Wilson's sarcastic, stream-of-consciousness writing style has a negative impact on his credibility, as does the very awkward final chapter of this book in which he attempts to wrap up many disconnected ideas into an overall philosophical theory. If you approach this book with an open mind, you will definitely learn how to read what you get from the scientific community with a healthy skepticism, and will want to see more evidence before you believe everything you read. This can definitely help you become a freer thinker. But if you're one of those folks who claim that Wilson's books have changed your whole way of thinking, you've pretty much missed his point entirely.
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Summary: Great, tells you what you dont want to know but must!
Review: Just read it and you will understand why i dont tell you about it.
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Summary: Thought provoking and not a little bit scary...
Review: Like all of Wilson's books, The New Inquisition makes one think, and look at the world in a completely new way. Wilson is one of the most brilliant and open minded writers around, and he is funny to boot. Both fundamentalist theists and fundamentalist atheists ought to avail themselves of his books. "The New Inquisition" basically sends the fundamentalist materialists (such as Richard Dawkins, et al) a big and well-deserved thump upside the head. As biologist J.B.S. Haldane remarked, "The universe is not only queerer than we imagine, it is queerer than we CAN imagine". Or Spinoza's remark that the human mind is to the mind of God as a dog is to the Dog Star. Anyone, scientist or theologian, who thinks they can explain anything away uncritically is dead wrong. We live in an era where materialistic science is accepted as uncritically as the Catholic Church was in the Middle Ages. If more people read "The New Inquisition" (and other of Wilson's books) we might start to change that and think for ourselves. Now we know who the little boy who shouted out "The Emperor doesn't have any clothes on!" was - it was Robert Anton Wilson, and thank God (or thank Dog) he's still pointing out naked emperors for us to see.
Rating: 
Summary: Wilhelm Reich Got the Shaft!
Review: Robert Anton Wilson - yeah that's right the same screwball "psychologist" who brought us that "masterpiece" of scientifantasy _The Illuminatus Triology_ - is up to no good again. This time the guy is throwing a hissy because "skeptics" like Martin Gardner are just taking all the fun out of life with their die hard "fundamentalist" materialism. Afterall, which sounds more cool: "flying saucer containing aliens from another dimension", or "anomalous cloud formation". In the process of showing us that the "scientific community of today" is starting to resemble more and more the Catholic Church of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Wilson is going to cite virtually a hundred million examples of unexplainable weirdness, a la Charles Fort. To say that citing newspaper clipping after newspaper clipping of "rains of frogs", werewolves, cats with wings, and other nonsense is tedious is a complete understatement. In fact, it is outright absurd. But, Wilson is going to do it anyway, just to make his point. He's also going to quote a lot of philosophers from Hume to Nietzsche, with some Bergsonian "creative evolution" thrown into the mix for good measure. And, he's also going to go off about the Copenhagen interpretation, Schrodinger's cat, Bell's Theorem, and all that quantum rigamarole. He shows us some cool tricks, some optical illusions, and makes us take a neato test to find a way around the "Aristotelian either/or game". What's his answer to this menacing fundamentalist materialism he sees on the rise (watch out CSICOP)? Creative agnosticism. That's right, he can't explain it, so he just doesn't know. Overall this is a pretty funny read. Though, like I said, the plethora of absurd examples makes it extremely dull at points. It has everything from the "killer rabbit" that attacked President Carter to the Travis Walton affair. And, of course, Wilhelm Reich, Wilson's favorite Promethean hero whose books were burned by the government, gets mentioned. Afterall, maybe he did really create a rain storm with orgasm energy.
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