The World as Spirit

An impressive and erudite study covering many themes explored by Network Members over the years. The first two chapters explore the development of science and the history of the relationship between religion and science. Jones finds both conventional religion and orthodox science wanting. He sympathises with the Dawkins view of the narrowness of dogmatic religion, but advocates a philosophy of spirit rather than matter. He also explains the significance of psychical research and parapsychology, which is usually ignored by mainstream science. A pivotal chapter explores the implications of quantum physics before an analysis of the need for a new philosophy going beyond determinism and materialism by embracing holism and the central idea of a universal spiritual energy or Cosmic Spirit. The third part explores the nature of the soul and elaborates on the implications of the presence of a Cosmic Spirit in philosophy, science, medicine, religion, mysticism, nature and creativity. The author draws on a wide range of reading to illustrate and reinforce his argument, but some small errors creep in like referring to C.J. Jung instead of C.G Jung and describing Evelyn Underhill as a Fellow of King's College, Oxford instead of London. A key figure is Sir Alister Hardy, both as a scientist and explorer of human consciousness. The book also contains an environmental dimension drawing on the work of Thomas Berry as part of the necessary new philosophy. The main premise, with which I am in complete agreement, is that 'our individual consciousness is part of, and resonates with, the universal consciousness of cosmic spirit.' This means that when we think, imagine or act, we are impacting on global consciousness. Readers will be enriched by this wide-ranging exploration of the necessary elements of a new philosophy.