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Loading... The Turning Point: Science, Society, and the Rising Culture (original 1982; edition 1984)by Fritjof Capra
Work InformationThe Turning Point: Science, Society, and the Rising Culture by Fritjof Capra (1982)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. With devastating clarity Capra shows how, in every field of science, and in the health field as well, our methods and our theories are leading to our own destruction. Capra sees the science of physics, which led us into our present fragmented world via Newtonian mechanics, as leading us out of this obsolete view of the universe with its new and liberating findings. This is a great read, even almost thirty years after it was published. Some things that Capra anticipated have happened and many have not. Although he was quite optimistic in his expectation, this book primarily is not about predicting future, it's more about being aware where we are and where were heading. I think that Capra underestimated the capability of the society to absorb different world views and life styles: it's seems that we'll have to wait for the cultural turning point for quite some time. It's somewhat funny how Capra repeatedly invokes the "paradigm shift": paradigm can only be visible in hindsight. Our grandchildren might be able to tell if there was any paradigm shift. Or maybe the shift will be that there's no dominant paradigm? (That's something that Capra didn't considered either.) Nevertheless, the book is very inspiring, very well written and rich in information. Although it's relatively long, it's by no means "dense" or boring. Each chapter has its point and is relatively self-contained. Perhaps there will be no turning point for the whole society in foreseeable future, but we can start by doing each its own little turning point. Let's see what happens in the long term when they add up! Our clinging to the mechanistic world view of Newton and Descartes has brought us perilously close to destruction. Fritjof Capra shows how these ideas are now obsolete and looks forward to a new vision more consistent with the findings of modern physics, as described in his innovative and controversial bestseller, The Tao Of Physics: a holistic, systems-based approach which in this book he extends to include important areas of contemporary life -- medicine, psychology, economics, political science and ecology as well as physics. We are in effect at a "turning point" in all aspects of our culture.
Das zwanzig Jahre alte Buch "Wendezeit" gilt längst als Klassiker, als Meilenstein in der Auseinandersetzung der globalen Krise. Mit "Wendezeit" setzte Fritjof Capra eine breite Diskussion über die Zukunft der Menschheit in Gang. Die New-Age-Bewegung in der westlichen Welt berief sich auf ihn, obwohl er sich davon distanzierte. Aufgrund der anschaulichen Schreibweise, der großenteils sehr gut nachvollziehbaren Gedankenführung und der visionären Kraft ist "Wendezeit" nach wie vor ein lesenswertes Buch. Belongs to Publisher Seriesdtv Sachbuch (11485) Notable Lists
A compelling vision of a new reality, a reconciliation of science and the human spirit for a future that will work The dynamics underlying the major problems of our time--cancer, crime, pollution, nuclear power, inflation, the energy shortage--are all the same. We have reached a time of dramatic and potentially dangerous change, a turning point for the planet as a whole. We need a new vision of reality, one that allows the forces transforming our world to flow together as a positive movement for social change. Now distinguished scientist Fritjof Capra gives us that vision, a holistic paradigm of science and spirit. "This splendid and thoughtful book is an essential guide for anyone inquiring about the place of science and metascience in our contemporary culture. Those who enjoyed Fritjof Capra's Tao of Physics should not expect a sequel; this is a much more ambitious book that attempts and succeeds in presenting a whole worldview from the viewpoint of a committed and experienced physicist who also writes from within the North American culture.... It is unusually detailed and thorough in its inclusion of the conventional and the alternative approaches to topics ranging from ecology through medicine and psychology to economics. It is at once scholarly and easy to read."--Jim Lovelock, New Scientist No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)501Natural sciences and mathematics General Science Philosophy and theoryLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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