Anthony Burns (director)

Like all Gaul, Ultimum Mysterium is divided into three parts. Unlike Gaul, there appears to be little connection between them. Burns first takes us on a tour of rumors, anecdotes and dreams of things for which science takes a pass, then transitions into quantum physics. Chapters 2-8 are a top level survey of various sciences, very cursory and superficial. In addition to quantum physics, there is geometry, time and so on. Chapter 9 then tries to link chapter one (paranormal) to all the science chapters. It fails utterly, so it’s on to philosophy. Ultimately, Burns creates a short list of principles by which he constructs his own universe, one in which astrology might actually work. He never comes back to prove, disprove or even explain the paranormal stories of the first chapter. We have moved on, it seems.

Ultimum Mysterium goes very wide in its 145 pages, but nowhere does it go deep. I freely admit I don’t know what this book is about.

David Wineberg… (more)