Review of Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In
-
Fkrubin
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 19 Feb 2022, 09:41
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 2
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fkrubin.html
- Latest Review: Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In by Harold Toliver
Review of Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In
[Following is a volunteer review of "Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In" by Harold Toliver.]
Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe in is a non-fiction book written by Harold Toliver. The majority of the beliefs and concepts that have dominated human history are at war with the objective truth of nature, according to this book. The author's argument draws on a variety of disciplines: art, astronomy, biology, chemistry, the humanities, physics, and social sciences all shed light on how unsustainable many of our mythical and religious beliefs have been and continue to be. Many of the outlandish concepts held in the past, according to Harold Toliver, are only illusions created to explain man's behavior. Greek and Roman mythology, as well as religion–the latter with a special emphasis–are among them. Many of the aforementioned myths are pitted against the natural sciences by the author in order to demonstrate how beliefs collide with objective truth. The book's multidisciplinary approach may intimidate potential readers, but such concerns are unfounded. Toliver is an excellent academic, but he's also a good writer who has a talent for explaining complex ideas in a straightforward manner. As a result, while there is plenty to chew on in this book, the reader is unlikely to experience intellectual indigestion as a result.
For me, this was a real eye opener, and I thoroughly loved the piece as a whole. Judaeo-Christian beliefs, Marxism, post-modernism, and numerous other story-book accounts of history that portray the universe as regulated by specific moral precepts and give humanity central significance in their separate storylines are among the various challenges to Toliver's position. The author's viewpoint is supported by the realities of evolution, astronomy, relativity, geology, and subatomic physics, which weakened such narratives in the early twentieth century, but these discredited narratives nevertheless have a negative impact on much of mankind.
The myths prevent us from seeing a reality that is considerably older, greater, and more powerful than any of the myths. The author's text is essential in achieving this purpose. In putting up his case, Harold Toliver, the book's author, has made his work accessible to laypeople interested in philosophical history, but this is not to say that the book is an oversimplified tract. In establishing his thesis, Toliver has not compromised on scholarship or the quality of his intellectual argumentation. He has so created that uncommon thing: a book that laypeople and professionals can both benefit from, even if they disagree with the author's point of view.
This is not a light read; the concepts given are complicated and require a significant deal of thought to comprehend. Those who follow a particular religious belief system, on the other hand, may find this book repulsive. Toliver is harsh in his criticism of beliefs that, in his opinion, have warped our understanding of the universe and our relationship with it. The emphasis on religion is my sole criticism. Even while I was not personally offended, I can understand how many others might be. Despite the fact that this book appears to be about myth in general, it devotes a significant amount of time to religion. I give Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe in by Harold Toliver four out of four stars because it is an immensely thought-provoking and entertaining read.
Harold Toliver's argument is ageless, and the sheer depth of erudition and fertile ideas contained inside this time, as well as the accessibility of his prose – which the passages above should hopefully show – all drive me to award this book a flawless grade. This is an intellectual gem that everyone, especially those interested in the history of ideas, should read.
******
Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe in is a non-fiction book written by Harold Toliver. The majority of the beliefs and concepts that have dominated human history are at war with the objective truth of nature, according to this book. The author's argument draws on a variety of disciplines: art, astronomy, biology, chemistry, the humanities, physics, and social sciences all shed light on how unsustainable many of our mythical and religious beliefs have been and continue to be. Many of the outlandish concepts held in the past, according to Harold Toliver, are only illusions created to explain man's behavior. Greek and Roman mythology, as well as religion–the latter with a special emphasis–are among them. Many of the aforementioned myths are pitted against the natural sciences by the author in order to demonstrate how beliefs collide with objective truth. The book's multidisciplinary approach may intimidate potential readers, but such concerns are unfounded. Toliver is an excellent academic, but he's also a good writer who has a talent for explaining complex ideas in a straightforward manner. As a result, while there is plenty to chew on in this book, the reader is unlikely to experience intellectual indigestion as a result.
For me, this was a real eye opener, and I thoroughly loved the piece as a whole. Judaeo-Christian beliefs, Marxism, post-modernism, and numerous other story-book accounts of history that portray the universe as regulated by specific moral precepts and give humanity central significance in their separate storylines are among the various challenges to Toliver's position. The author's viewpoint is supported by the realities of evolution, astronomy, relativity, geology, and subatomic physics, which weakened such narratives in the early twentieth century, but these discredited narratives nevertheless have a negative impact on much of mankind.
The myths prevent us from seeing a reality that is considerably older, greater, and more powerful than any of the myths. The author's text is essential in achieving this purpose. In putting up his case, Harold Toliver, the book's author, has made his work accessible to laypeople interested in philosophical history, but this is not to say that the book is an oversimplified tract. In establishing his thesis, Toliver has not compromised on scholarship or the quality of his intellectual argumentation. He has so created that uncommon thing: a book that laypeople and professionals can both benefit from, even if they disagree with the author's point of view.
This is not a light read; the concepts given are complicated and require a significant deal of thought to comprehend. Those who follow a particular religious belief system, on the other hand, may find this book repulsive. Toliver is harsh in his criticism of beliefs that, in his opinion, have warped our understanding of the universe and our relationship with it. The emphasis on religion is my sole criticism. Even while I was not personally offended, I can understand how many others might be. Despite the fact that this book appears to be about myth in general, it devotes a significant amount of time to religion. I give Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe in by Harold Toliver four out of four stars because it is an immensely thought-provoking and entertaining read.
Harold Toliver's argument is ageless, and the sheer depth of erudition and fertile ideas contained inside this time, as well as the accessibility of his prose – which the passages above should hopefully show – all drive me to award this book a flawless grade. This is an intellectual gem that everyone, especially those interested in the history of ideas, should read.
******
Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
