Review by timd -- Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Beli...
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[Following is a volunteer review of "Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In" by Harold Toliver.]
[rbc=4]id208550-125[/rbc]
This is definitely not a vague, pseudo-scientific, or metaphysical work, similar to so much of the popular literature available today, but is a deeply researched study tracing both the biological evolution of human beings and the eventual development of society and language together with emerging myths and religions which were used to explain the workings of the natural world. These myths were also used by priests and rulers of societies to mold people’s perceptions of political and military motives. In a fascinating and comprehensively referenced argument, the author illustrates how many of these misconceptions and myths persist to this day and are still used by politicians and other leaders in society to sway our opinions and actions.
Scholarly, but pleasantly written, this book provides a fascinating study of the history of the development of our knowledge about the universe and of our perceptions concerning it. The author uses science, philosophy, literature, and religion to weave a compelling argument showing how we have been blinded by centuries of reinforced misconceptions despite the progress that modern science has made concerning our understanding of the universe and of our world and its actual place in the grand scheme of things. Describing ancient civilizations perception of the world, the author quotes the great but diminutive in physical stature, poet, Alexander Pope, “Gods weren’t the source of storms, storms were the source of stormy gods.”
At this stage, it is probably important to mention that readers who believe literally in the truth of the Bible will probably not appreciate this book as the author does not spare the apparent mythology of Western religion, or any other religions, for that matter. Describing the apparent faults of the world, supposedly created for perfection by a benevolent and all-powerful creator, the author states, “The irrationality of having lambs devoured by wolves because a man and a woman were once disobedient isn’t one of moral philosophy’s better ideas.” Obviously, this concerns the story of Adam and Eve, in the bible, disobeying their creator in the fabled Garden of Eden. Another quote from the author that accurately conveys the atmosphere and argument postulated in the book is the following; “Celestial paradises usually leave out the livestock and wild animals plus millions of other species of land, sea, and air.”
In his discussion postulating our false beliefs in general about the nature of reality the author quotes extensively from sources such as John Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” and “Paradise Regained,” as well as from sources such as William Shakespeare, the ancient world poets Homer and Virgil as well as the Italian poet Dante’s, “The Divine Comedy” and also from more obscure sources such as James Frazer’s “The Golden Bough,” and Richard Hager’s “The Rise and Fall of Civilizations.” Examining our distorted perceptions of cosmic reality, the author states that, “the ‘order’ in the Christian heaven is nothing else but a reflection of the order of a human society.”
Interspersed with literary, philosophical and religious views and references the author provides illuminating insights about the real universe as discovered by modern science, and traces the history of the strife between true knowledge and the views of the Church which resulted in the tragic fates of scientists such as Giordano Bruno, the famous astronomer being burnt at the stake for his “ventures into the Copernican universe,” as opposed to the churches dogma of an earth centred universe and of Galileo being subjected to house arrest for the remainder of his life for his revelations and discoveries about the true nature of the solar system using the newly discovered telescope at his disposal.
In the ancient world, the famous and beautiful female mathematician and scientist of Alexandria, Hypatia, was torn to pieces and skinned alive by an enraged Christian mob for her reluctance to commit to prevailing religious views and beliefs. Quoting from the findings of modern science, the author provides interesting insights about the universe such as that, “the universe is estimated at over 90 billion light years across and that we can only see 13 billion years in any direction.”
In the second half of the book, in his examination of our modern society the author shows how our perceptions and beliefs are still manipulated by political, business and religious leaders to continue to mold us as sentient individuals in order to conform to their wishes and force us to accept and partake in erroneous and self-destructing activities such as warfare and rampant consumerism which plagues the modern world.
It is not possible, in such a review to summarise the scope of the author’s arguments and contentions which are supported by extensive references to an exhaustive selection of scholarly sources but, possibly, this last quote from the book conveys the spirit of the authors argument: “Humans are an ego centred race whose inventive brain doesn’t always distinguish between the subjective and the objective. The appeal of the myths is partly the downsizing of natural history to put mankind in a better proportional setting.”
Whatever your personal beliefs and convictions may be, this is a fascinating and readable study which is illuminating to anyone with an inquiring mind. The references throughout the text are readable and enjoyable. For readers wishing to pursue matters further, the author provides nearly forty pages of references at the end of the book!
I have given this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars because of its readability and interestingly novel approach to what we may assume to be true about the nature of reality and that of our world which we inhabit.
******
Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In
View: on Bookshelves
Like timd's review? Post a comment saying so!
This is definitely not a vague, pseudo-scientific, or metaphysical work, similar to so much of the popular literature available today, but is a deeply researched study tracing both the biological evolution of human beings and the eventual development of society and language together with emerging myths and religions which were used to explain the workings of the natural world. These myths were also used by priests and rulers of societies to mold people’s perceptions of political and military motives. In a fascinating and comprehensively referenced argument, the author illustrates how many of these misconceptions and myths persist to this day and are still used by politicians and other leaders in society to sway our opinions and actions.
Scholarly, but pleasantly written, this book provides a fascinating study of the history of the development of our knowledge about the universe and of our perceptions concerning it. The author uses science, philosophy, literature, and religion to weave a compelling argument showing how we have been blinded by centuries of reinforced misconceptions despite the progress that modern science has made concerning our understanding of the universe and of our world and its actual place in the grand scheme of things. Describing ancient civilizations perception of the world, the author quotes the great but diminutive in physical stature, poet, Alexander Pope, “Gods weren’t the source of storms, storms were the source of stormy gods.”
At this stage, it is probably important to mention that readers who believe literally in the truth of the Bible will probably not appreciate this book as the author does not spare the apparent mythology of Western religion, or any other religions, for that matter. Describing the apparent faults of the world, supposedly created for perfection by a benevolent and all-powerful creator, the author states, “The irrationality of having lambs devoured by wolves because a man and a woman were once disobedient isn’t one of moral philosophy’s better ideas.” Obviously, this concerns the story of Adam and Eve, in the bible, disobeying their creator in the fabled Garden of Eden. Another quote from the author that accurately conveys the atmosphere and argument postulated in the book is the following; “Celestial paradises usually leave out the livestock and wild animals plus millions of other species of land, sea, and air.”
In his discussion postulating our false beliefs in general about the nature of reality the author quotes extensively from sources such as John Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” and “Paradise Regained,” as well as from sources such as William Shakespeare, the ancient world poets Homer and Virgil as well as the Italian poet Dante’s, “The Divine Comedy” and also from more obscure sources such as James Frazer’s “The Golden Bough,” and Richard Hager’s “The Rise and Fall of Civilizations.” Examining our distorted perceptions of cosmic reality, the author states that, “the ‘order’ in the Christian heaven is nothing else but a reflection of the order of a human society.”
Interspersed with literary, philosophical and religious views and references the author provides illuminating insights about the real universe as discovered by modern science, and traces the history of the strife between true knowledge and the views of the Church which resulted in the tragic fates of scientists such as Giordano Bruno, the famous astronomer being burnt at the stake for his “ventures into the Copernican universe,” as opposed to the churches dogma of an earth centred universe and of Galileo being subjected to house arrest for the remainder of his life for his revelations and discoveries about the true nature of the solar system using the newly discovered telescope at his disposal.
In the ancient world, the famous and beautiful female mathematician and scientist of Alexandria, Hypatia, was torn to pieces and skinned alive by an enraged Christian mob for her reluctance to commit to prevailing religious views and beliefs. Quoting from the findings of modern science, the author provides interesting insights about the universe such as that, “the universe is estimated at over 90 billion light years across and that we can only see 13 billion years in any direction.”
In the second half of the book, in his examination of our modern society the author shows how our perceptions and beliefs are still manipulated by political, business and religious leaders to continue to mold us as sentient individuals in order to conform to their wishes and force us to accept and partake in erroneous and self-destructing activities such as warfare and rampant consumerism which plagues the modern world.
It is not possible, in such a review to summarise the scope of the author’s arguments and contentions which are supported by extensive references to an exhaustive selection of scholarly sources but, possibly, this last quote from the book conveys the spirit of the authors argument: “Humans are an ego centred race whose inventive brain doesn’t always distinguish between the subjective and the objective. The appeal of the myths is partly the downsizing of natural history to put mankind in a better proportional setting.”
Whatever your personal beliefs and convictions may be, this is a fascinating and readable study which is illuminating to anyone with an inquiring mind. The references throughout the text are readable and enjoyable. For readers wishing to pursue matters further, the author provides nearly forty pages of references at the end of the book!
I have given this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars because of its readability and interestingly novel approach to what we may assume to be true about the nature of reality and that of our world which we inhabit.
******
Mythic Worlds and the One You Can Believe In
View: on Bookshelves
Like timd's review? Post a comment saying so!
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