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Being Spherical is a modern philosophical treatise that is attractively bound and illustrated. It espouses the need for complete social integration as the next step in the evolution of our civilization, a step that may ultimately be essential to the very survival of the human race. The authors, in a thorough 65 short-chapter presentation, seek to convince the reader of the necessity of replacing the current worldview, symbolized by the "Box," with a more accurate one symbolized by the "Sphere." They even provide a "Spherical Modeling Tool" (SMT) for analyzing the complete range of human activities. Examples of its use are given for a "Global" and for a "Leadership" and an "Educational Organization" modeling analysis. What is our current "worldview?" It is a view of how our complex human and material world works. The authors are convinced that it doesn't work the way we have been taught. We have been taught to see the world from a mechanistic perspective. They take us on an illustrated journey to correct that impression. Our world of six or so billion, is sequestered into several continents, separated culturally by different languages and traditions, and further compartmented into many philosophical, religious, and political beliefs. Never the less, our world of over 100 nations is steadily moving into an advanced state of interdependence and interconnectivity. Recognizing this truth is the "Being Spherical" imperative. History has persuaded us to embrace a mechanistic, clockwork-like and compartmented view of our world, life and lives. The authors argue that we have failed to recognize its unity while trying to understand its parts. The "Box" symbolizes that worldview. They believe the idea "that everything influences everything else" - an idea symbolized by the "Sphere" - is the correct worldview. It must replace the artificial view that the elements of our human and physical world are compartmentalized and isolated. The average reader will struggle with these ideas, particularly with the new and unfamiliar vocabulary introduced to educate one to the generalities of their vision. For example, the Renaissance is called the "mid-millenial consilience." The Renaissance is that period in history where we moved from a worldview dominated by religion and the church to the presently held mechanistic, compartmentalized view, brought about by the rise of science and the success of the analytical method. Words like "consilience," "partmentalization," "tensegrity," "spherical emergents," "nascence," and "nodes" present a barrier to the average reader, one who may not be ready to learn and use new terms to represent familiar ideas as well as unfamiliar ideas. A clear illustration of the depth of change in thinking demanded by this new worldview, requiring much work on the part of the reader, is the need to replace the ideas of "power, control and focus," in the authors' view inappropriate aspects of thinking in the "Box," with the ideas of "energy, influence and clarity," appropriate to "thinking spherically." The authors do not leave the reader stranded, however. The periodic Q and A sections that dot their treatise, are very helpful in explaining the ideas behind "Being Spherical." Be warned, reading at all times requires an uncommon level of thoughtfulness and inquiry. "Being Spherical" is not a simple idea, and even seems silly at first blush. The authors reach out and ask that every aspect of our lives and our world of beliefs be reconsidered in this new view. The Sphere symbolizes for them the idea that we must take back responsibility for our own lives, reconsider our relation to the lives and activities of others with whom we interact, and be more responsible for the world in and on which we live. Entitlement has no place in our future. The Book has great merit. It targets, gives practical
tools to, and is best understood by the thoughtful individual who has
interest and experience with philosophical generalizations, and who
is concerned with our world, its long-term direction and our long-term
survival as a civilization and a race.
Copyright 2007 Phil Lawson |
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