Changing Consciousness: Exploring the Hidden Source of the Social, Political, and Environmental Crises Facing Our World

by David Bohm, Mark Edwards

Physicist and philosopher David Bohm shows how people need to adopt a new way of thinking in order to solve the crises facing the planet. His thesis is presented in dialogue form, accompanied by a photo essay. Through the examination of a totality or whole system, Bohm suggests that we may learn more than by examining its parts. The book consists of two a photo essay by Mark Edwards and an exploration in dialogue form of the deeper causes of why civilization, human life and the planet itself are threatened by technological development, while at the same time new possibilities for living creatively and productively have emerged. The photographs introduce the reader to a direct and non-verbal expression of the problems brought about by the patterns of daily living and the fundamental similarity of human beings everywhere regardless of their technological level. The photo/essay is followed by Bohm's probing of the underlying cause of the crisis, which is a basic and pervasive lack of harmony between the intellect and the emotions. Human beings are out of balance according to Bohm, and the way out is through a radical re-examination of the thinking process. David Bohm's other books include "The Ending of Time" and "The Future of Humanity", both of them dialogues with J. Krishnamurti.

Genres: Philosophy

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1991

About the author

David Joseph Bohm (December 20, 1917 – October 27, 1992) was an American scientist who has been described as one of the most significant theoretical physicists of the 20th century and who contributed innovative and unorthodox ideas to quantum theory, neuropsychology and the philosophy of mind.

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can the world, as a collective whole, change its patterns of thought so embedded in culture and memory, in order to comes to terms with reality? Can individuals take on this task separate from community? Can trends in environmental, social, and political illusions ever be reversed? The authors say yes and say also that it must happen, that paradigms of thinking and misunderstandings of truth must be dealt with now and consciousness must be changed, or else! Well, it's not a doomsday book, but it is thought provoking and I liked it. I read this book for the first time in the nineties, and it seems just as relevent today as it was then.