Logos Rising: A History of Ultimate Reality

by E. Michael Jones

There has never been a time when there was nothing, because if there were ever nothing, there could never be something. There has never been a time when there was nothing but chaos. Order cannot come from chaos, because that which is cannot come from that which is not.

There has never been a time when man was not aware of an ultimate reality upon which he depended for his existence.

The first name man gave to that ultimate reality was God. In every language and culture, God was a father who lived in the sky. But if God was a father, did he have a beard? If God was a father, did he have a wife? The first attempt to deduce the characteristics of God from the world man knew, ended up in the dead end known as mythology, whose best expression was Homer’s Iliad. At around the same time that Homer’s epic went from oral to written form, a group of Greeks in Ionia on the coast of Asia Minor abandoned mythology and began to look for some substance in nature as the basis for ultimate reality. Thales of Miletus said it was water. Anaxamines said it was air, and Heraclitus said it was fire, but fire was an expression of something more basic, and he claimed that the most basic principle of all was Logos.

Five hundred years later, St. John the Evangelist brought this discussion full circle when he said that in the beginning there was Logos, and Logos was God. God, it turns out, was a father, but he didn’t have a beard or a wife. God was Logos.

Logos wasn’t simply an abstract principle like geometry or physics, although it certainly was both of those things. Logos was a person who had the power to bring that plan into fulfillment over the course of human history. Time was no longer just the number of motion, as Aristotle claimed. Time was a drama with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It was like the Greek plays Aristotle described in his Poetics. And because we were creatures of Logos we could now understand that plan in the same way that the Greeks of Athens understood Oedipus Rex. The history of logos found its culmination in the logos of history. Logos is rising.

Logos Rising: A History of Ultimate Reality describes the tragic and yet ultimately triumphant progress of Logos in human history, from the beginning of everything, to the emergence of the concept, to the Democratic primary of 2020.

Genres: Philosophy, History, Christianity, Catholic, Religion, Nonfiction, Theology

784 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2020

About the author

Catholic writer, former professor at Saint Mary's College in Indiana and the current editor of Culture Wars magazine.

E. Micheal Jones is controversial for his criticism against judaism.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall a very enjoyable read.

E Michael Jones latest book, like all Meta Histories, skips over a lot. What he covers however, was genuinely very educational and entertaining. His overview of Greek philosophy was very interesting as he tracked the development of philosophy and the arche (Greek for beginning or origin) was really interesting.

In general however, E Michael Jones, is at his best when he is doing Journalism. When he goes to great depths into specific places and periods such as Germany after WW2, he quickly conveys a keen sense of what is going on under the hood so to speak. While his parts on philosophy are still very interesting, his ability to string together narratives and analyze important characters in terms of their potential motivation I have not seen matched by any other modern thinker. Jones is the best at showcasing exactly how sin and error effects our behavior.

Overall, I highly suggest the book, it is well worth the money and the time spent. I had ordered my second E. Michael Jones book before I had finished this one

[N.B. Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Logos is always rising, no matter how it seems at any particular moment in time."

Those who use their extraordinarily concentrated wealth/influence to determine today's prevailing, mainstream culture would have you believe these are the words of a hateful man.

Two years ago, I discovered this same man on YouTube. At that point in my life, I didn't realize there existed a logical way to approach the existence of God. Whether I simply wasn't exposed to it or I had been and I just wasn't open to it at the time, I'm still pondering to this day. But the novel Logos Rising: A History of Ultimate Reality summarizes the key points I learned from Dr. Jones at that time and much MUCH more. To summarize in a phrase: "that which is cannot come from that which is not, nor can that which is bring itself into existence because it would have to exist before it existed." It also explains in exceptional detail the personal factors which led key figures in history to attempt to suppress the cultural influence of religion, metaphysics, and the natural law (logos).

Logos Rising is above all else a history book. In my opinion, it is one that should be, and will be in the case of my children, required reading on the subject of history. Besides the immense educational value though, the way Dr. Jones tracks the concept of logos through history to assign true meaning to each time period turns the subject of history from an informational concept to one that is truly empowering. And the importance of this empowerment at this point in history also cannot be understated, specifically for its message to my generation in particular:

"Logos is now rising among the most sexually confused generation in human history, in what Hegel would refer to as the cunning of reason, because chaos creates a need for logos..."

As mentioned, I am the generation Dr. Jones refers to in this passage. It is possible he even wrote this with young men like myself in mind, as I have happily/proudly reported my progress on the subject to him in comment messages, when two years ago my life changed forever with the rising of logos. Shortly after addressing the "chaos" he refers to in my own life, I met the love of my life, who not a week before finishing this book I proposed to. We are now happily engaged to be married and as Dr. Jones says: logos truly is rising.

To conclude: Dr. Jones helped me find God and played a key role in shining the light on how to attain a good, ordered life with a good woman to start a family with. At the same time, his books have also been banned by Amazon, YouTube has removed all of his videos, and I believe he's been removed from social media, though I thankfully don't use that form of virtual reality much anymore. Taking those things together, the conflict of logos and anti-logos should be perfectly clear. I highly recommend you buy this book at Fidelity Press to grasp the full scope of this struggle from the beginning of everything to our current time.

[LittleFlowerEnjoyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible, and extremely important, book. EM Jones, in the vein of St. Augustine, Vico, and Chesterton, produces a book of significant magnitude which analyses the interaction of Logos in history, something which we know as Divine Providence he traces out the history of Logos from antediluvian man, through the annals of Western philosophy, the Incarnation of Logos in Jesus Christ, and the impact Logos has had on the West, with the accompanying set backs of what know as anti-Logos, the spirit of Antichrist. It takes a solid foundation in philosophy to fully grasp what EM Jones is talking about, but once you do, there's a profundity to his work and what it entails.
I needed another book like this, as I have a personal interest in the role of Providence in History (the result of which was my conversion to Catholicism in 2018). I highly, highly recommend this book.

[Joe Morovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s probably not fair to review this book on a single reading but a 700+ pages it may take me some time to go through it again. It is a tour de force in that Jones attempts a sweeping history of Logos, rationality, logic, structure,—and in Jones’ view providence, from Aristotle to the present day. Overall he succeeds but this reads more like a textbook with personal asides than a book for the masses. Unless you are familiar with philosophy it may be slow going. But the effort is well worth it. Also the later chapters, as they move through Hegel, Nietzsche, and Heisenberg, not to mention Notre Dame and Hesburgh, the book becomes more and more relevant.

Jones, despite noting John’s gospel makes Logos a person of the trinity, that person being Christ, he still for the most part treats Logos as a it, a force, or even in his terms, a category of the mind (though he would deny it wholehearted, check the pronouns he uses for Logos throughout. It, not He). In part, this is probably due to Jones orientation in term of Philosophical theory rather than a more consistent Catholic approach. It may be in part his respect for Iranian Muslims who would reject Logos if specifically He was identified with Christ. Or it may be a human inconsistency in approach. But the work would improve by a consistent treatment of Logos throughout as a Person and not an it.

When I do read it again, or when you read it—and I still strongly suggest you do—try replacing every time Jones says Logos with Christ and it with He, and it all may become clearer.

I strongly still recommend the book. There simply is nothing out there to compare and could provide a foundation for a better view of Philosophy, history, and education. No small feat.

[noblethumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

E. Michael Jones’s Logos Rising: A History of Ultimate Reality is an ambitious intellectual and cultural history that aims to trace the concept of Logos—reason, order, and divine rationality—through the development of Western civilization. Rooted in a synthesis of theology, philosophy, and history, Jones positions Logos as the guiding principle underpinning the progression of human thought, moral order, and societal coherence. Drawing heavily from classical, Christian, and modern philosophical sources, Jones argues that the recognition of Logos has been central to humanity’s pursuit of truth, while its denial or suppression has led to moral and cultural decline.

The scope of Logos Rising is expansive, as Jones attempts to chart the unfolding of Logos from ancient Greek philosophy to Christian theology and beyond. The book is structured chronologically, beginning with the pre-Socratic philosophers, whose inquiries into the nature of reality laid the groundwork for the concept of Logos. Jones emphasizes the pivotal role of Heraclitus, who first articulated Logos as the rational principle governing the cosmos, and of Plato and Aristotle, who refined this understanding through metaphysics and ethics. These philosophical origins, Jones contends, culminated in the Gospel of John’s declaration that “In the beginning was the Logos,” wherein the rational principle of the universe is revealed as inseparable from the divine Word incarnate in Christ.

From this theological foundation, Jones traces the influence of Logos throughout the history of Western thought, giving particular attention to key figures in the Christian intellectual tradition such as Augustine, Aquinas, and Bonaventure. He argues that the synthesis of Greek philosophy and Christian theology achieved in the medieval period represents the zenith of Logos-centered civilization, a unity of faith and reason that underpinned the moral and intellectual flourishing of Christendom.

Jones then turns to the crises of modernity, which he interprets as a series of rejections of Logos in favor of individualism, materialism, and relativism. He critiques the Enlightenment’s elevation of reason divorced from faith, identifying figures such as Descartes, Hume, and Kant as central to the erosion of a Logos-centered worldview. The narrative culminates in Jones’s analysis of contemporary culture, which he views as mired in a nihilistic rejection of objective truth and divine order. For Jones, the return to Logos is not merely an intellectual project but a moral imperative, necessary for the restoration of cultural and spiritual integrity.

One of the strengths of Logos Rising lies in its synthesis of diverse intellectual traditions. Jones demonstrates a deep familiarity with philosophy, theology, and history, weaving these disciplines together to present a coherent narrative of Logos as a unifying principle. His readings of classical and medieval texts are often insightful, particularly in their emphasis on the compatibility of faith and reason within the Christian tradition. Furthermore, Jones’s writing style is engaging, making complex philosophical and theological concepts accessible to a broad audience.

However, Logos Rising is not without its limitations. While the book’s scope is impressive, its sweeping narrative occasionally oversimplifies the complexities of intellectual history. Jones’s portrayal of modernity, for instance, tends to reduce diverse philosophical movements to a monolithic “rejection of Logos.” Figures such as Descartes, Kant, and Nietzsche are presented as antagonists in a moral drama, with little attention to the nuances of their thought or the historical contexts in which they wrote. This reductionism can give the impression of a teleological narrative in which history unfolds as a conflict between Logos and its negation, a framing that risks oversimplifying the dialectical development of ideas.

Moreover, Jones’s critique of modernity often ventures into polemical territory. While his concerns about relativism and the fragmentation of moral order are not without merit, his arguments occasionally rely on sweeping generalizations and moral indictments that lack rigorous substantiation. This tendency is particularly evident in the later chapters, where Jones critiques contemporary culture in terms that may strike some readers as tendentious or overly deterministic.

Another area of concern is Jones’s selective engagement with non-Western traditions. While Logos Rising claims to offer a history of ultimate reality, its focus remains almost exclusively on the Greco-Christian tradition. The absence of serious engagement with Eastern philosophies, Islamic thought, or other religious and intellectual traditions limits the book’s scope and undermines its claim to universality. A more inclusive approach might have enriched Jones’s thesis and provided a broader perspective on humanity’s pursuit of Logos.

Despite these criticisms, Logos Rising is a thought-provoking work that challenges readers to reflect on the philosophical and theological foundations of Western civilization. Jones’s central argument—that the recognition of Logos is essential to moral and cultural order—resonates as a counterpoint to contemporary relativism and materialism. While his conclusions may be controversial, particularly in their cultural and political implications, they invite meaningful dialogue about the role of reason, faith, and truth in shaping human society.

In conclusion, Logos Rising is a bold and ambitious exploration of the concept of Logos as a unifying principle of reality, history, and morality. While the book’s sweeping scope and polemical tone may invite criticism, its synthesis of philosophy and theology offers a compelling defense of the rational and moral foundations of Western thought. For scholars and readers interested in intellectual history, philosophy, and theology, Logos Rising provides a provocative and engaging perspective, even as it raises important questions about the interpretation of history and the path forward for contemporary culture.

GPT

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent history of western thought but it's very specified. Jones basically tackles how the west has understood the nature of truth and reality. He is a Catholic so that's why he spends the first and second chapters in the most thorough refutation of Atheism and human evolution I've ever read. He spends lots of time on the Greeks, St. John, St. Augustine, William of Ockham, Luther, Hegel, and Foucault. He argues that there is a teleological meaning to history which epoch is the Incarnation of Christ. He traces how the idea of Logos, or reason/truth, have been understood by these people and many others. Rejection of Logos began with William of Ockham and culminated in the liberal revolutions of the 19th century resulting in the relativistic/materialistic era we now live in. If you've read the Jewish Revolutionary Spirit you'll like this but its very abstract and lots of philosophical notions are discussed.

[F1_Is WWE_2 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Logos Rising starts off with 100 pages of apologetics, with Dr. Jones arguing against atheism and evolution. These pages are filled with the classic Jones' mannerism, what with his immature insults "hold on, professor!" to his politics "Jewish controlled American globalist empire". But the prime fault with these chapters (and with the whole book) is Jones' arguments themselves, and how they make sense but just stop short of being convinving. The most notable of these is in regards to evolution. Jones seems to accept the theory that an eye can evolve from a single light-sensitive cell, but he doesn't bother to follow through and explain why he thinks it's impossible for a single light-sensitive cell to evolve by way of random mutation. Instead, he just hopes the reader glosses over it along with him.

The first half of the book then deals with the development of philosophy, and how it all relates to the Trinity. Jones takes us from Egypt to Greece to Christianity to the Middle East, then back to Christendom and ends with America. The overview presented is interesting to read through, but again it is marred by the bias. For instance, Jones argues that because Islam lacked the understanding of the Trinity, the Ottoman Empire could not develop scientifically in the Modern era. This is fine, but he never explains how Islam acheived all it's advances during the Medeival era. And to make matters worse, he then in the later chapters describes how the Rennaisance philosophers warped the understanding of the Trinity, but never mentions the tremendous scientific advances they made.

The second half of the book unfortunately shifts focus from philosophy to politics. The chapter on Hegel spends more time attacking Luther than it does explaining his dialectic. The chapter on Neitzche never even gets into his philosophy; Jones instead prefers to discuss Wagner. Jones devotes the chapters on Maritain to blasting his former employers at St. Mary's University and their colleagues at Notre Dame. And the chapter on Heisenberg is especially frustrating as Jones starts with Einstein and Michelson and begins to build an argument for geocentrism, but then he abondons it! Instead of discussing the philosophy he awkwardly guides the conversation into a convoluted spat over sex and censorship straight out of the tabloids he condemns.

In fact, not just the one chapter, but the whole book can be compared more to tabloid journalism, the kind Jones displays in his Culture Wars publication, rather than any serious examination of philosophy. Jones writes his chapters like a book review, he will go through a book, cite quotations, and explain his opinion. You can confirm this by looking at the bibliography, where you will see 40 citations in a row from the same source. Jones likes to tell stories, he will include humorous asides, outragoeous extremities, and anything to draw a tabloid reader in. But he will not provide extensive analysis, explanations of the topic. Jones prefers to explain how or why something happened, rather than explaining what happened. He prefers to discuss Hegel's extra-marital affaris and how they impacted his philospohy rather than explaining what his philosophy actually is. That style works great in reaction peices like Culture Wars, it works great in histories like The Jewish Revolutionary Spirit. It does not work when discussing philosophy and it's principles in Logos Rising.

There is a famous saying: "Great minds disucss ideas, average minds - events, small minds - people". From the very first chapter you can see this book is written for small minds. Instead of discussing atheism as an idea, or the principles of the arguments, Jones frames his discussion around a public debate from the 60's. He uses the failure of the atheist participant to discredit atheism as an idea. Now this can certainly be interesting for young kids who are used to politics revolving around "Orange man bad". But the book doesn't cut it for anyone looking to learn about the ideas themselves.

Logos rising. What does it mean? Jones explains in the last chapter - from bad situations God will bring about good things. From man's descent into polythiesm, philosphy came about. From Rome's domination, Christianity came about. From modernism, the Thomistic revival came about. But why do these bad situations come about in the first place? How can we say Logos is always rising when man is always descending into these poor beliefs? Jones doesn't answer, but at least we get to learn about the monkey Washoe. And, admittedly, that was fun to learn. So although I'm being negative in my review, there were plenty of fun anecdotes to read here for a good light reading. But don't buy this book expecting any serious discussion, don't buy this book expecting to learn anything.

[Andrés · Rating 4 out of 5]

What have I just read? On the one hand this was supposedly a phylosophical-theological-political book; on the other hand, the author introduces so many autobiographical details in his account of Logos vs. no-Logos that it would not be inaccurate to classifiy this work as autobiographical.

At firts it was pretty bizarre to find, in the same chapter, discussions regarding the Holy Trinity, Historicism or Averroism mixed with small tiny details of petty academic feuds in which the author was involved. However, the reading is so interesting that you end finally accepting that flow of the narrative. At the end of the day, Logos is there for all of us to perceive and rely on in our personal lifes as well. So, if you take this book as it is, and not as a philosophical manual (á la Copleston) then the work shines and is very enjoyable, specially because the experience of Logos can be very personal at times, and I've found some of the author's experiences with Logos very relatable to my own's.

If I'm not mistaken, some of the most famous writings by St. Augustine have this same style, mixing together theological thoughts with detailed life experiences. It seems quite obvious, then, that the author was situating this book into that respectable tradition even when me, and probably other readers, find the approach a bit strange at first.

Could this book be improved by removing biographical themes and focusing only on the theological and philosophical aspects? That's difficult to predict. In any case, even when I liked the approach at the end it makes a hard to swallow pill and I can't recommend this book to my family and friends without seriously warning them before about what they are going to find, or warning them about the approach that the author employs.

Another controversial point is the adversarial style the author uses in order to discuss some topics, by attacking authors like Harari or Hitchens as the main literary device to introduce his own ideas. However, if you are familiar with the author's podcasts and interviews then you know how he is. He talks like he writes and writes like he talks and I surprised myself several times reading this book with the author's own voice resounding in my head (!).

Overall, an amazing good read because the aforementioned shortcomings I'm not really sure if they are shortcommings at all. I'll wait for a 2nd edition, anyway.

[Joseph Raborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the greatest book on the philosophy of history since St. Augustine's City of God. Anyone interested in how the Western world has its current Zeitgeist should read this book. Some parts are difficult. Other parts are so fascinating that the book is hard to put down. Jones takes us from the earliest civilizations right to the present day, examining the language, religion, philosophy, and history of every major civilization.

Some of the most interesting sections of the book are those which Jones personally experienced: the dethronement of Thomism at Notre Dame, the Sexual Revolution which swept Germany and the United States, and events concerning contemporary America. I feel like Jones has brought me out of the box created by modern political culture.

This is a fascinating book, and I recommend it to everyone capable of reading such demanding literature.

[Radu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tremendous read full of EMJ's signature extremely lengthy and sometimes messy prose. The core argument of the book is that Logos, an Ancient Greek philosophical concept which later became attributed by theology to being the ultimate order in the universe (ie: God) and thus attributed to The Logos Incarnate, Jesus Christ, is rising in a world that has fallen on its backside from a combination of bad metaphysics (ie; Newtonian physics, Marxist economics, Hegelian dialectics, etc) and widespread psychological projection onto society for grievous sins committed by oneself.

What EMJ argues is that the world needs a radical change in worldview (Weltanschauung) away from the materialistic and Satanic anti-Logos prevalent in today's society and towards one that is presently being expressed with a simple phrase: Logos is Rising.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emphasis on “history.”

Some concepts were well above my head, but I’m also not an academic or a philosophy buff by any means. That’s not to say you must be either of those to enjoy this masterful record of Logos.

From the current social ethic of science as religion, to the total dismantling of Darwinism and Natural Selection, sexual liberation as political control, City of God & City of Man, to Marx, Foucault, Buttigieg, and finally Logos the Ultimate Reality- Jones gets every point across in absolutely bulletproof form.

This is a short review for such an immersive book, but what more could be said about this book, E. Michael Jones or the other books he’s authored.
Everything is truly an understatement.

“Greatest Catholic mind of our time.” - R. J. Waring

[Moises Pittounikos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am in the Jones camp, truly! This guy is banned because elites hate the truth. If, say, Chomsky was middle aged today he too will be banned.

So as predictable as the Dark Side is, Jones is now banned from Amazon.

So I ordered this book after Amazon gave E Michael Jones the chop!

Logos Rising, to be honest, is a big book. Huge books can be a bit ponderous. The start is a good demolishing of Yuval Noah Harari's enjoyable but shallow Sapians. But Sapians is very easy to read and short, as is the sequel.

Indeed, the Jews have a habit of writing pop, snazzy and entertaining ideas. This is their genius.


A short, snazzy, pop and entertaining book to get the message out to the people is needed!

[Powderburns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by one of the best in class E M J gives a detailed yet fast paced perspective on the concept of Logos in human history. A fascinating approach to reveal sordid details of philosopher's lives to contextualize their theories of being. It was consoling to realize that truth, logos and beauty is an unstoppable force, but with many enemies at the gate. The final chapter describing America's fall from the City of God to the City of Man since the 60's was prescient, given the state of the burning US cities in 2020. Now, I must go and follow up on that bibliography and find out what this Thomism is.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is rightly a philosophy of history for those who are awake. If you want orientation as to where we are in this great struggle between the forces of chaos operating so plainly in our day, and the forces of Logos, this book will give you an excellent orientation. By the time you are done with this book, you'll be able to say with Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." This is the grand orientation we all need as we trace the Logos operations through time and up to our present day. I can say so much about the book but all I can advise is to have a highlighter ready, you'll need it.

[Karl Geld · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nazi trash.

[Micah Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptionally informative and fascinating book. Highly recommended.

[Ethan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, like most books by this author, is a pretty fun read, but one must be honest and admit that Jones does not always treat facts fairly. The introduction to this book is phenomenal. It draws attention to the debate between Russell and Copleston in the early 20th century, where Copleston does indeed made Russell look like an idiot. However, Jones's insistence that all critics of Christianity simply don't understand the argument from contingency is wrong. It's been a while since I've read it, but I seem to recall him asserting that Immanuel Kant's error was that he didn't understand metaphysics and contingency. This is almost comedically wrong.

Some of his beliefs and historical assertions are marred by his dogmatic stance on Christianity and more particularly Catholicism. But that said, Jones has a real talent for uncovering incredibly interesting tidbits of history, and introduces a lot of cool and memorable historical facts to the reader.