In the Breath of the Whole
Is the ancient wisdom of the oneness of all being reappearing in modern physics?
Quantum physics, relativity, time travel—all of this fascinated me deeply from my early youth. On a popular science level, that is, for the mathematics underlying it all remains beyond my grasp. :-) After years spent occupied with other matters, The Tao of Physics fell into my hands, and that old passion sprang back to life. Fritjof Capra’s ideas regarding holism fell on fertile ground, resonating strongly with a subconscious feeling—one that had always been present—that things out there might be entirely different from what we believe. Having by then already produced nine books, it seemed only natural to investigate this matter critically. The result was In the Breath of the Whole.
Since Laozi taught that everything arises from the one Dao and is interconnected through the harmonious interplay of Yin and Yang, and since Indian wisdom describes the universe as Indra’s Net, where every jewel reflects all the others, people have long sensed that everything is connected to everything else.
Quantum physics appears to confirm this ancient wisdom, with entangled particles that instantly know each other’s state across any distance, pervasive fields, and a living vacuum. Some celebrate this as the scientific rebirth of mystical unity.
This book approaches the parallel with critical scrutiny. It shows where the analogies hold and where they break down. Between the philosophical yearning for oneness and the mathematically precise—often deeply alien—quantum phenomena lies a profound divide. The conclusion is clear: Quantum physics does reveal a radical interconnectedness—but one fundamentally different from that of the old wisdom. It compels us to rethink concepts such as self, world, matter, and mind in new and deeper ways.
A book for all those who sense that reality is far stranger and more fascinating than everyday life and romantic interpretations would have us believe.
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Content
Introduction 7
Holism in religion, spirituality and philosophy
Ancient Egypt 9
Hinduism 11
The Pre-Socratics 12
Taoism 14
Buddhism 18
Jainism 20
Platon 22
Aristotle 23
Neoplatonism 25
Gnosticism 27
Judaism 29
Christianity 30
Islam 32
Scholasticism 34
Kabbalah 37
Sikhism 39
Hermeticism 41
Spinoza 43
Romanticism 45
Hegel 48
Schelling 50
Process philosophy 51
Teilhard de Chardin 54
Systems theory and holism 56
Panspychism 58
Global Spirituality and New Age 60
Technological visions 62
African Cosmologies 64
Indigenous Cultures of the Americas 66
Shintoism 69
Holism and quantum physics
From Nun to Silicon Valley: A long journey to wholeness 73
The scientific and philosophical environment at the transition
from the 19th to the 20th century 74
What is quantum physics? What is the quantum? 77
Quantum physics in everyday life:
Does the microworld really spill over into our normal world? 93
Modern technologies of quantum physics 95
Quantum computers: The future of computing power 95
Semiconductor technology: Quantum physics in everyday devices 96
GPS: Quantum physics and relativity in everyday life 97
Quantum cryptography: Secure communication of the future 98
Further applications of quantum physics 99
The limits of quantum physics: Open questions and challenges 99
Compatibility with general relativity 99
The interpretation of the wave function 100
The measurement problem 101
Quantum physics and the macroworld 101
Experimental and theoretical limits 102
Conclusion 102
Quantum physics and art: An inspiring intersection 102
Quantum physics in popular culture: Fascination and misunderstandings 105
Quantum physics and consciousness: Speculative connections 107
The Penrose-Hameroff-Theory 107
Observer effect and consciousness 109
Quantum coherence in the brain 109
Criticism and open questions 110
Conclusion 110
Quantum theory and the yearning for wholeness:
How physicists and philosophers built bridges 110
Are the parallels betwenn quantum physics and holistic philosophies scientifically tenable or speculative 113
Scientific basis of the parallels 114
Why parallels are not proof 115
Conclusion 117
Cultural and philosophical significance 119
Finale: The beautiful border 122
Bibliography 124
Jörg Sczepek
In the Breath of the Whole
5.06 x 7.81" / 12,9 x 20 cm
133 pages, 12.29 $
41 B/W Illustrations
ISBN 9798195403300
Independently published with Kindle Direct Publishing
Available worldwide at your local amazon store