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The God Theory: Universes, Zero-point Fields, And What's Behind It All | 
enlarge | Author: Bernard Haisch Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser Category: Book
List Price: $21.95 Buy New: $13.77 You Save: $8.18 (37%)
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Avg. Customer Rating: 73 reviews Sales Rank: 19508
Media: Hardcover Number Of Items: 1 Pages: 157 Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9 Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 1578633745 Dewey Decimal Number: 215 EAN: 9781578633746 ASIN: 1578633745
Publication Date: May 1, 2006 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Shipping: Expedited shipping available Shipping: International shipping available Condition: *BRAND NEW* Ships Same Day or Next!
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Product Description Is it possible for there to be a purpose in a Universe born in a Big Bang and filled with evolving life? Can the multiverse and superstring theories of cosmology be rendered consistent with an infinite intelligence? Might our human consciousness transcend physical matter? Is our existence and the life we live the means whereby God experiences God's own potential? A remarkable discovery has gradually emerged in astrophysics over the past two decades and is now essentially undisputed: that certain key physical constants have just the right values to make life possible. Most scientists prefer to explain away this uniqueness, by claiming that a huge, perhaps infinite, number of universes must therefore exist, each with unique properties, each randomly different from the other, with ours only seemingly special because in a universe with different properties we would never have originated. Haisch proposes the alternative that the special properties of our Universe reflect an underlying intelligence, one that is fully consistent with the Big Bang and Darwinian evolution. At this time both views are equally logical and equally beyond proof. However exceptional human experiences and accounts of mystics throughout the ages do suggest that we live in a purposeful Universe. Haisch speculates on what this purpose might be and what that purpose means for our lives. This is not incompatible with science. Astrophysicist Sir James Jeans wrote that "the universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine" and Sir Arthur Eddington, who proved that Einstein's general relativity was correct, wrote about "science and the unseen world." Cosmologist Sir Fred Hoyle called the Universe "an obvious fix." Haisch also discusses the popular, but often misrepresented, topic of zero-point energy from the perspective of a multiyear NASA-funded study he led at Lockheed Martin. "Part of the appeal of this book is that Dr. H. presents his hypothesis as a scientist, conditioned by decades in the halls of science. In particular there is no pulpit pounding insistence on his viewpoint. Rather he discusses topics such as creationism vs. evolution without the emotional upheaval of belief systems. Of particular interest is his writing on the zero point field. I had been aware of the astounding discovery, where some scientists were able to derive Newton's second law of Physics, F=ma, by considering that inertia was simply the 'drag' encountered by mass in the zero point field. I first read of this in Lynn McTaggart's book the Field. This is astounding because (i) that basic law was thought to be a primary law of the Universe and thus not-derivable, (ii) it made the zero point field a basis of all matter (iii) the scientific community largely ignored this amazing discovery. What I was not aware of was that Bernard was one of those responsible for this discovery! So if you are interested in the zero point field from someone with the scientific and metaphysical credentials - go no further. So if you want to put your metaphysical conception of the universe on a more solid scientific basis, and/or have great discussions...get a little God Theory in your life." -William Arntz, Executive Producer of "What the Bleep Do We Know," October 2007 BLEEPing Herald
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| Customer Reviews: Read 68 more reviews...
Einstein meets Ibn Arabi January 8, 2009 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Thousands of years ago yogis began an exploration of consciousness, using their own bodies as their laboratories and meditation as a tool for exploration. They were mystical scientists. Hundreds of years ago, a great Sufi mystic named Ibn Arabi stated that each soul has access to a unique aspect of the divine wisdom. By developing the human/divine relationship, this wisdom emerges, and it is a wisdom that is not fixed but rather evolves. Bernard Haisch's wonderful book is a very clear updating of the tradition of using consciousness as a tool for exploring deeper aspects of reality. It honors the purpose of life as enabling the infinite mind to actualize its infinite potential by means of our experiences and our growth. By combining the insights and discoveries of contemporary science with the time-tested tools of mystical traditions, new possibilities will arise in the evolution of humanity. I highly recommend this book as being very accessible both to scientists and those pursuing spiritual journeys.
Donald E. Weiner, Ph.D. author of Upgrading the Operating System of the Soul - A Manual of Quantum Sufism
Upgrading the Operating System of the Soul: A Manual of Quantum Sufism
Parallel to my journey January 5, 2009 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After spending the past thirty years on my own personal spiritual journey, I have finally crossed paths with someone who has, likewise, arrived at the same conclusions that I have. The answers to 'Who God is.' and 'Who God isn't.' I felt throughout must have be easy and common-sense. I could never fathom a God who would not encourage his/her people to set off on a spiritual journey only to be mesmerized with the complexity of the answers that are being found. It was encouraging to find that Mr. Haisch had come up with the same complexly simple answers that I have found too. Any person who reads this offering and does not feel that its insights are not on the right track towards enlightenment still have a great deal of previous scientific or religious dogma to overcome. I wish them well and God-speed. This book should serve as a significant milestone for all who have journeyed along their own spiritual pathways on their way to the ultimate Truth.
What IS behind it all? What indeed? December 21, 2008 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
...ah, the people that take the time to review (good, bad and in-between) are a fine lot. But listen, if you love to spend some time in contemplating the BIG PICTURE , those precious moments away from the humdrum, moments when you can contemplate God & Science and the connectedness of "IT ALL", this book is NOT a waste. I have read it five times with joy and new understanding each time. Bernard is not the fanciest writer and his phrases generally are short on memorable quotability and writerly star quality, but this is made up for by his wonderful mind... and he rambles a bit like a homemade gourmet meal, but the stuff is here and I wish he would hurry and write another book. I would give this more stars if that were possible and typically i am quite stingy. This book is a find for us dreamers about the ultimate WHY & HOW stuff. Thanks, Dr. Haisch!
Not much here October 21, 2008 12 out of 17 found this review helpful
As I understand it, in Dr. Haisch's view, god is an infinite intelligence that is omnipotent, omniscient and in perfect bliss. At some point in eternity god decided to experience existence. So god used part of its essence to create the universe. This essence is what makes up you and me and everything around us. In that sense we and everything around us are all part of god. His basis for his theory is that there are nine finely tuned laws of physics that allow for life as we know it and that it is so unlikely that these laws could occur by chance that there must have been a designer, that designer would be god
The idea of everything being a part of a god-force is not new. It is very similar to Taoism. The difference is that a philosophical Taoist (there are religious Taoists) does not assign intelligence to the essence of the Tao. I have no problem with the idea of a universal force that makes up everything in the universe -- this would be similar to the grand unifying theory that Einstein was looking for. My problem comes when intelligence is assigned to that force, for me that is when things start to fall apart. For a book that explores similarities between Taoism and physics I would recommend the Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra -- it is rather old so some of it may be outdated, but still worth a peek if you are interested in this sort of thing.
I am unclear whether Dr. Haisch thinks it is impossible that the nine laws of physics have arisen by chance or that it is just extremely unlikely that these laws could arise by chance. If he believes that it is impossible that these laws happened by chance, then all I have to say is that he did not present any proof to back up that belief. However if his position is that it is extremely unlikely that these laws arise from chance, then I have explanation to offer other than god.
This idea that something is so finely tuned that it is so unlikely to have arisen by chance is also used when fundamentalist discuss the 'goldilocks zone'. The golidlocks zone is what is used to descibe the area in space that our planet occupies because it is 'just right' to support life and like Dr. Haisch they believe this indicates a designer. Both of these rare occurrences can be explained by the Anthropic theory. Simply put, chance, however small is enough to account for the nine laws and the goldilocks zone. If you postulate a small probability that we can exist by chance, then it is reasonable to say that it did happen by chance because our existence is proof of that occurrence. Another way to look at it is we all know the probability of winning the lottery is very small, yet millions of us buy our lottery ticket every week and eventually someone wins regardless of how small the odds are. Likewise the laws of the universe are like a lottery that we won, regardless of how small the chances are we 'won' . But regardless of that, the other flaw in this reasoning is that it assumes that these laws are the only laws that would support life of any kind. There is no way to know that if the laws of the universe were different, that some other form of life beyond our imagining would not arise. Carl Sagan put it this way "Something happened, this is the result" -- I may be paraphrasing a bit, but that was the gist of it.
While Dr. Haisch rejects the classic image of god and heaven, he does hold to the classic attributes of god, that of an infinite, omnipotent and omniscient entity. That brings me to my other problem with this theory. The idea that 'god wanted to experience existence'. I agree with Dr. Haisch that experiencing something is different from just knowing it. But what is that difference? I think that experience brings a deeper level of knowledge. For example, you know that the Antarctic is very cold, but till you go there you do not have the knowledge of exactly how cold it is and how that feels. An omniscient god would already have that deeper knowledge, it would already know exactly what the experience of standing outside in the Antarctic in the dead of winter feels like -- therefore no need to experience existence. Also a entity that is in perfect bliss should be perfectly content, the wanting to experience something implies some sort of discontent, a need or at least a desire -- not perfect bliss. Which brings me back to: "What does god need a universe for?" with still no answer
The True Answer for Why Are We Here September 9, 2008 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Did you ever watch the "Wizard of Oz"? Would you dare to look behind the curtain? Do you read reviews with 'spoilers' before watching a movie? Do you read the endings of a novel first?
Other reviews have broken this book down, I am not here to repeat that. I have believed the essence of the God Theory for the last 30 years or so. Finally, in one simple book articulated better than I could ever hope to write, are my beliefs in print. Don't be surprised when you look behind the curtain and see a mirror. And don't be surprised when you finish the book that the main point is to forget what you have read and to continue living life to the fullest extent. And to cherish every moment of joy and every moment of sadness that comes your way from this day forward.
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