A Chaos of Delight

Science, Religion and Myth and the Shaping of Western Thought

By: Geoffrey Dobson

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Hardcover | 2 December 2011

At a Glance

Hardcover
488 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.4 x 15.6 x 3.18

Hardcover

$105.20

Aims to ship in 7 to 10 business days

A Chaos of Delight is a comprehensive tour guide into the succession of ways human beings have constructed order and meaning about the world, and their place in it. The book examines how various cultures over the past 5000 years have looked at the same phenomena and devised totally different worldviews, ranging from deep mythopoeic supernatural reflections to purely physical ones. One unifying feature that stands out above all others is the most certain thing about human knowledge in general, and science, religion or myth in particular, is its uncertainty. From a cross-cultural perspective, one's religious views are framed by articles of faith derived from history, and within its highly prescribed boundaries, there exists a system that is just as dynamic as western science. In profoundly subtle ways, the journey challenges the reader to confront their own worldview, and to better understand its origins and development through the history of ideas. An important lesson for the third millennium is that diversity of opinion is healthy and essential - it is blind acceptance of dogma that impedes understanding and progress.

Industry Reviews

"A remarkable panorama of the human understanding of the natural and metaphysical world from the first civilizations to the present day."

John Baines, University of Oxford, UK

"Breathtaking in its daring, the book explores the two ways which humanity has used to seek meaning and make sense of the world, namely religion and science. The result is a highly erudite summary of belief systems from early Sumerian to the monotheistic religions; and an eminently accessible history of science, particularly of the last 500 years."

Sir Gustav Nossal, University of Sydney, Australia

"It is definitely useful for teachers and students wanting to make a quick introductory acquaintance with decisive developments in modern science and a brief overview of mythopoetic and religious systems of thought in the West."

Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses

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