Hidden Connections [Paperback]

Fritjof Capra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 2003

A fierce attack on globalism -- and a manifesto for change -- by one of the world's leading scientific writers. Recent scientific discoveries indicate that all life -- from the most primitive cells, up to human societies, corporations and nation-states, even the global economy -- is organised along the same basic patterns and principles: those of the network. However, the new global economy differs in important aspects from the networks of life: whereas everything in a living network has a function, globalism ignores all that cannot give it an immediate profit, creating great armies of the excluded. The global financial network also relies on advanced information technologies -- it is shaped by machines, and the resulting economic, social and cultural environment is not life-enhancing but life-degrading, in both a social and an ecological sense. Capra demonstrates conclusively how tightly humans are connected with the fabric of life and makes it clear that it is imperative to organise the world according to a different set of values and beliefs, not only for the well-being of human organisations, but for the survival and sustainability of humanity as a whole.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A rich resource that should be widely drawn upon. . . . The author has courageously put together a real tract for our times.” —Nature

"A cool and rational analysis . . . for those feeling a bit confused or helpless in the face of an upredictable future. . . . A book that could make a difference." —The Guardian

“Capra has forged and interesting book, which challenges conventional wisdom, provides insights into social and economic pitfalls and offers some light at the end of the tunnel.” —The Sunday Times (London)

“The Hidden Connections transcends intellectual barriers, overflows with groundbreaking ideas, and combines scholarly science with spirituality. It is a work of rare genius, true insight and great humanity.” —Waterstone’s Books Quarterly
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

Fritjof Capra, bestselling author of The Tao of Physics and The Web of Life, here explores another frontier in the human significance of scientific ideas?applying complexity theory to large-scale social interaction.

In the 1980s, complexity theory emerged as a powerful alternative to classic, linear thought. A forerunner of that revolution, Fritjof Capra now continues to expand the scope of that theory by establishing a framework in which we can understand and solve some of the most important issues of our time. Capra posits that in order to sustain life, the principles underlying our social institutions must be consistent with the broader organization of nature. Discussing pertinent contemporary issues ranging from the controversial practices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to the Human Genome Project, he concludes with an authoritative, often provocative plan for designing ecologically sustainable communities and technologies as alternatives to the current economic globalization. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Flamingo (March 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0006551580
• ISBN-13: 978-0006551584
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,674,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As wide-ranging and thoughtful as Capra's other books., February 22, 2005

By 

Bill Godfrey (Mt Stuart, TAS Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hidden Connections: A Science for Sustainable Living (Paperback)

This is a valuable successor to Capra's earlier books, all of which seek to discuss matters of critical societal and ecological concern within the framework of scientific analysis and understanding.

The book is in two parts. The first three chapters provide a brilliant summary of current thinking about the nature of life, mind and consciousness, and social reality as an emergent property of social organization seen as a complex adaptive system. It's very good but not easy to read. The remaining four chapters and epilogue can be read separately, although they rely on the theories in the first part. They form a wide-ranging critique of the current governance of organisations and of globalisation, with what amounts to a very detailed case study of how these structures produce the fundamentally dishonest and very dangerous commercial drive to GM foods. The final chapter offers broad guidelines for reshaping the current political and economic framework to bring economic incentives into harmony with the needs of society and the natural world. 

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an eye opening book, October 21, 2006

By 

John Inman "Learning Conversations" (Redmond, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hidden Connections: A Science for Sustainable Living (Paperback)

As in Capra's other books, he provides a easy to understand and compelling look at living systems. In this book he takes a substantial leap forward in providing a broad based look at the evolution of the field and the impact on systems that we are now experiencing in our world. He also provides examples and references to successful examples of what we can do if we have the will to do so. What a powerful reference and one that I refer to regularly. If there was but one book to understand living systems and how the science has evolved and the impact on our world, please read this book. I can not recommend it more highly.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A blueprint for sustainable thinking, June 14, 2008

By 

Antonio Lopez "(re)mediator" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hidden Connections: A Science for Sustainable Living (Paperback)

Capra attempts to connect biological models with cognition and social structures. It has inspired me to think about media in new, ecological terms. This is a great book for defining paradigms. The first section, which focuses a lot on technical biological science lays the groundwork for the rest of the book. Gene and cell networks can be applied to how cultures and societies are structured. Some chapters are truly scary (such as the section on biotechnology), and others are very uplifting (like the chapter "Changing the Game"). This book is a must have for people looking for a sustainable blueprint to the future.