Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unparalleled Introduction to Whitehead's Process Philosophy, October 30, 2008
This review is from: Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead (Paperback)
Prof. Mesle has accomplished an amazing feat by making one of the most important 20th Century philosophers (Alfred North Whitehead) accessible, relevant, and lively. Followers of Whitehead often have found it difficult to interpret process philosophy to those outside the field. With a minimum of technical language, Dr. Mesle has overcome this barrier.
Whitehead's cosmology is the only one that does not separate the universe into separate realms of matter, mentality, and spirituality. Instead, he provides a way to bring together the material view of reality with the non-material view of reality.
Because of this, Whitehead's ideas matter profoundly as scientists, religious practioners, political leaders, mental health specialists, and many others look for solutions to our divided, anxious and potentially deadly world. Dr. Mesle's work will help many more people gain access to these important ideas. (For more information on process philosophy, see [...].)
May 22, 2010: One addendum to respond to Mr. Riding: It is noteworthy that Prof. Mesle actually is not a theist (unlike many process thinkers). He makes this clear in his previous book, Process Theology: A Basic Introduction. He considers himself to be a process naturalist and leaves it to theologian John B. Cobb Jr to explain process theism (all of this is in the last section of the book on process theology).
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BUY IT!, May 19, 2010
This review is from: Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead (Paperback)
My first introduction to process theology was a podcast interview on [...] back in June 2008 with Robert Mesle. I immediately connected to this theology/philosophy - it made total sense. At this time, my mother was dying from Alzheimer's and I just could not understand a God that would "allow" this to happen - why did he "heal" some people and not others? The "omnipotent God" I grew up with just did not make sense in the world around me. Since that time I have read anything I could find on process theology. Much of the material seemed to be over my head, but Mesle's books are written in a way that makes them accessible to "lay folk". His first book, Process Theology: A Basic Introduction, was a great intro, and his latest book goes a little deeper. BUY THIS BOOK! And I also suggest checking out his podcast interviews on the above link (do search on the page). He has an interview on this latest book as well!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book changed my life, October 16, 2009
This review is from: Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead (Paperback)
Funny how perception constitutes a prominent factor...
The previous opinion critics the fact that the author infiltrates too much of his God oriented vision of reality....
On my side, this book left me for the first time in my life with a certain "comfort" facing the possibility of no sort of God on the driving seat of this reality.
Why? Maybe because the "relationnal" aspect of the process is so well discussed, it feels less cold since...
The word "alone" doesn't mean anymore the same (or anything at all, in fact...)...
Beside, this book contribues to heal the endemic dichotomy between body and soul, it encourages incarnation.
Responding to the previous critic again, I'm allergic to pop psychology's books, and it is not because this one is accessible, that he deserves this pop title according to me.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
