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Sic Itur Ad Astra: The Theory of Volition (Volume 1)

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I read this book just 18 months ago. It blew my mind!

Up until that time, Ayn Rand had been the greatest influence on my thinking - but she never worked out a way to get from where we are - to where we want to be, with regard freedom - except for the idea of changing the thinking of the "intellectuals" - who in turn would influence public opinion, which in turn would influence the "vote" - and bring about change via the ballot box.

Fat chance!

I spent 25 years of my life as a "political activist" doing everything from writing letters to the editor of papers, standing for election to public office, and even starting a political party.

Galambos explains why such a line of action is doomed to failure. He says, in effect, that freedom cannot be voted for, fought for or protested for.... that it is a product which must be built, marketed and sold.

His book opened my eyes to an incredible fact - that freedom will arrive via the marketplace - not via the political process.

To me this is the "missing link". The world is full of freedom ideas, but woefully short of freedom strategies (at least ones that work).

I would say this book will be regarded as the work of a genius - that his ideas will take hold slowly at first, then increasing in pace until sweeping everything in its path.

If you're the sort of person who relishes new ideas - ideas that excite and motivate - then you simply must read this book.

Warning: Don't be surprised if many people don't share your enthusiasm - especially those wedded to the political process. The idea that the market can deliver freedom is too inimical to their long-cherised ideas.

One "libertarian" friend of mine called this magnificent book a "doorstop" and refuses to read it.

But if you have an open mind, and know when you are in the presence of a great mind - then you will forever be grateful this book came your way.

It truly points the way to the stars.

In my opinion, this book is among the, perhaps even THE, most important ever written.

The book's title, "Sic Itur Ad Astra," is a quote from Virgil's "Aeneid," and is Latin for "This is the way to the stars!" It consists of the posthumous transcription of lectures given by Galambos in 1968. The editor of this transcription, the first in a series of courses by Galambos, is Peter N. Sisco who is charged with full responsibility for the quality of the production. The publisher is The Universal Scientific Publications Company, Inc.

The students of Andrew J. Galambos, who have been anticipating this publication for almost thirty years, are grateful that his ideas are now available to all. Anyone who reads this book seriously will come away with every previous conception of human culture challenged. I believe the result will come to be regarded as a paradigm shift even more important than that which occurred at the American Revolution.

I do have an unfortunate reservation about the book which I feel must be disclosed before I comment on the content. While Galambos' intellectual production of the book is unblemished, sadly the physical production is nowhere near the standard that Galambos would have insisted upon were he alive. Misspellings, typos and errors abound throughout the book and the serious reader must be prepared to look beyond the incompetence of the editor and publishers in order to appreciate the actual importance of what has been transcribed. Fortunately, the errors are, for the most part, readily apparent so, happily, the content remains undamaged. One of Galambos' major lessons to his students was competency and proprietary pride in one's work. Since some of his students were responsible for this book, those errors just should not be there.

"Sic Itur Ad Astra" is the first general disclosure of Galambos' great discovery, the Science of Volition. This is the introduction to the study of the unique distinguishing quality of rational life, that of simply choosing. Your first choice should be to buy and read this book because from Volition derives the ultimate subject of the Science, freedom; a celestial commodity, as Thomas Paine put it, sought by every rational being. Every page of the book is readable and the ideas are accessible to everyone regardless of the extent of his or her knowledge of science.

As Galambos states within the first two minutes of his lecture, on the first page of the transcription (page 5 of the book), "...the course is on freedom." What is your definition of "freedom?" In "Sic Itur Ad Astra," you will find a simple, one sentence, universal definition that contains all you ever thought about freedom and more. If we are successful in building freedom here on Earth, then "Sic Itur Ad Astra" will be known as THE most important book ever written. If not, it still will be the most important, but there will be no civilization, and probably no species, to attest to it.

Andrew J. Galambos will be forever remembered as Earth's "Architect of Freedom." If you want to be a part of this wonderful and eternally durable project, you will get this remarkable book and read it carefully several times. If you possess any intellectual curiosity at all, "Sic Itur Ad Astra" should change your life.

When I first took the course transcribed in this book in 1975 I was staggered by the beauty and simplicity of the first session, which is the first chapter of this book.

After many hours of discussions with friends I did not have a workable definition of freedom, but after the few hours of that first session of this course I did! After that it was session after session of powerful material - "How do you know you are right?", the monopoly discussion, the postulates of the new science of volition, the true democracy and more.

If you have looked for a rational explanation for mankind's failure to solve its political problems and are ready for thinking that "is outside the box," you owe it to yourself to read this accurate, thought-provoking transcription of Galambos' inspiring course. Even if you don't agree with it I believe that you will never again look at the world in quite the same way.

The truth of Victor Hugo's comment that there is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come is proven by the ideas generated by the late astrophysicist Andrew J. Galambos (1924-1997) and disclosed in his book "Sic Itur Ad Astra" (Latin for: This is the way to the stars). Professor Galambos has created an explosion of absolutely right ideas whose time has come and that have come in time to save a troubled civilization. For me, Galambos' ideas are so powerful and applicable that not one day goes by without my applying them to think more logically, to better understand and solve the complex problems of life, and to more clearly comprehend what I hear and read. Suffice it to say, Galambos' ideas have improved my life. In fact, they are so universal that they have the potential to improve the lives of everyone forever. The time has come for Galambos' ideas and his ideas will affect all time to come.

The book (Volume I) consists of the transcribed lectures (posthumous publication) on The Theory of Volition by the late Astrophysicist Andrew J. Galambos (1924- 1997). The lectures, 16 in all plus 3 workshops form the basic course V-50 of The Free Enterprise Institute--the purpose of which, as stated by Galambos, is to make it possible for man to inherit the earth and not the ants. The lectures were recorded in the live presentation of 1968 through Galambos' company The Free Enterprise Institute--an Institute which Galambos founded in 1961. More than 100 courses have been given by Galambos either under The Free Enterprise Institute banner or that of his company The Liberal Institute of Science and Technology.

The complete Theory of Volition is expected to result in a total of 4 volumes. The publishing dates for the three remaining volumes have not been firmly established. The three remaining volumes will consist of Galambos' advanced course V-201 which is the Theory of Primary Property. The definition of Primary Property is given in Volume I, The Theory of Volition.

The Theory of Volition and The Theory of Primary Property are dedicated to the explanation of Freedom and how to achieve it. Thus, any attempt to review the nature of the course V-50 in a few hundred words can not be done with any sense of transmitting comprehension of the contents of the book. Galambos himself stated in his Session 1, Introduction to The Theory of Volition. "The first session is a very difficult session to teach. It is probably the most difficult of any session of any course that I've ever taught. This is because in this session I have to explain to you what this course is all about and why you're here. And that's pretty hard to do in the framework of one session." As early as the 2nd session, the enrollee learns `How Do You Know You Are Right' in an absolute sense. Yet, it takes the full 16 sessions to get an appreciation of what the course entails.

All of Galambos' courses were each offered on a full 100% tuition refund for anyone who attended all of the course sessions and felt they did not get either their time or money's worth. The lecture time for each session was over 3 hours. Galambos listed 4 attributes necessary in order to get something out of the course. The attributes are as follows: Curiosity, Intelligence, Aspiration and Intellectual Honesty. Galambos in his introduction to the Theory of Volition (Volitional Science Course V-50) clearly explains what is meant by each of those terms.

As one who first took the course in 1965 I have learned that intellectual honesty is THE essential prerequisite. I summarize my comments about Volume I of the book as follows: "Intellectually, it's a leap into the 25th century the ideas are so magnificent."

Edward T. Marshall <Tedley1776@aol.com> Los Alamitos, California

First off, this is not a book. It is a course. A lot of college loan money could be saved by investing in this tome first, then not reading but digesting it. After this feast of fine dining, an education might take on a different hew. As Galambos says: the difference between a human and a turnip is the degree of curiosity. Don't you really wonder:

What IS "freedom," really?
How do you know you're right?
Where does "morality" really originate?
What is happening to the world?
Is there any reason at all to be optimistic?

This "book," then, is really a course in thinking. I bought a copy about 2 years ago and have gone through it about 6 times now. I have ordered another copy to have a fresh one on my book shelf. Judging by the Turnips I encounter each day, there will be a time when a clean copy will be worth a lot. And to think, for around a hundred bucks you could get this close to real genius! Buy it. Read it. Study it. You will not see the world the same again, ever!

It is the most eye opening information you will ever encounter. You cannot read a newspaper nor watch any news television program with the same feeling anymore. Dr. Galambos is a true genuis in making the Scientific Method apply to our everyday living. It gives me a great feeling of hope that we can survive, but only if we start applying his theories now. I would recommend this to anyone who cares what happens to society.

Read this book ... only if you are ready to have your assumptions challenged to their very core ... only if you want to assume full responsibility for your own life ... only if you are ready for the final challenge to personal growth!

This is a once-in-a-lifetime book that will change your life for the best!

Most highly recommended!

"for what this delicate little planet needs, besides stimulation, is freedom!"-Albert Einstein

This book, "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA," outlines and represents the principles and natural events surrounding the human environment of FREEDOM, PEACE!!!! Whatever could not be understood in the past, confusion on any subject, will be clarified or advanced by this explanatory work. Awaited since the dawn of time, "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA" is, without a doubt the observably definitive Natural Environment of Freedom, and it's Implementation Process Amongst Us! In "this book," you will find a multitude of observable natural truths and had you attended Cambridge for a thousand years, you could not equal the knowledge disclosed herein. This work, "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA," (this way to the stars), will contain upon it's completion four volumes, the first, "the Science of Volition" explaining and relating the "Nature of Freedom." (I recommend you purchase volume 1, second edition now, while you are here visiting Amazon.com). To be published very soon, three additional volumes which contain "the Theory of Primary Property," the Mechanics of and to Freedom. These are explicit operating instructions containing all the tools, all the nuts and bolts, including even freedom's torque requirements. Nothing left to chance! Thomas Paine, founder and father of America, true author of Liberty and the "Declaration of Independence" said, "to know a thing, you must go to it's root, it's Nature!" I invite you to discover from this book, the actual "Nature of Freedom," it's root, it's truth, it's justice. it's protection, it's peace, it's compassion and it's love. I would not waste your time with a false premise, or anything less than the map to "the Plan." To no longer "Imagine," "I have a dream!" See them through this window, "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA" and you will observe your own heart, in a world that is no longer lost in confusion, no longer lost in senseless actions, no longer in rage, no longer killing each other, no longer engulfed in pollution, no longer playing the fool to coercion and no longer worried about safety and security for our family and children, for all children. "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA," the work of the astrophysicist Andrew J. Galambos, "the architect of freedom," (as said elsewhere) will rearrange the world forever, with NO question or confusion. Some will say this book will change the world, I must wholeheartedly agree, but it will be the actions necessary to It's principles, individually our responsibility. To the mothers of this, our sweet world, post "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA," you will never again loose a child to the whims of another fool. Freedom, as described herein, is a haven for all discoverers, creators and artists, identifying in totality how to achieve absolute intellectual property protection explicitly. Whomever is to order this book from Amazon.com, will find that this work will seek justice for all, for all of posterity and for all creators, Past, Present and Future. The applications and adaptations that will unfold from this mans work, will stagger your most imaginative and wildest of thoughts. With this book, "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA," as fabulous as it may seem, we have a rare opportunity in timing and nature, to start the world over again! We must not leave this work unattended any longer, we must not leave this work to our children! Good luck in the interpretation of this review, for all that you have dreamed for is Here,.....Hear!! In this simple (don't be intimidated by it's size), easily understood, intoxicating, intellectual dimension of observable truth, you will find a place for us all, one of natural foundations, one from which you will never return!!877 Y OLIVIA, kc

Galambos addresses every area of human existence with a clarity that is unique. His precise use of language makes the most confused issues capable of understanding, and thereby, true communication becomes possible. All conflict arises out of fear due to lack of understanding and inability to communicate. Galambos provides the tools that make true understanding and communication possible for the first time. His work provides not just the key to survival, but the key to positive growth of human horizons, one individual at a time.