Prometheus Rising is primarily a detailed account of Timothy Leary's 8-circuit model of consciousness. First, let me answer the most inevitable question, "What do you mean by 'circuits'?" Leary's model is a functional theory of consciousness, rather than an ontological theory. It does not answer the question, "What IS consciousness?" because, as every cognitive scientist will tell you, that is really not the question we should be asking. The relevant question is, "What does consciousness do?" or "What is the function of consciousness?" The 8-circuit model is simply a metaphor for the 8 functions of our brains.
Strangely, Robert Anton Wilson has written a better account of the 8-circuit model than Leary wrote for his own theory. Wilson has made personal revisions to the theory (such as switching the order of the 6th and 7th circuits in Leary's model), so presumably he has adopted it as his own theory as well. This is no problem because he demonstrates a mastery over the subject that no one else has been able to replicate.
I particularly enjoyed Wilson's approach to demonstrating each of the 8 functions of the human brain. He gives classic examples of human behavior which are easily explained by the 8-circuit model. For example, the reason why humans have created politics is because of the Second Emotional-Territorial Circuit. This circuit is responsible for social hierarchies, and in wild animals (and "domesticated primates" as Wilson calls humans) it is used to establish positions of Authority and positions of Submission. It is also used to mark territory. As Wilson put it, "Animals mark their territory with excretions. Humans mark their territory with ink excretions on paper." This combination of social science, natural science, and humor I found to be incredibly effective.
Other theories presented in the book include the Leary Interpersonal Grid, the imprint theory, and the theory of reality-tunnels. That last one in particular is essential in Wilson's overall philosophy of Subjectivism, or as he calls it, "neurological relativism." The thesis of neurological relativism is that every brain receives and organizes information differently, and it never receives information directly from the external environment. Therefore, every brain creates a different aspect of reality, and no brain has the correct version of reality.
There is also a message here, and it is in the title of the book. Wilson explains his position as a futurist, immortalist, and cosmic optimist. The message is that humans are still evolving. Some people, who still operate primarily on the antique circuits (I through IV), are trying to stop our evolution. But these reactionaries cannot hold their grip forever, and they are quickly losing their grip because information is traveling faster with every passing moment. With every new generation, the human species is letting go of its past dogmas and moving closer to our remaining evolutionary stages.
The BEST feature of the book is that it contains exercises at the end of every chapter which encourage you to challenge everything in the book. To me, that is the difference between Wilson and every other author or intellectual in the world. Wilson knows that he does not know reality, that he only knows a reality-tunnel, and he wants to get everybody constantly challenging his views from other reality-tunnels rather than merely accepting what he says. To me, this is what makes Wilson superior to most other intellectuals today or from any time period.
I will end with a quote from Wilson:
"We are all giants, raised by pygmies, who have learned to walk with a perpetual mental crouch."
Wilson's message is for us to abandon this learned crouch, stand tall, and tower above our ancestors. Risen from entropy, empowered by information, we will spread our collective wings as Prometheus Rising!
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Quick Delivery and Good Quality
I had read a bit of Prometheus Rising on PDF format and was a headache read it that way, so i decide to buy the book and 4 others Well Recommended Books, I bough on February 14th . It supposed to arrive on March 10th but arrived on Feb 20th!!!
Top reviews from other countries
Luca Zacchi
Prodotto arrivato difettoso, me lo hanno cambiato con enorme professionalità
Reviewed in Italy on September 17, 2022
