Book Junkiez

Nonfiction

Is there a God? Can religion be compatible with science? Do miracles
happen? Why do bad terrible things happen to good people? You are on a
lifetime journey seeking answers to these questions.

You want to base your beliefs on science, reason, and logic, while still
affirming purpose and meaning for human existence. You seek to value
religious traditions and scriptures but want to avoid accepting obsolete
dogmas and superstitions.

The author, a scientist and business leader, shares insights carefully
collected and collated during his 70-year quest, and provides surprising,
illuminating, and stimulating ideas to help point you in the right
direction.

Is it still possible to experience and participate in spirituality like the
ancients did? Yes, and it can be done with poetic flair and joy.

EXCERPT

Introduction

It is fashionable these days to describe the world deductively, starting with a big theory of secular materialism; hypothesizing a multiverse with an infinite number of universes and an infinite amount of time, in which everything that can exist does exist; and deducing that the universe is purposeless, godless, meaningless, and indifferent to human life. Everything is an accident.

But this theory of everything is a theory of nothing, especially if the starting assumptions, hypotheses, and theories are incorrect.

I prefer to begin by being grounded in actual human experience, and using inductive reasoning to look for ideas and meanings.

So, this book is not a mere collection of short pieces, but rather a unified whole made up of short vignettes, each of which is based on real human experience. Distilled over a period of more than fifty years (from the late 1960s to 2022), it is the first and only book published by the author.

The book reflects a life-long concern with, and contemplation of, the mysteries and paradoxes of human existence. Because it explores the boundary between the knowable and the unknowable, it uses a variety of forms and styles of expression including both versification and prose. Some may be offended in that large portions of the book use versification, which may be viewed as obsolete and obtuse. This is not done for ordinary, stylistic, or artistic reasons, but rather in order to compress the information into the most compact, efficient and effective work of communication possible.

Some major influences on the work come from three sources: the King James Bible, translations of classical Chinese poetry into English, and the vast and fabulous treasury of poetry written in the English language. Other influences include the Greek and Latin classics, the books of Teilhard de Chardin, Frank J. Tipler, Cervantes, and Dostoevsky, as well as twentieth century popular song, especially that of Bob Dylan.

While the order of presentation has been carefully chosen, with a coherent thread running from beginning to end, it does not have to be read in that order. After all, it was written in that manner. You are encouraged to read and experience it in any way in which the spirit moves you, and in fact it is hoped that you will come back again and again to parts of it.

The book is made up of four parts. “New Psalms” are lyrical poems that explore the existential questions of human life and are similar to and somewhat inspired by the Book of Psalms in the Bible. They are concerned with the core philosophical questions that are at the heart of human life.

“Analects” are short poems and aphorisms in the tradition of such poems from classical Chinese literature, as read in translation into English. These poems delve into the more personal and intimate aspects of ordinary life, often leading to thoughts and emotions that are anything but ordinary. If you are short on time or attention, read these first. Not just bits and pieces, each verse focuses intently on an essential quintessence of reality.

“Manifesto” is similar to “New Psalms,” but the poems are more assertive and aggressive, looking into the same themes but with a sharper edge to them.

“Meditations” are prose pieces including prose poems, prayers, parables, and essays. These explore similar issues to those explored in “New Psalms”, but with the kind of added depth, clarity, and straightforwardness facilitated using prose. To those who abhor poetry, try this section first!

Again, this is not a mere collection of articles; rather, in order to respect the reader’s time, it is a highly curated, collated, edited, and condensed work of communication.

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