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The Philosopher's Stone
by
Colin Wilson.
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An absolutely amazing book from a writer that sings a different tune.
Feb 05, 2016.
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Looking at the other site, which is now incorporating the reviews originally written on Shelfari, discovered one had written one there -
"An absolutely amazing book from a writer that sings a different tune.
Feb 05, 2016. "
But found none in this, ones own blog! Hence, now this.
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What one wrote then, succinctly, was true enough. So's the factual description on the site that has now incorporated shelfari:-
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"Howard Lester, a young scientist, becomes obsessed with the problem of death and begins a series of unconventional experiments aimed at increasing human longevity. In the course of their research, Lester and his friend Sir Henry Littleway make a startling discovery: a simple and harmless operation on the brain's prefrontal cortex results in vastly expanded consciousness and mental powers. After undergoing the procedure themselves, Lester and Littleway develop remarkable abilities, including 'time vision', a means of seeing backwards into time. They begin by looking at the relatively recent past-the eighteenth century and Shakespeare's England. But they soon find they can see much further back, to the days of Stonehenge and the Mayans, and even earlier. . . . But as they get closer to uncovering the beginnings of human existence, they make a terrifying discovery: something ancient and immensely powerful, long asleep, has been awakened by their activities, and is determined to stop them at all costs. . . ."
"Howard Lester, a young scientist, becomes obsessed with the problem of death and begins a series of unconventional experiments aimed at increasing human longevity. In the course of their research, Lester and his friend Sir Henry Littleway make a startling discovery: a simple and harmless operation on the brain's prefrontal cortex results in vastly expanded consciousness and mental powers. After undergoing the procedure themselves, Lester and Littleway develop remarkable abilities, including 'time vision', a means of seeing backwards into time. They begin by looking at the relatively recent past-the eighteenth century and Shakespeare's England. But they soon find they can see much further back, to the days of Stonehenge and the Mayans, and even earlier. . . . But as they get closer to uncovering the beginnings of human existence, they make a terrifying discovery: something ancient and immensely powerful, long asleep, has been awakened by their activities, and is determined to stop them at all costs. . . ."
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But that gives very little clue of the scope of the book or of the author, in terms of consciousness.
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To begin with, few understand what immense realm that is mathematics has to do with consciousness, and fewer relate it to spiritual realm, which latter is usually taken as a matter of faith governed by a governing body of an authority or another related to some religion or another.
To begin with, few understand what immense realm that is mathematics has to do with consciousness, and fewer relate it to spiritual realm, which latter is usually taken as a matter of faith governed by a governing body of an authority or another related to some religion or another.
Few comprehend the beauty that's not far from the first startled glance at a Monet in Paris - not the one that gave Impressionists their title, though that's superb, too, of course, and right there - that reduces one to standing there in tears for hours, sitting, going away to the park and returning promptly to continue!
And few can comprehend that such beauty belongs to mathematics, too, not only to art, music, poetry, Himaalayan ranges and oceans.
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I came across this book accidentally, while looking for something to read when a guest of a very senior fellow ex-colleague in California, with whom I shared a name, so his wife was furious at my introducing myself - quite legitimately - as 'Dr. ...', and insisted I call the person back and say I am not to be confused with her husband. As the person at the other end of the line knew that, my calling back to say I was doing so due to being asked by the wife to clear up any such confusion, was probably taken with an understanding by that person about the issues involved.
The book came as a thunderous revelation when I began, thereafter, to read it. I did attempt to describe it to the hostess, wife of the owner, but she had disdain for such matters as much as for me, and probably never did look at it.
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The book does begin with the deep involvement of the protagonist with mathematics, and goes on to matters of consciousness, of perception and more.
The book does begin with the deep involvement of the protagonist with mathematics, and goes on to matters of consciousness, of perception and more.
One only wonders, did the author never think of travelling to India?
Was he, too, blinded by racism, colonial prejudice and more, as various others of similar potential capabilities were, thereby losing out on the tremendous progress they could have achieved?
James Hilton, Upton Sinclair, even W. Somerset Maugham who did travel and did have experience but wrote it off about himself while incorporating essentials thereof in a novel, come to mind.
William Shirer did go, did progress, but he limited himself by remaining on rational plane, and meeting only a person famous due to different reasons than spiritual paths; Pearl S. Buck similarly did travel to India but couldn't divest herself of the prejudices, and her struggle comes through in the less than half a dozen works of hers where India is involved.
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Subsequently I did read more of works of Colin Wilson, and it was always a pleasure. It's been about three decades, and as one begins another, one might try to recall names of what other books by him one read in '91 - '92, and the impressions they made.
This one? Let's say, it categorises people - those who delight and see the roof-blown-out immensity of it, and those who would sum it up as the book site does.
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(first published 1969)
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First read
March - June 1991,
(Purchased June 16, 2016.)
Read again 2019,
December 24, 2020.
ASIN: BOOBFDG290
Published February 12th 2013 by Valancourt Books
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