Words Made Flesh

Virtual Reality, Humanity and the Cosmos

Ramsey Dukes

$27.95 $24.73

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

The Mouse That Spins
01 June 1973

Philosophy: metaphysics & ontology; Humanist & secular alternatives to religion; Technology: general issues; Virtual reality; Mysticism, magic & ritual

This is the book that challenged basic assumptions about the nature of the physical universe by suggesting that we might all be living in a virtual reality - and that information might prove more fundamental than either matter or energy. At the time of publication (1988) this was still a revolutionary idea, but it is now growing familiar thanks to the success of films such as Open Your Eyes and The Matrix . The ideas in this book have even been given an airing on the pages of New Scientist but, fourteen years on, this remains the most thorough and complete discussion of the virtual model of the universe. While others are beginning to explore the concept, the author had been working with it ever since the 1960s when he was studying mathematics at Cambridge university under Conway, himself a pioneer of artificial life studies. What struck the author was the division in society between those who fully accepted a materialistic view of existence and all phenomena, and those who felt there was 'something more behind it'. This book was an attempt to bridge that division by pointing out how the most extreme materialistic viewpoint would tend eventually to blow open its own walls far more effectively than any spoon-bending exercise. What seemed like two irreconcilable structures of belief would turn out to be just two complementary ways of approaching mystery. This edition contains the original text with new introduction and two further essays plus two stories appended to carry the debate forward into the 21st Century

By: Ramsey Dukes
Imprint: The Mouse That Spins
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 2nd Revised edition
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 14mm
Weight: 359g
ISBN: 9780904311112
ISBN 10: 0904311112
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 01 June 1973
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Unknown

PREFACE THE MINISTER FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE POPE - 1 I INTRODUCTION THE MINISTER FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE POPE - 2 II THE THREAT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THE MINISTER FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE POPE - 3 III IN DEFENCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THE MINISTER FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE POPE - 4 IV THE PURPOSE OF THE STORY V JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX VI EXPLORING THE PARADOX VII JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX AND CREATIVITY VIII JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX AND RELIGION IX JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX AND SCIENCE X JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX AND MAGIC XI JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX AND SOCIETY XII JOHNSTONE'S PARADOX AND US XIII ARMAGEDDON - A CASE STUDY XIV CONCLUSION Appendix A - New Age Re-run of Words Made Flesh Appendix B - Thoughts on Penrose's Shadows of Mind Appendix C - The Magician and The High Priest Appendix D - The Real Story of the Cathars

Ramsey Dukes is the best known pen name of Lionel Snell, known since 1976 for his radical and influential books about occult philosophy and rationalism, chaos magic, the virtual universe, and magical thinking. Described by Alan Moore, author of Jerusalem, V for Vendetta etc, as ...the most lucid, coherent and insightful intellect to emerge from British occultism for some several decades . Educated at Clifton College, Bristol, where his interest in alchemy and science history was fired by access to the EJ Holmyard collection, and at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he studied the extensive works of Aleister Crowley an he took a Diploma in Education and taught at Eton College and later at The New Waldorf School, Kings Langley. Subsequent work includes aircraft stressman, technical author and freelance ghost writer for the ICT sector. Other associations include membership of the London Magic Circle, the Caliphate OTO, the IoT and other occult groups and in 1977 he performed the Abramelin retirement. Ramsey Dukes has a popular YouTube channel featuring short discussions on magic and related topics.

Reviews for Words Made Flesh: Virtual Reality, Humanity and the Cosmos

With Words Made Flesh, we have an articulate attempt to boost our understanding of the world and enhance our vision - no matter how involved we are with a traditional study or practice. Devoted to the presentation of a new model of the universe, it develops the concept of artificial intelligence as a cosmological metaphor. I believe this metaphor is of considerable significance to mystic and mage alike...