-15%

The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded) — Theosophy

The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded) — photo 1

The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded) — photo 2

The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded) — photo 3

📖 Have you read this book?

Your review can inspire others to read it

☀️ Theosophy −15%

The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded)

Name: The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded)
Price: 20.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Sheldrake, Rupert
ISBN: 9781594774614

✍️ Sheldrake, Rupert

Reader Score

4.7

(1 review) 119 sold

$20.99 ~~$24.95~~ Save $3.96 (15%)

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Dive into Rupert Sheldrake's groundbreaking theory of morphic resonance, revealing how all self-organizing systems, from the simplest crystals to complex human societies, tap into and contribute to a universal collective memory. This revised edition presents compelling evidence that shapes everything from animal instincts and cultural inheritance to the very process of evolution itself. Sheldrake argues that nature operates not by immutable laws, but through deeply ingrained habits, challenging our understanding of causality and consciousness.

Sheldrake, Rupert

📚 all books by this author (5) →

☀️

Theosophy

Praise for this book

“So compelling that it sets the reader to underlining words and scribbling notes in the margin.”

— Washington Post

🏛 Park Street Press 📅 2012 📖 480 pages 🌐 en 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9781594774614

Fun Fact

Rupert Sheldrake's *The Presence of the Past* is a seminal work that brilliantly articulates a coherent, testable alternative to conventional scientific materialism. It excels at provoking deep thought and encouraging a systems-level view of existence. While it may frustrate those wedded to purely reductionist explanations, it's essential reading for anyone seeking a more interconnected, dynamic understanding of nature. This book stands as a cornerstone in the ongoing dialogue between cutting-edge science and ancient wisdom.

📝 Description: The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature (Edition, Revised and Expanded)

Explains how self-organizing systems, from crystals to human societies, share collective memories that influence their form and behavior - Includes new evidence and research in support of the theory of morphic resonance - Explores the major role that morphic resonance plays not just in animal instincts and cultural inheritance but also in the larger process of evolution - Shows that nature is not ruled by fixed laws but by habits and collective memories In this fully revised and updated edition of The Presence of the Past, Cambridge biologist Rupert Sheldrake lays out new evidence and research in support of his controversial theory of morphic resonance and explores its far-reaching implications in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and sociology. His theory proposes that all self-organizing systems, from crystals to human society, inherit a collective memory that influences their form and behavior. This collective memory works through morphic fields, which organize the bodies of plants and animals, coordinate the activities of brains, and underlie conscious mental activity. Sheldrake shows how all human beings draw upon and contribute to a collective human memory and that even our individual recollections depend on morphic resonance rather than physical storage in the brain. He explores the major role that morphic resonance plays not just in animal instincts and cultural inheritance, such as religion and ritual, but also in the larger process of evolution, which Sheldrake shows to be more an interplay of habit and creativity than a mere "survival of the fittest." Offering a replacement for the outdated, mechanistic worldview that has dominated biology since the nineteenth century, Sheldrake's new understanding of life, matter, and mind shows that rather than being ruled by fixed laws, nature is essentially habitual. And because memory is inherent in nature, he explains, in order to survive successfully for generations to come, we will have to give up our old habits of thought and adopt new ones: habits that are better adapted to life in a world living in the presence of the past--as well as the presence of the future.

📑 What's inside

Preface to the 2012 Edition Acknowledgments Introduction
The Habits of Nature
The Plan of This Book
1 Eternity and Evolution
Evolution in an Eternal World
Physical Eternity
Evolution
The Evolutionary Universe
Do the Laws of Nature Evolve?
The Growth of Habits
2 Changeless Laws, Permanent Energy
Intuitions of a Timeless Reality
The Pythagoreans
Platonism, Aristotelianism, and the Rise of Western Science
From Nicholas of Cusa to Galileo
Descartes and the Mechanical Philosophy
Atomism and Materialism
The Newtonian Synthesis
The Theory of Relativity
Quantum Theory
Eternal Energy
The Survival of Eternal Laws
Repeatable Experiments
3 From Human Progress to Universal Evolution
Faith in God's Purposes
Faith in Human Progress
Progressive Evolution
Time for Very Slow Change
The Tree of Life
The Blind Watchmaker
Evolving Organisms
4 The Nature of Physical Forms
The Elusiveness of Form
Philosophies of Form
Platonic Physics and Chemistry
Platonic Biology
Aristotelian Biology
Materialistic Biology
Morphogenesis
5 The Mystery of Morphogenesis
The Unsolved Problem of Morphogenesis
Organisms Are Not Preformed
The Regeneration of Wholeness
The Germ-Plasm
Entelechy
Selfish Genes
Genetic Programs
The Duality of Matter and Information
Why Genes Are Overrated
Chemical Theories of Pattern Formation
Organic Wholes
6 Morphogenetic Fields
Fields of Different Kinds
Morphogenetic Fields
The Nature of Morphogenetic Fields
The Evolution of Morphogenetic Fields
The Hypothesis of Formative Causation
Influence through Space and Time
Morphic Fields
Fields of Information

Showing the first 60 entries.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Sheldrake’s theory is provocative, challenging our understanding of causality by suggesting nature relies on habit rather than fixed laws. While the concept of morphic resonance is fascinating, it remains controversial within mainstream science due to its speculative nature. This book may not suit readers who demand rigidly empirical data or those skeptical of metaphysical interpretations of biological processes. However, for open-minded seekers willing to explore the edges of scientific possibility, it provides a stimulating and thought-provoking alternative view of how self-organizing systems evolve and remember.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who feel that standard materialist science leaves a void in understanding consciousness and interconnectedness will find profound resonance here. Sheldrake invites you to view the world not as a machine, but as a living, remembering entity. If you are intrigued by the idea that crystals, animals, and human societies share a universal memory, this book offers a compelling framework. It is ideal for those seeking to reconcile scientific inquiry with spiritual wonder, offering a fresh perspective on how habits shape reality and evolution itself.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.7/5

★★★★★

If you're a curious seeker who questions established scientific paradigms and is open to a revolutionary understanding of how the universe organizes itself, this book offers profound insights. It's for anyone fascinated by the interconnectedness of life, collective consciousness, and the subtle…

Reader rating

4.7

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Sheldrake’s theory is provocative, challenging our understanding of causality by suggesting nature relies on habit rather than fixed laws. While the concept of morphic resonance is fascinating, it remains controversial within mainstream science due to its speculative nature. This book may not suit readers who demand rigidly empirical data or those skeptical of metaphysical interpretations of biological processes. However, for open-minded seekers willing to explore the edges of scientific possibility, it provides a stimulating and thought-provoking alternative view of how self-organizing systems evolve and remember.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While highly influential and presented by a Cambridge biologist, Sheldrake's theory remains controversial within mainstream science. However, it's rooted in empirical observations and offers testable hypotheses, inviting rigorous debate and further investigation.

Though a scientific hypothesis, its implications for interconnectedness, shared memory, and a 'living' universe resonate deeply with many spiritual and esoteric traditions. It offers a potential bridge between scientific inquiry and ancient wisdom, exploring phenomena often relegated to the mystical realm.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Morphic Resonance Explained

Explore the central concept that morphic fields serve as a conduit for collective memory, organizing and shaping the behavior and form of systems at every scale, from cells to entire ecosystems. This profound idea redefines our understanding of inherited traits and systemic organization.

Nature's Evolving Habits

Challenge the notion of fixed natural laws, as Sheldrake posits that the universe functions more like a living entity with evolving habits or memories. This perspective suggests that natural phenomena repeat because they've done so before, not just due to static principles.

Collective Memory's Reach

Witness the far-reaching implications of morphic resonance across various disciplines. From the consistent forms of crystals and the intricate instincts of animals to the shared patterns in human culture and the very substrate of consciousness, this theory connects all existence.

📜 Historical context

Sheldrake's work emerged as a significant challenge to the mechanistic, reductionist scientific worldview prevalent since the Enlightenment. It resonates with ancient wisdom traditions emphasizing interconnectedness, while offering a modern, testable hypothesis. It can be seen as a contemporary extension of systems theory, pushing boundaries beyond purely material explanations, and finding parallels with concepts like Jung's collective unconscious.

📚 Glossary

Morphic Resonance
Morphic Field
Habits of Nature

📔 Questions to reflect on

How does the concept of 'habits of nature' alter your perception of scientific laws and the predictability of the universe?
Consider a collective human behavior or cultural trend. How might morphic resonance offer an alternative explanation for its prevalence or rapid spread?
If your own consciousness contributes to a collective human memory, what responsibility might that imply for your thoughts and actions in the larger scheme of things?