World Crisis and Buddhist Humanism. End Games: Collapse or Renewal of Civilisation

John Crook's latest book is now in print and available for purchase. Read how to purchase at a discounted price directly from WCF.

"This is a book that will have an immediate appeal to Buddhists, since it provides a sophisticated, readable overview of the history of ideas within Buddhism and shows clearly the significance of a ‘buddhistic’ insight to meeting 21st Century challenges.

However, the scope of the book goes beyond Buddhism and will interest a much wider audience. John John Crook's scientific background is in evolutionary psychology. During his career he became especially interested in the scientific study of human behaviour in the context of environment, which necessarily leads to an attempt to understand the influence of language, thought, culture and human experience. Human behaviour is an issue of central importance in our world with its burgeoning population, the threat of global warming; and with the potential for human conflict, supported as it is by extremely dangerous weapons, to be a serious threat to survival.

In contrasting western philosophical dualism with a buddhistic perspective, John Crook shows how our world is shaped by our world view and how a shift in world view is a necessary precursor to a more healthy way of living on this vast though finite planet. Most people have only a tiny and short-term influence in life, but ideas are powerful and can live on, e.g. witness the power of the theory of evolution in shaping the way we understand the world. This book contains fundamental ideas that were developed around two thousand years ago, but more or less failed to penetrate the ‘western’ world. They are now being introduced through many sources, but few authors are able to present them so clearly or with such relevance as in this publication.

People who have been on meditation retreats with John Crook will already have a sense of the message in this book, though it is unlikely that anyone will have been fully aware of the range of his thought, and perhaps even he wasn’t until he began to write this! Our challenge is to widen the readership of this important book in the hope that the ideas it conveys are disseminated so that they may be of long term benefit."

Jake Lyne.

"In this brilliant and timely work, John Crook succeeds in synthesizing a lifetime devoted to scientific research, philosophical reflection and Buddhist practice. World Crisis and Buddhist Humanism is essential reading for anyone concerned with where humanity has come from and where we might be heading."

Stephen Batchelor: Author of Buddhism without Beliefs

"John Crook shows us that religious or spiritual thinking doesn’t have to be based on faith or on texts, but can be grounded in a subjective yet radical, empirical exploration of the nature of the human condition. In this far-reaching exploration, he shows how Buddhist teaching and practice, based on such radical empiricism, might provide an constructive alternative to the failing humanist vision of our times."

Professor Peter Reason: Centre for Action Research in Professional Practice, University of Bath.

"John Crook is both a distinguished Buddhist teacher and a lifetime champion of the Western scientific enlightenment. He presents a formidable argument for a "buddhistic humanism" integrating Eastern and Western traditions as a means of nurturing a new mentality and a new citizenry in the face of ever deepening global crisis. This ambitious book is rich and varied in its treatment with memorable episodes including dialogues between the incognito Buddha, recently parachuted into London, and a rather learned Islington waiter, and a radical syllabus for an education system pivotal to the development of a new global citizenry. The whole project is well founded on where we are today. A spacious and inspiring book which made an absorbing read."

Ken Jones: Author of The New Social Face of Buddhism.

A fascinating and eloquent exploration of Buddhist and evolutionary thinking that reveals the natural links between the two, and shows us how scientific thinking can - and should - both enrich and inform our entire lived experience. John Crook combines his deep and expert knowledge of both evolutionary theory and Buddhist philosophy to present both a fierce critique of current world views, and, more importantly, shows us the way to a more humane, hopeful and fulfilling means of engaging with the world.

Professor Louise Barrett: Co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology.