Taking the reader on a fascinating tour of both Western and Eastern thought, Wolf explains the differing views of the soul in the works of Plato, Aristotle, and St. Thomas; the ancient Egyptians' belief in the nine forms of the soul, the Qabalistic idea of the soul acting in secret to bring spiritual order to a chaotic universe of matter and energy, and the Buddhist vision of a "nonsoul." And Wolf mounts a defense of the soul against its modern critics who see the soul as nothing but the body or even as a computer.
Based on his sophisticated knowledge of contemporary physics as well as ancient philosophy and religion. Wolf uses his skill at popularizing difficult scientific research to explain how the key to the soul can be found in the deep connection between observer and observed. This interaction, at the quantum level, helps explain how the soul connects to what we understand as matter. The soul, Wolf says, must also be understood as a process, not as an entity opposed to matter.
Filled with provocative insights into the most profound questions of spirituality and the most difficult problems at the edge of science, The Spiritual Universe is a fascinating exploration of the realm where religion and philosophy, science and spirituality intersect.