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Subsequently, Wilber wrote ''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality'' (SES), (1995), the massive first volume of a proposed ''Kosmos Trilogy''. ''A Brief History of Everything'' (1996) was the non-footnoted, popularized summary of SES in the form of an imagined, extended interview. ''The Eye of Spirit'' (1997) was a compilation of articles he had written for the journal ''ReVision'' on the relationship between science and religion. Throughout 1997 he had kept journals of his personal experiences, which were published in 1999 as ''One Taste'', a Buddhist term for cosmic or [[God-consciousness|unitary consciousness]]. Over the next two years his publisher, Shambhala Publications, took the unusual step of releasing eight re-edited volumes of his ''Collected Works''. In 1999, he finished ''Integral Psychology'' and wrote ''A Theory of Everything'' (2000). In ''A Theory of Everything'' Wilber attempts to bridge business, politics, science and spirituality and show how they integrate with theories of developmental psychology, such as [[Spiral Dynamics]]. His book, ''Boomeritis'' (2002), is a novel which attempts to expose the egotism of his generation.

Subsequently, Wilber wrote ''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality'' (SES), (1995), the massive first volume of a proposed ''Kosmos Trilogy''. ''A Brief History of Everything'' (1996) was the non-footnoted, popularized summary of SES in the form of an imagined, extended interview. ''The Eye of Spirit'' (1997) was a compilation of articles he had written for the journal ''ReVision'' on the relationship between science and religion. Throughout 1997 he had kept journals of his personal experiences, which were published in 1999 as ''One Taste'', a Buddhist term for cosmic or [[God-consciousness|unitary consciousness]]. Over the next two years his publisher, Shambhala Publications, took the unusual step of releasing eight re-edited volumes of his ''Collected Works''. In 1999, he finished ''Integral Psychology'' and wrote ''A Theory of Everything'' (2000). In ''A Theory of Everything'' Wilber attempts to bridge business, politics, science and spirituality and show how they integrate with theories of developmental psychology, such as [[Spiral Dynamics]]. His book, ''Boomeritis'' (2002), is a novel which attempts to expose the egotism of his generation.

Since 1987, Wilber has lived in Denver, Colorado, where he is working on his Kosmos trilogy and overseeing the work of the [[Integral Institute]].

Since 1987, Wilber has lived in Denver, Colorado, where he is working on his Kosmos trilogy and overseeing the work of the [http://www.integralinstitute.org Integral Institute]].

== Beliefs ==

== Beliefs ==

=== Mysticism and the great chain of being ===

=== Mysticism and the great chain of being ===

One of Wilber's main interests is in mapping what he calls the "neo-perennial philosophy", an integration of some of the views of mysticism typified by [[Aldous Huxley]]'s ''[[The Perennial Philosophy]]''  with an account of cosmic [[Evolution (disambiguation)|evolution]] akin to that of the Indian philosopher [[Sri Aurobindo]].  He rejects most of the tenets of  "[[Integral Traditionalism|Perennialism]]" and the associated anti-evolutionary view of history as a regression from past ages or [[yuga]]s."I have not identified myself with the perennial philosophy in over fifteen years ... Many of the enduring perennial philosophers—such as [[Nagarjuna]]—were already using postmetaphysical methods, which is why their insights are still quite valid. But the vast majority of perennial philosophers were caught in metaphysical, not critical, thought, which is why I reject their methods almost entirely, and accept their conclusions only to the extent they can be reconstructed"[http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/habermas/index.cfm/]. Instead, he embraces a more traditionally [[Western world|Western]] notion of the [[great chain of being]]. As in the work of [[Jean Gebser]], this great chain (or "nest") is ever-present while "relatively" unfolding throughout this material manifestation, although to Wilber "...the "Great Nest" is actually just a vast morphogenetic field of potentials"...".  In agreement with Mahayana Buddhism, he believes that reality is ultimately a [[nondual]] union of [[Sunyata|emptiness]] and [[form]], with form being innately subject to development over time. Wilber's writings are ultimately attempts to describe how he conceives that form undergoes change, and how he believes sentient beings in the world of form participate in this change until they finally realize their true identity as emptiness.

One of Wilber's main interests is in mapping what he calls the "neo-perennial philosophy", an integration of some of the views of mysticism typified by [[Aldous Huxley]]'s ''The Perennial Philosophy''  with an account of cosmic [[Evolution (disambiguation)|evolution]] akin to that of the Indian philosopher [[Sri Aurobindo]].  He rejects most of the tenets of  Perennialism and the associated anti-evolutionary view of history as a regression from past ages or yugas."I have not identified myself with the perennial philosophy in over fifteen years ... Many of the enduring perennial philosophers—such as [[Nagarjuna]]—were already using postmetaphysical methods, which is why their insights are still quite valid. But the vast majority of perennial philosophers were caught in metaphysical, not critical, thought, which is why I reject their methods almost entirely, and accept their conclusions only to the extent they can be reconstructed"[http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/habermas/index.cfm/]. Instead, he embraces a more traditionally [[Western world|Western]] notion of the [[great chain of being]]. As in the work of [[Jean Gebser]], this great chain (or "nest") is ever-present while "relatively" unfolding throughout this material manifestation, although to Wilber "...the "Great Nest" is actually just a vast morphogenetic field of potentials"...".  In agreement with Mahayana Buddhism, he believes that reality is ultimately a [[nondual]] union of [[Sunyata|emptiness]] and [[form]], with form being innately subject to development over time. Wilber's writings are ultimately attempts to describe how he conceives that form undergoes change, and how he believes sentient beings in the world of form participate in this change until they finally realize their true identity as emptiness.

Wilber argues for the value of mystical realization and in opposition to [[metaphysical naturalism]]:

Wilber argues for the value of mystical realization and in opposition to [[metaphysical naturalism]]:

===Wilber's holism===

===Wilber's holism===

A key idea in Wilber's philosophical approach is the ''[[Holon (philosophy)|holon]]'', which came from the writings of [[Arthur Koestler]]. In considering what might be the basic building blocks of existence, he observed that it seems every [[entity]] and [[concept]] shares a dual nature: as a whole unto itself, and as a part of some other whole. For example, a cell in an organism is a whole and at the same time a part of another whole, the organism. <ref>The relation between individuals and society is not the same as between cells and organisms because individual holons can be members but not parts of social holons. See ''A Miracle Called "We"'' in '' Integral Spirituality'' and http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/books/kosmos/excerptA/notes-1.cfm.  

A key idea in Wilber's philosophical approach is the ''[[Holon]]'', which came from the writings of [[Arthur Koestler]]. In considering what might be the basic building blocks of existence, he observed that it seems every [[entity]] and [[concept]] shares a dual nature: as a whole unto itself, and as a part of some other whole. For example, a cell in an organism is a whole and at the same time a part of another whole, the organism. The relation between individuals and society is not the same as between cells and organisms because individual holons can be members but not parts of social holons. See ''A Miracle Called "We"'' in '' Integral Spirituality'' and [http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/books/kosmos/excerptA/notes-1.cfm].  

Another example is that a letter is a self-existing entity and simultaneously an integral part of a word, which then is part of a sentence, which is part of a paragraph, which is part of a page; and so on. Everything from [[quarks]] to [[matter]] to [[energy]] to [[idea]]s can be looked at in this way &mdash; everything in creation except perhaps creation itself is a holon.

Another example is that a letter is a self-existing entity and simultaneously an integral part of a word, which then is part of a sentence, which is part of a paragraph, which is part of a page; and so on. Everything from [[quarks]] to [[matter]] to [[energy]] to [[idea]]s can be looked at in this way &mdash; everything in creation except perhaps creation itself is a holon.

In his book ''[[Sex, Ecology, Spirituality]]: The Spirit of Evolution'', Wilber outlines approximately twenty tenets that characterize all holons.<ref>Wilber, Ken; ''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality'', 1995, p. 35-78 These tenets form the basis of Wilber's model of manifest reality. Beyond this, Wilber's view is that the totality of manifest reality itself is just a wave on the ocean of the unmanifest, of Emptiness itself, which is not a holon.

In his book ''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution'', Wilber outlines approximately twenty tenets that characterize all holons. (Wilber, Ken; ''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality'', 1995, p. 35-78) These tenets form the basis of Wilber's model of manifest reality. Beyond this, Wilber's view is that the totality of manifest reality itself is just a wave on the ocean of the unmanifest, of Emptiness itself, which is not a holon.

=== AQAL: "All Quadrants All Levels"===

=== AQAL: "All Quadrants All Levels"===

AQAL (pronounced ''aqual'' or ''ah-qwul'') represents the core of Wilber's work. AQAL stands for "all quadrants all levels", but equally connotes 'all lines', 'all states' and 'all types'. These are the five irreducible categories of Wilber's model of manifest existence. In order for an account of the Kosmos to be complete, Wilber believes that it must include each of these five categories. For Wilber, only such an account can be accurately called "integral." In the essay, "Excerpt C: The Ways We Are in This Together", Wilber describes AQAL as "one suggested architecture of the Kosmos".<ref>{{cite web | title=Excerpt C: The Ways We Are In This Together | work=Ken Wilber Online | url=http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/books/kosmos/excerptC/intro-1.cfm | accessmonthday=December 26 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>

AQAL (pronounced ''aqual'' or ''ah-qwul'') represents the core of Wilber's work. AQAL stands for "all quadrants all levels", but equally connotes 'all lines', 'all states' and 'all types'. These are the five irreducible categories of Wilber's model of manifest existence. In order for an account of the Kosmos to be complete, Wilber believes that it must include each of these five categories. For Wilber, only such an account can be accurately called "integral." In the essay, "Excerpt C: The Ways We Are in This Together", Wilber describes AQAL as "one suggested architecture of the Kosmos". [http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/books/kosmos/excerptC/intro-1.cfm]

All of Wilber's AQAL categories &mdash; [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Quadrants|quadrants]], [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Lines, streams, or intelligences|lines]], [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Levels or stages|levels]], [[Integral theory (philosophy)#States|states]], and [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Types|types]]&mdash;relate to relative truth in the [[two truths doctrine]] of [[Buddhism]], to which he subscribes. According to Wilber, none of them are true in an absolute sense: only formless awareness, "the simple feeling of being," exists absolutely.

All of Wilber's AQAL categories &mdash; Integral theory (philosophy)#Quadrants|quadrants]], [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Lines, streams, or intelligences|lines]], [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Levels or stages|levels]], [[Integral theory (philosophy)#States|states]], and [[Integral theory (philosophy)#Types|types]]&mdash;relate to relative truth in the [[two truths doctrine]] of [[Buddhism]], to which he subscribes. According to Wilber, none of them are true in an absolute sense: only formless awareness, "the simple feeling of being," exists absolutely.

An account or [[theory]] is said to be AQAL, and thus ''[[Integral thought|integral]]'' (inclusive or comprehensive), if it accounts for or makes reference to all four quadrants and four major levels in Wilber's [[ontology|ontological]] scheme, described below.

An account or [[theory]] is said to be AQAL, and thus ''[[Integral thought|integral]]'' (inclusive or comprehensive), if it accounts for or makes reference to all four quadrants and four major levels in Wilber's [[ontology|ontological]] scheme, described below.

Each [[holon (philosophy)|holon]], or unit of reality that is both a whole and a part of a larger whole, has an interior and an exterior. It also exists as an individual and (assuming more than one of these entities exists) as a collective. Observing the holon from the outside constitutes an exterior [[Perspective (cognitive)|perspective]] on that holon. Observing it from the inside is the interior perspective, and so forth. If you map these four perspectives into quadrants, you have four quadrants, or [[dimensions]] (these are unrelated to the three spatial dimensions).

Each holon, or unit of reality that is both a whole and a part of a larger whole, has an interior and an exterior. It also exists as an individual and (assuming more than one of these entities exists) as a collective. Observing the holon from the outside constitutes an exterior [[Perspective (cognitive)|perspective]] on that holon. Observing it from the inside is the interior perspective, and so forth. If you map these four perspectives into quadrants, you have four quadrants, or [[dimensions]] (these are unrelated to the three spatial dimensions).

To give an example of how this works, consider four schools of [[social science]]. [[Sigmund Freud|Freud]]ian [[psychoanalysis]], which interprets people's interior experiences, is an account of the interior individual (or, in the diagram, the upper-left) quadrant. [[B. F. Skinner]]'s [[behaviorism]], which limits itself to the observation of the behavior of organisms, is an exterior individual (upper-right) account. [[Hans-Georg Gadamer|Gadamer]]'s philosophical [[hermeneutics]] interprets the [[collective  consciousness]] of a society, and is thus an interior plural (lower-left) perspective. [[Capitalism]] economic theory examines the external behavior of a society (lower-right).

To give an example of how this works, consider four schools of [[social science]]. [[Sigmund Freud|Freud]]ian [[psychoanalysis]], which interprets people's interior experiences, is an account of the interior individual (or, in the diagram, the upper-left) quadrant. [[B. F. Skinner]]'s [[behaviorism]], which limits itself to the observation of the behavior of organisms, is an exterior individual (upper-right) account. [[Hans-Georg Gadamer|Gadamer]]'s philosophical [[hermeneutics]] interprets the [[collective  consciousness]] of a society, and is thus an interior plural (lower-left) perspective. [[Capitalism]] economic theory examines the external behavior of a society (lower-right).