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[[Image:Wilber.jpg|right|frame]]

'''Kenneth Earl "Ken" Wilber Jr.''' (b. [[January 31]], [[1949]], [[Oklahoma City]], [[United States|U.S.]]), is an American author who writes on [[psychology]], [[philosophy]], [[mysticism]], [[ecology]], and [[spiritual evolution]]. He has been described as [[New Age]] e.g. [[Wouter J. Hanegraaff]], ''New Age Religion and Western Culture'', SUNY, 1998, pp.58-9 and 75, Wilber's criticism of Capra and Bohm is described as "almost the only example of an intellectual controversy ''within'' the New Age movement" ''ibid'' p.176 (italics in original), although he is critical of much within the New Age movement in his books''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality'', Note 44, "The various New Age movements claim to herald such a worldwide consciousness revolution. But ... these movements fail across the board.".  His work formulates what he calls an "integral theory of consciousness."  He is a leading proponent of the [[integral movement]] and founded the [[Integral Institute]] in 1998.[http://www.integralinstitute.org Integral Institute]

'''Kenneth Earl "Ken" Wilber Jr.''' (b. January 31, 1949, Oklahoma City, OK, United States), is an American author who writes on [[psychology]], [[philosophy]], [[mysticism]], [[ecology]], and [[spiritual]] [[evolution]]. He has been described as [[New Age]] e.g. [[Wouter J. Hanegraaff]], ''New Age Religion and Western Culture'', SUNY, 1998, pp.58-9 and 75, Wilber's criticism of Capra and Bohm is described as "almost the only example of an intellectual controversy ''within'' the New Age movement" ''ibid'' p.176 (italics in original), although he is critical of much within the New Age movement in his books ''Sex, Ecology, Spirituality'', Note 44, "The various New Age movements claim to herald such a worldwide consciousness revolution. But ... these movements fail across the board.".  His work formulates what he calls an "integral theory of consciousness."  He is a leading proponent of the [[integral movement]] and founded the [http://www.integralinstitute.org Integral Institute] in 1998.

Ken Wilber was born on January 31, 1949 in Oklahoma City, OK. In 1967 he enrolled as a pre-med student at [[Duke University]], Tony Schwartz, ''What Really Matters: Searching for Wisdom in America'', Bantam, 1996, ISBN 0-553-37492-3, p348  and almost immediately experienced a disillusionment with what science had to offer. He became inspired by Eastern literature, particularly the [[Tao Te Ching]], which catalyzed his interest in [[Buddhism]]. While Wilber has practiced [[Buddhist]] meditation methods, and the concepts of [[Madhyamaka|Madhyamaka Buddhist philosophy]] (particularly as articulated by Nagarjuna underpin his work,[http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2059 The Kosmos According to Ken Wilber, A Dialogue with Robin Kornman], ''Shambhala Sun'', September 1996. Retrieved on [[June 14]], [[2006]].  Wilber does not self-identify as a Buddhist. # ''Kosmic Consciousness'' (12 hour audio interview on ten CDs), 2003, ISBN 1-59179-124-3</ref>. He left Duke, enrolled in the University of Nebraska, and completed a bachelor's degree with a double major in chemistry and biology.

Ken Wilber was born on January 31, 1949 in Oklahoma City, OK. In 1967 he enrolled as a pre-med student at Duke University, Tony Schwartz, ''What Really Matters: Searching for Wisdom in America'', Bantam, 1996, ISBN 0-553-37492-3, p348  and almost immediately experienced a disillusionment with what science had to offer. He became inspired by Eastern literature, particularly the [[Tao Te Ching]], which catalyzed his interest in [[Buddhism]]. While Wilber has practiced [[Buddhist]] meditation methods, and the concepts of [[Madhyamaka|Madhyamaka Buddhist philosophy]] (particularly as articulated by Nagarjuna underpin his work,[http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2059 The Kosmos According to Ken Wilber, A Dialogue with Robin Kornman], ''Shambhala Sun'', September 1996. Retrieved on [[June 14]], [[2006]].  Wilber does not self-identify as a Buddhist. # ''Kosmic Consciousness'' (12 hour audio interview on ten CDs), 2003, ISBN 1-59179-124-3. He left Duke, enrolled in the University of Nebraska, and completed a bachelor's degree with a double major in chemistry and biology.

In 1973, Wilber completed his first book, ''[[The Spectrum of Consciousness]]'', in which he sought to integrate knowledge from disparate fields. After rejections by more than twenty publishers it was finally accepted in 1977 by [[Quest Books]], and he spent a year giving lectures and workshops before going back to writing. He also helped to launch the journal ''[[ReVision]]'' in 1978.   

In 1973, Wilber completed his first book, ''[[The Spectrum of Consciousness]]'', in which he sought to integrate knowledge from disparate fields. After rejections by more than twenty publishers it was finally accepted in 1977 by [[Quest Books]], and he spent a year giving lectures and workshops before going back to writing. He also helped to launch the journal ''[[ReVision]]'' in 1978.   

=== The pre/trans fallacy ===

=== The pre/trans fallacy ===

 

Wilber purports that many claims about non-rational states make a mistake he calls the [[pre/trans fallacy]]. According to Wilber, the non-rational stages of consciousness (what Wilber calls "pre-rational" and "trans-rational" stages) can be easily confused with one another. One can reduce supposed "trans-rational" spiritual realization to pre-rational regression, or one can elevate pre-rational states to the trans-rational domain. For example, Wilber claims that Freud and Jung commit this fallacy. [[Freud]] considered mystical realizations to be regressions to infantile oceanic states. Wilber alleges that Freud thus commits a fallacy of reduction. Wilber thinks that [[Jung]] commits the converse form of the same mistake by considering pre-rational myths to reflect divine realizations. Likewise, pre-rational states such as tribal thinking, [[groupthink]], and the occultism of the Nazis or Charles Manson may be misidentified as post-rational states.  Wilber characterizes himself as having fallen victim to the pre/trans fallacy in his early work.

Wilber purports that many claims about non-rational states make a mistake he calls the [[pre/trans fallacy]]. According to Wilber, the non-rational stages of consciousness (what Wilber calls "pre-rational" and "trans-rational" stages) can be easily confused with one another. One can reduce supposed "trans-rational" spiritual realization to pre-rational regression, or one can elevate pre-rational states to the trans-rational domain. For example, Wilber claims that Freud and Jung commit this fallacy. [[Freud]] considered mystical realizations to be regressions to infantile oceanic states. Wilber alleges that Freud thus commits a fallacy of reduction. Wilber thinks that [[Jung]] commits the converse form of the same mistake by considering pre-rational myths to reflect divine realizations. Likewise, pre-rational states such as tribal thinking, [[groupthink]], and the occultism of the Nazis or Charles Manson may be misidentified as post-rational states.  Wilber characterizes himself as having fallen victim to the pre/trans fallacy in his early work.

=== Influences on Wilber ===

=== Influences on Wilber ===

Wilber's conception of the perennial philosophy has been primarily influenced by [[Madhyamaka]] [[Buddhism]], particularly as articulated in the philosophy of [[Nagarjuna]].<ref>{{cite web | title=The Kosmos According to Ken Wilber: A Dialogue with Robin Kornman | month=September | year=1996| work=Shambhala Sun | url=http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2059|accessdate=2006-06-14}}</ref>  Wilber has been a dedicated practitioner of Buddhist meditation since his college years, and has studied under some widely recognized meditators, such as [[Dainin Katagiri]], [[Maezumi Roshi]], [[Chogyam Trungpa]] [[Rinpoche]], [[Kalu Rinpoche]], [[Penor Rinpoche]] and [[Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche]]. The nondual mysticism of [[Advaita Vedanta]], Trika (Kashmir) Shaivism, [[Tibetan Buddhism]], [[Zen Buddhism]], [[Plotinus]], [[Ramana Maharshi]], and [[Andrew Cohen]], as well as the teaching and works of [[Adi Da]], which Wilber has on several occasions singled out for the highest praise (while expressing reservations about Adi Da as a teacher),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/adida.cfm/ |title=http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/adida.cfm/ |accessdate= |format= |work= }}</ref> are also strong influences. These influences have led Wilber to assert that those desiring enlightenment should seek out "the outlaws, the living terrors, the Rude Boys and Nasty Girls of God realization" and that "Every deeply enlightened teacher I have known has been a Rude Boy or Nasty Girl".[http://www.wie.org/gurupandit/ken-wilber-foreword.asp|title=http://www.wie.org/gurupandit/ken-wilber-foreword.asp]  

Wilber's conception of the perennial philosophy has been primarily influenced by [[Madhyamaka]] [[Buddhism]], particularly as articulated in the philosophy of [[Nagarjuna]]. The Kosmos According to Ken Wilber: A Dialogue with Robin Kornman http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2059 Wilber has been a dedicated practitioner of Buddhist meditation since his college years, and has studied under some widely recognized meditators, such as [[Dainin Katagiri]], [[Maezumi Roshi]], [[Chogyam Trungpa]] [[Rinpoche]], [[Kalu Rinpoche]], [[Penor Rinpoche]] and [[Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche]]. The nondual mysticism of [[Advaita Vedanta]], Trika (Kashmir) Shaivism, [[Tibetan Buddhism]], [[Zen Buddhism]], [[Plotinus]], [[Ramana Maharshi]], and [[Andrew Cohen]], as well as the teaching and works of [[Adi Da]], which Wilber has on several occasions singled out for the highest praise (while expressing reservations about Adi Da as a teacher),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/adida.cfm/ |title=http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/adida.cfm/ |accessdate= |format= |work= }}</ref> are also strong influences. These influences have led Wilber to assert that those desiring enlightenment should seek out "the outlaws, the living terrors, the Rude Boys and Nasty Girls of God realization" and that "Every deeply enlightened teacher I have known has been a Rude Boy or Nasty Girl".[http://www.wie.org/gurupandit/ken-wilber-foreword.asp|title=http://www.wie.org/gurupandit/ken-wilber-foreword.asp]  

   

   

Wilber's conception of [[evolution]] or psychological development draws on [[Aurobindo]], [[Adi Da]], [[Andrew Cohen]], [[Jean Gebser]], the [[great chain of being]], [[German idealism]], [[Erich Jantsch]], [[Jean Piaget]], [[Abraham Maslow]], [[Erik Erikson]], [[Lawrence Kohlberg]], [[James Mark Baldwin]], [[Jürgen Habermas]], [[Howard Gardner]], [[Clare W. Graves]], [[Robert Kegan]] and [[Spiral Dynamics]].

Wilber's conception of [[evolution]] or psychological development draws on [[Aurobindo]], [[Adi Da]], [[Andrew Cohen]], [[Jean Gebser]], the [[great chain of being]], [[German idealism]], [[Erich Jantsch]], [[Jean Piaget]], [[Abraham Maslow]], [[Erik Erikson]], [[Lawrence Kohlberg]], [[James Mark Baldwin]], [[Jürgen Habermas]], [[Howard Gardner]], [[Clare W. Graves]], [[Robert Kegan]] and [[Spiral Dynamics]].

* [http://www.andrewcohen.org/andrew/evolutionOfEnlightenment.asp The Evolution of Enlightenment] Dialogue with Andrew Cohen

* [http://www.andrewcohen.org/andrew/evolutionOfEnlightenment.asp The Evolution of Enlightenment] Dialogue with Andrew Cohen

* [http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/interviews/interview1220.cfm/ Shambhala Interview] conducted shortly before the release of ''Boomeritis''

* [http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/interviews/interview1220.cfm/ Shambhala Interview] conducted shortly before the release of ''Boomeritis''

=== Critiques from others within the integral or New Age movements ===

=== Critiques from others within the integral or New Age movements ===