marcus anthony- visions without depth: michio kaku's future

8/3/2019 Marcus Anthony- Visions Without Depth: Michio Kaku's Future

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A R T I C L E

Visions Without Depth: Michio Kaku'sFuture

Marcus AnthonyUniversity of the Sunshine CoastAustralia

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Journal of Futures Studies, May 2003, 7(4): 55 - 66

1. IntroductionJeremy Rifkin argued some years ago that "scien-

tism" had replaced a theological God with "God in awhite coat," namely the scientist. (Rifkin, 1985) Scientismeffectively banishes all competing non-scientific episte-mologies to the waste bin of History whilst elevating thescientific method and culture to the position of exaltedand sole purveyor of truth. In his book Visions: HowScience Will Revolutionise the 21st Century, Michio Kakuunwittingly shows us that scientism is still alive and phe-nomenological. In his attempts to rely exclusively uponscientific culture and inquiry to depict the possible

future, Kaku paints what initially seems a bright and glit-tering future for all of us. But a deeper reflection uponwhat this book offers reveals something rather less glam-orous. That which is invisible to the eye is most essential,

wrote Goethe, and much of what is both invisible andessential is left off the map in Kaku's Visions. Most essen-tially, deep social, ecological, moral and ontologicalissues are glossed over, or totally ignored. (1) What fol-lows is a deconstruction of Kaku's VisionsusingInayatullah's causal layered analysis (CLA). Kaku's philoso-phy is further examined through a comparison with sev-

eral other popular books of science and physics, and alsowith various macrohistorians.

The methodology

Causal layered analysis is a post-structuralistmethodology developed by Sohail Inayatullah. Its pur-pose is to find the deeper meanings imbedded withintexts through an exploration of four specific componentsand to acknowledge other ways of knowing. (Inayatullah1998, p. 815) The first component examines the litany orthe rational/scientific, factual and quantitative aspects ofthe text. The second is the social level. This uncovers theeconomic, cultural, political and historical components.The third aspect of CLA examines the discourse/world-

view of the author. The final component is the mythi-cal/metaphorical level. This attempts to uncover hiddenand explicit mythologies, stories, narratives, symbols andmetaphors within the text. (Inayatullah 1998, pp. 820-821)

Causal Layered Analysis is particularly useful as away to conduct inquiries into the nature of past, presentand future. It opens up the present and the past to cre-ate the possibility of alternative futures. (Inayatullah,

Abstract

Using Inayatullah's Causal Layered Analysis, Marcus Anthony deconstructs Michio Kaku's Visions. At firstglance Kaku seems to paint a utopian future for humanity based upon three pillars of modern science:quantumphysics, DNA technology and the computer revolution. However, a deeper examination reveals that Kaku'svision is vitally lacking in depth, and reflects modern scientific cultures' obsession with technology at the expenseof humane and spiritual values.


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1998, p. 815) It is for this reason that it was cho-sen as an ideal tool to deconstruct Kaku's visionof the future of humanity.

2. Deconstructed VisionsThe litany:

Visionsis by name a book of science, subti-tled "How Science Will Revolutionise the 21stCentury". Kaku describes it as "a book about thelimitless future of science and technology." Thebook outlines the possible contributions of sci-

ence to humanity in the next 100 years. InVisions, Kaku focuses upon the computer revolu-tion (including artificial intelligence, cyborg tech-nology and the development of the internet); thebio-molecular revolution (including DNA technol-ogy, molecular medicine, and genetic engineer-ing); and the quantum revolution (includingquantum physics' influence upon space travel,planetary civilization, and the mastery of spaceand time). Science and scientists constitute thesubject and the voice. Over a ten-year periodKaku claims that he has interviewed over 150 sci-entists (Kaku, 1998, preface, p. 1X). His book isclearly referenced with over three hundred refer-ences, predominantly from scientific journalsand books of a scientific nature.

The nature of consciousnesses

Kaku discusses pertinent matters related tothe idea of consciousness and intelligence, artifi-cial intelligence and cyborg technology. Kaku fol-lows the accepted scientific conception thatintelligence is localised and a product of brainphysiology. He is confident that artificial intelli-gence will become a reality in the next century.

This will occur with a synthesis of the two seem-ingly opposed schools of AI-

the bottom-upand top-down approaches. The former attemptsto construct intelligent robots by programmingthem, and giving them rules to follow that canbe used to deal with the everyday problemsassociated with tasks in the physical world. Thelatter approach attempts to create self-learningmachines, machines that can learn to solve prob-lems themselves, by effective exploration of theirown worlds and developing their own rules andexperiential data.

Clearly, according to both these approach-

es, consciousness/intelligence is the product ofmechanical and electrical processes. The compo-nents of "the machine" work together to pro-duce an intelligent robot. It is in this sense areductionist philosophy (the microscale is

viewed as more essential than the macroscale).Elsewhere Kaku, whilst exploring the world ofDNA mapping, tells us that unraveling the DNAsequences of human beings is equivalent torevealing "the secret of life." This will givehumans "God-like" powers to re-create them-

selves from the bottom up, and to "control ourdestinies." This is also a reductionist approach tothe concept of life. Life emerges from the synthe-sis of the interactions and mechanisations ofDNA molecules.

Kaku sees the development of a theory ofeverything as a key to humans becoming mas-ters of space and time and in understanding theuniverse. (Kaku, 1998 pp.338-339) He quotesStephen Hawking's famous words that the theo-ry of everything will enable us to "read the mindof God". (Kaku, 1998 p. 345) What is hinderinghumanity's comprehension of the universe is the

hitherto failure to elucidate the unified field the-ory. (Kaku, 1998 p. 346) Similarly Kaku believesthat "the study of space-time may ultimatelyanswer one of the most intriguing questionsabout the future: the final destiny of all intelli-gent life in the universe." (Kaku, 1998, p.339)

For Kaku mathematical and logical intelli-gences are the key to understanding the deepestontological questions. Yet according to thinkersand mystics such as Ken Wilber, P.R. Sarkar,David R. Hawkins, Roger Penrose, and many oth-ers, logical intelligence is inadequate for this

task. The fragmented nature of rational intelli-gence cannot deliver the insights of an integrat-ed intelligence 2. Typically these alternativethinkers suggest that integrated intelligencedelivers a direct knowing through the collapse ofthe object/subject dichotomy. Observer andobserved become one. Rational intelligenceretains the object/subject separation and so can-not deliver any more than a superficial intellectu-al comprehension. If the mystical interpretationis correct, no mathematical model will ever beadequate to deliver the answers to the ultimatequestions and to know "the mind of God."


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Douglas Adams suggested this succinctly in TheHitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxywhere thegiant computer Great Thought, after one million

years contemplation concludes that "the answerto life, the universe and everything" is "42". Theabsurdity of the answer suggests the limitednature of mathematical and logical intelligenceto resolve deep ontological questions.

Kaku, Nature and Evolution

Kaku sees nature and evolution as blind

forces that are now coming under the control ofhuman consciousness:

...today we are on the cusp of anepoch-making transition, from beingpassive observers of Nature to beingactive choreographers of Nature.This is the central message of

Visions. (Kaku, 1998p. 15)

It is significant that Kaku uses the term"visions" to name his book. Visions were usuallythe prerogative of mystics and sages, but in

Kaku's world, the scientist has become the sageand guru, claiming even the domain of thevisionary. He writes about "playing God-design-er children and clones." (chapter 11) Further, he

writes an entire chapter on our becoming "mas-ters of space and time." (chapter 16), and anoth-er describing the human race as "choreographersof matter, life and intelligence." (chapter1). Inchapter five he claims that the "Age of Mastery"

will soon arrive. Truly the scientist has become"God in a white coat."

The obvious difference between Kaku's

worldview and that of visionaries of by-gone erasis that revelation and spiritual guidance play nopart in Kaku's universe. All mystics believed insome kind of integrated or divine intelligence.Kaku maintains the standard localised scientific

view of intelligence. It is entirely up to humans,alienated from any sense of integrated con-sciousness to resolve profound ontologicalqueries, and to control, manipulate and designtheir own realities and their own worlds.

Kaku's Universe.

Kaku is one of the original "strong" theo-

rists. He writes about a universe that containscertain elements that may transcend commonsense notions of space and time. These include

wormholes, black holes, Einstein-Rosen bridges,doorways to other universes and time machines.(Kaku, 1998 pp.342, 343)

General relativity is based on the idea thatspace is curved, and that the "forces" we seearound us, like gravity, are actually an illusioncreated by the bending of space and time. (quot-ed in Kaku, 1998 p.340)

But Kaku makes no attempt to find a placefor consciousness (including integrated con-sciousness) in this universe. It is by implication adualistic universe, where mind and the universeat large are separate and alienated, with con-sciousness inconsequential. For Kaku, the futurefrontiers of humanity lie completely within thephysical and intellectual domains. It is the threerevolutions-the computer, biomolecular andquantum mechanical-that will be "the first steptoward making the universe truly our backyard."(Kaku, 1998 p.355) In light of the developmentsand debates in quantum physics about the

nature of consciousness (Goswami, 2001,Aldworth, 2001), Kaku's vision of humanity'sfuture contains a significant absence.

The Social level

Kaku's forays into the social level can at bestbe described as rather shallow, and less flatter-ingly as a seemingly naive ignorance of the deep-er social issues that may impinge upon humani-ty's future. Briefly he looks at the possible socialimplications of the computer revolution continu-ing along its present course for the next century.

He also examines briefly some of the moralaspects affecting genetic engineering, DNAmanipulation, artificial intelligence etc. Othersocial/political factors covered are the populationexplosion and diminishing resources.

Planetary Society

Kaku sees a planetary culture emerging,and communication technology will be the keyto this. (Kaku, 1998 p.337) He quotes Bill Gatesas suggesting that the information highway willbreak down the boundaries that inhibit the for-

mation of a world culture. Further, totalitarian


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states will see their power eroded by the decen-tralization of information that the internet pro-

vides.Kaku identifies the ruling political elites as a

conservative force that will be an obstacle toplanetary unification. Ironically he suggests thatthe interests of the expanding middle class willhelp counter this. He admits that the interests ofthe middle class are also selfish. "When peopletaste a bit of affluence, they want more," he

writes. It is with the increased means of commu-

nication-

the internet, satellites, fax machines,etc., that their power will emerge. (Kaku, 1998pp.335-336) Another factor assisting unificationis the emergence of English as the first trulyglobal language, and business as the drivingmotive behind the desire to learn English. (Kaku,1998p.336)

Thus Kaku's vision of planetary unification isstill one in which individuals and groups are self-ish-"like all classes," he writes. (Kaku, 1998p.336) The point must be asked whether a trulyintegrated society can emerge while individualsare competing against each other for profit and

power.Language may well transform the globe as

Kaku says. Yet the medium of language workspurely at the logical/linguistic level. It cannot be atruly "integrated" (transpersonal) system. It reliesupon localised media for transmission-voices,telephones, television, satellites etc. Taoist,Tantric, Zen and Buddhist philosophies repeat-edly point to the limitations of language as amedium for accessing transcendent knowledge.Thus, if this is true, Kaku's planetary society willstill function at the same level of consciousness

as the current world-

limited by localised mediawith separate and individualized components ofthe system (people, races, nations etc) continu-ing to press for their separate and isolated agen-das. The collapse of ego-centered consciousness(as Wilber, Maslow, Groff and others have stat-ed) will occur only with the transcendence ofego-boundaries and ego-driven imperatives.Being comprehensively "wired" would seem aninadequate panacea for this problem.

Kaku's Galactic Future

Kaku suggests that by 2050 the frontiers of

civilization will have spread to other stars andplanets, "creating a Garden of Eden in space."(Kaku, 1998 p.308, 298) The key to this will lie inlogistical concerns, such as finding cheap andreliable propulsion systems for interplanetarycraft to fuel their massive energy requirements.(Kaku, 1998 p.304, pp.326-327). Kaku statesthat human civilisation will transcend its current"infancy" when sufficient "abundant wealth andenergy resources are located". Quantum theory

will be vital here. (Kaku, 1998 p.326, 266)

However Kaku does concede that the political,social and economic disputes that characterizenational and international conflicts in the late20th century may be problematical. (Kaku, 1998p.311)

Types of civilisations

Kaku's hierarchy of planetary civilisationsreveals much about his worldview and theassumptions that underpin his visions andphilosophies. He follows the model developedby Nikolai Kardachev, which uses energy con-sumption as the basic measure of civilisational

development. There are four civilisational levelswithin this system, with each level having anenergy output ten billion times greater than theprevious level. Kaku expects that national andcultural differences will be reduced with eachlevel, as abundant sources of energy and wealthare uncovered, and communication systemsbecome instantaneous. Level three civilisationsconsume about 100 billion to a billion trilliontimes the energy output of a type 0 civilisation.By level three the evolution of civilisation willdepend upon interstellar travel. Kaku subtitles

this section "conquering the galaxy." A goalwould be to find suitable star systems to "colo-nize." (Kaku,1998 pp.321-329)

Kaku factors in annual economic growthrate expectations to make his forecasts aboutthe timing of the development of each level inthe model. (Kaku, p.323) Kaku predicts an eco-nomic growth rate of five percent for the next100 years, and "at that rate in a century thegross world product and energy consumption

will grow by a factor of 130 times." Kaku seesthis as ideal for world stability, as separatism willbe difficult when people are "well fed and con-


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laws were completely known. (Kaku,Visions, p.5)

Kaku makes no attempt to critique the cur-rent visions and culture of science, nor to outlinethe worldviews of the scientists that influencethe predictions that are being made. In thissense Kaku opens himself to making preciselythe same mistakes that he accuses scientists ofpast eras of making-inaccurate visions basedupon incomplete knowledge and false assump-tions.

Kaku's vision is comprised of a worldview,a language and a paradigm. It does not float in asea of objectivity. Kaku's work lacks the self-criti-cal analysis of postmodernist scientific thought.In recent times thinkers such as Zia Sardar,Sohail Inayatullah, and Ronald S. Laura haveadded to the debate begun by Karl Popper,Thomas Kuhn and Michael Foucault. This debatehas challenged contemporary science's claims tobe an "absolute" truth. Kaku writes as if hisdepiction of science, humanity and the universeis universally accepted and confirmed. Kaku's

vision reeks of scientism, with its "true-believer"style faith in the merits of objective scientificrationalism. In Kaku's world, science is the"grand-narrative", the ultimate purpose and pur-

veyor of truth in a brave new world.

Myth/metaphor

"Visions" is an appropriate title for the bookin the sense that it projects an image of thefuture that is imaginative, but one that is not

very empirical. The book is replete with project-ed scenarios of the future. For example early in

the book Kaku describes a typical week in thelife of a person in 2020 in the second person.This includes a fictional account of ubiquitousinteractions with computers, "smart molecules"detecting and eradicating cancer, and an intelli-gent household system that directly gives feed-back about everything from the cholesterol con-tent of food to which people are compatible

with. (Kaku, 1998 pp. 66-69)Yet perhaps the greatest unconscious nar-

rative running through Visionsis the story of themachine. The machine is what will save us: com-puters for everyone everywhere, robots, A.I.,

genetically enhanced cyborgs, and space travel.Technology will reign supreme and rescue usfrom the perils of the human condition. The spir-it will die (it was intangible and immeasurableafter all) and the machine will live. This is Kaku'sfuture.

Spiritual language

One of the ironic features of Kaku's vision isthe seemingly unconscious use of spiritual andbiblical references in his idealized future. The

book is called Visions, a noun that was once exclu-sively the realm of mystics and spiritual disciplines.He refers to ubiquitous computing as "endowingthe planet with a cosmic intelligence." (Kaku,1998, p.43).

"...computers will become so powerful andwidespread that the surface of the earthbecomes a 'living' membrane, endowed withplanetary 'intelligence', creating the fabled MagicMirror featured often in fairy tales." (Kaku, 1998,p.42)

Further, we will "know the mind of God"when we finalise the equations to the theory of

everything.For Kaku human technology and informa-

tion systems have replaced religious/spiritualconcepts such as "God". The physicist/scientistdons the white coat of the new priesthood. Yet,as argued above, there is no attempt to delveinto the possible psychological /spiritual ramifica-tions of this.

Interestingly Kaku touches on the idea of akind of "integrated" intelligence, but one that dif-fers from traditional mystical depictions.Computers will be everywhere (including on and

in the body), linking everybody and all aspects ofsociety. They will be able to sense our presence,movements, and even feelings. (Kaku, 1998pp.27, 32) Once again Kaku's simplistic under-standing of the causes of human conflict surfaces

when he writes that this "instantaneous commu-nication linking society" will erase long standingcultural and national barriers, and humanity willleave its divisions and scars behind. (Kaku, 1998pp. 325-326)

3. A Macrohistorical Perspective

If we were to give Kaku's vision a macrohis-


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torical perspective, where would it "fit in"? Whathas he left out? Johan Galtung in his essay"Toward Eclecticism: Mapping Sarkar with OtherMacrohistorians" has developed an approach tohistory which compares and contrasts the viewsof twenty prominent macrohistorians. Takingsuch an approach with Kaku, contrasting andcomparing him with various other thinkers, whataspects of Kaku's vision and philosophy can beseen in a new light, with its strengths and weak-nesses exposed?

Kaku's is essentially a linear theory, typicalof Western models such as Adam Smith's, Marx's(with an underlying cyclical aspect) and evenDarwin's. Kaku's civilisation/evolution is seen asdeveloping from primitive to advanced, and thespreading out of mankind through space to aplanetary and interplanetary civilisation is seenas the horizontal dimension of this. In fact,Kaku's vision is completely horizontal. There isno movement through plains of consciousness

which could potentially represent a verticaldimension, such as with Wilber and David R.Hawkins. Kaku's Utopia seems to be an idealised

future where humanity has achieved a kind oftechnological wonderland, traveling outward tothe stars, consuming all that it requires, with allthe benefits that technology may offer it. Thatfuture may contain human transformation andimmortality via DNA modification, or ubiquitouscomputing and enhanced life-styles and life-experiences via cyborg technology; but essential-ly humanity will remain at its current level ofconsciousness.

Cyclical theories of History stand as a con-trast to Kaku's. They promise declines and

inclines. Rudolph Steiner was cyclical with anoverriding linearity (Galtung in Inayatullah andFitzgerald, 1999, p.35). Karl Marx and P.R. Sarkarrefer to class upheavals. Spengler, Sorokin andToynbee also write about societal declines if cap-ital is not replenished. They, along with IbnKhaldun (a 14th century macrohistorian) refer toeco-catastrophes, alienation and modernizationdiseases, the increasing disparity between richand poor, and issues with welfare, materialism,individualism. (Galtung, in Inayatullah andFitzgerald, 1999,p.30) In contrast Kaku sees onlyone way, namely up-or bust.

Kaku's vision is non-spiritual. We can placehim alongside the anti-religion/spiritual macro-historians such as Marx, Engels, Smith andComte. Marx and Engels saw religion as "the opi-ate of the masses". Comte saw the "theological"as equating to the fictitious, characterized byspurious belief in the supernatural. For him spec-ulative reasoning was itself a stepping stone tothe "positive" or scientific state of human culturalevolution. For Kaku the spiritual and religiousdoes not even rate a mention. By implication we

can assume that it plays no part in Kaku's visionof the future. His depiction of typical days in themiddle and late twentieth centuries are com-pletely devoid of inner worlds and spiritual refer-ences. They simply describe interactions andactivities, primarily with technology such as ubiq-uitous computing, which acts (ironically) a kindof omniscient guru or spiritual guide. There areno actual references to direct contact with otherpeople, animals, plants or living organisms. Atthe very least one might ask, as did Weber,Gandhi, Sarkar, Khaldun and Steiner, whether afuture devoid of the spiritual, including alien-

ation from nature and other people, might cre-ate various psychological/spiritual dysfunctions.

Kaku's vision is seemingly positivistic andrational, devoid of affective domains and intu-itive perceptions. Thus we can compare him

with the enlightenment philosophers Comte,Descartes, Bacon and also to Hume and Kant.These individuals saw a positivistic science as themeans of moving humanity into a better future.It is open to question whether humanity couldever function effectively in such overtly rationalsocieties, considering the realities of our brain

physiology which necessitates emotional/intu-itive cognition; or indeed whether a galaxy full ofSpockian, cyber-enhanced DNA-perfect people

would in fact be a desirable future.Alternatively we can contrast Kaku's philos-

ophy to those philosophies with a spiritual bentto their history. de Chardin produced a Christianmodel which sought to integrate scientificaspects of the world. (Galtung, in Inayatullah andFitzgerald, 1999, p.35). Sorokin saw humanityemerging from a socio-cultural civilisation to "thecelestial spheres of the super-ideational", andthen descending again. He stated that people


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need more than just empirical truths. They alsoneed theological and metaphysical truths.(Galtung, in Inayatullah and Fitzgerald, 1999,p.29). Sarkar, Steiner, Gandhi and Auribindo

would no doubt agree on that. The vast majorityof humanity that has a spiritual belief structure isleft off Kaku's map, as if they are just a temporaryaberration in the empirical march of scientificprogress.

Khaldun pointed to a connection betweenepistemological states and socio-economic

stages. Kaku does no such thing. Do peoplebecome empiricists because they are trying toprove something about their lack of power andprivilege, as Galtung suggests? Further, sophisti-cation tends to bring a yearning for simplicity.(Galtung, in Inayatullah and Fitzgerald, 1999,p29). Could a powerful "Ludditian" reaction formin the wake of the increasingly technologicallycomplicated nature of life of the world? How willpeople react if computing is ubiquitous andevery aspect of life dependent upon themachine? How will that affect personal relation-ships? How many people would be willing to

leave Earth to travel for a lifetime in space-shipsto have their off-spring populate new worlds? Byfailing to examine psychological/spiritual/socialfactors, Kaku is in danger of overlooking crucialaspects of technology's impact on humanity inthe future.

Kaku's vision seems driven by economic/capitalistic imperatives. Unlike Marx, Kaku'svision seems rather capitalistic. Yet like Marx's itis decidedly materialistic and atheistic. Marx has acyclical aspect, ending in the seemingly utopianadvanced communism. Kaku's would seem to be

a laissez-faire economic future. Governments andnation states are seen as potential obstacles tothe onward march of progress. He would thusseem to have more in common with Smith thanKeynes, although the latter advocated controland market regulation. Kaku's technological and"gadget" depiction of the future can in some wayscompare with Smith's idea that capital deter-mines the wealth of a society. Despite the lack ofsocial insight Kaku does indicate a connectionbetween affluence and social stability. This wouldseem to imply that the causes of social unrest areprimarily economic, and that human well-being is

dependent upon this factor only.Kaku also makes very little attempt to

examine the social implications of his vision. Heis a little like the aloof sages and mystics such as

Auribindo, Nisargadatta Maharaj, and many NewAge philosophies who focus on the spiritual anddismiss the social as belonging to a lower spherethat can be transcended upon enlightenment.The difference is that Kaku sees thescientific/technological as transcending the socialand economic. Apparently there is little relation-

ship between the scientific/material, the social,political and psycho/spiritual aspects of society inKaku's envisioned world.

Who will have the power in Kaku's future?Marx would have asked who will own the meansof production? He would have looked for thepower structures. Who will get rich, and at

whose expense? Webber would have looked atdifferentiation and examined the possibility ofprivileged and non-privileged groups. (Galtung,in Inayatullah and Fitzgerald, 1999, p.28). Sarkar

would also have looked for his four societalclasses to see who held power. We can only

infer from Visionsthat in Kaku's future scientists(and those who serve science) will be the mostpowerful.

4. Some Alternative popular science

While Kaku's vision seems narrow anddevoid of deeper human values, there arenumerous other popular depictions of science,the universe and the future that do attempt topaint a broader picture. Here are three of them.

Danah Zohar

With her books The Quantum Society, andSpiritual Intelligence. Danah Zohar takes theworld of micro-physics in hand. Zohar extrapo-lates such a different view of the world and uni-

verse than Kaku that one might scarcely believethat they are examining the same data. Zoharemerges with a brave attempt to depict a cultureand a Self, (complete with values and a morality).Zohar's concept of an organic spiritual intelli-gence, (an individual's ability to intuit deepermeanings about the nature of life and existence),touches upon the idea of an integrated intelli-gence.


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works, they have effectively depicted some ofthe limitations of purely mechanical models oflife and the universe. Kaku seems to choose toignore such insights, just as he has ignored the"non-scientists" to write Visions.

5. Kaku's Success

No model that fails to address the spiritualneeds, deepest ontological questions and thepurpose of existence can serve as a sound basisfor our future. Kaku commits precisely this error.In seeing the solutions to humanity's problemsas essentially technological and logistical Kakucommits an oversight of such gargantuan pro-portions that one can only wonder how our soci-ety produces individuals capable of such myopia.

Why is it that Kaku's book has been soenduringly successful, despite its frighteninglyobvious shortcomings? Visionsis as much aproduct of a scientifically materialistic culture asKaku is. As James Moffett has pointed out, con-temporary education systems are devoid ofmeaning, value and purpose. Government con-trolled schools and institutions have avoided

personal and spiritual development in favor ofmore immediate and practical outcomes - jobsand training, and economic imperatives.(Moffett, 1994, p.23-32) The result of this is apopulation that has no personal, spiritual ormetaphysical awareness, and whose intellectand judgment are impaired. They cannot per-ceive holistically. (Moffett, 1994, p.43) To such a"retarded" population the only world that makessense is "Flatland" (as Wilber calls it)-a spiritually

void, mechanical world and universe. Such a sys-tem of indoctrination and education createsKaku, and it creates his market, the people who

buy his books.

6. Conclusion

In the end Visions tells us more about thepresent than the future, and the way that oneman's view of the universe colors his perceptionof it. It thus informs us of the delusion that thereare worldviews that fall within the domain of thepurely "objective." Kaku's vision is no greater, andindeed no less than that of the "journalists, soci-ologists, writers, fashion designers, artists, andphilosophers" that he criticizes. After all, the

entire history of science is one imbued with asocial/historical dynamic. And that is not to men-tion the metaphysical/spiritual dynamic that somany others throughout History have depicted.

Kaku opens and closes VisionsquotingNewton's famous words that he (Newton) waslike a mere child playing on the seashore gather-ing stones whilst "the great ocean of truth layundiscovered" before him. (Kaku, 1998, pp. 3,355). Yet Kaku seems to have forgotten thoseother famous words of Newton: "If I have seen

further than others, it is because I have stoodupon the shoulders of giants." Newton under-stood the historical and even spiritual aspects ofhis attempts to delve into the nature of the worldand the universe. Kaku, apparently, has forgotten.

Correspondence:University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland,

AustraliaFaculty of Arts and Social SciencesMaroochydore, 4557, Queensland, [email protected]

Endnotes1. In this essay the term "spiritual" will be usedto describe these intangible but vital aspectsof human existence. There are no specificreligious connotations to this word as usedin this essay.

2. Throughout the essay the term "integratedintelligence" is used. Integrated intelligenceis a transpersonal intelligence that tran-scends the boundaries of individual intelli-gence. It is in effect a collective human anduniversal intelligence. It has most commonlybeen depicted in spiritual and mystical textsand forms a part of all mystical traditions.Though not scientifically "proven" it isbecoming more frequently used in variousguises in contemporary discussions withinsciences, the humanities and spiritual dis-courses. The same or similar concepts havebeen discussed by various thinkers.

Amongst numerous, these include "cosmicconsciousness" (Bucke, 1991; and Sarkar inInayatullah 1999, 2002); "non-local intelli-gence" (Dossey, 2001); "spiritual intelligence"(Zohar, 2000); "non-dual consciousness"(Goswami, 2001), "L energy" (Pearsall, 1998),"non-algorithmic intelligence" (Penrose,


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1989), and "psychic" perception (Wilber,2000, 2001A, 2001B).

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