A Spectrum of Wilber Critics, essay by Frank Visser (original) (raw)
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Integral World: Exploring Theories of Everything
An independent forum for a critical discussion of the integral philosophy of Ken Wilber
Frank Visser, graduated as a psychologist of culture and religion, founded IntegralWorld in 1997
. He worked as production manager for various publishing houses and as service manager for various internet companies and lives in Amsterdam. Books:
Ken Wilber: Thought as Passion (SUNY, 2003),
and The Corona Conspiracy: Combatting Disinformation about the Coronavirus (Kindle, 2020).
SEE MORE ESSAYS WRITTEN BY FRANK VISSER
A Spectrum of
Wilber Critics
Frank Visser
Ken Wilber
The essays posted in this Reading Room (and some in the Criticism Section) are written from a great variety of perspectives, ranging from "strong positive" to "strong negative". I consider all of these useful in generating debate on the matter of the value and validity of Wilber's writings. To help you find your way in this virtual library, I have listed the main authors below, in their order of general affirmation/rejection of integral ideas, as formulated by Ken Wilber. This is not to say that many critics are not of two minds: while acknowledging the scope and depth of Wilber's work, they object to aspects of his philosophy or of the current integral movement. The characterization given below is based on their published articles only.
I am sure most of these critics don't want to be in the same list with others... ;-) And if some of you feel I have miscategorized you below, let me know!
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| AUTHOR'S NAME | POSITIVE/NEGATIVE | TOPICS COVERED | NUMBER OF ESSAYS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Edwards | Strong Positiive | Integral TheoryDevelopmental PsychologyWorld Affairs | High |
| Michael Zimmerman | Strong Positiive | EcologyDevelopmental PsychologyWorld Affairs | Medium |
| H.B. Augustine | Strong Positiive | Integral PhilosophyIntegral Ethics | Medium |
| Hugh & Kaye Martin | Positive | Developmental PsychologyEducationIntegral Theory | Medium |
| Elliot Benjamin | Positive | CultsPsychotherapyMathematics | Medium |
| Joyce Nielsen | Positive | Feminism | Low |
| Greg Wilpert | Positive | Integral politics | Low |
| Frank Visser | Weak Positive | Evolutionary TheoryPerennialismPost-metaphysicsTranspersonal TheoryMind-Body Problem | High |
| Ray Harris | Weak Positive | World AffairsIslam & TerrorismSpiral Dynamics | High |
| Gerry Goddard | Weak Positive | Integral TheoryTranspersonal TheoryMind-Body Problem | Medium |
| Giorgio Piacenza | Weak Positive | Integral BiasesExopoliticsCulture and Development | Medium |
| Don Salmon | Weak Positive | Sri AurobindoEvolutionary TheoryReductionism | Medium |
| Rolf Sattler | Weak Positive | Integral TheoryEvolution | Low |
| Alan Kazlev | Weak Negative | AurobindoConceptual limitiationsCultic behaviourEvolutionary ScienceMetaphysicsScholarship | Medium |
| Zakariyya Ishaq | Weak Negative | MetaphysicsMysticismSufism/IslamIntegral Theory | Low |
| Andrew Smith | Weak Negative | Integral TheoryMysticismSpiral DynamicsDevelopmental Psychology | High |
| Peter Collins | Weak Negative | Integral theoryMysticismHolistic MathematicsEconomics | Medium |
| David Jon Peckinpaugh | Weak Negative | Integral movementWorld affairsHermeneutics | Medium |
| Michel Bauwens | Weak Negative | Integral movementTechnologyGuru phenomenon | Low |
| Jeff Meyerhoff | Negative | Integral TheoryPhilosophyDevelopmental PsychologyWestern historyPostmodernismMysticismBiography | Medium |
| John Heron | Strong Negative | PostmodernismIntegral TheoryMysticism | Low |
| Jim Andrews | Strong Negative | ScholarshipParapsychology | Medium |
| Chris Cowan | Strong Negative | Spiral DynamicsMean Green Meme | Low |
| Geoffrey Falk | Strong Negative | ScienceParapsychologyReligious movements | Medium |
| David Lane | Strong Negative | BiologyParapsychologyMysticism | Low |
| Tomislav Markus | Strong Negative | AnthropologyEcologyCultural History | Low |
| Kevin R.D. Shepherd | Strong Negative | AnthropologySpiritualityPerennialism | Low |
| Martin Erdmann | Strong Negative | Integral TheoryDangers of GurusEvolution | Low |
| Joe Corbett | Strong Negative | Integral TheorySocial JusticeIntegral Politics | Medium |
| Barclay Powers | Strong Negative | Integral SpiritualityTaoismAlchemy | Low |