3 Review(s)

The Book: On the Taboo against Knowing Who You Are, authored by Alan Watts, is a book that emphasizes that the self and the body are not two different things, as is believed widely. It is rather an illusion, as the self is the ground and root for the whole universe. Summary of the Book Alan Watts was a philosopher who always highlighted the idea merging Western Science with the ancient Hindu philosophy of the Vedanta. And the most common belief that the soul and the body are separate entities does not accord with any Eastern philosophy or Western scientific knowledge. Watts also draws several insights from the Vedanta and places them in the contemporary Western scientific wisdom. He conveys through The Book that we should not be alienated from this enigmatic, extravagant universe. A must read for those who contemplate on identity, higher consciousness and existence. About Alan Watts Alan Watts was born in England. He was one of the most influential philosophers of his time. His knowledge was profound in the Eastern philosophies and schools of thought. He was a brilliant interpreter of these philosophies to the Western audience. He has penned several books, including the most famous The Way of Zen, Tao: The Watercourse Way, The Wisdom of Insecurity, The Joyous Cosmology, and The Way of Liberation.