Robert Anton Wilson

[Gabriel93]

Any other R.A.W. fans here?

Two books I read when I first started my eclectic spiritual practice were Prometheus Rising and Cosmic Trigger parts 1 & 2. I literally couldn't put them down back then and still refer to them time and time again 20 years later.

Wilson's work shaped a lot of my own ideas about the true nature of the Gods and Goddesses, magick, and thought itself.

I constantly suggest his work to anyone seriously interested in transformation.

Bright Blessings
Gabriel

:stomp:

[TaylorE]

I'm a fan of his work. I've read most of his books and fidn them to be very insightful, very useful.

[Ben Gruagach]

His books are interesting. If you like his stuff you might also enjoy reading Colin Wilson's books, particularly his occult tomes "The Occult," "Mysteries," and "Beyond the Occult."

The only problem I have with both RAW and Colin Wilson is that they usually report everything without checking to see if the claims are true or not. Reporting every rumour out there is entertaining to read but it doesn't make for convincing arguments. When you catch debunked claims being breathlessly recounted it makes you wonder about whether any of the rest of it is also nothing more than rumour.

[Gabriel93]

The only problem I have with both RAW and Colin Wilson is that they usually report everything without checking to see if the claims are true or not. Reporting every rumour out there is entertaining to read but it doesn't make for convincing arguments. When you catch debunked claims being breathlessly recounted it makes you wonder about whether any of the rest of it is also nothing more than rumour.

What , specifically, has R.A.W. written and presented as indisputable fact that you feel has been successfully debunked?

Much of what he has written, I know, cannot necessarily be concretely proven, but that is true of most occult subjects. Much in this realm cannot really as yet be empirically proven or disproven, it either speaks to your personal experience or it doesn't.

What Wilson presents as historical fact, such as the accounts of orders such as the Knights Templar and the Bavarian Illuminati also fall into something of a gray area, since most of the accounts of these and other such organizations are somewhat obscure history that even historical scholars cannot always agree on.

Most of the time, when the facts are not necessarily clear he acknowledges that.

[Ben Gruagach]

What , specifically, has R.A.W. written and presented as indisputable fact that you feel has been successfully debunked?

Much of what he has written, I know, cannot necessarily be concretely proven, but that is true of most occult subjects. Much in this realm cannot really as yet be empirically proven or disproven, it either speaks to your personal experience or it doesn't.

What Wilson presents as historical fact, such as the accounts of orders such as the Knights Templar and the Bavarian Illuminati also fall into something of a gray area, since most of the accounts of these and other such organizations are somewhat obscure history that even historical scholars cannot always agree on.

Most of the time, when the facts are not necessarily clear he acknowledges that.

RAW's goal, at least in some of his books, is to challenge us from just accepting what we are told and opening our minds to the possibilities that we might not know everything about the universe and how it works.

Personally I think that is a wonderful attitude and one that should be wholeheartedly encouraged.

Unfortunately, he seems to lean towards what some would call "tinfoil hat territory" in that he acts like those who have opinions that conflict with his own are part of some great conspiracy. It's annoying to read his ad hominem attacks against people who debunk paranormal claims rather than address the issue being debunked. It's like we're supposed to have open minds but only if in the end we come to the same conclusions that he does -- and if we disagree with him, then clearly we are part of the Evil Conspiracy.

It's entertaining to draw all sorts of anomalous reports (such as those conveniently compiled in Charles Fort's books) and then present paranormal explanations for them like "it's alien visitors!" or "remote viewing really DOES work!" or whatever. An open mind does admit that those possibilities are possibilities. But it annoys me that RAW's mind is only open to his own pet theories and dismisses other explanations as "conspiracies" or "it's just the work of a guy I say is a jerk, so of course it has to be false."

I've only read "The New Inquisition," and I did read it quite a while back. Perhaps RAW is more rational in some of his other work. From what I've read elsewhere, though, it seems that "The New Inquisition" was pretty typical for his work.

But then because I don't automatically believe everything RAW concludes I guess I could be dismissed as just another person who's been fooled by the Big Conspiracy, right?