The Book

This book criticizes the foundations of philosophy on a level I rarely see. It does so by appropriating the ideas of Eastern religions, particularly Hinduism, and likening them to recent developments in Western philosophy, science, and the current events of 1966. Not every conclusion Watts comes to is entirely reasonable, but he does a great job of explaining how ego dissolution happens, its effects, and why it is philosophically reasonable.

A well-worked short study (with a dated feel) in ego-dissolution and recognizing our individualistic society's contradicting double-binds in defining progress, freedom, and love. Better to dance as one with the universe, but watch out for all the ways attempting to do so reinstates your sense of self...

The point is it did make me think, and I did make connections to what I have read about duality, unitive philosophy, and I did learn new philosophical terms, and I gained exposure to Vedanta philosophy. Is this book an improving book? In my situation, yes.