''The Hidden Connections'' is a 2002 book by

Fritjof Capra Fritjof Capra (born February 1, 1939) is an Austrian-born American author, physicist, systems theorist and deep ecologist. In 1995, he became a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California. He was on the faculty of ...

, in which the author proposes a holistic alternative to linear and reductionist world views. He aims to extend system dynamics and complexity theory to the social domain and presents "a conceptual framework that integrates life's biological, cognitive and social dimensions".

Summary

The book is divided into a theoretical part (chapters 1 – 3) and a more practical part with application examples (chapters 4 – 7).

Part One

The first part begins with an introduction to prebiotic and biotic evolution theory and highlights the importance of

membrane A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. Bi ...

s in this context. The author then goes into the details of different theories on

cognition Cognition is the "mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is awareness of a state or object, either internal to oneself or in one's external environment. However, its nature has led to millennia of analyses, explanations, and debate among philosophers, scientists, an ...

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

and social co-ordination. His claim is that all biological and social phenomena are the result of the network characteristic of life. Therefore, system dynamics is the appropriate tool for analysing such phenomena. In the centre piece of his book, Capra then proposes that life and social reality can be understood by applying a framework of four interconnected perspectives: form, matter, process and meaning. Capra believes that this systemic understanding can significantly advance other integrative

social theories Social theories are analytical frameworks, or paradigms, that are used to study and interpret social phenomenon, social phenomena.Seidman, S., 2016. Contested knowledge: Social theory today. John Wiley & Sons. A tool used by social scientists, s ...

, in particular those of

Jürgen Habermas Jürgen Habermas ( , ; ; born 18 June 1929) is a German philosopher and social theorist in the tradition of critical theory and pragmatism. His work addresses communicative rationality and the public sphere. Associated with the Frankfurt S ...

and

Anthony Giddens Anthony Giddens, Baron Giddens (born 18 January 1938) is an English sociologist who is known for his theory of structuration and his holistic view of modern societies. He is considered to be one of the most prominent modern sociologists and is ...

Part Two

The second part begins with a chapter on complexity and change, in which Capra presents a concept of management that recognizes the network characteristic of all human organizations. He explains how organizational learning and change can be facilitated by learning from life science. The fifth chapter is a profound critique of global capitalism. Capra takes up the research of Manuel Castells, who explains how globalization is shaped by modern communication technology and network phenomena. The author then explains that he sees the global market economy as an automaton with severe social and ecological impacts. Subsequently, Capra gives a detailed summary of the risks of modern

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

and makes a strong case against the dogma of genetic determinism. At the end of the book, the author appraises the rise of a global civil society, which he sees manifest in the 1999 Seattle WTO protests. Furthermore, he sees important potential in technological advances such as cradle-to-cradle design and hypercars.

Reception

The book has been widely successful and translated into 8 languages.Fritjof Capra homepage
retrieved November 20, 2013. It has been appraised by reviewers as “a great introduction both to the nature of the problem and the logic of the response” and “a marvelous synthesis, so far in advance of any work along similar lines, that it will set the standard for the development of sustainable thought for some time to come.”

Sources

* *

References