Books Collection

By examining nature, we can discover why there is so much suffering and corruption in the world and finally, return to our natural selves: inherently good individuals who will be happiest if we do good for others as well as ourselves.

I have mixed feelings about this book simply because I could not agree with everything the author proposed. Still, I did like the philosophical tone, interesting examination of nature, and his approach to explaining how people in high places use religion and politics to create discord among the masses so they’re easily controlled. He explained how humanity has gone against nature, and clearly shows us what our true nature is, which I really enjoyed. He also made some interesting claims about the soul being physical and not separate from ourselves, which was honestly kind of fascinating to me. I think the book would have been much stronger had he focused more on these universal truths and premises.

Instead, he took a very acidic approach to religion (which I don’t necessarily disagree with) and, in particular, people of faith (I do disagree). He very adamantly pushes for an atheistic view of truth and reality, dismissing spirituality as mere delusions and the contrived fantasies of warped minds. So much of the book centers on disproving God (or gods if you’re so inclined), that I honestly had a difficult time. I can respect his opinion, but I definitely do not agree, based on my own personal experience. After graduating college, I was just as angry and infuriated about religion as the author appears to be, and in that state, this book would have validated my arrogant opinion that I was smarter than 100% of the believing world. I now know much better, which is why I can’t recommend this book to people of faith unless your conviction is strong enough to withstand the assault; although, people who blindly follow ritualistic religions could possibly benefit by seeing how leaders have used religion to manipulate.

The author maintains that belief in God and a world beyond our own creates selfish people who only focus on what they can gain in this world no matter what it costs, foments unhappiness, and unwarranted fear of damnation. I don’t disagree with these claims entirely. Much of what he said about religion, I do see to be objectively true. But to claim there is no spiritual realm, and therefore no God, was too extreme.

Overall, I didn’t agree with everything the author wrote, but objectively, this is a solid book. I feel people who enjoy following Richard Dawkins will likewise find agreement in the similar sentiments and beliefs of this author. The author does not mince words when it comes to faith and religion, so be warned if you plan to read this book as a believer. I also liked that the author provided solutions through nature to promote health, happiness, and peace amongst humanity. Had the book stayed more centered on these positive aspects of nature and how to harness its benefits, I would have found much less to criticize. If you’re looking for an eloquently written, philosophical book about nature, you will certainly enjoy the portions of this book that focus extensively on that.

This timely, passionate, and articulate book tackles the problematic search for truth and knowledge in an era in which unprecedented levels of misinformation and disinformation are circulated for personal and political gain. The author identifies how and why erroneous beliefs about "happiness, morals, and politics" are formed and passed on, often from generation to generation and across societies, and makes
suggestions on how to "implement solutions on personal and societal levels."

Beginning with the position that we are "created by nature, exist in nature, and adhere to the laws of nature," the book has an ethically focused tone that agrees with some tenets of Eastern and Western philosophies while exploring perceptions and misperceptions about life and reality. One difference readers will note is that this narrative supposes that humans are purely physical beings and that soul is
simply an extension of physicality. This is a view that contradicts a contemporary paradigm in which religion, psychology, neuroscience, and quantum physics converge to suggest human consciousness exhibits a union of body, mind, and spirit.

What is not unusual is that the author starts with natural law before branching off into other areas of thought. Natural law, also known as the philosophy of natural law, has a long history that begins with the Greek philosopher Aristotle and is embraced subsequently by Roman jurists. It is mentioned in the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible and embraced by Christian philosophers and Catholic saints. Later, natural law was highly regarded by thinkers in the Age of Enlightenment, and the position was used to question the divine rights of royalty. It is thought to be a key component of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of Rights. Natural law is a basis for English Common Law, and the U.S. legal system is modeled in many aspects after English Common Law. Intriguingly, the book does not take the time to dive deeply into the history of this philosophical inquiry and then use that exploration as a jumping-off point, as is common in most works of this type. Instead, the author has chosen a more novel approach and opts to offer discussions that mostly relate to the here and now.

Seventeen themed chapters present compelling insights and arguments about topics such as cause and effect, the properties of matter, avoiding errors in thinking, evil and morality, order, confusion and intelligence, and related topics. Almada skillfully refutes some present-day arguments and beliefs about life through the lens of natural law. The philosophy of nature is an experiential path, suggesting that direct experience is the best way to discover truth: "Through experience we see that nature acts by simple, regular, and unchanging laws. Through the senses we are bound to this Universal Nature and must learn from experience about her laws."

Ultimately, as nature has a way of achieving balance, it is up to each individual to discover and determine what is personally applicable in this narrative. The experiential aspect of the law of nature suggests that we all must examine and/or experience its positions to determine that these are logical, sound, and able to create wholesome lives in just societies. Readers will undoubtedly find a wealth of writing here that is visionary, truthful, and useful.

There are many false beliefs today, brought on by institutions, politics, and religion, many of which are dangerous to our personal happiness. That is the premise of author Bob Almada’s The System of Nature in the 21st Century: A Book About Truth and Knowledge.

I found it interesting that the concept of Nature, which created us all, is being the one thing that can lead us back to our best existence. It is the starting point, as well as the ending point – of us all. Do we destroy our lives by ignoring this simple fact; that bringing in outside things to our natural world is what is complicating things? Nature can create and destroy and bring wonders or misfortunes all its own.

By letting ourselves get caught up in corrupt powers and fantastical ideas, we as a society are losing our way. One thing that Almada discusses often which is in conflict against Nature – is that of religion. Was religion created to explain away the things that we see and experience in Nature? Even the early religions adapted their gods and beliefs to explain things in Nature.

Politics is another area which the author spends a lot of time on. Our political system is corrupt and often has society at odds with one another. Almada said politics should simply be “the art of regulating the passion of individuals, directing them to the welfare of society, diverting them into the warm current of happiness and making sure they flow gently to the benefits of all.” I think all of us can agree this is a much sounder goal of politics, rather than what we currently subscribe to.

There are a lot of interesting ideas within the pages of this book, although I will admit some of them went slightly over my head. There are many interesting theories describing the current state of society, and the author did a good job juxtaposing those concepts against what he describes as a theoretically ideal society. For readers seeking some enlightenment and definitely food for thought, The System of Nature in the 21st Century: A Book About Truth and Knowledge is an intriguing book to read.