In my view, the philosopher-scientist Bernardo Kastrup is one of the most important thinkers of the moment on the crucial subject of the nature of consciousness  -  crucial because the way we understand consciousness and reality shapes our outlook on the world, and on life and existence generally. In his latest and most commanding book to date, The Idea of the World: A multi-disciplinary argument for the mental nature of reality, Kastrup consolidates and powers up his argument that, unlike that of physicalism or panpsychism, consciousness is causal and fundamental, that our reality arises from consciousness, is consciousness in effect, and not the other way round; that physical structures are circumscribed by consciousness, and not the other way round. As Kastrup says, most theories of reality that contradict mainstream physicalism are dismissed as not rigorous or plausible enough. Of these, nearly all theories that claim consciousness to be the fundamental substrate of existence ‘are pooh-poohed as flaky New Age nonsense’. So, with analytical and critical flair and rigour, on his mission to save us from the morass of ontological misinformation, he has produced an inspiring masterwork to counter such prejudices. The issues and questions Kastrup raises are all of major significance for the world today and deserve wide, serious and continuous discussion. Coming to terms with them, and acting on them, will present a huge existential challenge for the human race, but one that presents a great opportunity to realign our existence for the better through the recognition that the materialist conception of consciousness and reality is false and can be recast. The Idea of the World empowers us to reach out and grasp that opportunity. ~ Geoff Ward, Medium.com

Tremendous tension is building in the world of neuroscience over the relationship between mind and brain -- just what is the true nature of consciousness? A building consilience from the fields of psychology, physics and neuroscience supports the primacy of consciousness in the universe, or a top-down organizing principle at the heart of all reality. One of the strongest new elements of this bridge comes from the physics perspective of Bernardo Kastrup in support of the reality of ontological or metaphysical idealism. His revolutionary and insightful book, The Idea of the World, connects the dots brilliantly through a series of masterfully-woven articles, making an elegant case for the advantages of idealism over physicalism, especially in the face of contextuality in quantum physics, the ‘hard problem’ of consciousness, and the subject combination problem in philosophy of mind. The result is a must-read book for anyone seriously interested in the modern neuroscience of consciousness, and its broad implications for humanity. Bravo, Bernardo! ~ Eben Alexander, MD, Neurosurgeon, author of Proof of Heaven, The Map of Heaven and Living in a Mindful Universe, https://www.bernardokastrup.com/2019/03/eben-alexanders-review-of-idea-of-world.html

Ever so gradually the Wheel of Fortune turns. Very ancient lessons need to be learned over and over again, even though their essence remains the same. Modern science can empower ever more of us to attain infinite vision, but only if the sum of it's knowledge includes that of successful 'dreamers' from aeons ago. In "The Idea of the World" Bernardo does an admirable job of weaving the most recent and rigorous science, psychology and philosophy into that intricate cloth of transcendence espoused by mystics since.... forever. If you wonder at Bernardo's technical erudition and ability to construct a cogent philosophical argument you might refer to the forty five (Kindle) pages of Bibliography. Materialists, wake up! smell the roses! it's all good! ~ Dee B., NetGalley

A very good fusion of sciences, ontology and neurosciences. ... Sublime! ~ Jo M., NetGalley

Bernardo Kastrup is one of the leading thinkers today about the nature of consciousness. In his latest book /The Idea of the World/, he presents a compelling argument that consciousness is fundamental and causal, that reality arises from consciousness, not consciousness from spacetime. He writes well, and his arguments are well-grounded. This book is worthy of your attention. ~ Stephan A. Schwartz, scientist, futurist, historian, and writer.

It is hard to find a book that would not just repeat works already published but instead build on them and present a coherent whole. The Idea of the World does this marvellously. By articulating his ontology precisely, Bernardo builds a formidable castle of potent ideas. ~ Menas C. Kafatos, Author and Physicist

Bernardo Kastrup has contributed at many levels to the development of [an] emerging vision, and this fine new book gives me real hope that the main barrier to its widespread acceptance ... is on the verge of collapse. A major inflection point in modern intellectual history is close at hand! ~ Edward F. Kelly, Author of Altered States of Consciousness