Hermann Hesse: the Glass Bead Game Then & Now - Ron Dart

A) Then
1) Historic Context (Castalia and the Glass Bead Game)
2) The Game: Quest for a grand synthesis of historic thought across time, cultures and civilizations via music, literature, spirituality, philosophy
3) Integration of the beads of different perspectives into a unified vision
4) The Problem (Knecht and Tito)

B) Now
1) New Atheists (Science contra Religion)
2) New Physics and Spirituality (Capra-Steindl-Rast)
3) Evolution and Spirituality (Teilhard De Chardin)
4) Axial Ages (Karl Jaspers, Ewert Cousins, John Hick, Karen Armstrong, Bede Griffiths, Wayne Teasdale
5) Bahai Tradition
6) Primordial Tradition (Exoteric and Esoteric): Schuon, Guenon, Nasr, Smith
7) Political Liberalism: end of ideology, end of history, clash of civilizations

C) Hesse’s Warnings
1) The Quest for contemplative wisdom traditions and unity---contemplative/intellectual events
2) The realism of historic political events and power
3) The dilemma of integration, unity and synthesis