The Metaphysics of Modern Existence

The Metaphysics of Modern Existence surveyed a wide range of scientific and religious ideas, social and political theories through the lens of an indigenous scholar. Some of these ideas, like astrology, catastrophism, critics of evolution and plate tectonics maybe challenging for a western educated person to accept, but I think it's good to make inquiries into areas that we take for granted. To create a blueprint to guide people to see what is reality is a tall if not impossible order, but I really appreciate all the questions this book brought out in me and its vision of unifying our scientific and religious knowledge into a fuller, more complete understanding of reality.

Vine Deloria, Jr., one of the most prolific and perhaps the most important American Indian intellectual in several generations, lays out the blueprint of his life's work in this volume. In this book, Vine Deloria Jr. responds to critics from the academic community of his best known work, God is Red. He challenges their own religiously-kept bias for evolutionary thinking, devotion to "accepted" theories as if they were fact and their control of the academic pursuit of knowledge. He concludes by setting out his own argument that all ways of knowledge should be treated with equal respect and seriousness, whether from Western scientific or traditional native epistemologies. He proposes that they come together in a "mosaic of meaning" that is beneficial for all peoples of the world. Vine Deloria Jr. was named by Time magazine as one of the most important religious thinkers of the 20th century and has been a legendary influence on all of Indian Country, much in the same way that W.E.B. DuBois influenced African American thought. It has been a hard-to-find volume, until know. It's a must read for anyone who become proficient in American Indian intellectual traditions.

first of all the book arrived in fine condition. I already knew of the level of Deloris's writing, but his work was greater than I had expected

Great book. Used for Philosophy of Religion class.

By a visionary thinker whose point of view on contemporary culture is even more interesting today than when it was published in 1979.

This book is a treasure. I think this could quite possibly be Dr. Deloria Jr's best work. This is a great book for those interested in better understanding of Indigenous American Indian world view.

Vine Deloria should be a required stop in all our educations. His perspective is Indian and human at a scale to which we should aspire. He is scholar and explorer, undaunted by cultural boundaries and assumptions. And a wit to boot.

I love everything Vine Deloria Jr. has written