The Polymath - Unlocking the Power of Human Versatility

Every human is born with multifarious potential. Why, then, do parents, schools and employers insist that we restrict our many talents and interests; that we 'specialise' in just one?

We've been sold a myth, that to 'specialise' is the only way to pursue truth, identity, or even a livelihood. Yet specialisation is nothing but an outdated system that fosters ignorance, exploitation and disillusionment and thwarts creativity, opportunity and progress.

Following a series of exchanges with the world's greatest historians, futurists, philosophers and scientists, Waqas Ahmed has weaved together a narrative of history and a vision for the future that seeks to disrupt this prevailing system of unwarranted 'hyper-specialisation.'

In The Polymath, Waqas shows us that there is another way of thinking and being. Through an approach that is both philosophical and practical, he sets out a cognitive journey towards reclaiming your innate polymathic state. Going further, h e proposes nothing less than a cultural revolution in our education and professional structures, whereby everyone is encouraged to express themselves in multiple ways and fulfil their many-sided potential.

Not only does this enhance individual fulfilment, but in doing so, facilitates a conscious and creative society that is both highly motivated and well equipped to address the complexity of 21st century challenges.

Inhaltsverzeichnis:

Prologue ix

Preface xiii

1. Introduction 1

2. A Timeless People 7

3. Shapers of Our World 27

4. The Cult of Specialisation 87

5. Reconditioning the Mind 115

6. An Alternative System 199

7. Twenty-First-Century Polymaths 245

8. Owners of Our Future 281

Polymathy through Time and Space 285

Select Bibliography 295

About the Author 299

Acknowledgments 301

Index 303

Rezension:

An erudite, masterful and entertaining study by a great writer and thinker... essential reading for the coming decade - Daniel Levitin, Neuroscientist, Musician and Bestselling Author of The Organised Mind

I am too stunned to comment on this book... I am transformed and transcended; I will never be the same - Story Musgrave, NASA astronaut and 'World's top-ranked Renaissance Man'

This revolutionary book has filled one of the great voids in the history of knowledge - Nasser D. Khalili, Scholar, Philanthropist and Founder of the Khalili Collections

Erudite and most enlightening - an indispensable addition to every educational institution worldwide - Ashok Jahnavi Prasad, the world's most academically qualified intellectual

Vastly educational...refreshingly inspirational - Edward de Bono, Bestselling Author of Six Thinking Hats andcoiner of 'Lateral Thinking'