The World, the Flesh and the Devil: An Inquiry into the Future of the Three Enemies of the Rational Soul

TitleThe World, the Flesh and the Devil: An Inquiry into the Future of the Three Enemies of the Rational Soul
Year for Search1929
AuthorsBernal, J[ohn] D[esmond](1901-71)
Tertiary AuthorsBernal, J. D.
Date Published1929
PublisherKegan Paul & Co
Place PublishedLondon
KeywordsEnglish author, Irish author, Male author
Annotation

The book is presented as speculative prediction that focuses on space travel, the physical modification of humans, and the psychological changes these will bring about (and the resistance to them based in human psychology), but the section on human modification includes a brief non-fictional eutopia in the Stapledonian mode. After a life of 60 to 120 years of living, people will be surgically modified and provided with mechanical extensions of their senses and re-educated. In addition, people will develop mental connections to others that will ultimately produce a group mind, and this entity will be essentially immortal. 

Additional Publishers

The book was originally announced under the title “Possibilities” and published in the “To-Day and To-Morrow” series. 2nd ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1969. U.K. ed. London: Jonathan Cape, 1970.

Info Notes

See Freeman J. Dyson, The World, The Flesh and the Devil. The Third J.D. Bernal Lecture delivered at Birkbeck College 16th May 1972. London: Birkbeck College, 1972.

Holding Institutions

C, L, VUW

Author Note

The author (1901-71) was born in Ireland.

Full Text

1929 Bernal, J[ohn] D[esmond] (1901-71). The World, the Flesh and the Devil: An Inquiry into the Future of the Three Enemies of the Rational Soul. London: Kegan Paul & Co. 2nd ed. Bloomington: IndianaUniversity Press, 1969. U.K. ed. London: JonathanCape, 1970. Originally announced under the title “Possibilities” and published in the “To-Day and To-Morrow” series. C, L, VUW

 The book is presented as speculative prediction that focuses on space travel, the physical modification of humans, and the psychological changes these will bring about (and the resistance to them based in human psychology), but the section on human modification includes a brief non-fictional eutopia in the Stapledonian mode. After a life of 60 to 120 years of living, people will be surgically modified and provided with mechanical extensions of their senses and re-educated. In addition, people will develop mental connections to others that will ultimately produce a group mind, and this entity will be essentially immortal. The author was born in Ireland. See Freeman J. Dyson, The World, The Flesh and the Devil. The Third J.D. Bernal Lecture delivered at Birkbeck College 16th May 1972. London: Birkbeck College, 1972.