Description
Book SynopsisEvery 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 Yet specialisation is nothing but an outdated system that fosters ignorance, exploitation and disillusionment and thwarts creativity, opportunity and progress.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, he 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.
Trade ReviewAn 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’
Table of ContentsPrologue 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
