Professor Ken S . Foldes
About the Author
Ken Foldes has studied and taught philosophy, science, and spirituality at colleges and universities for over 35 years—at Sacred Heart University, St. John’s University, Iona College, and SUNY Purchase. He has sat at the feet and drank in the wisdom of some of the best minds of the age, e.g., John McDermott, Norman O. Brown, Alan Watts, Stan Grof, Amit Goswami, Eckhart Tolle, Tom Altizer, John Sallis, Stanley Rosen, Tom Rockmore, Quentin Lauer, Otto Pöggeler, and Kenley Dove.
He received his doctorate from Duquesne University in 1994 and studied at the Hegel Archives in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar. He has published articles and presented papers at such venues as the World Congress of Philosophy and the American Philosophical Association, and his book, Hegel and the Solution to Our Postmodern World Crisis, was well-reviewed by Giacomo Rinaldi in Hegel-Studien.
In his early years he studied art and architecture with Richard Meier at Cooper Union and played piano, guitar, and sax in several New York City rock bands. After a brief period of experimentation with mind-altering substances, he experienced born-again Christianity and holy spirit baptism with speaking in tongues. The author also went to India and studied under several enlightened Masters, e.g., Meher Baba and Ram Dass.
For more, see his “Stream of Consciousness Bio” on his Amazon Author Page. Note especially that The Jedi Handbook’s Copyright page, containing a list of the members of the Omega Society, is also the author’s Acknowledgments page—without the help and inspiration of these remarkable individuals the Handbook and other works would not have appeared.
---Visit our YouTube websites for videos on Philosophy, Hegel, Spirituality, and Music:
“Ken Foldes” and “Danton Blake.”
Ken Foldes has studied and taught philosophy, science, and spirituality at colleges and universities for over 35 years—at Sacred Heart University, St. John’s University, Iona College, and SUNY Purchase. He has sat at the feet and drank in the wisdom of some of the best minds of the age, e.g., John McDermott, Norman O. Brown, Alan Watts, Stan Grof, Amit Goswami, Eckhart Tolle, Tom Altizer, John Sallis, Stanley Rosen, Tom Rockmore, Quentin Lauer, Otto Pöggeler, and Kenley Dove.
He received his doctorate from Duquesne University in 1994 and studied at the Hegel Archives in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar. He has published articles and presented papers at such venues as the World Congress of Philosophy and the American Philosophical Association, and his book, Hegel and the Solution to Our Postmodern World Crisis, was well-reviewed by Giacomo Rinaldi in Hegel-Studien.
In his early years he studied art and architecture with Richard Meier at Cooper Union and played piano, guitar, and sax in several New York City rock bands. After a brief period of experimentation with mind-altering substances, he experienced born-again Christianity and holy spirit baptism with speaking in tongues. The author also went to India and studied under several enlightened Masters, e.g., Meher Baba and Ram Dass.
For more, see his “Stream of Consciousness Bio” on his Amazon Author Page. Note especially that The Jedi Handbook’s Copyright page, containing a list of the members of the Omega Society, is also the author’s Acknowledgments page—without the help and inspiration of these remarkable individuals the Handbook and other works would not have appeared.
---Visit our YouTube websites for videos on Philosophy, Hegel, Spirituality, and Music:
“Ken Foldes” and “Danton Blake.”
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Baynes and McCarthy say in After Philosophy: End or Transformation that all major philosophers today, including Habermas, Rorty, Derrida and Davidson, concede that Philosophy in the traditional sense is over. And thus by doing so they can be said to embrace what Schelling and Hegel, among others, have dubbed “Non-philosophy.” I offer that what this fact really testifies to is none other than the self-elimination of Non-philosophy—and, at the same time, the clearing of the ground for the renaissance and reemergence of True Philosophy, embodied most perfectly in Hegel’s System of Science. It is noteworthy that since the 60s the pace of the Hegel renaissance continues unabated; in the past twenty years more new books and articles on Hegel have been published than on any other major thinker past or present. As a Fordham Ph.D.’s doctoral thesis stated: “when all is said and done, the true measure of progress in Philosophy the last 100 years will be, How far we have gotten in understanding Hegel.”
“May the Kingdom of God – The Church of John – come, and our hands not be idle!” (Hegel to Schelling, 1795)
Meetings With Remarkable Men: Hegel, Schelling, Babaji, Meher Baba, and Jesus, and a 3 month excursus on the higher planes of consciousness.
“Does Or Does Not Kant Hold The Object Of Experience To Exist Independently Of Experience?” This is the most important question to ask with regard to Kant scholarship today, since the answer one gives to it, I believe, will determine whether or not one has understood Kant’s position - Transcendental Idealism. Kant’s true position, which it is the burden of this treatise to show, is that the object of perception/representation as a matter of fact, has no existence independent or distinct from perception/representation, which is to say that it is not a thing “in itself” but rather an “appearance,” or is a thing only for us. This exactly, I contend, is the singular insight or vision the term “Transcendental Idealism” is intended to communicate. The opposite position, involving untruth, which takes the object of perception to have an existence in itself and distinct from perception, regarding it in this way as a thing capable of existing in itself or as self-subsistent and not as an appearance, is precisely that of “Transcendental Realism.”
In view of the fact that the vast majority of Kant scholars today think it to be Kant’s view that the object really does have an independent existence and, in some cases, that Kant can be read as holding both views, and thus as contradicting himself—as is alleged by P.F. Strawson among others—the importance of the thesis and the problem it engages itself vis-a-vis the contribution it would make to Kant scholarship overall is, I feel, evident.
To facilitate a grasp of Kant’s true standpoint, Transcendental Idealism, and the true meaning behind the key words “Experience,” “(re)Presentation,” “Power of Presentation,” and “Mind,” I will liken entering the Critique to entering a “theater,” a “theater of the Mind,” in which these terms come together and reveal their true import. Kant’s position is that space & time and the whole objective universe is inside your mind, not outside (this is an illusion-deception). The principle that grounds this is: YOU CANNOT GO BEYOND YOUR I or MIND. We will also see how Fichte and Hegel bring Transcendental Idealism to perfection.
“I am that I am! Thou art God … and We are God, eternally.” ‘Theogamy (the marriage of the gods) is destined to replace monogamy.’ Michael Valentine Smith – Stranger In A Strange Land
As the most popular art-works of our time presage – not to mention advances in physics, psychology and theology – we are presently in process of giving birth to a new planet-wide civilization - to an age of the gods, of absolute freedom, of infinite possibilities, of undreamt of levels of creativity and love. This book presents for the first time – what no other book has yet to do - the real underlying Reason that reveals the necessity and inevitability of the global transformation of human consciousness that is now taking place, and that alone makes possible an understanding of our present world crisis which in essence has to do with a necessary shift from an Old Paradigm – and its concept of man, God and universe – which we have outgrown – to a New Paradigm. The book also reveals the absolute importance, for our crisis, of philosophy and its history and above all of G.W.F. Hegel and the advent of Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Science – which concludes philosophy’s (the noosphere’s) history on earth – and will become the true foundation of the New World whose advent is currently being proclaimed in every quarter, and which alone has the power to reconcile science and religion and end the hostility among religions.
“If there are any doubts about the relevance of Hegel and German Idealism to the problems we face today, this book puts them to rest. Dr. Foldes offers a bold and coherent understanding of what ails us and where to look for a remedy.”
John Lachs, Centennial Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University.
Some of the main points discussed in the book and supported by considerable evidence are:
(1) Human history has ended. The true meaning of who we are has already come to light. The highest self-awareness – on the part of Man and the Universe – has been reached; that is, first in Christ and then in G.W.F. Hegel, namely, in Absolute Knowledge or Knowing and Absolute Science. History completed itself in the Old World: the New World’s task is to globally actualize it.
(2) As a consequence, an amazing New World Civilization of elohim or gods and goddesses – one free of disease, anxiety, and death – is now emerging. Governments, educational systems, sciences, religions, businesses, etc, will have to undergo radical transformation and alignment to it.
(3) The true spiritual and absolutely liberating meaning of “God is dead” will be revealed.
(4) The final form of Judeo-Christianity is now coming into the world, namely, The “Church of John.”
(5) All sciences are destined to take their place within the One Absolute Science.
(6) The unification of science and religion will finally see the light of day.
The main task facing us today is none other than that of “World Realization.” To achieve it, theory must, in the last analysis, take a back seat to praxis or deeds. That is, the goal will be reached only when “critical mass” has been reached – that is, when a certain number of actual and fully actualized Elohim or “God-Selves” are living among us, as living examples of what we can become.
This book is merely an introduction to these issues – its main focus is on understanding the philosophy, standpoint and contemporary relevance of Hegel. In my next book and in select seminars I will be giving, I will provide a more in-depth and “hands-on” treatment of the same.
“Dr. Foldes has written an extremely provocative work on Hegel, cogently arguing that it is only through his singular achievement that we have a way of combating the nihilism pervading our intellectual and cultural life and times, showing that nihilism is a necessary phase we must pass through to realize the full meaning of redemption. … I was especially impressed by the incisive diagnosis and prognosis of our situation presented in the Introductory Essay—which by itself is worth the price of admission. One comes away fully persuaded that the case for the absolute importance of Hegel for our times had indeed finally been made.”
Alex Delfini, Professor of Philosophy, Iona College
(Here is the Link to Giacomo Rinaldi’s HEGEL-STUDIEN review of my book: https://idgp.uniurb.it/Review1.htm)
All of its teachings are fully evidence-based and backed by Science, philosophy, reason, quantum physics, transpersonal psychology, systems theory, our religious and spiritual traditions, and the discoveries of Einstein, Schrödinger, Goswami, Laszlo, Wolf, Haisch, Grof, Laing, Watts, Wilber, Reich, Altizer and, especially, Plato and the “A-Team,” Jedi Kant-Fichte-Schelling-and-Hegel, who brought the history of philosophy and science on our planet to completion.
The Jedi Handbook will reveal:
• That human HISTORY is over—How it happened, and What it means.
• That Plato, Hegel, and the JEDI philosopher/scientists on our planet have discovered the TRUTH, the Knowledge of The Force, and Jedi Absolute Science … that reveals what and why the universe is, and who we really are.
• That Global Jedi Education alone can heal our planet and permanently eliminate war, terrorism, greed, poverty, inequality, ignorance, nihilism, disease, and death.
• That the real cause of the world’s problems is the immersion of the main institutions of society—science, religion, education, politics, etc.—in the Dark Side of The Force, which makes healing impossible.
• That what currently passes for “science” is really only a subset of holistic JEDI Science. That its dark world-view and main assumptions are responsible for the nihilism, depression, and youth alienation that pervades our society and schools.
• That today’s mainstream Religions are incapable of healing us due to their erroneous ideas about God and man—and how this can be corrected.
• Why current education on our planet is in fact mis-education. And why the introduction of JEDI Schools and JEDI Education is the fastest way to save our schools and release the full potential of our children.
• Why our medical doctors and psychiatrists cannot heal us—and what can. What True Healing and Health is and the true cause and cure of all diseases, above all, the dis-ease called “Man.”
• Why the New Age Movement is in need of major corrections if it is to realize its true ideals.
(This work uses a StarWars motif to give it a universal appeal; also available on amazon.com)
The author of this book, essentially a collection of essays written over the last ten years, believes that the most important task of our times is to understand the philosopher G.W.F. Hegel and his relevance for our postmodern crisis. He feels it is absolutely imperative that we take Hegel’s writings quite seriously especially in view of the events stemming from “9/11” and our present precarious world situation which, in our view, is directly related to the rampant relativism and nihilism that characterize our times and to the erosion of the paradigm of the previous world order. The author is convinced that we are presently going through a critical “transitional” period of human history and that Hegel is our best guide for assisting us in understanding its nature and for helping us safely navigate through the present upheavals and cultural dislocations to the other side. It is hoped that these essays will make a positive contribution in this direction. He also believes that the public is being offered, in large measure, only a watered down “politically correct” version of Hegel and that the majority of books on Hegel have completely missed his main point.
It seems clear that the true main aim and motive behind Rinaldi's chosen topic – viz., the relation between Religion and Absolute Knowing in Hegel’s Phenomenology – is to call attention to the “far-reaching implications for mankind’s whole spiritual culture (p. 2)” of the Phenomenology’s result. Namely, that only Philosophy (the Speculative Concept) can provide a fully “adequate” knowledge of the human spirit’s (and the Absolute’s) essence – and not also the positive sciences and religion. I agree with Rinaldi that the former cannot; but the latter, religion, presents a more complex and nuanced case: for there definitely is for Hegel a sense in which Religion too is able to reach an “adequate” (if not properly discursive) knowledge of the Absolute (or God). Etc.
Baynes and McCarthy say in After Philosophy: End or Transformation that all major philosophers today, including Habermas, Rorty, Derrida and Davidson, concede that Philosophy in the traditional sense is over. And thus by doing so they can be said to embrace what Schelling and Hegel, among others, have dubbed “Non-philosophy.” I offer that what this fact really testifies to is none other than the self-elimination of Non-philosophy—and, at the same time, the clearing of the ground for the renaissance and reemergence of True Philosophy, embodied most perfectly in Hegel’s System of Science. It is noteworthy that since the 60s the pace of the Hegel renaissance continues unabated; in the past twenty years more new books and articles on Hegel have been published than on any other major thinker past or present. As a Fordham Ph.D.’s doctoral thesis stated: “when all is said and done, the true measure of progress in Philosophy the last 100 years will be, How far we have gotten in understanding Hegel.”
“May the Kingdom of God – The Church of John – come, and our hands not be idle!” (Hegel to Schelling, 1795)
Meetings With Remarkable Men: Hegel, Schelling, Babaji, Meher Baba, and Jesus, and a 3 month excursus on the higher planes of consciousness.
“Does Or Does Not Kant Hold The Object Of Experience To Exist Independently Of Experience?” This is the most important question to ask with regard to Kant scholarship today, since the answer one gives to it, I believe, will determine whether or not one has understood Kant’s position - Transcendental Idealism. Kant’s true position, which it is the burden of this treatise to show, is that the object of perception/representation as a matter of fact, has no existence independent or distinct from perception/representation, which is to say that it is not a thing “in itself” but rather an “appearance,” or is a thing only for us. This exactly, I contend, is the singular insight or vision the term “Transcendental Idealism” is intended to communicate. The opposite position, involving untruth, which takes the object of perception to have an existence in itself and distinct from perception, regarding it in this way as a thing capable of existing in itself or as self-subsistent and not as an appearance, is precisely that of “Transcendental Realism.”
In view of the fact that the vast majority of Kant scholars today think it to be Kant’s view that the object really does have an independent existence and, in some cases, that Kant can be read as holding both views, and thus as contradicting himself—as is alleged by P.F. Strawson among others—the importance of the thesis and the problem it engages itself vis-a-vis the contribution it would make to Kant scholarship overall is, I feel, evident.
To facilitate a grasp of Kant’s true standpoint, Transcendental Idealism, and the true meaning behind the key words “Experience,” “(re)Presentation,” “Power of Presentation,” and “Mind,” I will liken entering the Critique to entering a “theater,” a “theater of the Mind,” in which these terms come together and reveal their true import. Kant’s position is that space & time and the whole objective universe is inside your mind, not outside (this is an illusion-deception). The principle that grounds this is: YOU CANNOT GO BEYOND YOUR I or MIND. We will also see how Fichte and Hegel bring Transcendental Idealism to perfection.
“I am that I am! Thou art God … and We are God, eternally.” ‘Theogamy (the marriage of the gods) is destined to replace monogamy.’ Michael Valentine Smith – Stranger In A Strange Land
As the most popular art-works of our time presage – not to mention advances in physics, psychology and theology – we are presently in process of giving birth to a new planet-wide civilization - to an age of the gods, of absolute freedom, of infinite possibilities, of undreamt of levels of creativity and love. This book presents for the first time – what no other book has yet to do - the real underlying Reason that reveals the necessity and inevitability of the global transformation of human consciousness that is now taking place, and that alone makes possible an understanding of our present world crisis which in essence has to do with a necessary shift from an Old Paradigm – and its concept of man, God and universe – which we have outgrown – to a New Paradigm. The book also reveals the absolute importance, for our crisis, of philosophy and its history and above all of G.W.F. Hegel and the advent of Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Science – which concludes philosophy’s (the noosphere’s) history on earth – and will become the true foundation of the New World whose advent is currently being proclaimed in every quarter, and which alone has the power to reconcile science and religion and end the hostility among religions.
“If there are any doubts about the relevance of Hegel and German Idealism to the problems we face today, this book puts them to rest. Dr. Foldes offers a bold and coherent understanding of what ails us and where to look for a remedy.”
John Lachs, Centennial Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University.
Some of the main points discussed in the book and supported by considerable evidence are:
(1) Human history has ended. The true meaning of who we are has already come to light. The highest self-awareness – on the part of Man and the Universe – has been reached; that is, first in Christ and then in G.W.F. Hegel, namely, in Absolute Knowledge or Knowing and Absolute Science. History completed itself in the Old World: the New World’s task is to globally actualize it.
(2) As a consequence, an amazing New World Civilization of elohim or gods and goddesses – one free of disease, anxiety, and death – is now emerging. Governments, educational systems, sciences, religions, businesses, etc, will have to undergo radical transformation and alignment to it.
(3) The true spiritual and absolutely liberating meaning of “God is dead” will be revealed.
(4) The final form of Judeo-Christianity is now coming into the world, namely, The “Church of John.”
(5) All sciences are destined to take their place within the One Absolute Science.
(6) The unification of science and religion will finally see the light of day.
The main task facing us today is none other than that of “World Realization.” To achieve it, theory must, in the last analysis, take a back seat to praxis or deeds. That is, the goal will be reached only when “critical mass” has been reached – that is, when a certain number of actual and fully actualized Elohim or “God-Selves” are living among us, as living examples of what we can become.
This book is merely an introduction to these issues – its main focus is on understanding the philosophy, standpoint and contemporary relevance of Hegel. In my next book and in select seminars I will be giving, I will provide a more in-depth and “hands-on” treatment of the same.
“Dr. Foldes has written an extremely provocative work on Hegel, cogently arguing that it is only through his singular achievement that we have a way of combating the nihilism pervading our intellectual and cultural life and times, showing that nihilism is a necessary phase we must pass through to realize the full meaning of redemption. … I was especially impressed by the incisive diagnosis and prognosis of our situation presented in the Introductory Essay—which by itself is worth the price of admission. One comes away fully persuaded that the case for the absolute importance of Hegel for our times had indeed finally been made.”
Alex Delfini, Professor of Philosophy, Iona College
(Here is the Link to Giacomo Rinaldi’s HEGEL-STUDIEN review of my book: https://idgp.uniurb.it/Review1.htm)
All of its teachings are fully evidence-based and backed by Science, philosophy, reason, quantum physics, transpersonal psychology, systems theory, our religious and spiritual traditions, and the discoveries of Einstein, Schrödinger, Goswami, Laszlo, Wolf, Haisch, Grof, Laing, Watts, Wilber, Reich, Altizer and, especially, Plato and the “A-Team,” Jedi Kant-Fichte-Schelling-and-Hegel, who brought the history of philosophy and science on our planet to completion.
The Jedi Handbook will reveal:
• That human HISTORY is over—How it happened, and What it means.
• That Plato, Hegel, and the JEDI philosopher/scientists on our planet have discovered the TRUTH, the Knowledge of The Force, and Jedi Absolute Science … that reveals what and why the universe is, and who we really are.
• That Global Jedi Education alone can heal our planet and permanently eliminate war, terrorism, greed, poverty, inequality, ignorance, nihilism, disease, and death.
• That the real cause of the world’s problems is the immersion of the main institutions of society—science, religion, education, politics, etc.—in the Dark Side of The Force, which makes healing impossible.
• That what currently passes for “science” is really only a subset of holistic JEDI Science. That its dark world-view and main assumptions are responsible for the nihilism, depression, and youth alienation that pervades our society and schools.
• That today’s mainstream Religions are incapable of healing us due to their erroneous ideas about God and man—and how this can be corrected.
• Why current education on our planet is in fact mis-education. And why the introduction of JEDI Schools and JEDI Education is the fastest way to save our schools and release the full potential of our children.
• Why our medical doctors and psychiatrists cannot heal us—and what can. What True Healing and Health is and the true cause and cure of all diseases, above all, the dis-ease called “Man.”
• Why the New Age Movement is in need of major corrections if it is to realize its true ideals.
(This work uses a StarWars motif to give it a universal appeal; also available on amazon.com)
The author of this book, essentially a collection of essays written over the last ten years, believes that the most important task of our times is to understand the philosopher G.W.F. Hegel and his relevance for our postmodern crisis. He feels it is absolutely imperative that we take Hegel’s writings quite seriously especially in view of the events stemming from “9/11” and our present precarious world situation which, in our view, is directly related to the rampant relativism and nihilism that characterize our times and to the erosion of the paradigm of the previous world order. The author is convinced that we are presently going through a critical “transitional” period of human history and that Hegel is our best guide for assisting us in understanding its nature and for helping us safely navigate through the present upheavals and cultural dislocations to the other side. It is hoped that these essays will make a positive contribution in this direction. He also believes that the public is being offered, in large measure, only a watered down “politically correct” version of Hegel and that the majority of books on Hegel have completely missed his main point.
It seems clear that the true main aim and motive behind Rinaldi's chosen topic – viz., the relation between Religion and Absolute Knowing in Hegel’s Phenomenology – is to call attention to the “far-reaching implications for mankind’s whole spiritual culture (p. 2)” of the Phenomenology’s result. Namely, that only Philosophy (the Speculative Concept) can provide a fully “adequate” knowledge of the human spirit’s (and the Absolute’s) essence – and not also the positive sciences and religion. I agree with Rinaldi that the former cannot; but the latter, religion, presents a more complex and nuanced case: for there definitely is for Hegel a sense in which Religion too is able to reach an “adequate” (if not properly discursive) knowledge of the Absolute (or God). Etc.
The Manual will explain in detail how all of humanity’s problems can be solved. It will show:
• How science and religion are reconcilable
• How religious differences and hatred among religions and nations can be overcome
• How poverty and the homeless problem can be eliminated globally
• How theism and atheism, materialism and spiritualism are reconcilable
• How all physical and mental illnesses, blindness, deafness, psychosis, depression, aging and death itself can be vanquished
• And how our number one problem, nihilism, can be overcome once and for all.