John F. Williams - Hating Perfection

Hating Perfection

John F. Williams

Humanity Books (Prometheus), Aug 2009, $19.99

ISBN: 9781591027324

Based on a personal search to define perfection in the modern world, John F. Williams provides a profound philosophical analysis of what is human and how Hating Perfection led him to a "subtle search for the best possible world". The entries defending his position are mostly anecdotal incidents starting with Whiskey Lao in Laos and traveling elsewhere predominantly in Asia with most in China, Mr. Williams generalizes from his experiences; so his approach probably will cost him the academic philosopher. The author argues what is the essence of God and a so called master plan; claiming God is so into extreme free will, he could not care less what we do to covet his or her grace. Thus, as with God and mankind, Mr. Williams' arguments come across as powerful albeit somewhat reiterative while he insists that in spite of atrocities and contradictions between love and hate of others, and a deity's (if one exists) disregard, this remains the best of all worlds where heaven and hell converge. Whether a reader accepts the writer's strong treatise or not, his logical work is intriguing especially his reflections on where humanity belongs in the cosmos with homage to Voltaire's Candide; Mr. Williams is Pangloss who believes strongly that this is "the best of all possible worlds".

Harriet Klausner