Intuition

Intuition by R. Buckminster Fuller is a profound, lyrical celebration of the human mind, highlighting the necessary value of intuition in uniting and advancing the sciences and the arts, and in guiding humanity as a whole. Knowledge is of the brain, wisdom is of the mind, and there is herewith implicit an a priori wisdom-of-wisdoms. —R. Buckminster Fuller In this concise, powerful work, Fuller—the renowned inventor, artist, and creator of the geodesic dome—contends that intuition is an essential function of human understanding, in which the mind apprehends generalized principles related to the universe prior to and independent of brain-based reasoning. Drawing on decades of experience as a systems thinker, Fuller looks to ancient Greek metaphysical thought, physics, and history to demonstrate how intuitive insight allows us to grasp complex, interconnected realities. In embracing the a priori mystery of the universe, human intuition has led to discoveries that have determined the past and present, and will guide the “physical and metaphysical success of all humanity.” Written in 1968, Intuition is both a meditation and a call to action, inviting readers to trust deeper patterns of understanding while remaining rigorously engaged with reason; this deeply humanist vision is especially urgent in our contemporary time. A new introduction by literary scholar Anahid Nersessian discusses Fuller’s poetics and metaphysical explorations––a remarkable, often overlooked aspect of his oeuvre. An important addition to the ekphrasis series, Intuition renders abstract ideas vividly through language and form. An essential text for readers across disciplines, this volume offers ever-relevant insight into human consciousness and its relationship to the extant systems both within and outside ourselves.

Hailed as one of the greatest minds of our times, R. Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) was renowned for his comprehensive perspective on the world’s problems. For more than five decades, he developed pioneering solutions that reflected his commitment to the potential of innovative design to create technology that does “more with less” and thereby improves human lives. An architect, systems theorist, designer, inventor, philosopher, and futurist, Fuller published more than thirty volumes across various fields and was awarded 28 US patents. Anahid Nersessian is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is the author of three books, the most recent of which is Keats's Odes: A Lover's Discourse. Her essays and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Bookforum, The London Review of Books, Mousse, Bidoun, and elsewhere. She is a professor of English at University of California, Los Angeles.