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Rating: 
Summary: Much food for thought, but may also give some indigestion
Review: "On Equlllibrium" follows in the tradition of Saul's earlier trilogy of philosophical works, extolling the classical humanist virtues and attacking various forms of modern corporatist rationale and systematic manipulations of human reason. This book is like a very rich pastry, full of insights that bear savoring and re-savoring. On the other hand, as Saul is very much aware, it does not lead to a very satisfying conclusion. In the end, it is the reflective balance between the various intentionally vaguely defined qualities that make us human tha Saul equates with essential human wisdom. This sides the author with Rawls and a number of other progressive theorists who favor an uneasy dynamic balance over apparent certainties. And consistent with his critique of pure reason in "Voltair's Bastards," this leads him to poise classical Socratic doubt against reason and false certitude. The incautious reader might well rush to accuse Saul of being irrationalist, and his sometimes murky style might reinforce that impression. He is attacking "pure reason" in the sense of clear-cut trees of propositional logic, not human reasoning in the broader sense. He is changing the emphasis regarding what it means to reason from a dependence on logic ... to the reflective use of numerous natural abilities. His main problem here is that he often accomplishes this in a relatively obscure and indirect way. While it is not as difficult or confusingly complex as Voltaire's Bastards, and is somewhat better focused from the start, it still bears Saul's characteristic meandering ("reflective?") style and will annoy readers who prefer their philosophy to get to the point directly. Saul deliberately avoids clear succinct definitions of his terms, even tentative definitions, and this makes reading this book somewhat like filling in a crossword puzzle. You are never completely sure what he means by his central terms like "memory" or "reason" or "common sense" until you see them contrasted with each other in other chapters. When you see all the other intersecting lines filled in, you can begin to guess at the missing word. The result is a writing style that eventually rewards your patient efforts at reading and reflecting, but will probably fend off the less reflective reader very early on. I recommend this book to fans of Saul, fans of difficult crossword puzzles, and others who enjoy rich, complex philosophical perspectives on human nature and human social interdependence. It is not at all technical, but still a difficult book requiring some patience and even some re-reading at times.
Rating: 
Summary: Unnecessarily obscure
Review: Saul presents some intriguing and pertinent ideas in Equilibrium. Moreover, they are understandable ideas. At least they would have been understandable if he had taken the time to write a book that didn't have to be deciphered.
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Summary: It's true; we need each other
Review: Saul's main idea is that there are six qualities - common sense, ethics, imagination, intuition, memory, reason - we need to keep in appropriate balance ("equilibrium") if we are to live in prosperity and peace. What this comes down to in overly simple terms is that we need to be aware that other people have points of view that are not identical to ours, but are not all that distant, either. In other words, we should pay attention to, and take seriously, what others have to say. Saul believes that when we make wealth our primary goal, we ignore the differences presented by others and force the world into our vision of it. This makes for dullness. He has a great point; we don't reach the good life by marching to our own beat. We get their by sharing shoes with others. The book can be frustrating at times, since he digresses every now and then. But there are many gems.
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