Fritjof Capra ( born February 1 , 1939 ) is an Austrian-born American physicist . Fritjof Capra ( born February 1 , 1939 ) is an Austrian-born American physicist , systems theorist , and author of five international bestsellers , The Tao of Physics ( 1975 ) , The Turning Point ( 1982 ) , Uncommon Wisdom ( 1988 ) , The Web of Life ( 1996 ) , and The Hidden Connections ( 2002 ) . Capra is a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley , California .