Society in evolution

start

meuser — 2013-05-02T21:40:08+00:00

Introduction

This wiki is the personal notebook of Martin Euser, psychologist and spiritual philosopher.

It deals with many topics pertaining to society in evolution and in transition. The left panel shows a tree of topics. The original homepage of this site is here. You will find a search form for the entire site there. Chrome users may have to right-click on external links and choose to open these in a separate window.

The aim is to offer food for thought and tools to empower the individual within his or her community. With the add/remove button on the bottom left of each page, you can create your own PDF book of selected pages from this wiki.

If you want to comment or like to see material added to this wiki, please use the contact-form and I will see if I can fit it into the wiki. You can also follow my Twitter page.

philosophy_of_life:start - [A new integrative paradigm for science and spirituality]

meuser — 2012-03-17T13:54:55+00:00

Philosophy of life

A new integrative paradigm for science and spirituality

In the following page, you will find the beginnings of a powerful new paradigm for a scientific-spiritual view of life. Research is beginning to find evidence for this new paradigm.

The basic principles of this paradigm are set forth in my article on process-philosophy. Application of these principles to the human mind, or psyche, can be found in my article on the threefold gunas (qualities) expressing themselves in the human psyche. Another example of application is provided by my article on creation philosophy, where the cycle of manifesting thought is being discussed. My latest essay on this paradigm is titled "Culture wars - Three perspectives on the world today".

Links: (Chrome users may have to right-click and open in separate window)

beyond_reductionism: Life scientists discussing the limitations of reductionism

The development of a spiritual process-philosophy

The threefold gunas in the human psyche (research of polarity and control hierarchy)

Philosophy and psychology of creation (use of will and visualization)

Culture wars - Three perspectives on the world today

Darwin's survival of the fittest under scrutiny. Cooperation between living beings is common in nature.

The esoteric background of the seven Sacraments

My ebook on integrative spirituality

Forum for discussion: New forum at Temple Illuminatus on permaculture, food, energy, new economy, spirituality. This contains a down-to-earth approach to the issues facing humankind.

ecology_economy_and_sustainability:start - [Ecology, economy, and sustainability]

meuser — 2012-03-17T13:52:01+00:00

Ecology, economy, and sustainability

In the following, you will find links to organizations that provide alternative ways of economy, and work from a deeper understanding of how to proceed toward an ecological balance. See also reflections_on_the_occupy_movement for more links.

New section: food and energy security

Forum for discussion: New forum at Temple Illuminatus on permaculture, food, energy, new economy, spirituality.

principles:start - [Introduction]

meuser — 2012-03-17T13:50:47+00:00

Principles for a holistic philosophy of life

Introduction

Here follow some principles for a sound philosophy of life. They have been cast in a scientific-philosophical form, in order to enable the development of qualitative, and perhaps even quantitative, systemic models of natural processes. This section is under construction. I would love constructive feedback! Some items are to be grasped intuitively, since they may escape easy definition. Forum for discussion: New forum at Temple Illuminatus on permaculture, food, energy, new economy, spirituality.

Principles

1. We live in an energy world. Matter is convertible to energy and light. Briefly stated: thoughts are energy-patterns; feelings are energy-patterns; action is of an energetic nature. Consciousness is activity in substance (perhaps identical to the perceptive process). And so on. Life is a process within this energy world. The role of substance and consciousness is to be researched much more in-depth, as they play a pivotal role in all these statements. The principles formulated here are directed to bio-psychological and social processes, including spiritual factors, and the modeling of these processes.

The term “energy world” is borrowed from Vitvan, who has developed a modern gnosis after World-War II. My ebook contains more info on him. He includes the notion of dynamis (dunamis), power and potency, from Aristotle and Neo-Platonism. That power underlies energy (energeia - dunamis in action, expressed in some field of action). Many great teachers have incorporated this notion in their teachings. It is indispensable for the inclusion of spiritual factors in this framework. “Laws of nature” are seen as habits of nature, formed in evolutionary processes (cf. Charles Peirce).

2. There are interactions between organisms and their environment (other organisms and entities). The coupling between organism and environment gives rise to feedback-loops (mutual influences). Organisms are learning, developing, systems. Flows and cycles are a natural and ubiquitous phenomenon. In ancient philosophy and religion, this feedback is sometimes called karma (action and reaction, also working on the moral level of being). Experience and perception are central to life. Self-organization, autopoiesis (“selfmaking”), homeostasis, and adaptivity are core features of organisms. In this framework, all beings are in some sense “alive”. We don't recognize socalled “dead matter”. That would lead to false dichotomies such as the “mind-body” problem, and an absolute separation of matter and spirit. There is no such problem, since all is process, of a substantive nature.

3. Organisms are composite, complex systems. There is a control-hierarchy to steer processes within the organism, as well as between an organism and its environment. An example of a theory that deals with control and viable systems, is the management cybernetics of Stafford Beer. It is widely applicable, also to organisms. Homeostatic controls play an important role in all this.

4. All entities have their unique, substantive pattern, based upon which they manifest, develop, grow, and die. This pattern, or archetype, or paradigma, is the basis of inner identity (self), autonomy, sense of freedom and sense of morality. The expression of all this in the world is influenced by the environment. There is inherent unpredictability in the natural world. Since there is free will and choice, the outcome of actions cannot be predicted precisely. This has led the philosopher J.G. Bennett to introduce the concept of hazard. This does not mean that life is a haphazard process. There are patterns being manifested all of the time.

5. Evolution is the process of gradual development (unfolding) of capabilities, latent within each being. There are multiple evolutions (physical, mental, spiritual) going on. Kingdoms of nature show jumps in qualities developed. This is related to the foregoing postulates. Adaptivity is a core notion that can bridge the perceived gap between science and spirituality, if taken as an ability (faculty, aspect of a power) of organisms to actively adapt themselves to changes or actively change the environment they live in. Lastly, evolution is concurrent with involution as a process. These two are intertwined. To use a popular phrase: Spirit wraps itself in matter - involution of spirit and evolution of matter – otherwise called the arc of involution; then there is the arc of evolution of spirit (and etherialization or involution of matter). Compare the soft flesh of the animal body with the hard stone of rock to get a glimpse of the latter idea. These notions are to be found in some form in many religions and philosophies: from the Neo-Platonic “abide, proceed, return”, theosophy's version of spiral evolution, to Alfred North Whitehead's process-philosophy. The incarnation and the ascent theme. A related matter is that of the existence of subtle realms or spheres or levels of Being. Experience teaches us that these exist indeed. How much this notion will be incorporated into models depends on the model in question and the level of detail of description. It might be opportune to work with so-called “black-boxes”, where we leave the exact working of a process undescribed, mostly because of the fact that we don't know how certain processes or subsystems work. This technique is used very often in operational research and cybernetic management science. Stafford Beer must be mentioned again here.

6. Manifestation is based on the principle of polarity/duality. The regulative consciousness-principle works through associated flows of energy-matter and associated configurations of energy-matter. Some examples are: psychosomatic diseases; light-matter coupling (boson-fermion); malefemale attraction; electromagnetism; antagonisms, as in how muscles work and countless other physical 'mechanisms' do; complementarity; particle-wave duality; opening a tap to fill a glass with water. The “pairs of opposites” is a familiar notion in the Bhagavad Gita. Complementary aspects are well-known in Chinese philosophy (Yin-Yang) like Taoism (Tao or Dao).

7. There is a unified “field” or "matrix" of substantive consciousness, from which emerges 'wave-particles' of consciousness-energy-matter, variously called life-atoms, monads, souls, etc., that share in the properties of this field, in their own appropriate way, by having their own, limited, characteristic pattern or “energetic signature”. This “field” is the basis for connectedness and interaction. It can be called a Source. Behind such a Source (of which there are countless ones) there is the Transcendent, about which nothing can be said, except in the way of negation.

As to the Matrix mentioned: an analogy with the quantum field (vacuum) from which arise (virtual) particles could perhaps be useful to some degree. Light-particle interactions come to mind too in this connection. David Bohm has written about the “holo-universe” and “holo-movement” in his works on the implicate order. The notion of a Matrix (“Mother” Space) is a very familiar one, both in esoterism as in biology (in its own way). Jacob Boehme frequently uses the word in his intuitive writings.

8. Our notions of time are weird, as some philosophers have noted. Instead of a unidirectional “arrow of time”, we have to include another sense of time, phrased here as the influence of future events on the now. As the past is a living memory in us, so is the future always with us, potentially, and in another form, actually. The working of mind has been described aptly in this respect by J.G. Bennett in his tome “The Dramatic Universe”. Especially see his notions of hyparxis, “ableness-to-be”, and “eternal pattern”, the greater-present-moment, and the role of commitment and decision. These are intuitive concepts!

Consequences

9. What nature/universe provides to us, can be used with due respect to the universe. Utilizing natural resources comes with a moral obligation to use these wisely. Polluting the environment is not a wise thing. It disturbs the ecosystem and ultimately poisons ourselves. Recycling, reuse, and repair are logical consequences in a world with finite resources. Frugality makes sense. Infinite growth is impossible. Sharing is not a sin, greed is not a virtue.

10. In line with the former principle of feedback or karma, it follows that it is sensible to treat other beings with respect. Most religions have a version of the Golden Rule: do not unto others what you don't want others to do unto you. This is a version of the principle of fairness. Justice and equitability are related to this principle.

11. Land or soil is a natural given. Since humans have not manufactured it, it makes no sense to "possess" or own land. (This may well be beyond the grasp of neo-liberal capitalists, who endorse usury and other exploitative behavior and practices implicit in our current economic systems.) Even Marxism seems not to have sufficiently understood the importance of land ownership in the history of mankind and the relation to Capitalism. Monocultures with associated pest-control (pesticides) are destroying the fertility of land. The continued use of chemical fertilizers has degraded the land as well, not in the last place because these contain only a subset of necessary minerals. Genetically modified organisms cross-fertilize their genes with wild varieties or non-manipulated species. This cannot be undone and can be considered to be a form of "genetic pollution", adding to the already existing pollution of our planet. A natural method of gardening/farming can be found in permaculture. This method could solve the impending food crisis, which is caused by rising oil prices (the peak oil problem).

12. Cooperation is a most natural thing. Biologists are now discovering that mutuality and other forms of relationships between species are abundant in nature. The polarity cooperation-struggle is one more example of polarity that is stated to be a fundamental principle in nature.

13. The evolutionary impulse (see point 5) manifests as a creative force, visible in human beings when they are open to the influx of said force. Wisdom is a result of a well-lived life. Ponder this over.

14. Transition Towns Initiative looks to me the way forward out of the unsustainable economies of the present time. Sharing, giving and frugality are the way forward. Endless growth idea is something of the past.

blog_and_forum

meuser — 2012-03-17T13:48:46+00:00

Blog and forum

My new blog and forum discussions at www.theosophy.net

New forum at Temple Illuminatus on permaculture, food, energy, new economy, spirituality.

See left panel at that page for links! You can become a member of this organization and participate in discussions! Also see Agents of Change for a list of important organizations that are striving for social justice and sustainable economy.

wiki:ebook:selection8 - selection created

meuser — 2012-03-14T19:42:36+00:00

selection8

ecology_economy_and_sustainability:food_and_energy_security

meuser — 2012-03-14T19:40:15+00:00

Food and energy security

This is a short section on food and energy issues. With our global dependence on cheap oil for the production of food, including pesticides, fertilizer, plastics, farmaceuticals, etc., the world is facing rising food and oil prices right now. This is a serious threat to our welfare and economy.

We will have to look for alternative ways of farming and producing goods. A good alternative to current food production can be found in permaculture. I have dedicated a forum to discussion of food and energy issues, and another, related forum for discussions on a new economy.

wiki:ebook:selection7 - selection created

meuser — 2012-03-03T22:46:49+00:00