ARTICLE .5 Frail and Feeble Mind: Challenges to Emerging Global Consciousness

Christopher B. Jones World Futures Studies Federation USA

Abstract This paper addresses the possible of global consciousness. It explores some of the history and origins of global , global mind, and global consciousness concepts. It uses an integral, Wilberian analysis to detail the forces converging toward global consciousness and those forces resistant to it. The essay also sug- gests that global mind and brain concepts are overlapping and related structures that are somehow tied not only to human consciousness (a la Wilber), but also to the emergence of planetary consciousness. The paper con- cludes with a call for an integral, Gaian perspective that incorporates co-evolutionary principles and a balance between inner and outer growth.

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals [herself] in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind. Albert Einstein.

Introduction among others. This paper attempts to put them in some framework of understanding. This paper addresses some of the issues surround- There are converging forces working towards the ing the discussion of emerging global consciousness. possibility of a global consciousness, driving forces in Given the amount of confusion and uncertainty about conflict with it, and some neutral but contingent global shared meanings, there is a range of metaphors that forces of change as well that may determine whether it attempts to embrace or capture the meanings of such a will evolve. For example, the dramatic growth of the global system. There are a number of different dimen- appears to bring closer the possibility of a glob- sions to the discussion, and it would be useful to review al brain. On the other hand, the development of artifi- the literature and give a brief assessment of some of the cial (machine) might subvert the human role challenges posed to this potential system. The small in leading such a system. And there are different schools constellation of concepts related to global conscious- of thought related to global consciousness: some tech- ness includes: global brain, global mind, and global soul, nological, some metaphysical, and some oriented to

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evolutionary biology. This paper will explore In contrast, the organic stream, or global the atomizing and unifying forces arrayed mind, has its roots in the work of Teilhard de across a spectrum of global consciousness Chardin (the ) and is inspired by the components: brain, mind, soul, and psyche. work on the collective unconscious by Carl Approaches to explore the issue in this paper Jung. This stream is diverse, including evolution- will include the perspectives of Ken Wilber, inte- ary biology, environmental consciousness, spiri- gral futures (Slaughter 2004), and deep narra- tuality, the Gaia hypothesis, global soul, and tive analysis (Inayatullah 2004). ecology of mind. Some central themes include the ideas of an evolutionary, cooperative princi- ple (Stewart 2000; Wright 200); symbiotic, plan- History of the Emerging Global etary consciousness and group selection in evo- Consciousness lution (Bloom 2000); and, non-local forces in evolution (a morphogenetic Planetary Mind Some writers and researchers believe that Field) (Wyller 1996). Arguably even more popu- the origins of the concept of the global brain lar have been New Age and spiritual treatments extend back into prehistory (Devereux et al. that might more accurately describe the func- 1989), but the earliest modern associations are tions (mind) of such a as much with Herbert Spencer (society as an organism) as the structure (brain) (Russell 1983, 1995; and H. G. Wells (). Global conscious- Harman 1988; Elgin 1993). ness, more broadly, was the concern of Pierre Of course, given such an inherently inter- Teilhard de Chardin (1959) and more recently disciplinary field, many theorists don't fall neatly Peter Russell (1983, 1995). While there is occa- into categories and some futurists have tried to sional overlap, two major schools of thought imagine the merger of the mystical and the emerge in theories about an emerging global technological (Glenn 1989). Similarly, propo- brain, a "transhumanist" and an "organic" one. nents of James Lovelock's (1988) Gaia The transhumanist version of the story Hypothesis appear to lean both ways, some- includes and , global times rejecting the anthropocentrism of global networks, complex adaptive systems, artificial brain and mind in favor of broader cybernetic, intelligence, human-machine convergence, cog- ecological perspectives (Devereux et al. 1989; nitive science, and other technological and Sahtouris 1989). There has been a flurry of inter- mechanical features (Turchin 1977; de Rosnay est in the consciousness and "mind" of microor- 1979; Heylighen & Bollen 1996; Heylighen ganisms. Bacteria, for example, are far more 2004). There has been considerable hype about adaptive and intelligent than we have given this aspect of the global brain including debates them credit (Bloom 2000). in New Scientist (Brooks 2000), ample coverage Roger Jones provides one filter to think by WIRED, and a major web presence about the emergence of what he calls the (Heylighen et al. 2005). A strong undercurrent in Global SuperBrain (1996) one axis being this area is the notion of a quantum jump in "SuperOrganism or Artefact" that parallels the and cognitive systems – a coming distinction above, and a second axis that higher level of evolution brought about through addresses the causal dynamic: "Engineer, Evolve a cybernetic phase-shift – a "Metasystem transi- or Emerge?" He argues that we need to be tion" (Turchin 1977). The notion of a cybernetic proactive in engineering it to conform to phase shift is one clear area of overlap with the human purposes. organic theorists. This area of exploration has been associated with the concept global brain.

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Forces of Convergence (Hope) ity in nested systems. The growth of these dysentropic systems seems to balance the ten- The evolutionary direction for people and dency towards disorder and decay. planet take an uncertain trajectory in the con- To untangle the forces of convergence, the text of a universe that – according to cosmology Wilberian four-quadrant perspective is useful – is both expanding and accelerating. The over- (Wilber 2000: 70) as is his notion of types of all trend for the evolution of life on the planet consciousness (Wilber 2000b). has been toward greater diversity and complex-

Ken Wilber's Four Quadrants

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While Wilber's integral worldview is a mind. wide-ranging Theory of Everything, including an Upper right quadrant (Exterior-individual). assortment of matrices with quadrants, waves, The emergence of the global mind can be seen streams, states, and types (see Slaughter 2004: in Wilber's behavioral quadrant. A good exam- 157), this analysis will focus on a four-quadrant ple is how the Internet has augmented collec- perspective (above). Regarding an understand- tive behavior. Recent examples of the amplifica- ing of human consciousness, Wilber states tion of collective human intelligence include "both mind and brain need to be included in a bird census observation and data collection nonreductionistic way in any genuinely integral (Garreau 2001) and social experiments in dis- theory of consciousness" (Wilber 2000). tributed computing, such as the SETI@Home Similarly, it could be argued that global con- project at the University of California, Berkeley. sciousness needs that same sort of integral Other distributed computing projects intend to: understanding, with another set of layers that model protein folding, protein aggrega- take into account the planetary system and all tion, and related diseases forms of planetary life. Thus, the potentials and develop an advanced climate prediction pitfalls leading to global consciousness can be model seen in a critical integral framework. discover new drugs to fight the AIDS The four-quadrant model has as its axes: virus the inner world and outer world compared with evaluate drug candidates against the individual and collective realms (Wilber anthrax, smallpox, Ebola, SARS, and 2001: 70). Slaughter has argued that futures other infectious diseases research, particularly in the USA, has been "shal- crack the RC5 encryption and low" with a methodological bias towards the find optimal golumb rulers lower-right quadrant (Slaughter 2005) and simi- establish a secure grid-computing solu- larly the debate about the emergence of a glob- tion for cancer research and smallpox al brain appears to share this emphasis. We drug development, and start from this quadrant. discover Mersenne prime numbers Lower right quadrant (Exterior-collective). (Savetz 2004). The forces of convergence are most visibly evi- Environmental awareness and resulting dent in this quadrant. Globalization, in general, behavior are signs of hope and movement is most obvious–technological innovation and towards a healthier world. Broad trends in development especially: telecommunications human behavior can be seen in the growth of systems, mass media, transportation infrastruc- organic food production and consumption, ture and shipping, and technology diffusion and energy conservation and recycling, and experi- adaptation. It should come as no surprise that ential spirituality (Elgin & Le Drew 1996). While the most visible indicators of an emerging glob- the mass media news has tended to cover reli- al consciousness are here in global brain devel- gious extremism, there has also been growing opment: micro-miniaturization, molecular and interest in the West in meditation and yoga and genetic engineering, massive parallel process- other spiritual practices. ing, quantum computing, neural networks On the horizon, accelerated human genet- (hardware), robotics, and expert systems. The ic manipulation, for example selection for intelli- sophistication, complexity and ubiquity of these gence, could work toward convergence. The systems continue to grow and spread–powerful progress in brain-machine interfaces, neuronal forces of convergence. From Clarke orbit to the implants and augmentation, and development ground, we are bathed in a growing web of of brain drugs all point the way to greater electro-magnetic and photonic radiation that human-machine integration. reflects the emergent brain and consciousness. Lower left quadrant (Interior-collective). This electron- and photon-sphere emerges as a Environmental consciousness and global aware- 8 mediating space for the emergence of global ness are mirrored in the quadrant that captures Frail and Feeble Mind

the cultural context of consciousness. In spite of phere.princeton.edu) is to determine if the col- the structural power of Patriarchy–the imbed- lective influence of human consciousness has an ded sociological and cultural underpinnings of effect on random number generators. male dominance in most societies–there is a We have more and better tools to explore revolutionary shift underway in the rising status and heal the psyche–at a time of greater stress of women in society. This is reflected in culture and psychic pain. And yet greater numbers of change, particularly in how younger genera- humans are well nourished, healthy, and have tions see the world. For example, younger gen- greater longevity than their ancestors. For a erations of Americans are more accepting of large segment of the 's population, we diversity and more international in their per- have reached the post-industrial stage where spectives. The explosive growth of air travel and achievement of higher orders of Maslow's hier- global systems of advertising and entertain- archy of needs is not only possible, but also ment, blending of music, art, and fashion, and desirable. migration patterns all seem to be strong forces of convergence toward global mind. Cultural convergence may continue to Forces of Resistance (Fear) progress if the shift in cultural consciousness For all the hype about the emerging global envelopes the ethical and political conse- consciousness, there are significant challenges quences of a healthy planetary society. The ahead for humans and our planet. Breakpoints implication of the UN Declaration of Human and quantum shifts could be as destabilizing as Rights and related treaties is for a profound they might be evolutionary. Moreover, discon- rethinking of the economic system as it exists tinuous change opens some doors to possibility today and the necessary next step in global eco- and closes others. Given the wide number of nomics: to end poverty and the enormous forces of change that are required to bring inequities across the planet. Neoliberals and about global consciousness, other forces could eco-revisionists (see Simon & Moore 2000) pull that asunder. We are, after all, operating in argue that things are getting better, but close to a universe with fundamental laws, such as the a billion people still go to bed hungry every Second Law of Thermodynamics. Then there is night. Convergence along economic lines is best Murphy's "Law". The point is that we are con- exemplified by the recent work on panarchy– stantly working against the forces of entropy. nested complexity of economic and natural sys- Lower right quadrant (Exterior-collective). tems that result in a kind of resilience–that As a species, our technological hubris may also gives some hope for long-term sustainability be our undoing. There is a large "doom and (Gunderson and Holling 2002). gloom" tradition in the futures field (Moll 1991; Upper left quadrant (Interior - individual). Meadows et al. 2004) and studies of how tech- There are some remarkable developments in nology might run amok or simply fail us (Ellul consciousness studies and the inner environ- 1964; Vacca 1973). More recently, the stinging mental and chemical dimensions of human critique by Bill Joy (2000) of certain cutting edge experience are revealing themselves. We under- technologies illustrates the concern, even with- stand better the workings of the brain, and in the high tech industry, that the hoopla there is growing acceptance of a hierarchy of around transhumanism and the coming "singu- consciousness in the Spiral Dynamics frame- larity" is misplaced. Machines, as in the popular work (Beck and Cowan 1995). If there is such a movie The Matrix, may take on a life of their thing as a critical mass, a tipping point (metasys- own with little concern for human or environ- tem shift), it could well happen as a result of (or mental matters. in synchrony with) the harmonics and reso- Ronald Wright, in his A Short History of nances of sufficient number of more highly Progress, makes problematic the notion of evolved global citizens. Alternatively, the work progress and civilization in a sweeping histori- of the Global Consciousness Project (noos- cal critique. While many others have come 9 Journal of Futures Studies

before him, he argues that the writing is on the those on the lagging edge of the bell curve of wall regarding our unsustainable economic, social change. The reactionaries, neo-Luddites, consumption, and settlement patterns. He and pessimists and cynics are a challenge to an notes Joseph Tainter's three nicknames for sys- emerging global brain and that doesn't incorpo- tems problems that may lead inexorably to col- rate them. In Spiral Dynamics terms, the red lapse: the Runaway Train, Dinosaur, and the and blue political forces, still so prevalent in the House of Cards (Wright 2004: 107), particularly world today, drag down the rest of us working as they tend to work together. There are a toward sustainability. number of potential technological catastrophes Resource depletion, especially the decline that could either subvert or delay global con- of oil, and wars over water may be the global sciousness: cyberwar, virulent computer viruses, brain's undoing if the chaos of the system out- and the emergence of sentient machine intelli- weighs the coherence of a potential metasys- gence. Even more disruptive might be catastro- tem shift. The gap between rich and poor phes enabled by modern infrastructure, such as widens. This does not bode well for coopera- a global Ebola epidemic, the spread of alien tion. invasive organisms, or the collapse of global Lower left quadrant (Interior-collective). fisheries. For the most part, the contributors to the global From my perspective, the most likely and brain project are mostly men. Mostly Western, largest force of resistance (then) to the emer- European and Northern. The underlying gence of global consciousness would be cata- assumptions of the dominant theorists appear strophic environmental change and mass to be technocratic, hegemonic, hierarchical, species extinction. Environmental degradation with a belief in the certainty of "progress" and appears to be the lesson of previous civilization optimism. There is a monocultural quality in collapses (Wright 2004; Diamond 2005). much of the technophile literature, particularly Recently added to the litany of potential prob- the transhumanist movement. That is in con- lems receiving attention is rapid climate change trast to the more Eastern, cyclical and spiral, (cooling) (Schwartz and Randal 2003). Also at and organic side of the human brain discussion, this level of resistance is an array of non-anthro- which is challenged by its own attachment to pogenic natural disasters, such as massive vol- the arrow of progress (de Chardin) and still canism, asteroid impacts, or nearby super- rather male-oriented, theoretical (as opposed to novae. pragmatic), and mechanistic. Upper right quadrant (Exterior-individual). Resistance will likely continue to come At the behavioral level there is also a litany of from dogmatic political and religious funda- troubles that stand in the way of global con- mentalism fighting against change and for an sciousness: genocide, greed, and gluttony. earlier "status quo." Culture change at the para- While it is conceivable that a global cognitive digmatic or worldview level may continue to be system may continue to evolve, how can it have subverted by fashion of the day-the threat of reflective self-consciousness without ethics and superficial lifestyle change, rather than funda- conscience? Our current dominant economic mental change. model is competitive capitalism, but global con- Other questions at this level of analysis sciousness appears to argue for high levels of include: How can global consciousness occur cooperation and altruism. Without radical without a collective singularity? If there is a shift restructuring of economics, it seems unlikely in human consciousness, don't we pretty much that true global consciousness will develop. For all have to make the journey together? That example, the failure to integrate the value of takes us to the last quadrant to consider the women's work into national accounts leaves global soul/psyche -- How do we cope, individu- unaccounted for half the world's work. ally and collectively, with the awesome global Theories of technological diffusion changes that are already underway? 10 acknowledge the role of the "early adopter" and Frail and Feeble Mind

Upper left quadrant (Interior - individual). to remember that life and consciousness has One of our historical species-level lessons is evolved through co-evolutionary, cooperative about the dark side of the human nature. From strategies to ensure conditions that allow all life lynching of Black Americans, the Holocaust, to thrive and flourish, not just human life. Balkan atrocities, Rwanda, to scores of wars, the The integral Gaian perspective under- last century is full of examples of human cruelty. stands the marriage of global soul and brain, While there are signs that large conflicts are the integration of inner vs. outer worlds and diminishing (Mack 2005), low-level conflict their meanings. To take global consciousness to seems to be a continuing threat. Until our domi- the next level thus requires coming to terms nant culture and psychic templates can better with the forces of resistance and greater effort come to terms with our dark side, we will con- to understand the lessons of past civilizations tinue to be hobbled by it. Western culture, par- (Denning 1999). It also calls for a kind of psycho- ticularly, seems adept at burying the reality of it spiritual Unitarianism that finds a place for sepa- until it escapes into full daylight. Until we can rate cultural identity but for more unifying face it unblinking, we are not going to evolve in myth–a new story of human cosmology that is healthier ways. inclusive and whole–to bind our past, planet, There are signs that our psychic health in cosmos, and our inner nature into new global much of the world is not great: suicide and narrative to help guide us toward a truly collec- addiction rates, spousal and child abuse statis- tive global consciousness (Denning and Jones tics, and growing developmental problems, for 2005). We are making headway as we discover example growing numbers of children born more about the mysterious and energetic cos- with autism. How can we hope to evolve a sane mos around us, but the challenge is to expand global consciousness, if so many humans are our outer capabilities and not neglect the inner not healthy? Some global brain theorists (Stein work needed to mature as a sentient species. 2005) recognize that realizing that goal may be hampered by our animal nature. While we may be able to create and implement a global brain, Correspondence as long as we continue to grow like a cancer on Dr. Christopher Jones the planet, we are a just collective catastrophe Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences waiting to happen. Mesa State College 1100 North Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501-3122 Strategies for global change Email: [email protected] Exploring the challenges to global con- sciousness continually brought me back to Ken References Wilber and his take on consciousness: that there are different types. One may be more or Appleyard, Bryan. 2005. "Waiting for the lights to go out." The Sunday Times Magazine. less "developed" kinesthetically, cognitively, October 16. http://www.timesonline. morally, emotionally, or spiritually (Wilber 2001: co.uk/article/0,,2099-1813695,00.html. 45). Similarly, our species and our planetary Bloom, Howard. 2000. Global Brain: The evolu- friends and neighbors must integrate those tion of mass mind form the Big Bang to aspects of our planetary system if it is to shift to the 21st century. New York: John Wiley & the next level of being. From my perspective, an Sons. integration of geological timeframes and per- Brooks, Michael. 2000. "Global Brain." New spectives is also required: a Gaian approach. Scientist. June 24. Vol. 166(2244): 22. This requires not only and understanding of Denning, Kathryn. 1999. "Apocalypse Past/ Gaian processes, but also adoption of deep Future: Archaeology and Folklore, Writ ecology values, and abandonment of species- Large." In Archaeology and Folklore. centrism and anthropogenic attitudes. We need (eds.) A. Gazin-Schwartz and C. Holtorf. 11 Journal of Futures Studies

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