Conscious vs mechanical evolution: transcending biocentrist social ontologies

Abstract

This article expounds a new theory of humanity that problematizes the discrete, biomaterialist and materially rational individual of Modernity through sensitivity to the human potential for Conscious Evolution [evolution of the ‘invisible self’, which is to say the cultivation of reason, free will, intuition and the other ‘high epistemological faculties’ that allow humans to actualize the potential for self-mediation of the biological desires and animal (irrational) passions]. After defining Conscious Evolution, comparing it with Mechanical Evolution and providing a brief overview of the epistemological processes involved in Conscious Evolution, we examine the ways in which Modernism axiomatically, logically and practically negates the potential for Conscious Evolution and self-mediation as well as the manifestations of this negation in Modernist epistemology and Modernist social systems like Economic Theology or ‘the police’ that, due to their biomaterialist understanding of humans as discrete, biological, materially rational individuals, aim to mediate biological desires and animal passions through external, forceful, hierarchical domination rather than the cultivation of Conscious Evolution and subsequent actualization of the potential for self-mediation. This critique of epistemological and social systems that seek to create order through external, forceful, hierarchical domination sets the stage for a follow up paper titled “Conscious Evolution, Social Development and Environmental Justice” that critiques contemporary Planning Theory and Practice and calls for planning of social systems from a theoretical perspective where seeking to cultivate Conscious Evolution and the actualization of the social order implicit in the self-mediation made potential by Conscious Evolution is possible (which is to say that (r)evolution of theory must precede (r)evolution of practice).

Conscious evolution, social development and environmental justice

“…The biological man of Modernity, stripped of soul and the potential for conscious evolution, has come to be known as an evil, self-serving being (Barnesmoore, 2016a). Love and community are reduced to a selfcentered desire for biological survival (Haraway, 1989).…”

“…-Sir Patrick Geddes Barnesmoore (2016a) problematizes biocentrist, materialist conceptions of humans, human nature and social order in Modernity and subsequently provides a new theory of humanity and human evolution that is sensitive to the potential for rational beings to direct free will towards conscious evolution (towards epistemological evolution) and to, in so doing, transcend reflexive articulation by the form of mechanical evo-lution (‗biological evolution'). In short, we re-conceptualize the biological animal-human of Modernity as an epistemological rational-human.…”

“…Given the Abrahamic-Paternalist ‗world view' that was secularized to form the Modernist ‗world view' (Barnesmoore, 2016a;Barnesmoore, 2016b)-a ‗world view' in which God created the earth and all living things therein with the purpose of being dominated by Man-the best interest of nature is conceived in terms of subservience to human interests. Given the Modernist reduction of reality to passing time and physical space and the necessity of creating order derived therein (Barnesmoore 2016b), unity with nature is conceived in terms of building Dams, Levees, Commercial Farms, etc.…”

“…(i.e., in building technological apparatuses for dominating the forces of nature). In more general terms, by striping reality of its eternal dimensions-the dimensions of reality from which nature derives its actual, eternal order (i.e., Infinite Substance and its Emanations)-Modernism strips nature of its implicit order and thus views it as a chaotic, feminine other (as difference) to be brought into order through technological domination (Barnesmoore, 2016a;Barnesmoore, 2016b) --t he sublime power of the New Deal controlling the unruly forces of nature,‖ (Dunaway, 2008, p.62). Order in nature is not 10 See Meng Zi's 2A2 for an illustrative demonstration of Modernist-Paternalism's negation of the potential for producing harmonic order with nature.…”