A new perspective on evolution

[Guest guest]

My idea is that evolution is complexity unfolding. We could call it

intelligence in action or natural selection or whatever. Life is

simply complexity finding its way through a sea of all possibilities.

What I mean by life is not simply biological organisms, but everything

from simple particles to biological lifeforms to artifacts made by

man, such as language, art, cars and computers. Evolution is a total

movement as the universe as a whole.

 

On a general level, the universe evolves in the form of holons, which

means wholes that are parts of larger wholes. From subatomic

particles, to atoms, to molecules, to single-celled organisms, to

multi-celled organisms, and so on.

 

A holon on a higher level transcends and INCLUDES holons on the level

below, such as molecules includes and transcends atoms. It is the

higher holon that determines the overall movement of the lower holons.

When a molecule moves, then all atoms within it moves with it. In more

complex holons the same thing happens. When, for example, a dog (a

holon) walks across the floor, then the WHOLE dog moves as a total

unit. The highest level of a holon is its dominant monad. In a human

being, for example, the dominant monad is the individual self, the

sense of " I " .

 

Today, humanity as a whole has no dominant collective monad. To me,

that is an indication that our planet is not a complete holon yet. In

a complete holon with a dominant monad, there is no question about

what to do; there is no confusion or hesitation. When a dog, for

example, starts walking across the floor, then all subservient holons

in the dog (cells, molecules, atoms e t c) move along with the

" wholeness " of the dog. It does not happen that one leg stays behind,

or the nose goes to another place in the room. The WHOLE dog moves as

a coherent holarchy.

 

Humanity today does not act as a whole, but rather as loosely related

separate holons, just like single-celled organisms. The next step in

evolution, as I have mentioned in other posts, could be the emerging

of a dominant collective monad, a true collective conscious. This

collective mind would be represented in each and everyone of human

beings; we would all BE the dominant collective monad. Every person

would still be a separate individual but ALSO be the dominant

collective monad (which transcends and includes the personal " I " ).

 

Interestingly, spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle talks about " the

emerging of a new state of consciousness in humanity " , and " a new

evolutionary impulse that is happening now on the planet " . Tolle talks

about the recognition of the " One Life " in which everything is

connected. This means, if I have understood it correctly, that the

dominant monad will still be the ground of all being, which ALREADY is

what we are, but I think on a relative level, the level of evolution,

there will be the emerging also of a higher holon level here on earth:

the birth of a planetary organism. The most dominant monad, which we

maybe not can call a real monad, will still be the Witness. But on a

phenomenal level, on the level of form, we will perhaps have a new

dominant monad in the form of an awakened collective conscious.

 

Evolution seems to move into higher and higher holons. Evolutions does

not stay on the same level all the time. Now and again, when the time

is ripe, evolution takes a leap into a higher level of holon. I would

say that everything is either complete holons or inter-holon

structures on the way of forming the next higher level of holon.

Artifacts (stuff made by humans or animals) are to me examples of

inter-holon structures that are not a part of a larger holon yet.

 

There are holons all the way up, and all the way down, but on any

point in evolution there is always the highest incomplete level of

holon, but that incompleteness, such as artifacts, are only

intermediate stuctures needed before the next level of holon has been

reached, a point where the artifacts are integrated as parts of a

higher holarchy.

 

That's why I think collective holons today are not holons, but only

inter-holon structures. To have a complete holon we need

representation in all four quadrants (see Ken Wilber's AQAL model),

and a dominant monad with a sense of " I " (Interior-Individual). So,

for example an organization or a company is not a complete holon, they

are only inter-holon structures.

 

The sense of " I " may not be a conscious I, but at least a holon must

have a dominant monad. In a single-celled organism, when it moves, the

whole holarchy, such as molecules and atoms within it, moves along

with the whole cell. Also, in a true holon, no subservient holons can

be a part of other holons. A molecule in a cell, for example, is only

a part of a particular cell, and not a part of another cell. A human

being can be a part of a company, but also a part of another

organization at the same time.

 

We can therefore define what I mean by true holon. If we start with

atoms as holon level 1, we can define the holon levels starting from

atoms. There are also holon levels lower than 1, such as subatomic

particles, but here we start from atoms to simplify the illustration.

 

Holon level 1: Atoms

 

Holon level 2: Molecules

 

Holon level 3: Single-celled organisms

 

Holon level 4: Multi-celled organisms, e.g. human beings

 

Holon level 5: Planetary organisms, e.g Gaia

 

Holon level 6: Galactic organisms

 

Holon level 7: Inter-galactic organisms (galactic groups)

 

Holon level 8: Universal organisms, e.g. our known universe

 

Holon level 9: Inter-universal organisms

 

And so on...

 

It may be true that humans have to fight each other ON OUR CURRENT

LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT. But I suggest that this could be a form of

pre-trans fallacy. We interpret the world today from holon level 4,

and miss the perspective from holon level 5. We think that what is

needed is " more integral politics " , for example, and that is TRUE on

our current holon level (4). But seen from holon level 5, we don't

need more integral politics, because the level 5 dominant monad that

then has emerged is way, way beyond any level 4 inter-holon structures

in terms of intelligence.

 

A dominant global monad looks, from a level 4 perspective, like some

stiff hierarchical totalitarian Orwellian nightmare. That's why I

think we must be careful when using our level of thinking (holon level

4) to try to understand what a planetary organism (holon level 5) will

be like.

 

We can try to look from a level 5 perspective. Love, for example, will

mean that there will be no fear. As J. Krishnamurti said: when there

is fear there cannot be love. In a planetary organism, no human would

be afraid of any other human. Today, we are very afraid of other human

beings, INCLUDING our friends and family. We are afraid of losing

reputation. And we are afraid of losing social status in society at large.

 

In a level 5 society, politics would be seen as some immature rigid

level 4 construct. People living in a level 5 society KNOW what to do,

because they have a true sense of planetary " I " , and an intelligence

that is way, way beyond any person on level 4. And in a planetery

organism ALL human beings will have reached level 5, because the

dominant planetary monad transcends and includes all level 4 monads.

 

In a level 4 society, as we have today, the human being is not free.

We are not free because we are trapped in rigid fear-based mechanical

social systems. In a level 5 society we would be uttely free. We then

don't have to worry about how to behave, what to think e t c, because

will have a much higher understanding and will know directly what to

do. In a level 4 society we seldom can do what we really want to do.

We are today trapped in a very mechanical and fear-based " Matrix " .

 

We can think of today's society as a " global reptile brain " society,

where money is power, and survival-of-the-fittest is a mechanical

driving force e t c. A level 5 society would be like a " global human

brain " .

 

Are these ideas mere fantasies? Could be. Time will tell.

 

al.