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Noosphere & Cyberspace

davidl

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Hi,
I saw this article on another forum and thought some of you would be interested

Noosphere & Cyberspace

By Beatrix Murrell

According to the speculative thought of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the great Jesuit theologian-scientist, the destiny of man is to culminate into a consciousness of the species. This consciousness of mankind would ultimately become the "thinking layer of the earth," which Teilhard called the noosphere.

Teilhard also believed that there is a Within in the heart of things. From the beginning of primordial evolution there has been a kind of embedded cosmic intelligence or encoded information, a cosmic interiority!

Teilhard's idea of a cosmic interiority has also been expounded upon by David Bohm, the late world-class physicist and science philosopher. Drawing upon his theories derived from quantum physics, Bohm is of the opinion that a fundamental cosmic intelligence is the Player in the cosmic process of enfoldment (an implicate order) and unfoldment (an explicate order). Bohm suggests that this process, in endless feedback cycles, creates an infinite variety of manifest forms and mentality.

Both Teilhard and Bohm believe that there is an accumulation of a cosmic reflective nature. Both thinkers believe that human individuals participate in the Whole and consequently give it meaning. They believe that man is a definite turning point on this planet, an upgrading of the cosmic process towards consciousness.

Using the analogy of the transformations of the atom ultimately into a power and chain reaction, Bohm ponders that the individual who uses inner energy and intelligence can transform mankind. The collectivity of individuals have reached the "principle of the consciousness of mankind," but they have not quite the "energy to reach the whole, to put it all on fire."

For both Teilhard and Bohm, it is this collective consciousness that is truly one and indivisible. And it is the responsibility of each human person to contribute towards the building of this consciousness of mankind--this inner noosphere!

Both thinkers believe that mankind can only build the inner noosphere by turning to that which they believe is present within us. Each individual has to seek and recognize that embedded knowledge that lies buried in the depths of our being. That which is implicate results in the manifest! In other words, the development of the outer noosphere depends on the evolution of the more fundamental inner noosphere, be it seeded in the individual or collectively contained by the whole mind of the species.

In order to develop this inner noosphere, to follow our cosmic destiny, we need to begin to know better that precious information that is within us. Since the dawning of mankind-- both intuitively and historically, and in many ways and by many means--individuals have sought this inner pearl of great price.

This sense of gnosis, of inner knowledge, of knowing that which is within us is often labeled "contemplative consciousness." In the past contemplation fell mainly into the realm of religion, and more specifically into mysticism and meditation. Ancient and medieval contemplatives in the West flourished within Christendom. Their main focus was God or the Christ. These interpreted divinities were that which a contemplative would discover within himself. Most Western mystics--such as John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Hildegarde of Bingen, and Julian of Norwich--belonged to religious or monastic orders or were anchorites. Their writings were long, but often very organized approaches into a virtual dimension of divine union.

Later avenues of contemplation were enmeshed within the process of meditation and its variety of techniques. Akin to medieval mysticism, contemplative meditation remained linked with the religious pursuit, mainly with prayer and spirituality. The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola provide an example of a psychic process of self-examination, which led supposedly to spiritual purification. There are also non-religious meditative methods, ancient and contemporary, such as kindalini, Tantric Yoga, Zen, and New Age.

There is, however, a more modern approach to contemplative consciousness. It is the psychological approach, which considers this sense of interiority to be a necessary part of the individual process.

The individuation process is a chain of transformation within the individual personality. Analytical psychologist Jolande Jacobi presumes: It is a coming to self-actualization, a coming to selfhood, bringing with it the "infinite capacity for the development of the human psyche." During individuation, both the inside and the outside experience of a person's life must be given their due. Conscious realization and "self- knowledge is...the heart and essence of this process."

Carl Jung noted, too, that "the individuation process is, psychically, a borderline phenomenon which needs special conditions in order to become conscious. Perhaps it is a first step along a path of development to be trodden by the men of the future..."

Individuation, in terms of human development, in terms of the future, returns us to Teilhard's idea of the noosphere partly as an interior undertaking. It is contemplating, paying attention, coming to know the unknown universe that dwells within each of us and the All of Us. Using modern psychological methods, we now work with dreams and active imagination. And psychology has begun to encounter the Collective Mind as well, encountering myths, legends, fairy tales, heroes and gods from the perspective of the collective's individuation.

Thinking of the future, however, we need to consider the advancement of the inner noosphere from the perspective of technology. Computer networking and artificial intelligence conceivably could contribute towards the construction of the outer life of the noosphere, but the potentiality of cyberspace could enhance inner comprehension and growth of both the individual and the noosphere.

What is cyberspace? And how might it be used? Originally coined by William Gibson in his 1984 book NEUROMANCER, cyberspace early on meant a "consensual hallucination."

Today, following the advent of sophisticated simulation technology and virtual reality research, cyberspace can be defined more deeply. Today cyberspace means the possibility of immersing one's self into an electronically-generated artificial world and exploring it.

What are the technologies that propel cyberspace? Howard Rheingold, a science writer specializing in computer advances, has suggested several: such as wrap-around, 3-D television, or computer displays outfitted with 3-D sound. Or there could be advanced simulation technologies with displays and computer graphics. Basically, all these developing technologies equate into what is called a virtual reality system.

Today's fledgling virtual reality research already supports the sense of immersion by using stereoscopic and gaze-tracking technologies. Also, regarding navigation, images can be created with optics and electronics. And gestural input can be implemented through gloves and head-mounted displays. Finally, software already can produce a model world--programming behavior that reacts to other programmed forces such as a user's movements.

Thinking about how to currently use a virtual reality system has taken a very pragmatic turn, which indicates how successful the concept of virtual reality is becoming. For example Wall Street analysts plan to test a "stock market" version of virtual reality. A stock trader, wandering through a virtual world of colored squares representing stock and market changes, will be able to see instantly how stocks are performing in relation to others.

Virtual reality systems, as the stock market example illustrates, will be able to present exciting new avenues to view and manage data. They will also ultimately allow business people to hold meetings from the same desk, miles apart, providing the ability to move electronic documents back and forth.

Another obvious use of virtual reality will be in architecture, where architects will be able to artificially walk through blueprints or computer-generated designs of their buildings. Other practical services prompted by virtual reality systems will be in the military community, where simulated combat scenarios will be required. Virtual reality could also be helpful to astronauts, helping them to familiarize themselves with the terrain of alien planets by means of artificial exploration.

But what about the more futuristic possibilities of virtual reality, of cyberspace? Where will such possibilities be heading in terms of promoting human abilities? Virtual reality is already being considered for its potential for intelligence amplification. Proponents believe that virtual reality systems could truly amplify the human mind. Such a system could assist the human being in the areas of strategy, evaluation, pattern recognition, planning, and fetching information in context.

Virtual reality could augment visual thinking. As cognitive theorist Robert McKim put it, "visual thinking pervades all human activity from the abstract and theoretical to the down-to-earth and everyday." Football coaches prepare their team moves; astronomers consider cosmic events; surgeons think visually before carrying out an operation; mathematicians need to consider the relationships of space-time; and engineers visually design circuits, mechanisms, and structures. And physicists visualize electrons bouncing off atoms. A virtual reality system could help a user to enter into visual space and travel through it, and as computer guru Myron Krueger states, the user could probe "the problem space, learning about it, and intellectually and physically seeking a solution."

Human beings are agents of action. They consist of bundles of traits and are predisposed to act in certain ways. Virtual reality, cyberspace, could provide a user more potential for action. Virtual reality could increase the possibilities of action by altering the plot of a given situation in a multitude of different ways. Patterns of prospective action could be altered to foresee outcomes. Thus, action could be more orchestrated. Multiple actions could be pursued concurrently. Overall, human action creates further possibilities or constraints. Brenda Laurel, a progressive thinker concerned with the computer as theater, has suggested that virtual reality will enable the human agent to become more knowledgeable of the "contextual, structural and formal characteristics" of action. In turn, the human agent could better focus on how actions "can be arranged and causally linked."

Working in virtual reality, in cyberspace, could also afford the user more prospects of surprise and eventual discovery. Such potential could enlarge the means for achieving radical shifts in probability. Related to action--as Laurel believes-- surprise and discovery could "create changes in the slope of action."

Human creativity could also be benefited by the future promise of virtual reality. Rheingold believes that new art forms will be developed out of the experiential side of virtual reality. Future artists will paint the "silence with the kind of possibilities only artists can show us." Above all, in cyberspace, we will be able to create new kinds of experience!

Human interaction, human communication, could be unbelievably enhanced by the future world of cyberspace. Laurel has posited that users of virtual reality could create models of interactive fantasy. Their virtual world could be likened to a stage where interactive magic could be created artificially. This interactive magic could optimize the "frequency and range of significance in human choice-making." Interactivity could become a threshold phenomenon, providing new worlds of action and reaction, which could assist the human agent to design new, creative interactive systems.

More practically, Rheingold believes that "virtual reality as a communications medium" could benefit an array of human institutions. They could range from the global economy to communications-based industries to entire cultures.

Futuristic thinking on cyberspace, as illustrated in science fiction, takes the potential of virtual reality, of cyberspace, even farther into the reaches of our imagination. Vernor Vinge, in his book TRUE NAMES, has his hero descending into the "Other Plane." The hero, using electronic and computer equipment in addition to intense mental concentration, moves into an enlarged communal virtual universe. (It is a world, as Gibson noted, of consensual hallucination.)

This cyber-universe of Vinge's includes everything from social clubs to criminal organizations that use this plane of being "for their own purely pragmatic and opportunistic reasons."

Depictions of cyberspace in science fiction have alluded mainly to swashbuckling virtual adventures, bordering upon or entering into criminality. Human participation, whether in the real world or a virtual world, seemingly always contains the elements for abuse.

On the other hand we have already cited the virtual opportunity in cyberspace for intelligence amplification, for more wise action and decisions, and for human creativity. It is within the confines of this more positive arena that we need to look more closely at the prospects of cyberspace advancing contemplative consciousness and forthwith the inner development of the noosphere.

But first, we need to look at contemplative consciousness in relation to the concept of virtual reality. Rheingold, while discussing the inner world of the human mind, rightly points out that the illusions we build around this mystery are virtual worlds! Humans have been engaged in these helpmate, sometimes almost utilitarian virtual worlds since the rise of history. Indeed, an evolutionary sequence of such virtual worlds is quite detectable.

Rheingold observed that Cro-Magnon men of Europe left a virtual world for all to see: the caves at Lascaux in France. Selected novice-candidates, so paleontologists speculate, were specially positioned...by their toolmaker shamans...inside the caves. Suddenly the darkness was illuminated by torches and lamps, and they were startled by the visions of supernatural figures on the cave's ceilings. They were overwhelmed by painted human figures, symbols, and animals. Modern scientists believe these young primitive Europeans were frightened into another plane of understanding. Technological secrets were passed on. Paleontologists suggest that the young tribesmen's' psyches were sensitized, by this virtual world at Lascaux, to reframe their minds to grasp the secrets of fire and metal and the connections between seeds and stars. They were inwardly transformed into the "first Paleolithic agriculturist/technologists."

Rheingold presents yet another such example of a virtual world used by primitive men: the kiva ceremony of the North American Hopi and Pueblo tribes. The ceremony invoked altered states of consciousness and invoked an "explicit map of human origins and goals, theatrical and symbolic rituals, and hard information about a technology necessary to sustain a new way of life for the culture. In this case, that technology made possible the cultivation of corn."

Rheingold considered, too, that the ancient Greeks engaged in the virtual world of the Eleusinian Mysteries. An initiation process, this virtual world was designed to awake the initiate to a more firm, inner understanding of the balance between life and death. It involved a descent into the underworld--symbolic for the inner, unconscious world--and ultimately transformation into a new spiritual life in which the body was only a mortal vehicle.

As previously discussed, there are the virtual worlds of inner religious experience. Contemplative consciousness, in medieval times and even into our contemporary experience, is translated into the Divinity Within. Through prayer and meditation we can attune ourselves to a divine presence, to the inner vision, to open the doors of perception. Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk, believed that inwardness, via this virtual world, "the real sense of our own existence...is now revealed in a central intuition."

Even modern cognitive theorists, like Daniel Dennett, compare human consciousness to an "evolved virtual machine." He argues that the "brain's virtual machine composes the shifting representation of an individual's self." Dennett believes that the self is a virtual composition that provides the individual a means for survival in this world.

During our modern period, psychologists have gained considerable insight into the meaning and development of consciousness. Many psychological researchers now believe that the task of the human mind is to create more and more consciousness. And the contemporary evaluation of consciousness is that connection of "knowing with, " "seeing with" and "other." Premier psychologists, such as Edward Edinger, have accepted the reality of an inner "knowing one," i.e., the Greater Self.


From http://www.onedegreebeyond.com/library/murel10.htm

By Beatrix Murrell
 

martin

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Nice link!
Ideas like this help to bridge the gap between scientific and religious approaches.

Part of the problem is that religious research is based on inner data that science - in it's present state - cannot accept unless they are somehow externalized, 'operationalized'.

So if a Buddhist monk states that a thought develops in 17 stages a scientist will not believe it unless he can see it on a screen or some other external measuring device.
1,2, .... 17, yeah, right!
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The monk thinks: what a strange guy, why is he looking at that screen? Can he not look inside?
1,2, .... 17, yeah, right!
biggrin.gif


If the monk looks at the screen he will probably see a meaningless blur. The same is true for the scientist who looks inside. Blurs all over the place.
In both fields clear and precise observation requires training and also some talent.
To bridge the gap we need more 'hybrid' researchers (like Teilhard de Chardin) who are talented and trained as monks and as scientists.
 

cal val

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Davidl...

I absolutely loved this article! I tried to basically describe VR in a thread here because the subject entered into an experience I had with the Yi...and one of the then-members was terribly curious. Few could understand the concept I was describing actually...it's very difficult for me to describe. Consequently, I always recommend immersion to understand.

Is this an very old article? I ask because cyberspace/virtual reality is here. ActiveWorlds, where I've done 3D modeling and building and created my own world, started in 1996. I joined in 1997.

Here are some screenshots of my work there from my website. http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/environments.html. These are 2D renderings of 3D environments or objects. If you download the browser and go to these places, you can explore caves or relax with friends on a beach in my archipelago. In the mountain hideaway, you can climb up the mountain to the "lake" or through the pass...or relax inside the cabin. I have many "builds" in several worlds in the program. If anyone is interested in seeing them, just find the teleport to my pavillion at http://modred.com ...you'll know which one is mine...the name is Valaria. When you get there, pass your mouse over the furniture and plants...there are teleports to several of my builds "hidden" in them. Sorry, my world, Valatura, is offline right now because I haven't been active in the program for awhile...so that teleport won't work.

I believe this particular project that I was involved in (http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/clouds1.html) pretty well illustrates the possibilities in terms of spirituality in cyberspace. The "ground" is clouds...and I designed the "clouds and sky" background so that it met the ground seamlessly and gave the illusion of infinity. The world, Darien, was a "kingdom of heaven" kind of world, and the owner commissioned me to create the background. I particularly loved this project and this world. It was quite a sensation walking on clouds.

A few pieces of my "pure" 3D art (which I don't have in the gallery on my website any more *shrugs shoulders*) include these sculptures (again these are flat 2D images of 3D objects, so you can't get the full impact from them) -- http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/valatura.html (the sculpture, Valatura...not to be confused with the world, Valatura, may still be on display in the world, A'tuin, if you'd like to see her from the front) and http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/dancing.html. The final incarnation of this sculpture, Dancing Worlds, was great fun because I was able to incorporate animation into the sculpture...it spun on its axis and was lit from several directions.

Those of you who are curious may download the browser here: http://activeworlds.com.You can go into the program and learn a lot without visiting my builds...there is so much more to see and enjoy...many talented artists have found their way there. Just quickly learn what you have to to maneuver so that you can get past the "gate"...it's strictly a 'chat' world...and then...happy exploring!

There are many such programs on the net now...activeworlds was the first non-vrml program...very innovative in its day...and VR (cyberspace) really is "mind altering" in terms of interrelating.

Well, as you can see, you hit on a subject that I can become very animated about...*grin* I'll go sit down and be quiet now...unless you have any questions, of course...*grin*

Ciao for now,

Val
 

cal val

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Hey everyone...

I just got an idea. If anyone is interested in starting a YiJing world, I can build the models.

I dreamt a sculpture (when I was having my flurry of "men in grey robes" dreams) of a different kind of hexagram...extremely 3D...and was "instructed" in the dream to build it. Didn't think about it being a 3D model rather than a real world sculpture...hmmmmm. One can incorporate javascript into the world commands for interactivity so that people can click on the sculpture and get a random hexagram, then go to a website for the interpretation.

There could be a well at ground zero (the center of the community), and people could build homes or temples or shops around gz. I can make the models for the walls, roof pieces, floor pieces, etc...so that people can be creative in their builds...mix and match to fit their own individual style.

There's information on the activeworlds website about world costs, etc. if anyone is interested in partnering with me in such an enterprise.

Cheerio the noo,

Val
 

martin

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Hi Val,

Downloaded the AW browser and I'm in your art pavilion right now! Waw!

Thanks!
 

cal val

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Welcome to my cyberspace Martin!

If you go to Isle of Ewe, after everything has loaded, turn around and go straight up the mountain...there's a tunnel entrance there...it's fun to explore.

They've upgraded the program and changed commands since I built it, so I don't know how well my animations are working any more...you may see flowers instead of flames coming out of the torches in the tunnel. If so...I'm sorry...*grin*

If you go to the Wild Mountain Hideaway, there's a picture on one of the walls in my cozy little cabin...clouds moving across the sky...animation. That's what the article Davidl posted was talking about. One can get creative in ways one never thought before in cyberspace.

Enjoy!

Val
 

cal val

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LMAO...you got lost???

Where are you? Does your browser show your location? If not, you can open the "show" menu and click on location. Your location will then show at the very top of your browser. Then read it to me.

Oh heck. I'm going to d/l the browser now and come in and find you. Give me a few minutes...I'm on dial-up.

Val
 

cal val

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It would be better if we could do this email until we hook up. My email address is lakatz@earthlink.net.

I'm at aw gz. To get there, pull down the teleport menu, scroll to "to". When the window pops up, delete the coordinates (second line) and make sure it only says AW in the top line...then click "OK" Mandrake is at aw gz right now. I see him chatting...and he's into daoism and the Yi...he's in Denmark...a very nice man. I think you'd like him a lot.

Cheerio the noo,

Val
 

martin

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Hi Val,

Sorry, missed your last 3 posts because I went off line.
It was nearly 4 o'clock in the night, bedtime, and I don't know how to
zzz.gif
in cyberspace. Not yet *grin*.
However, I awoke after only about 2 hours
zzz.gif
couldn't find my way back into dreamspace and so here I am again. But now you are probably
zzz.gif
..
biggrin.gif


Hope we can try again later. I Look forward to cybermeeting you!

Martin
 

cal val

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Martin...

Yes I was in bed asleep when you woke up. And I'd love to meet with you there. Maybe later tonight? I'd say around 5pm EST or 11pm NL time is the soonest I could make it. I can try a little earlier if it's necessary for you...just rearrange my schedule...ie. put some things off until tomorrow...*grin*

In the meantime, as annoying as it can be because of all the chatter, if you have the time today, I would suggest going into the gate where there are gatekeepers (they speak in bold text) who help newcomers get acclimated to the program and teach them how to navigate. It's also a good place to play with all the menu options and learn just what you can do with the browser.

My first suggestion...because I'm there for the aesthetics...and because I think they ruined the program with this new very annoying feature:

Click on "options" then on the "chat" tab, then uncheck the "cartoon balloon" feature...and uncheck "show text over avatars heads" option. The text window below the graphics window is the only place text needs to be. It makes the virtual reality experience so much more "real". The creators of the program were into providing an environment where people could be creative and interact. I think the new owners, knowing that there are more people looking for novelty than aesthetics, added this feature to make it more commercially appealing. The good news is it's optional.

Cheerio the noo,

Val
 

martin

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Hi Val,

OK, meeting at 11 pm NL time ...
biggrin.gif

I'm practicing with the program now. Met Mandrake.
I will uncheck those ugly balloons etc ...

See you ...
 

cal val

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Martin...

11:13pm...I'm at AW gz. Where are you?

Val
 

davidl

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Hi Val,
As a mac user I can't download the AW stuff. Trying to do a work around.

david l.
 

cal val

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Davidl...

Have you ever tried to use a Windows emulation program on your Mac? It works with any one of those. I just don't know enough about them to recommend one.

Too bad you couldn't have made it tonight. Martin and I just had the best chat in cyberspace...and he walked on water...*grin* It would have been all the better if you could have joined us.

Cheerio the noo,

Val
 

martin

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We *both* walked on water, how about that?
Couldn't get enough of it and am now again walking om water ...
biggrin.gif
 

malka

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David,

Thank you for the very wonderful post. I love the article. I've studied David Bohem - brilliant thinker. This article puts into words what I already know and believe to be true in the deepest part of my inner heart. It's such a comfort when that happens!

Blessings,
Malka
 

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