“Well first of all, there is present in the structural pattern in the development of human consciousness and culture what we might describe as the dialectic of “progress and pathology”…for every new set of advances, for every new worldview stage that emerges beyond what came before, we find that there is pathology, or problems, or  difficulties that are tied closely together with the very forms of progress that that worldview makes…it’s important when talking about cultural evolution to point out that underneath it all is this permanent polarity, this indestructible polarity of progress and pathology and that none of these worldviews are stable, they’re dynamic systems perched on the edge of chaos…so the pathology is the shadow of the incomplete which always accompanies every worldview stage and then is the impetus for the further evolution of culture.”

The above transcribed quote comes from an interview with integral philosopher Steve McIntosh. His book Evolution’s Purpose is highly recommended by me.

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Photograph above by Ruth Thorne-Thomson

Tags:cultural evolutionemergenceevolutionintegral philosophyprocess philosophySteve McIntoshsystems theory