Professional Documents
Culture Documents
.31
Integrated Intelligence and the Psycho-
Spiritual Imperatives of Mechanistic
Science
Marcus Anthony
University of the Sunshine Coast
Australia
Abstract
This paper explores four underlying psycho-spiritual imperatives which drive mechanistic science, and
how these have led to the depiction of consciousness as mechanistic, brain-based and localised. The consequent
rejection of integrated and transpersonal depictions of consciousness is examined in particular.
The primary purpose of this paper is to integration of the cosmos; what Ken Wilber
identify how four underlying psycho-spiritual calls the subtle, causal, and non-dual aspects of
imperatives which underpin dominant mecha- consciousness. (Wilber 2000a, 2000b, 2000c,
nistic representations of science and conscious- 2001) This is the direct experience or percep-
ness, have led to self-limiting constructions of tion of the integrated nature of the universe
mind, and a reduced range of perceptual and consciousness. Domain two integrated
modalities in contemporary science and the intelligence includes the experience and/or
western world in general. These imperatives deliberate employment of various "paranormal"
are: and "psychic" perceptual phenomena such as
1. The dualistic nature of the scientific ESP, clairvoyance, and transcendent visionary
method, in particular its separation of experience.
observer and object/subject.
2. Mechanistic science's tendency towards
power and control over nature.
Representations of Consciousness
3. The patriarchic and "hard" basis of Six Types of Representations of Cons-
mechanistic science. ciousness
4. The influence of ego-level conscious- The discussion on the psycho-spiritual
ness and the drive towards separation derivatives of the mechanistic paradigm which
and narcissism. follows incorporates six kinds of representa-
While the identification of these impera- tions of mind into its considerations, thus
tives has been well covered by previous encapsulating the civilisational and other ways
researchers, this paper attempts to clarify their of knowing that are crucial to a more inclusive
relationship with ways of knowing and especial- understanding of the world. (Broomfield 1997;
ly integrated intelligence. Bussey 2000; Inayatullah 2002a; Sardar 1998;
Wilber 2000a 2000c)
What is Integrated Intelligence?
Integrated intelligence is a transpersonal Type 1. Indigenous
intelligence that transcends the boundaries of Many indigenous cultures held (and many
the individual.2 It is in effect a collective human still hold) strong beliefs about the integrated
and universal intelligence. Historically it has nature of human consciousness and the uni-
most commonly been depicted in spiritual and verse. Indigenous cultures employed a type of
mystical texts and forms a part of all mystical integrated intelligence in their healing practices.
traditions. As Dossey (1999) writes: Australian Aborigines lived an integrated intelli-
The idea that the human mind is infinite or gence called The Dreaming, which included
nonlocal - at at some level it cannot be con- assumed telepathic potentials and perception
fined to specific points in space, such as the of the spirit of a places. (Lawlor 1991) Other
brain and body, or in time, such as the pres- premodern and indigenous cultures believed in
ent, is ancient. (Dossey 1999) a transpersonal healing energy. These included
Just a few examples of integrated intelli- the "mana" of the Hawaiians, the "orendam" of
gence include Sarkar's cosmic mind (Inayatullah the Iraquois, and the "megbie" of the Ituraea
2002b); Chardin's omega point (de Chardin pygmies. (Pearsall 1999: 59)
1976); Lao Zi's Tao (Jiyu 1998; Zhengkun 1995); Shamanism, a common practice within
Meister Eckhart's "eye of God" (Lang 2004); indigenous cultures, features a strongly held
Dossey's non-local awareness (Dossey 1999, belief in integrated intelligence, including com-
2001); and the "cosmic consciousness" of Bucke munication with nature, gods and spirits. (Grof
(1991) and Kubler-Ross (1997). 1994, 2000; Walsh 1990) A connection with the
Integrated intelligence, as defined here, is forces of nature and the supernatural realms are
comprised of two distinct domains. The first is
32 higher order perceptions of the wholeness and
strong features of shamanism. (ibid.)3
Integrated Intelligence and the Psycho-spiritual
consciousness. Examples include: Chandler ing values of communal verification (Huff 2003:
(2001); Clarke (1989: 140); Fox and Sheldrake 24) sets up a process whereby scientists "attack"
1996: 43); Myss (2001: 244); Ross (1993: 34); whatever findings are brought forward.
Stanford (1977); Steinkamp (2002: 416); and Metaphors of battle and war are often used to
Storm (1999: 251). The concept of receptivity describe the world of science and academia.
within integrated intelligence represents a clear Sheldrake (Sheldrake et al. 2001) writes of his
distinction from dominant representations of academic tenure at Cambridge in the following
consciousness. Receptivity requires a relaxation, terms:
a "letting go", and release of the power and con- ...it was oppressive. New ideas were treated
trol of the conscious mind. as guilty until proven innocent, and as soon
One of the most lucid descriptions and as I or anyone took off on a flight of specu-
explanations of receptivity is given by lation, the others opened fire. Shooting peo-
optometrist Jacob Liberman (1995), in his con- ple down is a favorite sport of academics,
cept of "open knowing."7 Liberman writes about and Cambridge is a free-fire zone.
the connection between quality of eyesight and (Sheldrake et al. 2001: preface, xix)
states of consciousness, and argues that there The idea of attack, defence and threat are
are other ways of knowing that incorporate seminal to the very nature of logic and modern
"receptivity." He writes: academia. de Bono (1986) describes the con-
When our (consciousness) field is open we frontational nature of Western "old style" think-
never have to think to know. The sponta- ing, where "two opposing ideas grow ever more
neous flow of receptivity and response rigid and fierce until they meet in a head-
requires no linear processing. In fact, think- on clash." (de Bono 1986: 36). The battle
ing hard will instantly cut it off. In compari- metaphors are obvious in de Bono's analysis:
son, linear thought appears shallow and "attack," "defense", "defenders," "head-on-clash",
almost mechanical. (Liberman 1995: 178) "triumph", and "subdued". Ideas are "rigid and
The contrasts with mechanistic representa- fierce" (ibid.), again characteristic of patriarchy
tions of "knowing" are notable. "Open thinking" and the mechanistic paradigm. The commonali-
is not a conscious, controlled, "linear" and "hard" ties with the dominator model (Eisler 2004) are
thinking process, but a "spontaneous flow" sug- equally apparent. In this system the ego sees
gesting the surrender of control by the con- opposing ideas as threats to its security.
scious mind. Liberman sees typical human Security lies in stability of worldview; as change,
thinking as "shallow and almost mechanical", chaos and uncertainty are unacceptable to the
suggesting that receptivity requires access to "control freak" ego. (Sheldrake et al. 2001)
the depths of the human psyche beyond the This domination, control and attacking
conscious ego and the rational mind. nature of the academic and scientific mind is
clearly incompatible with both the worldview
Receptivity is Incompatible with and cognitive processes associated with inte-
"Aggressive" Science grated intelligence. The receptive nature of inte-
The absence of the idea of receptivity in grated intelligence features a fluidity of bound-
mainstream consciousness theory can be aries and concepts, a tolerance for ambiguity
viewed as a function of the dominance of extro- and complimentarity (Bohm 1995), and a sur-
verted patriarchy, the latter of which is a con- render of control to a force greater than the
trol-fixated culture and worldview dominated individual self. Jacobson (1999) and Hawkins
by the tendency towards conquest and coloni- (2002), recount strong evidence of the latter, as
sation of "the other" (Sardar 1998) and the they recount deeply mystical states whereby all
"thrust" (Ross 1993: 32) of masculine force. conscious decision making is surrendered to a
The nature of science is itself aggressive, greater-than-conscious universal intelligence.
and stands opposed to the concept of receptivi-
36 ty. The scientific method and one of its found-
Integrated Intelligence and the Psycho-spiritual
moted the power of the upper classes in learning to be conscious and you do not
Europe. (Sardar, 1998: 204) believe anything you cannot see, touch or
Sardar follows Sandra Harding's argument measure. (Murinbata and Whitehead 2001)
that Western science was predicated upon Sardar (1998) states that one of the most
"European expansion, not as an epistemological notable developments of enlightenment sci-
cause of valid claims." (Sardar 1998: 205) ence was:
There are seminal parallels between the ...the notion that only that which could be
military mind and mechanistic consciousness: measured is real. While experimentation
the fear of death, fear of the "other" (enemy), and measurement were crucial parts of the
the need for control, and the desire to conquer, sciences of many non-western cultures°Kin
rape and destroy. Both are projections of patri- Europe they defined what was real and
archy, and of the fragmented mind. In turn what was unscientific or literally unintelligi-
patriarchy itself can be viewed as an extension ble. (Sardar 1998: 205)
of the dominator model. (Eisler 2004) To refer In the wake of the seemingly ineluctable
to Bacon's infamous words, mechanistic science hegemony of patriarchy and its colonising
attempted to "torture" the secrets from nature ethos, the subtle, spiritual and non-measurable
via reductionism and analysis; via the vivisec- phenomena within the universe have tended to
tion. (Sardar 1998) Each of these characteristics be excluded from mechanistic representations
of the military mind has been linked to modern of both consciousness and phenomena in gen-
science by various critics – death avoidance eral. Dossey (2000) echoes this theme when he
(Grof 1995, 2000; Reanney 1991); rigidity or states that: "when science confronts some mys-
hardness (de Bono 1986; Dossey 1999; Ross teries it turns tail and runs." (Dossey 2000: 16)
1993; Tart 1993); patriarchy (Capra 2001; Eisler de Bono (1986) writes that logical thinking sys-
2004; Ross 1993); need for power and control tems "cannot deal with vagueness, uncertainty,
(Eisler 2004; Sahtouris 1999; Sardar 1998); and and insecurity." (de Bono 1986: 129) de Bono
fear of the other. (Sardar 1998) The militaristic argues that judgment is an essential aspect of
and mechanistic nature of western science and the western way of thinking, which requires
civilisation are inherently incompatible with hard boundaries, and a "solidified" "YES/NO"
receptivity and integrated intelligence. cognitive process. (ibid.) Kosko (1994) echoes
this point, lamenting western academia's "black
The Rejection of the Invisible, and and white" thinking and incapacity to tolerate
Obsession with Measurement is a "fuzzy thinking".
Function of Control and the Need to Within such a way of knowing, the essen-
Consciously Know tially immeasurable and invisible world of intu-
Various critics have pointed to the mecha- itive and mystical experience can find no place.
nistic paradigm and Western culture's emphasis Phenomena which exhibit non-measurable
upon the measurable and empirical. (Murinbata aspects are reduced merely to that which is
& Whitehead 2001; Sahtouris 1999; Sardar readily compatible with this paradigm. Thus the
1998: 205; Wilber 2000a, 2000b, 2000c, 2001) interior worlds of "I" and "we" have been
Former indigenous hunter Murinbata reduced to "it" and "its". (Wilber 2000a) Having
(Murinbata & Whitehead 2001) finds that been rendered as "its" they can then be
Western cultures have an obsession with the colonised, and the illusion of control main-
empirical, at the expense of relationship, feel- tained.
ing, playfulness, and becoming "conscious". He
writes that Western sciences: The Patriarchic Basis of Mechanistic
...value object intelligence over social intel-
ligence and technology over the arts; you Science versus the Feminine and
teach your children the threes R's much too Receptive Nature of Integrated
young when they should be playing and Intelligence 39
Journal of Futures Studies
The Feminine Has Been Undervalued Lao Zi's Tao (Jiyu 1998; Zhengkun 1995) is
and Denied in History described as receptive, soft, yielding, and spon-
"The story of man" as Eisler (2004: 72) calls taneous. (Ross 1993:175-176) Other traditions
it, contains great inaccuracies and distortions and writers have also noted the feminine
because of its focus on male-dominated aspects of intuitive intelligence. (Broomfield
domains of History – economics and politics in 1997; Jung 1989; Nisker 1998; Pearsall 1999;
particular – and its ignoring of the "experiences, Rowan 1991; Wilber 2000c; Wilde 2000: 180-
situation, needs, problems, and aspirations of 181) Further, it has been well noted that a child-
the female half of humanity." (Eisler 2004: 72) like sense of playfulness is correlated with an
This story has extended into modern west- individuals' receptivity to psi phenomena.
ern science. Ross (1993) writes that "it was our (Ritchie 1992; Pearsall 1999) This contrasts sig-
fathers' energy which was the driving force nificantly with the carefully controlled, analytic,
behind the whole exploratory and exploitative meticulous processes of experimentation and
thrust of the scientific era." (Ross 1993: 32) Ross repeatability that define the "hard" sciences.
finds a correlation between the patriarchy of Pearsall (1999) finds a correlation between
Western culture and the attributes of the phal- heart-transplant patients' intuitive abilities
lus – externalized, specific, active and rigid. (including the capacity to sense ideas about
These can be contrasted to the qualities of the their heart donor) and "femininity". (Pearsall
female organ – internal, warm, and most 1999: 95-97) He suggests a fundamental differ-
notably, "receptive". (ibid.: 34) Sardar (2000) ence in the way that men and women process
argues that the very nature of science is inher- their thoughts, and live life in general. Male
ently patriarchal, and that "the focus upon quan- recipients tended to call their new heart "it",
titative measures, analysis of variation, imper- paralleling patriarchal science's creation of a uni-
sonal and excessively abstract conceptual verse of external "its" (Wilber 2000a), while
schemes, is both a distinctively masculine ten- women tended to call it "theirs". (ibid.) Pearsall
dency and also one that serves to hide its own suggests that men value independence and
gendered character." (Sardar 2000: 50) reject dependence, while women tend to
Wildman (1997) finds that western science accept inter-dependence. Pearsall thus specu-
does not acknowledge seeing (insight; gnosis); lates that women are more open to the intuitive
and relating (connecting; relatio, religion). connections that their new heart offers. (ibid.)
(Wildman 1997: 18) Wildman points out that Pearsall's argument adds further weight to the
modern science is exoteric, while seeing and popular belief that women are more intuitive
relating are esoteric or inner. Wildman suggests and "sensitive" than men.
that this development may be "a function of the In a significant parallel, parapsychologist
maleness/patriarchy of our knowledge systems", Susan Blackmore (2001) claims that sceptics of
because "men generally are separate creatures." psi phenomena are vastly over-represented by
(Wildman 1997: 18) male and patriarchal attitudes. (Blackmore
2001) This further suggests that males are
The "Feminine" Nature of Mysticism somehow less attuned or open to mystical and
subtle phenomena. McKenna (Sheldrake et al.
Chinese mystic Lao Zi asked some 2600 2001) sees the spiritual receptivity of women as
years ago: "When the Heavenly Gate opens and bringing them closer to the chaotic, the cre-
closes, / Can you play the part of the female?" ative, and the intuitive. This is because the lives
(quoted in Ross 1993: 174) The claim that mys- of women involve more "boundary dissolving",
tical insight and inspiration in general has femi- and feminine sexuality "involves the acceptance
nine properties is not new. Women's intuition is of penetration... (creating) an entirely different
an oft-quote concept, and it is popularly relationship to boundary than does the male
believed that women are more intuitive than need to fulfill the potential to penetrate."
40 men, while men are believed to be more overtly
rational. (Goleman 1998: 381-383)
(Sheldrake et al. 2001: 46-47)
Integrated Intelligence and the Psycho-spiritual
It may be inferred that the dissolution of saved. Now, lo and behold, an event has
boundaries, so crucial to the experience and come along that is positive... we are regain-
process of integrated intelligence, is part of the ing chaos for potential partnership with the
typical life experience of the female, while the wheel. Chaos and order. Chaos and
male's need for the externalised act of penetra- Cosmos. Chaos and the imagination.
tion, renders him less receptive to incoming, (Sheldrake et al. 2001: 45)
non-localised intuitions. The connection with Significantly love - banished along with
patriarchal science and its rejection of the soft compassion from the universe by the scientific
and the subtle, and the collapse of boundaries is revolution (Wilber 2001) - is posited as being
readily seen. incompatible with Marduk (too much law,
de Bono (1986) deconstructs "old style" order, and control). Chaos is seen as intricately
western thinking (the logical rationality that fol- linked with partnership and the imagination.
lowed in the wake of the ancient Greeks), which Abraham goes on to state:
he describes as insisting on "fixed concepts, cer- Chaos is intuitional. Chaos has a very flir-
tainties and absolutes" (de Bono 1986: 17), and tatious relationship with language. The
characterised by "arrogance", "smugness", "dog- process of creating a culture has to do with
matism" and "precision". (de Bono 1986) de how we relate to the seduction of chaos
Bono's critique suggests a cognitive process (which is) beyond prediction, and beyond
that is hard and inflexible. full, rational comprehension. (Sheldrake et
Thus a western science which predicates al.: 45)
its methods and ideology upon a patriarchal The metaphor of love is extended with the
need for control and power is a science clearly terms "relate", "flirtatious", and "seduction". It
at odds with the feminine and receptive nature suggests not only a strongly affective dimen-
of integrated intelligence. A civilisation which sion, but a bonding, an integration that is the
rejects or undervalues the feminine, the yield- antithesis of detachment, the observer and sub-
ing, insight and connection is a civilisation ject/object split within patriarchal/empirical sci-
which will undervalue or reject integrated intel- ence. Notably the process of creation (of cul-
ligence, as all four factors are central to the lat- ture), intertwined with chaos, is "beyond predic-
ter concept's cognitive modalities. tion" and "beyond full, rational comprehension."
It is thus beyond control, and beyond the con-
Patriarchy Obscures Insight and trol by knowing, colonisation and possession
Relationship that is central to mechanistic science.
Patriarchy and the colonial/military mind
which accompanies it, is incompatible with The Human Ego and Represent-
chaos and uncertainty, and thus with the femi- ations of Mind
nine nature of integrated intelligence. Biologist
Rupert Sheldrake (Sheldrake et al. 1998: 43-45) Modern Science and the Individual Ego
sees a profound connection with patriarchy's In the modern age consciousness has
suppression of chaos, and the feminine and become increasingly identified with the ego and
imaginative. Sheldrake suggests that: "chaos is the fragmented mind - Wilber's (2000a)
feminine, and creation out of chaos is like cre- interior/individual quadrant - and consciousness
ation out of the womb, an all-containing poten- theory has tended to depict this state as the
tiality emerging out of darkness." (Sheldrake et normal state of consciousness. At the conclu-
al. 2001: 40) Sheldrake's colleague Ralph sion of the BBC television series Brainstory (BBC
Abraham (ibid.) states that: 2001: episode 6) neurologist Susan Greenfield
Patriarchy has made chaos bad and it has contemplates the future of brain science:
made Marduk boss: the god of law and Whatever we learn about how the brain
order. We must reject this view of chaos so
that the planet and life and love can be
works, each one of us will continue to enjoy 41
Journal of Futures Studies
our own private world locked away inside Sardar (1998) argues that European sci-
our heads. I don't know that neuroscience ence, reflecting the imperatives of the ego, "had
will ever undermine what it means to be a to be shown to be separate from all other sci-
unique human individual. (ibid) ences and traditions – unique to Europe and a
Greenfield is reassured that the separated law unto itself." (Sardar 1998: 205) Western
state of the fragmented mind will not be threat- "egoic" consciousness (Ross 1993) set itself up
ened in the future. Privacy, and the fragmented to be separate and better than all other civilisa-
self, will remain "locked away" from the rest of tions and ways of knowing. Within "the iron
the universe, and thus safe. Greenfield's view is cage of materialism" people have become mere
an almost perfect representation of the western objects, losing touch with their feelings. (Ross
mechanistic worldview, with its insistence on 1993: 42) They have "become blind to the sub-
isolated Newtonian bits and pieces, on separa- tle levels of personal interactions." (ibid) The
tion, and on the primacy of the individual. The consequence is that the ego lives in separation
endeavors of both science and neuroscience, far and in a state of perceived threat from the envi-
from being ideally neutral, intimately reflect the ronment. This also leads to the fear of inner
presuppositions of the individualistic society worlds and the psyche. Ross argues that the
that has created them, continues to valorise modern obsession with germs and hygiene
their ideas and methods, and in which they con- stems from "our neglected need to deal with
tinue to be embedded. (Clarke 1989) It is the creepy crawlies in our own psyches." (ibid:
argued here that western science is largely driv- 43) The modern education system mirrors the
en by these individualistic imperatives of the ego-fixated imperatives of science and modern
fragmented ego. It is thus a science, and in turn western culture, where school students develop
a consciousness theory which remains identi- little awareness of their inner worlds or engage
fied with the needs, prejudices and limitations in meditative self-reflection (Targ & Katra 1999),
of the ego. and tertiary education has become increasingly
The connection between the development about credentialism (Guile 2003), prestige and
of a controlling and mechanistic science and the impressing others. (Loye 2004b)
human ego has been commented upon by vari- Ego-fixated consciousness is comfortable
ous critics (Clarke 1989; Grof 1985, 1995, 2000; with the mechanistic paradigm. The mechanis-
Murinbata & Whitehead 2001; Ross 1993; tic paradigm owes much of its success to its
Sahtouris 1999; Wilber 1999, 2000a, 2000b, having satisfied "ego-centered patriarchal opti-
2000c, 2001). Further evidence of the ego's grip mism", (Ross 1993: 42) Its "technological suc-
in the contemporary world in general comes cesses have blinded us to its limitations and
from this common theme within mystical provided substitute gratifications for the emo-
insight and transpersonal psychology. (Hawkins tional and spiritual deprivation which it engen-
1995: 75; Jung 1989; Reanney 1991; Sheldrake dered." (ibid: 33). By defining consciousness and
et al. 1998; Wilde 1993, 2000) self within the individual/exterior domain and
Reanney (1991) writes: denying the inner and collective (Wilber 2000a)
The present chaotic state of Western society - scientists, researchers and theorists can
is a direct result of the proliferation of these remain confident that they, and all of humanity,
personal, ego-self boundaries. This is why exist only as discrete entities, knowable and
life in the affluent West is full of limits and controllable via immediate sensory codification.
littlenesses, of barriers and of greed. Our Modernity's mechanistic universe is a universe
religious life is full of sect, our social life of "out there", appropriately made of bits and
class distinctions, our psychological life of pieces that can be analysed, dissected, and con-
prejudice. Each of these things is a limita- trolled. In this sense it is attractive to the ego's
tion, a narrowing of vision... (Reanney need for control and power.
1991: 171)
42
Integrated Intelligence and the Psycho-spiritual
Science and the Imperatives of Ego de Bono (1986) also points out that the
The argument that contemporary science very nature of logic, so much a part of western
is dominated by ego-centered consciousness science and philosophy in the wake of the
becomes more tenable when biographical ancient Greeks and the Renaissance philoso-
details of the lives of scientists residing within phers, inevitably leads to "smugness" and "arro-
the mechanistic paradigm are revealed. Whilst a gance". (de Bono 1986: 32) The "YES/NO" foun-
popular depiction of scientists is of impassion- dations of logic entail the "duty to impose your
ate and objective devotees of truth, a deeper idea on someone else". (ibid.) Logic and strict
examination reveals various lives of ego-cen- instrumental rationality tend to solidify ego
tered ambition and almost manic drive for suc- boundaries and the need to be right, thus per-
cess and fame. Dossey (2000) describes modern petuating the separateness of fragmented con-
science as "sanctimonious and self-righteous." sciousness.
Newton, considered the father of modern sci- It is not the intention here to vilify science
ence, was an overly sensitive, almost paranoid and scientists as a whole, but simply to point
individual prone to decades-long petty quarrels out that the human ego and individualism have
with his intellectual rivals. (Hawking 2003) Crick long played a significant role in the practice of
and Watson, credited with the discovery of the modern science, embedded as it is within a
DNA sequence, were "ambitious and arrogant." western culture that mirrors and valorises just
(Jardine 2000: 356) The entire race to unveil the such qualities. (Clarke 1989) In turn, it has been
DNA molecule was marked by "brash remarks, argued here that western society is reflective of
rash promises of success, mistakes hastily with- a stage of evolutionary consciousness that is
drawn and reworked, personality clashes that predicated upon the drives of the ego and the
hinder breakthroughs and glittering prizes for a fragmented mind.
few at the end of the day." (ibid: 356-357)
Dossey (2000) describes Dawkins' selfish gene The Mechanistic and Materialistic
theory as a classic case of "anthropomorphic Worldview Is Rooted in Fear of Birth
projection", implying that it is Dawkins and the and Death
scientists who are selfish and self-serving. It is the fear of birth and death that are the
Contemporary science is heavily influenced greatest fear of the fragmented ego. (Grof 1995;
by the fragmented ego, and the ego games Wilber 1999; 2001: 116-117) Wilber (1999,
played by scientists within the institutions that 2001) refers to the imperative of the ego to
seemingly necessitate such an attitude. Loye deny death, and perpetuate its separated, self-
(2004b) echoes this point when he claims that fixated worldview as "the Atman project".
contemporary mainstream science is charac- (Wilber 1999, 2001: 116-117) Wilber follows the
terised by the following attitude: eastern mystical worldview in using the
Do good for yourself by dazzling people metaphors of the ripple (the ego) and the ocean
with complexity, obscurity, and/or the (universal consciousnesses) to explicate this
regressive ideology of your status quo theo- argument.
rizing and you will gain a doctorate, grants, Since all it wants is the infinite, but since it
good book contracts, and increasing power is terrified of accepting the necessary death,
in the academic hierarchy. (Loye 2004b: it goes about seeking infinity in ways that
254) prevent it. Since the ripple wants release
The game is thus to solidify the separation and is afraid of it at the same time, it
of ego boundaries ("for yourself"), to impress arranges a compromise and a substitute.
others ("dazzle" them), via the obscurity of pro- Instead of finding actual Godhead, the rip-
lix intellectualism ("theorizing"). This creates a ple pretends itself to be god, cosmoscentric,
context for de Bono's unflattering description of heroic, all-sufficient, immortal. This is not
only the beginning of narcissism and the
universities as "irrelevant centres of mental mas-
turbation." (de Bono 1986: 16) battle of life against death, it is a reduced or 43
Journal of Futures Studies
then creates limited, fragmented representa- tive, meditative and transpersonal tools.
tions of mind which reflect that propensity, and 5. Wilber (2001) sees the proponents of the
engages in the discourses of modernity and New Age movement as predominantly pre-
post modernity with an implicitly self-perpetuat- rational addicts of "narcissistic regression and
ing, self-limiting representation of mind, self-centric fixation." (Wilber, 2001: 194)
employing rational/empirical ways of knowing Wilber finds that the movement contains a
minority of individuals with an understand-
which maintain the entire status quo. ing of genuine transrational experience, sug-
Thus it is that reductionist and mechanistic gesting the need for caution in regard to the
representations of consciousness have assumed utilisation of these texts.
a privileged position in the modern world, and 6. For a general introduction to this, see Dossey
the mechanistic nature of consciousness has (2001); Gebser (1985); Hawkins (2002);
come to be a given within our images of the Kennedy (2003); Ritchie (1992); Targ and
mind. The silencing of the "others" (other repre- Katra (1999); and Wilber (2000a, 2000b).
sentations of mind, other ways of knowing, 7. Note: Liberman's is a type six "new age" text.
other ways of being) represents an important Like all such texts his "research" cannot be
awareness if we are to envisage a more com- considered scientific, being highly anecdotal
plete map of the human mind and of our and based upon personal mystical experi-
ence. Yet it is worthy of cautious inclusion as
futures. it typifies many of the components of "recep-
tivity".
Correspondence
Marcus Anthony References
University of the Sunshine Coast Anthony, M. 2005. "Education For Transfor-
Maroochydore, QLD, Australia. mation: Integrated Intelligence in the
Email: m_a004@student.usc.edu.au Knowledge Society and Beyond." Journal
of Futures Studies 9(3): 31-46.
Notes BBC Worldwide. 2001. Brainstory. BBC televi-
sion series.
1. The state of separation of the individual from Ben-Zeev, T., and J. Star. 2001. "Intuitive
universal and integrated intelligence shall be Mathematics: Theoretical and Educa-
referred to as "the fragmented mind." tional Implications." In B. Torff & R.
2. See Anthony (2004) for a more detailed defi- Strenberg (eds.) Understanding and
nition. Teaching the Intuitive Mind. Mahwah:
3. Wilber (2000c) argues that indigenous cul- LEA Books.
tures hold not a transpersonal, but a preper- Bishop, S. 1995. Chinese Thought: An
sonal, undifferentiated level of consciousness Introduction. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass
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