See Gaeanity V.
"'Some faiths, most notably in Hinja, have maintained from time immemorial that existence has a fundamental unity.'" (p. 74)
Yes, all of existence, not just one planet.
"'The brain that humanity has provided life with is primitive.'" (ibid.)
We are the self-conscious, thinking part of life but as such we, individually and collectively, decide and lead. We do not "'...serve the supreme organism...'" (ibid.)
"'Intelligence went horribly astray in the Age of Plenty, when a recklessly exploitative industrial civilization degraded the biosphere and could have destroyed it, like a cancer destroying a man.'" (ibid.)
In James Blish's and Norman L. Knight's A Torrent Of Faces, the Age of Plenty is the Age of Waste.
"Cancer," like "fever" and "Judgment," is a powerful metaphor.
11 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Again, I would have argued with this Gaean and stressed I did not believe in any kind of belief stating that existence, as such, has a fundamental "unity" in any pantheistic sense. An idea which is patently false.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
The universe is one single field of energy. Every particle and quantum interacts with every other.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
But that universe we live in is not a BEING, and we are not parts or bits of some kind of pantheistic god.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I think it is sufficient to say that we are the self-consciousness of being, not a being. This position is monism. If being is divine, then monism is pantheist. If being is material, then monism is materialist. But, remember, philosophically, "matter" is just that which exists independently of consciousness. It is dynamic, creative energy, not mere mechanically interacting particles.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
No, we are self conscious beings living in a universe we know is other than us. So I agree that "matter" exists independently of us. And I don't think simple matter can be dynamic and creative, when all that a duck tries to do is to avoid being eaten while also striving to reroduce.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Self is recognized as such only by contrast with other so the One must appear to Itself as other before realizing Its identity.
Paul.
Sean,
If "simple matter" means inert masses, I agree. But energy is creative. It exploded to become the universe and particle-antiparticle pairs are created in vacuum.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I meant both, because I'm not sure it's correct to say energy is "creative," because that seems to imply at least a degree of volition and consciousness.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I was aware while writing it that "creative" suggests consciousness which I did not intend. But we do speak of particles and anti-particles being created and mutually annihilating. Energy is dynamic and does, through quantum events, the Big Bang and qualitative transformations, generate novelty.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That I can agree with. Albeit, to say that particles and antiparticles are being created and annihilated leads to questions on how such things can happen. It might even lead to thoughts about a creator or Creator.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But scientists keep asking empirically testable questions. They never stop just with a theological hypothesis.
Paul.
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