Chuan And Fenn

The Fleet Of Stars, 14. 

Chuan claims that what Fenn calls progress is the opposite because it is both dangerous and archaistic:

"'Our proper future, our true evolution, lies in the growth of intellect, consciousness, spirit.'" (p. 172)

Fenn replies that this:

"'Seems kind of overblown...'" (ibid.)

Chuan responds that it makes sense of a universe otherwise "'...without rhyme or reason...'" (ibid.)

I would say slow down, both! Some people have - not always but for a very long time - grown intellect in universities and spirit in monasteries. That should continue. But no one should lay down that it is "our" future and evolution - for everyone. Why legislate like that? I once told a guy why I had stopped drinking and he thought that I was telling him to stop drinking. 

Fenn should say not that science, philosophy and spirituality are overblown but that they are necessary and that those who want to do them should, just as others should expand human horizons in the ways that he plans to. This really does seem to be an unnecessary conflict that they are getting into.

All consciousness makes sense of an otherwise unconscious universe. Conscious organisms experience aspects of this universe which otherwise would not be experienced or known.

One energy

With many changing forms

Builds complicated ordered patterns of itself

On different psychophysical levels

And spatiotemporal scales

And becomes conscious of itself

Whose body is the universe

Whose sense organs are living beings.