To: K-list
Recieved: 2001/01/08 17:17
Subject: Re: [K-list] Re: Is Evolution Catching? - Samantha + Mystress
From: Bestpoet
On 2001/01/08 17:17, Bestpoet posted thus to the K-list:
In a message dated 01/08/2001 3:44:51 PM Eastern Standard Time,
samanthaATnospamobjectent.com writes:
<< WOW! Thank you for the most interesting and tantalizing account of
extracting memories from DNA. Although I had thought that Lamarckism,
that learned experience can/be is inherited, was pretty much discredited
it would appear that not all the evidence has been considered. >>
This is a great thread. I've enjoyed reading it.
Years ago I was an anthropology major, and I seem to recall that Lamarckism
dealt with grosser physical characteristics, not issues of consciousness or
conscious behavior. Maybe I'm not remembering something. Of course, as you
point out, Lamarck and Darwin didn't have the benefit of genealoical research
to work with.
I lurk on the Quantum Mind list, which is basically a bunch of physicists and
philosophers who discuss the nature of consciousness, and it seems pretty
clear to me that, like space, consciousness is a frontier we know little
about, on the scientific level at least. A lot of their discussion is over my
head, but it's interesting to watch scientists discuss this issue, while
people here on this list seem to have first hand experience of some of what
eludes Quantum Mind. (I'm not k-awakened, so I'm just witnessing all these
discussions.)
I'm reminded of the early anatomists (as reported by Michel Foucault in "The
Birth of the Clinic") who thought those skinny little gray strings were
virtually useless in the body. Turns out, those little strings they so
confidently flung aside were nerves.
Also, "Molecules of Emotion" by Candace B. Pert, who was instrumental in the
discovery of the opiate receptors in the brain (one of the first receptors to
be discovered I think), is a great book about neurotransmitters and how our
emotions interact with them. An obvious example is blushing. Just another
step, in my intermittently educated opinion, of how our spiritual, emotional,
physical, intellectual bodies are all integrated in ways that are just
beginning to come to light.
Another great book I highly recommend is "Integral Psychology" by Ken Wilber.
Wilber is a highly respected philosopher who has widened the scope of
psychological development to include stages of what this list would call
k-awakened consciousness -- non-dualism. He has some very interesting things
to say about the movement of premodernism (basically the ancient spiritual
teachers), modernism and postmodernism.
Briefly, he says that the gift of modernism was that it allowed the
differentiation of aesthetics (art/beauty), morals (religion) and science.
The nightmare of modernism is that science subsumed the other two and
discredited them. He is speaking of the spiritual teachers who knew about and
had attained non-dual consciousness (a k-awakened state, as I read him), not
organized religion per se.
As a person who was deeply concerned with the postmodern eclipse of the
subject, I find this very interesting. Because it was such a dark vision, but
now I see the possibility of light.
In his view, postmodernism has yet to achieve it's promise. It's been
derailed by killing off the subject, but it's the subject as formulated by
modernism that's really dead. Postmodernism's real task is to reintegrate
aesthetics, morals and science in such a way as to include the entire
consciousness potential. It's quite detailed and a very convincing read (a
lot of which is in the footnotes, which for some reason annoys me--guess I
like everything in larger type these days of post-40 eyes).
And lastly, in the same spirit, is Anne Carolyn Klein's "Meeting the Great
Bliss Queen: The Art of Self". She weaves feminism, postmodernism and
Buddhism together for a mindful methodology of constructing a self, now that
the self of modernism (the Enlightenment) is dead. Very readable and
informative book.
If anyone knows of any other books along these lines, please let me know.
It's so exciting, and I'm actually beginning to believe we humans may REALLY
be in the stages of evolving our psychological/spiritual beings as a species
(or several species as the case may be). Not that we don't need more physical
evolution too. Like, where's that third hand we need for drinking tea now
that we need two hands to type on the computer? And though I fear the tail
will never return, it would sure come in "handy" whilst trying to cling to
the subway bars during rush hour. And what about a third set of teeth?
Barg
http://www.kundalini-gateway.org
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