THE CONSCIOUS EVOLUTION OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION
Evolutionary dynamics suggest a spirit of inquiry and mindfulness in the way we approach what we're doing, so the book itself is a practice of what I'm writing about. It is an effort to paint a tentative vision of the emerging field of conscious evolution that is more inclusive than previously available -- one of many such visions that will continue to co-evolve.
PART I - THE OPPORTUNITY
1. Breakdown and breakthrough: How does the evolutionary perspective enhance our ability to embrace and address our collective situation?
2. The Big Bang and stardust: What stories does the evolutionary perspective tell about who we are and what we are doing here?
3. Evolutionary dynamics : What patterns and processes have been unconsciously generating evolution for the last 13.7 billion years?
4. Evolution waking up: In what ways are we bringing consciousness to the once-automatic dynamics of evolution?
Including the conscious use of crises as opportunity, bringing us back to Ch 1
PART II - THE UNFOLDING STORY
5. How has interaction evolved and where is it heading?
From gravity and electromagnetism to ecological interactions to war to conversation
6. How have entities and systems evolved where are they heading?
From elementary particles to atoms and molecules, to stars and galaxies, to organisms and ecosystems, to corporations and societies….
7. How have tools evolved and where is that evolution heading?
Tools as extensions of organisms and their consciousness -- to expand and empower perception, reflection, action -- from hands and wings, to arrows and language, to printing presses and microscopes, to computers and the Internet.
8. How have contexts evolved and where is the evolution of contexts heading?
From force fields and biological niches, to cultures and languages, to histories and memories, to dreams and intentions, to families and conferences.
9. How has consciousness evolved and where is it heading?
What is included in this idea of "consciousness"? From microbes sensing to mental models predicting to the phenomenon of collective intelligence.
10. How have social systems evolved and where are they heading?
What are social systems? The role of systems in moving from individual part to collective whole. The increasing complexity of social systems -- from swarms and pheromones, to tribes and taboos, to religion and laws, to highways and money, to constitutions and town meetings. The need to leap to systems that constitute a self-aware, self-organizing global organism.
PART III - THE CALLING
11. Prophetic inquiry: What does this all mean for us?
Exploring the various perspectives on "conscious evolution" that are part of the emerging movement. The focus of this book on social systems evolution, as part of that.
12. Areas of shift: What are useful evolutionary acupuncture points to change social systems?
Societal intelligence capacity. Individual systemic awareness. Nature-friendly technologies. Sustainable self-organizing economic systems. Regulating behavior of parts so they support the health of the whole. Etc.
13. Evolutionary means: How do evolutionary dynamics inform our lives and change practices?
Conversation, community, networks, possibilities, and more. Strategic conversations. Self-organizing networks. Possibility and appreciative thinking. Positive use of crises. Inclusivity. Evolutionary spirituality. Etc.
PART IV - ACTIVATION
14. Evolutionary agentry: How do we BE conscious evolution?
A different kind of activism, moving from amelioration and adversarial advocacy to facilitating evolutionary initiatives to seeing ourselves as being a conscious manifestation of evolutionary unfolding. The evolution of compassion.
15. What would a movement for the conscious evolution of social systems look like?
The nature of the movement -- both what exists now and what can emerge. Shared Inquiries. Collective self-evolution and self-organization, following the energies of our context and the callings within us, and shaping them together. Co-education and support. Networked local groups. Includes (and possibly begins with) an imagineering story: How are we becoming conscious evolution of increasingly conscious social systems?
INTRODUCTION
Evolutionary dynamics suggest a spirit of inquiry and mindfulness in the way we approach what we're doing, so the book itself is a practice of what I'm writing about. It is an effort to paint a tentative vision of the emerging field of conscious evolution that is more inclusive than previously available -- one of many such visions that will continue to co-evolve.
PART I - THE OPPORTUNITY
1. Breakdown and breakthrough: How does the evolutionary perspective enhance our ability to embrace and address our collective situation?
2. The Big Bang and stardust: What stories does the evolutionary perspective tell about who we are and what we are doing here?
3. Evolutionary dynamics : What patterns and processes have been unconsciously generating evolution for the last 13.7 billion years?
4. Evolution waking up: In what ways are we bringing consciousness to the once-automatic dynamics of evolution?
Including the conscious use of crises as opportunity, bringing us back to Ch 1
PART II - THE UNFOLDING STORY
5. How has interaction evolved and where is it heading?
From gravity and electromagnetism to ecological interactions to war to conversation
6. How have entities and systems evolved where are they heading?
From elementary particles to atoms and molecules, to stars and galaxies, to organisms and ecosystems, to corporations and societies….
7. How have tools evolved and where is that evolution heading?
Tools as extensions of organisms and their consciousness -- to expand and empower perception, reflection, action -- from hands and wings, to arrows and language, to printing presses and microscopes, to computers and the Internet.
8. How have contexts evolved and where is the evolution of contexts heading?
From force fields and biological niches, to cultures and languages, to histories and memories, to dreams and intentions, to families and conferences.
9. How has consciousness evolved and where is it heading?
What is included in this idea of "consciousness"? From microbes sensing to mental models predicting to the phenomenon of collective intelligence.
10. How have social systems evolved and where are they heading?
What are social systems? The role of systems in moving from individual part to collective whole. The increasing complexity of social systems -- from swarms and pheromones, to tribes and taboos, to religion and laws, to highways and money, to constitutions and town meetings. The need to leap to systems that constitute a self-aware, self-organizing global organism.
PART III - THE CALLING
11. Prophetic inquiry: What does this all mean for us?
Exploring the various perspectives on "conscious evolution" that are part of the emerging movement. The focus of this book on social systems evolution, as part of that.
12. Areas of shift: What are useful evolutionary acupuncture points to change social systems?
Societal intelligence capacity. Individual systemic awareness. Nature-friendly technologies. Sustainable self-organizing economic systems. Regulating behavior of parts so they support the health of the whole. Etc.
13. Evolutionary means: How do evolutionary dynamics inform our lives and change practices?
Conversation, community, networks, possibilities, and more. Strategic conversations. Self-organizing networks. Possibility and appreciative thinking. Positive use of crises. Inclusivity. Evolutionary spirituality. Etc.
PART IV - ACTIVATION
14. Evolutionary agentry: How do we BE conscious evolution?
A different kind of activism, moving from amelioration and adversarial advocacy to facilitating evolutionary initiatives to seeing ourselves as being a conscious manifestation of evolutionary unfolding. The evolution of compassion.
15. What would a movement for the conscious evolution of social systems look like?
The nature of the movement -- both what exists now and what can emerge. Shared Inquiries. Collective self-evolution and self-organization, following the energies of our context and the callings within us, and shaping them together. Co-education and support. Networked local groups. Includes (and possibly begins with) an imagineering story: How are we becoming conscious evolution of increasingly conscious social systems?
