Evolutionary Pathways in an Unfolding Universe
Contents
Foreword
By the dawn of the 21st century, humankind has made remarkable strides in unravelling both the secrets of the minute constituents of matter and the mysteries of colossal galaxies in the vast expanse of the universe. Rapid advances in the biological sciences, in particular in the fields of molecular biology and genetics, have brought insights into the working of living organisms and disclosed many secrets of life itself. The mutual interplay of science and technology has revolutionized our way of living and reduced our planet to a ‘global village’.
Still, as the billions of people across the world are brought ever closer together in a very short span of time by sweeping changes out of their control, the world has become a stage for ethnic, racial, political, economic, and ideological conflict, and subject to an ever-deepening anguish and despair.
If we are ever to be free from our present predicament and achieve a peaceful and just global civilization, we need both a common understanding of our past and a united vision for the future. Such understanding and vision demand a philosophical basis or worldview that is in agreement with our scientific knowledge and in accordance with the facts of history and the aspirations and deeper shared experiences of mankind as a whole.
This presentation is not intended to provide solutions to the ever-compounding problems of today’s world. It aims, rather, to present a conceptual view of the world that can reconcile science with our intuitive perceptions, and with the many inner convictions of the diverse peoples of the world. It is hoped that this conceptual worldview may help to narrow some of the ideological differences that have polarized our world today and kept us from achieving a peaceful global society.
As with the unfolding of the physical universe, the social evolution of humankind will move forward and unfold. The forces of history will bring us together and a global civilization will dawn, a civilization that seeks to bring to fulfillment the infinite human potentialities within every member of the human society. …
- Introduction
- A review of evolutionary processes
- Advancement in science and our conceptual worldview
- Systems and processes in an unfolding universe
- Unfolding social order and emergence of a world civilization