Evolution of Consciousness

Evolution of Consciousness

Darwin advocated the theory of evolution in trying to explain the existence of all organisms. He explained that all organisms have their origin from simple to complex living organisms. This same idea can be told of our very own consciousness. The current state of the human consciousness is very complex and at a very advanced stage. Incorporating Darwin’s theory on this topic implies that the consciousness indeed has evolved and is evolving from simple into the complex and advanced states they are currently at. This goes on to justify that indeed the current states of consciousness are not the optimal levels but are still in continual evolution.

The evolution of the human consciousness results in a paradigm shift. This refers to a radical change in mentality and the way man views reality. A good example is the paradigm shift that occurred after the realizations of the cosmologies presented by Copernicus, Galileo and Newton between the seventeenth and eighteenth century. This changed the way people thought and the way they viewed reality. Man was bombarded with the undisputed reality that the earth was not flat and the earth was not the centre of the universe but was revolving along with other cosmos. Other facts that have changed the way man views reality is the universal law of gravitational pull and motion that are dictated by other cosmic bodies (Robert, 1988).

These new ideas and mentalities created new intelligentsias. It broadened the way people thought and formed new thought pattern based upon the secular scientific and technical expertise. There is popular quote that Alexander pope made concerning Newton. The comment highlighted that before Newton was, man had plunged into darkness, but after he was, man came to find the light. This showed that the discoveries shone light on the knowledge and consciousness of man at that time resulting into a paradigm shift. This is one of evidences of the evolution of the human conscience. People started believing in secular scientific and technical expertise (Colin, 1992).

In the past, people used to believe in dogma and the religious theologians and philosophers were highly esteemed by the society. After the advancements in science, the society had a change in conscience and now relied upon scientific facts to accept any ideologies. This led to religious theologians and philosophers to loose their prominence and intellectual status. The thought pattern of the society has been constantly changing. This is seen in the shift from the past belief that history is static to the now modern belief that history is indeed linear. The society now belies in a linear history where the society is moving from darkness and approaching towards enlightenment. This movement is no longer being advanced by the church alone as in the pat but is now being propagated by secular scientific.

The world currently has been experiencing smaller but constant paradigm shifts. This has been brought about by the overwhelming increase in knowledge that id present in the current society. The advanced means of transport and communication has enhanced interaction between communities across the world leading to exchanges in ideas, cultures and beliefs. This is evident in the change in cultural beliefs and characteristics. The modern world is now evidenced by more acceptance and liberalism. It can be seen that there are more intercultural acceptances than there were in the past. Incidents of racism, nepotism and other forms of negative ethnicity although still present, they have diminished considerably with time. Nations like America are now experiencing interracial marriages something that was impossible in the past. The general sense of hate for certain communities in nations like Germany is slowly decreasing (Michael, 2001).

Other discoveries that have brought about lesser paradigm shifts in the modern world are the discoveries made by Albert Einstein regarding quantum theory and the evolution theory by Charles Darwin. This has revolutionized the way the society perceives life and the cosmos. Many a persons have shifted from the originally accepted creation theory that had strong religious support to the evolution theory. The atomic effects of materials can now be better analyzed after these great scientific advancements. The atomic theory has also changed the way the society views war. This has been mainly because of the manufacture of the atomic bomb. During a nuclear warfare, there are no winners or losers because the firepower contained in these powers is devastating. Whenever two or more nations that are endowed with nuclear firepower engage in warfare, the damage left behind is devastating for all the nations. There has also been the introduction of Freudian psychology that has ended up changing how the society views human sexuality (Cole, 2001).

The movement into total enlightment and the attainment of a perfect world has however met certain drawbacks. This is through the increase in wars and rumors of wars. In the past few centuries, the world has experienced the most alarming wars and atrocities than ever before. There has been the French revolution; this was followed by the holocaust where millions lost their lives. This was later compounded by the first and second world wars that ended with the introduction of nuclear firepower in warfare. Currently, there have been the growing security concerns on terrorism and the counter wars on terrorism. This inhuman acts have however retrogressed the society’s achievement of enlightment and hence a utopian society.

It is evidenced that they way a person thinks is constantly changing or in this case evolving. The evolution of an individual’s way of thinking and consciousness is determined by how he views reality. This means that ones attitudes, perceptions, and assumptions of reality form the basis of an individual’s state of consciousness or way of thought. Research has realized that if one has a more liberal approach to ones spirituality with a mind free of preset mindsets and an open heart  and will, is bound to have the person experience a paradigm shift in the way the individual views self and reality. This shows that a person’s consciousness is evolved whenever the individual has a more profound insight concerning ones beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and assumptions.

Research shows that an individual’s consciousness evolves organically over a given period. The evolution of ones consciousness is constantly occurring over ones lifetime. There are however stages that are known to exhibit radical evolution. These stages include the puberty stage, the twenties, and ones old ages being from the ages of sixty. The later is however variant with time. The evolution in ones consciousness is mainly because of the continual evolution of ones perceptions, experiences and the worldview. This evolution is however not directly proportional to ones advancement of years. It is possible to have a younger individual with a more evolved mental capacity than an older counterpart. This shows that ones efforts in trying to learn more and get more experiences enable one to have a more profound knowledge and an insightful worldview.

There has been a constant evolution in man’s spirituality with time. This is through the constant evolution in the various religious affiliations and movements. In the past, the Roman Catholic Church was the main Christian church with its influence felt all over Europe and other parts like southern America. The church formed the government and even led in the wars. Over time, there has been gradual evolution in the theological perceptions and teachings. The Roman Catholic Church has disintegrated into smaller factions over time. The United Kingdom severed itself from the church and declared a complete separation between the church and state. The influence of Islam has spread throughout the world at a very high rate (Bohm, 1980).

The evolution of consciousness is more prominent in individuals who tend to develop a more liberal approach to the mysteries of life. This means that ones thoughts and perceptions are not boxed or restricted by certain belief systems. The individual tends to have a belief that the universe exists in harmony under the influence of an order that is still a mystery to many and cannot be comprehended. This approach to life enables one to take in the mysteries of life and determines how one perceives spiritual phenomenon. The spiritual phenomena are usually beyond the realm of any human experience and intellectual capacity.

Persons who also naturally have or develop an inquisitive attitude to the different phenomena and mysteries that one encounters in life are bound to exhibit a more evolved consciousness. The constant questioning of life’s meaning, purpose, and direction leads one to have profound knowledge and advances his experiences in life. This is because one tends to develop the thought that all life’s phenomena are interconnected and that ones life is both meaningful and has a purpose. This heightens ones spirituality by realizing that there are higher priorities to life than the normal humanistic pursuits of materialism.

Man is headed towards optimal liberalism in the realms of evolution of consciousness. The current worldviews are changing and the society is beginning to be more liberal than ever. In the past few years, we have encountered radical changes in the societal system. Ideologies and principalities that were abhorred in the past are now being slowly but gradually being accepted in the world’s society. In the past, gays and lesbians were abhorred by the society. Currently, there have been states that have not only legalized and protected homosexuality, but have continued to legalize their marriages. The information explosion because of the introduction of the internet and the establishment of social sites has led to the interaction of individuals across the world. This tends to change ones thought pattern by not having a local view but having and more expanded worldview (Zukav, 2001).

References

Bohm, D. (1980). Wholeness and the Implicate Order. London, UK: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Cole, K.C. (2001). The Hole in the Universe. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc.

Colin, A. (1992). Mental Content and Evolutionary Explanation. Biology and Philosophy. Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica.

Michael, A. Arbib (2001). Co-Evolution of Human Consciousness and Language. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York: Harcourt, Inc.

Robert, A. (1988). Scientific Revolution and the Evolution of Consciousness. World Futures. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Zukav, G. (2001). The Dancing Wu-Li Masters. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

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