The four primal aspects (of the Mother) may become integrated into the program of science and technology

Re: Post Human Variations by Richard Carlson Rich Fri 26 Jan 2007 11:30 AM PST

I should add here that it is not my intention to suggest that IY is Luddite in orientation. In fact the reason why I mention that both Sri Aurobindo and Mother -although they knew its limitations - had great respect for the scientific enterprise and acknowledge that it would play a role in the future evolution of the species.

I have in this article attempted to make a distinction between the world view which sees human as patterns of information and Sri Aurobindo's assertion that it is the material instantiation of humanity and its transformation which is the real issue being worked our in evolution.The view of humanity as mere computational process although in itself maybe an accurate account of the action of prakriti - and I had a conversation with Peter Heehs to this effect e.g. that the regime of computation may provide descriptions which accurately express the working of prakriti which is largely mechanical - but it certainly does not account for the action of Purusha in the world and especially is at odds with the goals of IY which seeks to transform our material instantiation by action of the supramental purusha..The world view which flows from accounts of life as mere patterns of information or computational processes actually are metaphysical assertion themselves, which then become accepted as the doxa of a wider secular global culture. Hayles, Kroker and others properly deconstruct these metaphysical tendencies of technicity. However,I would like to begin a reconstructive attempt toexplore and possibly suggest ways in which science and technology are working in the world to facilitate Sri Aurobindo's action.

My first inclination is to suggest that that 'intention" of the scientific enterprise is a key factor in determining whether its is at odds or facilitates the goals of IY. However science does have unintended consequences so one has to keep this in mind as well. In fact one has to use the utmost caution in parsing the semiotics of the future under the sign of science and technology. But the attempt may be a useful corrective to an uncritical acceptance of globalization and technology as demonstrations of the Human Unity Sri Aurobindo envisages.

In addition Deshpande has provided a much needed suggestion in that we may start by attempting to discern how the four primal aspects (of the Mother) may become integrated into the program of science and technology.

In other words one can certainly see Mahasaraswati dancing through technology but are her powers integrated with those of Maha- lakshmi (compassion) Mahakali (power) and Maheshwari (wisdom)? Can we discern patterns in their development and deployment which would indicate their harmonious action in the world?This may perhaps be the central point to keep in mind when attempting a reconstruction of techno-culture in light of IY rich

Rich Fri 26 Jan 2007 07:54 PM PST perhaps Savitri could better background our iy/scifi ....

Re: Post Human Variations ('Imaginary' vs. 'Imaginal') rjon Fri 26 Jan 2007 02:48 PM PST
Here's a question for you Rich. Imagine a future world which at first glance looks like a version of a beautiful "Garden of Eden." Buildings, cars, factories, shopping malls, and all other exterior aspects of industrialization and technology have mostly disappeared; there is only a diverse and beautiful Nature in dynamic ecological balance. Humans frolic in this splendor in perfect health, long lives, plentiful and ever-evolving art, theater, music, and especially spirituality.

Collaboration has replaced strife. A closer look reveals that this idyllic scenario is in fact supported by omnipresent technology, but invisible in its nano forms. It's embedded everywhere in our bodies and in Nature. It empowers our immune systems so we never get sick, old age is vanquished, and ecosystems are coordinated via supercomputer modeling. Each of us, via our embedded nano-tech, can be immersed at will in hi-res interaction with our friends and colleagues irregardless of their location. And we can travel instantly via hyper-dimensional doorways to be with them anywhere in our physical embodiments.

Commodification in the form of physical products is minimal, because we've grown beyond that. We're more into shared experiences, in ever more creative forms, and there's a vast global commerce in novel artistic / musical / sensory / contemplative experiences, created mostly by individuals and small collaborative teams. There's no need of vast commercial enterprises or empires to mediate all this, we can do that ourselves via our internalized hypernets. Crucially, even the transcendent experiences of gnostics and perhaps even Avatars can now be shared immersively and multi-sensorily via the hypernet. You get the point. So which is my scenario? Is it samsaric imagination "imaginito phantastica" V1 or intuitive/creative imagination V2, — "mundus imaginalis" as Henri Corbin puts it in his compelling essay you reference? In Corbin's words, is it "imaginary" or "imaginal"? — Have we disappeared into technology, or has it disappeared into us?