Beyond science -- the search for new thinking?

End of Science: the death knell as sounded by the Royal Society (Part #6)

Is it then to be expected that there will be an evolution in cognitive capacity "beyond science" in quest of the "new thinking" for which many plead? Clearly scientific methodology, and the educational processes favoured by the Royal Society, are not equipped to engender such new thinking. Indeed, just as science is locked into a particular theory of "evolution" it might be argued that it is locked into a particular understanding of its own evolution -- again a form of methodological darwinism, but with no sense of what the future may bring. Such thinking even precludes the kinds of surprising advances in understanding for which science purports to seek

Is it possible to envisage a cognitive modality "beyond science"? Or is the current scientific method to be understood as holding until the end of time? How might such a new modality be framed, if only speculatively? Where might one look for reflection on such matters -- given that science alone cannot be expected to engender it?

One approach is to consider the process that the Royal Society has made evident through so clearly sounding the death knell of science. Science emerged in response to restrictive cognitive patterns exhibited by religion -- exemplified by the Declaration of Paris of 1210. Science has gone through a complete cycle to the point of implementing the excommunication specifically identified in that Declaration -- a cycle of 798 years. In so doing it has effectively gone through a process of enantiodromia, taking on the characteristics of that which it originally opposed and from which it broke away. However religion has itself evolved in curious ways to the point that creationism, for example, is now a more credible mode of belief for many than science. Science, like any particular religion, has as yet been unsuccessful in persuading the ignorant multitudes of its relative merit -- although deeply committed to doing so as vital for the survival of humanity. There is an elusive truth to the dynamics of this common pattern that may offer a key to whatever is "beyond science".

Is it possible that the fundamental cognitive difference between science and religion could engender a new mode of thinking that partakes appropriately of both but transcends their respective constraints? Again this is not an argument for creationism or intelligent design. This is an argument for a more creative way of responding to difference, to relative ignorance and to the dynamics of disagreement. Arguably this is more relevant to the challenges of the future than science and religion separately, especially given their incapacity to resolve these very issues within their own disciplines.

Possibilities such as the following might be considered:

Conscientific methodology: In this spirit, an argument was made earlier for reflection on a "conscientific" approach (Towards Conscientific Research and Development, 2002). This made the point that "science" should in some way be embedded in "conscience". The argument made was that:

science, through its "objectivity" and its historical struggle against religion, has successfully marginalized conscience as "subjective" -- effectively as contra-science, or even anti-science
any consideration of conscience is a form of scientific quackery -- science by "con artists" (or even science à la con)
science is a specialized branch of conscience, even though the latter cannot be recognized by the former

The psychology of sustainable development therefore points to the need for some form of "applied conscience" based on suitable "conscientific research and development". This might encompass the following 9 complementary dimensions or "flavours". Each was presented with an indication of the strategic failure to which its neglect has given rise.

Homo conjugens: A quite distinct approach is to consider the cognitive capacities of the successor to homo sapiens -- the wise or knowing human -- especially if science is consistent in its belief in the eventual evolution of present day humanity. Given the displacement of Neanderthal humanity by Cro-Magnon humanity, by what would the latter now be replaced and how would it be recognized? Hypothetically the emergence of a homo conjugens might be recognized, as explored earlier (Authentic Grokking: emergence of homo conjugens, 2003).

In contrast with the current scientific method, this exercise endeavoured to speculate on a new way of encountering the world, sensing it as a whole, and seeing it reflected in oneself. The jargon term "grok" is used to point to intuitive understandings of ways in which this goes beyond a purely conceptual understanding and is rather a mode of being in relationship with the world.

The threads and clues through which such a possibility might begin to be understood were articulated under the following headings:

Species maturation: Another potentially fruitful approach to speculation on the nature of appropriate "new thinking" is within the framework of any possible future encounter with an extra-terrestrial civilization from whom a more advanced cognitive mode might be expected. This was specifically framed in terms of the reason for which such a species has as yet failed, despite the SETI initiative, to enter into communication with a humanity that has exhibited such scientific genius (Self-reflective Embodiment of Transdisciplinary Integration (SETI): the universal criterion of species maturity? 2008).

The focus in this approach was the failure of humanity, exemplified by the scientific method, to recognize the more generic implications of mirror self-recognition and environmental mirroring as currently applied as a measure of the intelligence of species. This was further explored, in the light of the calculus of indications, into the possible implications of multidimensional indication through transcendence of "pointing".

From this perspective it is extremely ironic that in the pre-scientific era, the world -- as a Book of Nature -- was indeed understood to be a mirror in which humanity could most fruitfully see itself. This was notably articulated in a much-cited poem by the 12th century neo-Platonist, Alain de Lile: All the world's creatures, as a book and a picture, are to us as a mirror; in it our life, our death, our present condition and our passing are faithfully signified. As noted by Andrew Taylor (The Medieval Book of Nature), the idea has a long legacy (The Book of Nature in the Enlightenment and The Book of Nature Today). The SETI proposal provides an argument for revisiting it -- especially in the light of the case made by Gregory Bateson (Mind and Nature: a necessary unity, 1979) and by others variously concerned with reconnecting with the environment (Psychology of Sustainability: embodying cyclic environmental processes, 2002).

Reframing the potential of dialogue: Current cognitive engagement with the world, and with others in dialogue, may also turn out to be based on assumptions that could be fruitfully questioned. Clearly both the deplorable quality of dialogue between academic disciplines, as with the deplorable quality of dialogue between religions, is an indication that new modalities could be fruitfully envisaged. Should the quality of dialogue with other perspectives not be considered a strong indication of the quality of the discipline with which it is undertaken?

Both academic and spiritual disciplines, despite their denial of each others significance, have much to contribute to a new approach to differences and to communication (Communication with Whom, about What, Where and Why? Reframing the potential of dialogue 2008). Their failure to take this challenge seriously exposes those disciplines to a charge of being light weight at a time when humanity is much challenged by differences -- despite promotion of "globalization" as a fig leaf to disguise their significance.

Correspondences: One of the ironies of the interplay between science and religion, in the effort of the first to discredit and displace the second, is associated with the notion of "correspondences". These figured prominently in Renaissance thinking and earlier but were seen as exemplifying the unproven correlations that science could appropriately question. They were the basis for an integrative pattern of understanding that provided coherence to an early form of systemic thinking with its origins in even earlier times. Such correspondences figured, and continue to figure, in non-scientific modes of thought (as in China, for example).

Of great interest is the manner in which science has elaborated its own approach to "correspondences", even borrowing the earlier terminology that continued to be developed by the symbolist school of thought. This resembles the behaviour whereby religions tend to use, build upon, or replace, the edifices of those modes of belief they displace, even those of pagan origin. Most curious are the situations faced by science where the connectivity of correspondences is so elusive and questionable as to be termed "moonshine", as noted above. There is therefore a case for systematic comparison of theories of correspondences as a basis for more coherent approaches to correlative thinking, as suggested elsewhere (Theories of Correspondences -- and potential equivalences between them in correlative thinking, 2007).

Poly-ocular engagement: As suggested by Magoroh Maruyama (above), the use of a set of complementary cognitive "eyes" points to the possibility of a form of stereoscopic cognitive engagement which would be what decades of "interdisciplinarity" has not emerged to be. In this sense the future "science" lies in an emergent coherence between the disciplines that until now has been stillborn -- even when these disciplines claim to deal together with "natural knowledge" (as implied by the full title of the Royal Society). From this perspective, it is the challenge of "managing" cognitively the co-existence of essentially incommensurable perspectives that merits consideration at the core of any educational curriculum, as implied by notions of "cognitive fusion" or "polysensorial knowledge" as explored elsewhere (Enactivating a Cognitive Fusion Reactor, 2006; Strategic Challenge of Polysensorial Knowledge, 2008).

Expressed differently, it is how a scientist like Isaac Newton integrates alchemical perspectives, as with the modern physicist F. David Peat, that offers pointers to the future. In this sense, the potential role of Michael Reiss as an ordained member of the clergy, was also of interest. Similar points might be made with respect to those encompassing physics and astrology, or medicine and shamanism, or being able to engage with a set of such "languages" felt to be complementary in the significance they offered.

The value of such skill is recognized in a "well-rounded education" and has, for example, been explored with respect to statesmen who valued their own skill as poets (Poetry-making and Policy-making: arranging a Marriage between Beauty and the Beast, 1993). This example provides a clue to further exploration, namely the role of metaphor as appreciated in the creative and explanatory processes of many disciplines (Metaphors as Transdisciplinary Vehicles of the Future, 1991). The practical question is how cognitive dancing between "languages" is to be taught if science is not to acquire the scholastic status of Latin.

Post-formal discourse: Recent critical, ecological and philosophical literature has identified an emerging planetary consciousness characterized by a mode of post-formal thinking and discourse, as highlighted by Jennifer Gidley (The Evolution of Consciousness as a Planetary Imperative: an integration of integral views. Integral Review, 5, 2007). She points to, and compares, a range of authors that highlight the need for "new thinking" and the inadequacy of old methodologies.

Beyond method: There is an emerging sense that "method" itself could appropriately be called into question as notably suggested by Paul Feyerabend (Against Method, 1975) and discussed elsewhere (Beyond Method: engaging opposition in psycho-social organization, 1981). He and others have associated this with engagement with the "abundance" that is effectively "denatured" by method as conventionally understood. Authors such as Steven M. Rosen (Topologies of the Flesh: a multidimensional exploration of the lifeworld, 2006; Dimensions of Apeiron: a topological phenomenology of space, time, and individuation, 2004) highlight the manner in which the richness of psychosocial engagement with the world has been completely undermined by formal discourse, as mentioned above -- an "eclipse of the lifeworld" in his terms. Ironically, in a period of sensitivity to the challenges of "resources" and "energy", this view is echoed by other authors with respect to such a lost sense of "abundance" (Paul Feyerabend, Conquest of Abundance: a tale of abstraction versus the richness of being. 1999; Sallie McFague (Life Abundant: rethinking theology and economy for a planet in peril, 2000; David Abram (The Spell of the Sensuous: perception and language in a more-than-human world, 1997).

In this spirit, there is a case for repackaging those writings of Feyerabend as posthumous ripostes to Richard Dawkins and to Chrisopher Hitchens -- perhaps into works to be respectively entitled The Science Delusion, and Scientific Truth Is Not Great: How Science Poisons Everything !

Navigating alternative realities: Given the decidedly "unnatural", hyperdimensional realities now proposed as credible by physics, the question is whether there are indeed clues to their comprehension, and to engagement with them, that do not emerge from science as conventionally understood. Given the static articulation of categories that is characteristic of science, which typically fails to draw upon intuitive understandings of dynamics, there is the possibility that the latter may offer unforeseen possibilities for more fruitful modes of understanding (Navigating Alternative Conceptual Realities: clues to the dynamics of enacting new paradigms through movement, 2002).

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Beyond science -- the search for new thinking?