Squonk and all:
Maybe the Enlightenment never happened? That statement expresses a level of
skepticism that makes me uncomfortable. The evidence is just too
overwhelming.
Culture and intellect are higher than humans? I don't see how these higher
levels can exist without humans.
Yes, the machines are happy. And that's not the only upside to the
Enlightenment. Wilber lists a few of the good things modernity has, but
previous ages did not. The following is also from page 59 of Wilber's
INTEGRAL PSYCHOLOGY. "But clearly there were some immensely positive aspects
of modernity as well, for it also gave us the liberal democracies; ideals of
equality, freedom and justice, regardless of race, class, creed, or gender;
modern medicine, physics, biology and chemistry; the end of slavery; the
rise of feminism; and the universal rights of human kind. Those, surely, are
a little more noble than the mere "disenchantment of the world"." So, I'm
not only convinced that something real actually happened, something we call
the Enlightenment, I'm pretty damn happy that it happened.
Thanks,
DMB
That's it from me, but, in part, Squonk had said...........
Enlightenment may be failing humans but it appears to be making the machines
very happy indeed?
What's my point? My point is that Humanity has been slowly weakening itself,
and cheerfully at that, since the Enlightenment and this process may be a
failure for human values but a resounding success for higher values?
Remember that hierarchy you identified as being important? I should think
Humans as we know them are not at the apex. They cannot be: Culture is a
higher level, and intellectual values are higher still.
Its the move towards quality that is unstoppable - and its getting faster.
Enlightenment as failure is an 'I' centred illusion generated by the
enlightenment itself.
You never where who you thought you where anyway.
Maybe the enlightenment never really happened?
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