Hello all,
An example of Wilber's academic quality.
Waves, Streams, States, and Self--A Summary of My Psychological Model
(Or, Outline of An Integral Psychology) Ken Wilber (PAGE 1 OF 10)
Abstract: Although far from unanimous, there seems to be a general consensus
that neither mind nor brain can be reduced without remainder to the other.
The ambiguity of unity regarding reductionism taints all that follows in the
essay.
It could equally be stated that: Although close to disunity, there seems to
be a general consensus that mind and brain can be reduced without remainder
to the other.
Right from the first line it is implicit in Wilber's abstract that Mind may
exists in some sense. It is also implicit that the brain is the location of
Mind.
This essay argues that indeed both mind and brain need to be included in a
nonreductionistic way in any genuinely integral theory of consciousness.
There is no such argument.
There is no presentation of opposing views which are shown to be inferior to
Wilber's.
Consciousness has now been explicitly linked with Mind and Brain, and it is
also explicitly stated that Mind and Brain are, 'Needed' for an integral
theory of consciousness itself.
A metaphysical status of Mind and Brain is NOT explored or challenged.
In order to facilitate such integration, this essay presents the results of
an extensive cross-cultural literature search on the "mind" side of the
equation, suggesting that the mental phenomena that need to be considered in
any integral theory include developmental levels or waves of consciousness,
developmental lines or streams of consciousness, states of consciousness, and
the self (or self-system).
Quickly moving away from familiar, although unexamined terms such as Mind and
Brain, Wilber now moves into a jargon of his own invention.
Wilber states that literature, 'On the' Mind from numerous cultures discusses
phenomena of a mental nature. This is tautological.
Moreover, the undisclosed mental phenomena are implied to fall naturally into
the following categorisation (although Wilber adds another later in the
piece):
1. Developmental levels of consciousness.
2. Developmental lines of consciousness.
3. States of consciousness.
4. Self.
5. (To be added later: Wilber - "What i call the four quadrants.")
The term Mind has been replaced by the term consciousness.
The categories listed are 'needed' for integration with Brain, thus reducing,
Mind + Brain = Consciousness to, Consciousness + Brain = integral psychology.
A "master template" of these various phenomena, culled from over one-hundred
psychological systems East and West, is presented.
More jargon is introduced.
Perhaps the Master template refers to commonality in the psychological
systems mentioned?
Without reviewing the individual systems it would not be possible to identify
any selection process involved or restricting criteria imposed either
passively or actively in the construction of the master template.
It is suggested that this master template represents a general summary of the
"mind" side of the brain-mind integration.
The terms Consciousness and Mind are replaced by the term Psychological
system.
Therefore, when Wilber discusses Consciousness and Mind he can do so in terms
of his own psychological template, without the reader being able to verify
the individual psychological systems from which the template was
extrapolated.
The essay concludes with reflections on the "hard problem," or how the
mind-side can be integrated with the brain-side to generate a more integral
theory of consciousness.
Classical, 'Hard' science does not recognise mind in the same sense that
psychologists do.
The association of the term, 'Hard' with the term, 'mind' implies a sense of
scientific exactitude inappropriate to the field of mental phenomenon in
Objective hard science.
This essay is also ends up being a fairly comprehensive summary of my own
psychological model, or an outline of an integral psychology.
The essay SHOULD do more than, 'End up' at a position the very title of the
essay states to be of fundamental importance to its subject! Indeed, one
would hope, 'A summery' to be directly concerned with that which is to be
summed up?
Although the essay initially adheres to an academic format, it soon becomes
clear that the piece is an exposition and no argumentation is introduced.
The selection of data from which general patterns are identified is indicated
to reside in the Wilber corpus.
Part. 2. follows.
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