John F. Kennedy University

CNS 5010

Paradigms of Consciousness

Professor: Christian de Quincey

A paradigm is a framework of beliefs about reality shared by a community and affirmed through communal behavior. A “paradigm of consciousness” is a system of beliefs about anged over the centuries: from Indigenous (“magical”), to pre-Classical (mytho-poetic) to Classical (birth of reason and philosophical dualism) to pre-modern (medieval religious dualism), to modern (Cartesian/Newtonian materialism/ mechanism), to various post-modern (deconstructionist and constructionist-process) philosophies. We will see how systems holism qualifies as a postmodern paradigm, and how it relates to the perennial philosophy (which views consciousness as primary and primordial).

In this course, we will examine the implications of a holistic-integral paradigm for personal and global peacemaking, community building, and conflict resolution.

Throughout the course, students are guided to personalize the notion of “paradigms,” by recognizing the limitations of all beliefs as ways to know reality. We will see how “personal paradigms” are microcosms of larger cultural paradigms, and how our personal paradigms are embedded in and conditioned by wider cultural belief systems. Students are encouraged to examine their own beliefs (especially those “cherished” beliefs they just know to be true), and to explore the possibilities of learning and knowing via experience beyond belief.

This introduces, experientially, the possibility of a meta-paradigm shift—not just from one set of beliefs to some other (presumably preferable) set of beliefs. Instead, we will examine what it means to move beyond beliefs altogether as a way to engage with the world.

In the final weeks of the course, we will switch from an intellectual approach to exploring practical and ethical implications of the various worldviews. We will experience Bohmian Dialogue as a way to shift from a concept-dominated view of the world to a more intuitive and feeling-based one.

Throughout, students are assigned the task of monitoring the media for “signs of a world awakening”—reports in the media that indicate some awareness or application of the principles of either systems holism or the perennial philosophy, signs that perhaps a paradigm shift is underway. Students will present their “media reports” in class to small groups.

On a different week, they will present, also in small groups, their own personal myth that creatively reveals the essence of their own paradigms, telling the story of their own life—where they came from, who they are, where they are going. After this course, students will be equipped to face the world from the perspective of an enriched and expanded worldview.

Course objectives

o To explore the emerging paradigm of holism as it relates to science, creativity, psychology, health, ecology, peace-making, and conflict resolution.

Required texts & materials

o Paradigm Wars: Worldviews for a New Age Mark B. Woodhouse (1996). Berkeley, CA: Frog Ltd.

o Course reader: Paradigms of Consciousness. C. de Quincey (ed.) (2005). Orinda, CA: John F. Kennedy University

o Video: MindWalk: A film for passionate thinkers (1991). Written and directed by Fritjof Capra. (All required and recommended videos available in JFKU library.)

o Blank notebook: Create your own "Paradigms Sourcebook." Monitor the media for "signs of a world awakening," and jot down notes (or paste in clippings) to use later in class. Use notebook for building a "Paradigms Glossary" of useful, unfamiliar terms.

Course requirements

o In-class presentations and take-home essay questions. (Please make copies of all papers submitted.) Option: Final exam or paper integrating and expressing what you have learned about the principles of holism and the perennial philosophy, and how you apply them to your life and work.

o Library orientation. (Sign up in Library.)

Grading

Selected Background Reading (Optional)

Blackmore, S. (2004), Consciousness: An introduction.New York, NY: Oxford University Press

Capra, F. (1980), The turning point: Science, society, and the rising culture. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Carter, R. (2002), Exploring consciousness. Berkeley, CA: U. California Press.

de Quincey, C. (2005) Radical Knowing: Understanding consciousness through relationship. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press.

Freeman, A. (2003), Consciousness: A guide to the debates. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Hanegraaff, W. J. (1998), New age religion and western culture: Esotericism in the mirror of secular thought. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Harman, W. (1998) Global mind change: The promise of the 21st century. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

Harner, M. (1980), The way of the shaman: A guide to power and healing. New York, NY: Harper & Row

Hobson, J.A. (1999), Consciousness. New York, NY: Scientific American Library.

Keen, S. & Valley-Fox, A. (1973), Your mythic journey: Finding meaning in your life through writing and storytelling. New York, NY: Tarcher/Putnam.

Koestler, A. (1979), Janus: A summing up. New York, NY: Vintage Books.

Kuhn, T. (1962), The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press

Lachman, G. (2003), A secret history of consciousness. Great Barrington, MA: Lindisfarne

Lemkow, A. L. (1995), The wholeness principle: Dynamics of unity within science, religion & society. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books.

Loewenstein, W. R. (1999), The touchstone of life: Molecular information, cell communication and the foundations of life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Liedloff J. (1977), The continuum concept: Allowing human nature to work successfully. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.

Russell, P. (1998), Waking up in time: Finding inner peace in times of accelerated change. San Rafel, CA: Origin Press.

Wautischer, H. (1998), Tribal epistemologies: Essays in the philosophy of anthropology. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.

Whitehead, A. N. (1925), Science and the modern world. New York, NY: The Free Press.

Young, A. (1976), The reflexive universe: Evolution of consciousness. Berkeley, CA: Anados.

Zeman, A. (2002), Consciousness: A user’s guide. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Week 1: Course Overview/Introductions

Short Lecture: "Meaning of Consciousness."

HOMEWORK FOR NEXT WEEK: Read selections from texts (see below: Week 2).

Week 2: What is a Paradigm?

What this week is about: Models of reality. Understanding paradigms, and how they relate to consciousness. How paradigms shape consciousness, and how consciousness creates paradigms. Can we know which paradigm best matches reality? How do paradigms influence our beliefs, our behaviors, our relationships, our cultural institutions—such as philosophy, science, religion, medicine, education, economics—and ecological balance?

Readings for this week—(in the following order): # of pages

1. Reader: "Power of a Paradigm" by S. Covey {24

2. Reader: "Paradigms & Paradoxes" by C. de Quincey {11

3. Text-1: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 1-70] {71

Total pages to read this week {106}

Presentation "Switched-On Consciousness."
Short Lecture: "The Nature of Paradigms."

Small-group discussion: "What’s my worldview?"

Week 3: Paradigm Shift: Holism

Readings for this week—(in the following order):

1. Text-1: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 71-104] {34

2. Text-2: Radical Nature by C. de Quincey ["Intro: The Paradox of Consciousness"] {10

3. Text-2: Radical Nature [Chpt. 6: Section: "Problems with Perennial Philosophy"] {03

4. Reader: "Guidelines for Writing Your Personal Myth" by C. de Quincey {03

Total pages to read this week: {88}

Lecture: "Two Faces of ‘Emerging Paradigm’."

Small-group dialogue: "Systems Holism & Perennial Philosophy."

Video suggestion: "Canticle of the Cosmos" series by Brian Swimme

Week 4: Hierarchy & Interconnectedness

What this week is about: The holographic paradigm of the one-in-the-many. Interconnectedness: a common theme in mysticism, holism, perennial philosophy, systems theory, and quantum physics. The Great Chain of Being. Exploring the issue of hierarchy. Introducing "holarchy" and "holons."

Readings for this week—(in the following order):

1. Text-1: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 205-242] {37

2. Reader: "The Pattern That Connects" by Ken Wilber {23

3. Reader: "Rehabilitating Hierarchy" by C. de Quincey {27

Total pages to read this week: {87}

Lecture: “Four Gifts of Knowning” and "Different Kinds of Hierarchies"

Small group dialogue: "Are Hierarchies Good or Bad?"

What this week is about: Old and new paradigms of consciousness. Fields and the new physics. Beyond dualism, materialism, and idealism to a "radical naturalism" and a new story of the cosmos. Evolution of science: from mechanism to meaning. Holism, quantum physics, and the implicate order.

Assignments for this week—(in the following order):

1. Text-1: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 154-181] {28

2. Text-2: Radical Nature by C. de Quincey [Chapters 1 - 3] {36

3. Reader: “Major Worldviews on Mind/Body” {02

4. Reader: “Cosmos and Communion” {28

5. VIDEO REQUIREMENT (available at JFKU Library):
“MindWalk” by F. Capra [110 mins.]

Total pages to read this week: {95}

Lecture: "Quantum Consciousness?"

Small-group dialogue: Discuss "MindWalk."

Week 6: Energy & Consciousness

What this week is about: Energy talk. In-depth look at the thorniest issue in "new age" metaphysics: Is consciousness a form of energy? If not, just what is consciousness? Three-way debate between Mark Woodhouse, Larry Dossey, and Christian de Quincey.

Readings for this week—(in the following order):

1. Text-1: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 182-204] {22

2. Text-2: Radical Nature [Chapter. 4: "Language, Energy, & Consciousness"] {28

3. Reader: "Energy Monism" by M. Woodhouse {04

4. Reader: "Energy Talk" by L. Dossey {05

5. Reader: "Energy Talk" by C. Clarke {01

Total pages to read this week: {60}

Short lecture: "Why Consciousness is not Energy"

Small-group dialogue: "What is Consciousness?"

Week 7: Living Systems

What this week is about: Introducing the biological dimension of holism and systems theory. Order out of chaos through self-organizing systems. The idea of Earth as a living system (Gaia hypothesis). Natural resources, agriculture, industry, and the population explosion. The long lineage of mind-in-matter. Have humans broken an evolutionary covenant?

Readings for this week—(in the following order):

1. Text: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 250-277] {26

2. Text-2: Radical Nature by C. de Quincey [Chapter 6] {34

3. Reader: "The Boiling Frog" by D. Quinn {18

4. Reader: "Up In Arms About Being Put Down" by C. de Quincey {12

Total pages to read this week: {90}

Lecture: "Consciousness & Living Systems"

Small group dialogue: "How could we apply living systems theory in our lives?"

NOTE: MEDIA ASSIGNMENT & PRESENTATION FOR NEXT WEEK

Week 8: Holism & Society-1: Conflict Resolution

What this week is about: Presentations of media critiques highlighting an event, or report of an event, that illustrates a "sign of a world awakening"—a holistic or reconciliatory perspective (e.g., in social relations, government, law, business, education, health, gender relations, or ecology).

HOMEWORK FOR THIS WEEK:

1. Text: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 404-438] {35

2. Reader: "The Practice of Conflict Resolution" by A. Mindell {14

Total pages to read this week: {49}

3. Media Critique: In addition to assigned reading, monitor the media and prepare a one- page report on a newspaper/magazine article or on a TV/radio program that expresses a holistic/reconciliatory perspective. Include:

—Source and date of article/program

—Main points discussed in article/program

—State how this article/program reflects holistic paradigm

—Write your critique (response) to the content and perspective of the article/program

No lecture.

Small-group presentations: Present your "media critique" to small group. Discuss presentations in small groups.

Week 9: Holism & Society-2: Global Perspectives

What this week is about: Holism at work on the world stage: Hunger and the Third World. A holistic view of mind and body. Consciousness and matter : a cosmic perspective. The power of personal myth.

Readings for this week:

1. Reader: "Societal Affairs: A Planetary Overview" by A. Lemkow {36

2. Reader: "Guidelines for Writing Your Personal Myth" (revisited) {03

Total pages to read this week: {39}

Small-group presentations (continued): Present your "media critique" to small group. Discuss presentations in small groups.

Short Lecture: "Power of Personal Myth"

Homework for Week 10: Write up 1-page "Personal Myth/Who Am I?"

Week 10: Holism & Psychology

What this week is about: Holism at work in your own life. Body-mind-spirit connection in health and healing. Spirituality as holistic religion. In small groups: Explore and discuss how the principles of holism could transform your own worldview. Build on what you have learned in this course to explore how would you use the technique of personal myth-making/creative story-telling to symbolically express the transformative power of holism in your life and the lives of others.

Readings for this week—(in the following order):

1. Text: Paradigm Wars by M. Woodhouse [pp. 307-348; & 439-475] {77

2. Reader: from Your Mythic Journey by Sam Keen {14

Total pages to read this week: {91}

Small-group presentations and discussions of Personal Myths: Explore personal myth-making and visionary storytelling.

HOMEWORK FOR FINAL WEEK:

o Complete your 1-2 page myth/creative story or visualization that symbolically expresses your life story and/or your perspective on holism.

o Complete take-home exam (15-18 pages)

Week 11: Visionary Holism

Due This Week:

o Completed Final Exam/Paper (15-18 pages)

o Your "Holism Myth/Vision" (1-2 pages)

o Your Media Report (1 page)

Readings for this week:

1. Text-2: Radical Nature by C. de Quincey [Chapter 10] {20

2. Reader: "Cosmic Time" by Sam Keen {23

Total pages to read this week: {43}