Harmony (Fairness)= Whole/Parts x Value (Goodness+ Truth+ Beauty) x Eros
Reality is harmony. Harmony is a fundamental value that evolves through successive transformations towards deeper coherence. This perspective posits that the very fabric of existence resonates with harmony, manifesting in various forms across different levels of reality.
At the human level, the expression of the First Principle and First Value of Harmony takes on multifaceted dimensions.
One notable manifestation of harmony is found in the concept of fairness or justice. In the pursuit of fairness, individuals and societies seek to establish equilibrium and balance, ensuring that each person is treated with dignity, respect, and equality. Fairness is not merely a social construct but a reflection of the innate longing for harmony within the human psyche.
Another profound expression of harmony and coherence emerges in what can be termed as the great wisdom triad of Godness, Truth, and Beauty. In this triad, Godness represents the transcendent source of all existence, the ultimate expression of harmony and perfection. Truth embodies the alignment of thoughts, words, and actions with the underlying principles of reality, leading to clarity and understanding. Beauty, on the other hand, reflects the harmonious interplay of form and essence, evoking a sense of wonder and awe in the beholder.
As humanity navigates the complexities of existence, the quest for harmony serves as a guiding principle, leading individuals towards greater alignment with the underlying rhythms of the cosmos. Through the pursuit of fairness, justice, truth, and beauty, we strive to cultivate a deeper sense of coherence both within ourselves and in the world around us.
The recognition of reality as harmony invites us to embrace the interconnectedness of all things, acknowledging the inherent value of balance and unity. As we journey towards ever deeper coherence, we are invited to align ourselves with the fundamental principles that govern the universe, fostering a greater sense of harmony and well-being for all.
Exploring Justice in Greek Mythology
The concept of justice in ancient Greek thought finds expression not only in philosophical discourse but also in mythology, where deities and mythical figures embody various aspects of this fundamental principle.
In Greek mythology, justice (dike) was personified in several deities and mythological beings. One such figure is Themis, the goddess of divine order, law, and custom.
Themis represented the natural order of things and was associated with the establishment of social norms and laws that governed human conduct. As a divine lawgiver, Themis played a crucial role in upholding justice and ensuring that mortals abided by the laws of the gods.
Another important aspect of justice in Greek mythology is represented by Nemesis, the goddess of retribution and vengeance.
Nemesis was responsible for ensuring that individuals faced consequences for their actions, particularly acts of hubris or excessive pride. She maintained the balance of cosmic justice by meting out punishment to those who defied the natural order or committed wrongdoing.
The Furies (Erinyes or Eumenides) were mythical beings associated with the pursuit of justice and vengeance.
These chthonic deities were said to exact vengeance upon individuals who had committed crimes such as murder or perjury.
The Furies embodied the relentless pursuit of justice and were depicted as fierce avengers who ensured that wrongdoing did not go unpunished.
In Greek mythology, justice was thus depicted as an inherent aspect of the cosmic order, overseen by deities such as Themis, Nemesis, and the Furies.
These mythological figures symbolized the importance of upholding moral and ethical principles, ensuring that individuals adhered to the laws of both gods and society.
Through myths and legends, the Greeks explored the complexities of justice and the consequences of human actions, emphasizing the need for accountability and the maintenance of cosmic harmony.
Ken Wilber’s AQAL Model
In Ken Wilber's integral theory, the quadrants represent four fundamental perspectives or dimensions of reality through which any phenomenon or experience can be understood. These quadrants provide a framework for comprehensively examining the various aspects of a situation, event, or phenomenon. Here's an overview of each quadrant:
Upper-Left Quadrant (UL): This quadrant corresponds to the subjective, individual interior dimension of reality. It encompasses a person's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, intentions, and experiences. It includes the realm of consciousness, emotions, personal narratives, and subjective interpretations of the world. The UL quadrant focuses on the inner world of the individual's mind and consciousness.
Upper-Right Quadrant (UR): The UR quadrant represents the objective, individual exterior dimension of reality. It includes observable behaviors, physical structures, biological processes, and measurable phenomena. This quadrant is concerned with the external manifestations of an individual's actions, such as brain activity, physiological responses, and observable behaviors. It deals with the objective, empirical aspects of reality that can be studied and measured.
Lower-Left Quadrant (LL): The LL quadrant pertains to the intersubjective, collective interior dimension of reality. It involves shared cultural norms, values, meanings, and relationships within social groups or communities. This quadrant focuses on the cultural, linguistic, and relational aspects of human experience, including shared beliefs, social identities, and interpersonal dynamics. It explores how individuals relate to each other within the context of shared social and cultural frameworks.
Lower-Right Quadrant (LR): The LR quadrant corresponds to the interobjective, collective exterior dimension of reality. It encompasses the systems, structures, institutions, and environments that exist outside of individual consciousness and interactions. This quadrant includes societal organizations, economic systems, political institutions, technological infrastructure, and environmental ecosystems. It examines the objective, external aspects of reality that are independent of individual subjectivity.
By considering all four quadrants simultaneously, Wilber suggests that a more comprehensive understanding of any phenomenon or experience can be achieved.
Each quadrant offers a unique perspective that contributes to a holistic view of reality, incorporating both subjective and objective dimensions as well as individual and collective aspects of human experience.
The quadrants help illuminate the complex interplay between inner and outer, subjective and objective, individual and collective dimensions of reality, facilitating a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of existence.
Integral Psychology: The Good The True and The Beautiful
Ken Wilber expresses in “Integral Psychology”:
“Since both the Upper-Right and Lower-Right quadrants are objective “its,” they can be treated as one general domain, and this means that the four quadrants can be summarized as the “Big Three” of I, we, and it. Or the aesthetics of “I,” the morals of “we,” and the “its” of science. The Beautiful, the Good, and the True; first-person, second-person, and thirdperson accounts; self, culture, and nature; art, morals, and sciene.”
In "Integral Psychology," Ken Wilber elucidates the crucial role of the formop stage of development in differentiating value spheres within human consciousness.
Contrary to preop and conop stages, formop possesses the unique capacity to discern and delineate value dimensions across first-person, second-person, and third-person perspectives.
As Cook-Greuter noted, while preop embodies first-person awareness and conop embodies second-person relationality, it is formop that encompasses a third-person perspective, thereby enabling the comprehensive differentiation of the I, we, and it spheres encompassing aesthetics, morals, and science.
The transition from mythic-membership to perspectival-ego, as emphasized by Wilber, signifies an evolutionary shift from conop-based to formop-based consciousness, epitomizing the journey towards modernity.
Even the early Greeks, with their nascent development of formop and vision-logic, exhibited glimpses of this transition.
Notably, they famously differentiated the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, foreshadowing the value distinctions that would later characterize modernity.
Despite their intellectual advancements, the early Greeks did not fully integrate this rationality into their cultural fabric on a widespread scale.
As Wilber highlights, their failure to universally apply these principles, such as in the abolition of slavery, underscores the limitations of their cultural consciousness. It was only with the advent of modernity that these differentiated value spheres gained broader recognition and acceptance.
Philosopher-sages like Plato, Plotinus, and Asanga, who transcended conventional levels of consciousness to access vision-logic and beyond, were able to differentiate the Big Three value spheres.
Yet, their insights were often confined to elite circles, with little resonance in the average cultural consciousness of their time.
It was the dawn of modernity that paved the way for the widespread recognition and incorporation of these differentiated values into the fabric of society, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of human consciousness.
Embracing the Dignified Differentiation of Value Spheres
As the Big Three realms of art, morals, and science began to crystallize and gain widespread recognition, each sphere was granted the autonomy to unfold its own truths without interference from the others.
This differentiation, delineating the realms of I, we, and it—first-person, second-person, and third-person; self, culture, and nature; the Beautiful, the Good, and the True—marked a significant advancement in human consciousness.
Modernity witnessed the flourishing of these differentiated value spheres, laying the groundwork for remarkable social and intellectual progress.
The dissolution of these differentiations into dissociation during modernity represented a significant setback.
With the rise of scientific materialism, one sphere—science—began to dominate and colonize the others, leading to a pathological dissociation of the once-interconnected realms of art, morals, and science.
This fragmentation of knowledge and values undermined the integrity of each sphere and stifled the potential for holistic understanding and progress.
The condemnation lies not in the dignified differentiations themselves they are in the pathological dissociation that followed.
The differentiated realms of art, morals, and science, in their autonomy, ushered in monumental advancements and dignities for humanity.
From the establishment of democratic principles to the advocacy for feminism, from the abolition of slavery to the emergence of ecological sciences, these differentiated spheres have contributed to profound social, cultural, and scientific transformations.
The achievements of modernity, facilitated by the dignified differentiation of value spheres, have propelled human civilization forward, leading to unprecedented advancements and improvements in quality of life.
While the challenges of dissociation persist, the recognition of the inherent dignity and potential of these differentiated realms offers hope for the integration and harmonization of diverse perspectives, fostering a more holistic and enlightened society.
Awakening to Integral Embrace: The Evolutionary Journey of Eros
If we delve into the collective wisdom passed down through the ages of human civilization, we may come to recognize a profound truth: Eros, the driving force of evolutionary love, is not merely a fleeting sentiment but the very essence of Spirit-in-action.
It is this Eros that propelled itself outward at the dawn of creation, initiating the formation of a vast morphogenetic field known as the Great Nest—a matrix of infinite possibilities awaiting manifestation.
From the primal stirrings of matter to the emergence of life and the awakening of mind, Eros has been the guiding force behind the evolutionary journey.
It is the same Spirit-in-action that, in its unfolding, differentiated itself into the realms of the good, the true, and the beautiful, each facet representing a unique expression of divine creativity and potentiality.
As evolution progressed, Eros continued its dance, weaving through the tapestry of existence and orchestrating the unfolding of consciousness itself.
In this pivotal moment in human history, we witness the culmination of Eros's evolutionary play.
The same Spirit-in-action that initiated creation is now stirring within humanity, beckoning us towards a new era of integral embrace.
From the global village to the interconnected web of communication networks, from the emergence of integral theories to the rise of the network society, we witness the gradual unification of fragmented worldviews and perspectives.
In this era of integral embrace, humanity is slowly awakening to its collective consciousness, recognizing itself as an interconnected whole.
It is a time of binding together the fragments of a world that has forgotten how to care—a renaissance of compassion and empathy that echoes the eternal pulse of Eros, urging us towards unity, harmony, and the realization of our highest potentials.
Works Cited
Publishing Group, Amplify. “First Principles and First Values.” Amplify Publishing Group, amplifypublishinggroup.com/product/nonfiction/politics-and-current-affairs/first-principles-and-first-values/.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dike_(mythology)
Wikipedia Contributors. “Themis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Themis.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Nemesis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemesis.
“Erinyes.” Wikipedia, 23 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erinyes.
Wilber, Ken. Integral Psychology : Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy. Shambhala, 2000.
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