New Paradigms in Spirituality
Fritjof Capra, a physicist, spent twenty years doing research in
theoretical high energy physics, from 1965 to 1985, in universities in Europe and
America. From an early age, he was
fascinated by changes in concepts and ideas occurring in physics within the
first three decades of the twentieth century. In his first book, The Tao of Physics (Capra,
1975), he discussed the philosophical changes in worldview brought about by a theoretical
revolution in physics; from the automatous worldview of Descartes and Newton to
a view that was more holistic and ecological.
In
succeeding research and writing, he pursued a systematic examination of a core
theme of the essential changes in world view, ie., a change in the paradigm
which is also taking place as well in other sciences disciplines as well as in
society, encompassing an unfolding; a new vision of reality, as well as the
social consequences of this transformation of our culture.
He states that in order to link
these changes in science to the wider changes in worldview and standards in our
society as a whole, he had to reach past physics and seek out a wider abstract
framework. It was then that he realized that the major social problems; such as
human rights, social justice, political systems, as well as environmental
issues, etc.; are really living systems made up of individuals within social
systems, within ecosystems.
Thus, his research focus changed from
physics to the life sciences; and using his insights gained from living systems
theory, ecology, and complexity theory; he devised a concept that incorporates
four life dimensions; cognitive, social, biological, and ecological. He
presented his findings over the ensuing years, through his books, , The
Turning Point, 1982, The Web of Life, 1996,
and The Hidden Connections, 2002. In
his most recent book, The Systems View of Life, 2014, coauthored
with Pier Luigi Luisi, professor of biochemistry at the University of Rome, he offers
what he terms his “grand synthesis of
this unifying vision… At the very heart of it, we find a fundamental change of
metaphors: from seeing the world as a machine to understanding it as a network.”
In it, he states; that we have revealed that our world, in a material sense,
is a complex framework of connected patterns of relationships and that the
planet itself is a living, “self-regulating” system. The new idea that the
human body is a machine and that the mind is a separate entity apart from it; is
being exchanged by the knowledge that these are not separate, right down to the
cellular level, are a living, thinking system.
He also states, “…with the new emphasis on complexity, non linearity, and
patterns of organization, a new science of qualities is slowly emerging.” He goes on to say, “we call this new science
‘the systems view of life’ because it involves a new kind of thinking –
thinking in terms of relationships, patterns, and context. In science, this way
of thinking is known as ‘systems thinking’, or ‘systemic thinking’.”
Comments
Post a Comment