Ervin Laszlo - Quantum shift in the global Brain

In his book 'Quantum shift in the global Brain', Ervin Laszlo describes the need to change drastically, because the emerging reality is radically new. Nothing continues in the same way as it did before; everything bifurcates. This means that the path of development of a system encounters a rapid, previously unforseen change. Humanity does not yet realize that they are heading for a macro shift. It is daily becoming more evident that a lot of things would not remain the same as they were.

Great dangers threatening mankind and the earth, for example a rapid climate change with unforeseen consequences; the pollution of whole ecosystems leading to different ecological problems; a lot of species, both plants and animals, are threatened with extinction; the need to develop new energy sources; the increasing erosion of fertile soils in relation to an ever-growing world population, the danger of armed conflicts for the remaining resources, and so on.

The answer to all complex problems requires an integrated approach, because all the problems are interconnected. We need new system dynamic maps and models of our changing reality to visualize complex issues, because we cannot solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that produced it (Einstein).

Ervin Laszlo describes in part one, chapter one, the question of evolution or extinction. The most critical phase which leads to a breakdown or a breakthrough. If we do nothing, an inevitable breakdown will manifest critical conditions. On the way to a possible breakdown mankind had to anticipate with drastic changes to achieve a sustainable civilization, before it is too late. If mankind passed the threshold of a planetary control system (the self-maintaining dynamic of a system, James Lovelock) the earth could rapidly bring conditions, that may prove fatal for all life on earth. A number of critical processes feed on themselves and are out of control.

Before it is too late, mankind has to recognize the several dynamics of a macro shift that is taking place, which Ervin describes in chapter two. In the model above, we visualize the 5 main stages in a dynagram: the trigger phase (on east), de transfiguration phase (on south), the critical phase (on west), the breakdown or the breakthrough phase with the chaotic point of bifurcation on north. A dynagram is a time-space model, analogous to processes in nature and evolution. The model describes the way these stages take shape.

An ascending phase in which important hard technological innovations trigger the acceleration. Instead of the term transformation (Laszlo) in the next phase, we use in this model the term transfiguration, because we have developed a model with different transitions: transmutation (east), transfiguration (south), transformation (west), transsubstantiation (north). The transfiguration phase illustrates the different irreversible changes (hard technology) and the reversible changes (soft technology) between people and planet. It also illustrates the fluctuations between a stabilized order and a destabilized order, normaly the transition between the phase of forming and storming.

The critical phase illustrates the descending phase in which demolition leads to retardation. It is of utmost importance to find the art to transform this critical phase. Using the word transformation is here correct, because there is a need for a transition between the old approach and the new one. The most important change is to transcend the materialistic view on earth and life to a more spiritual one. This is what we call a process of transsubstantiation. Spiritualizing the matter is an important condition for the next step, named the process of transmutation. This process is allways being influenced by in-formation. Ervin Laszlo relates in-formation to the akasha field. Artes Sophiae developed a way to work methodically with this field, we call this: working in a dictogram. A dictogram is also known as the in-forming field, placed on east, the point of all beginning.

People with dominant normative values have no consciousness of and no answers to the critical states. People with subdominant normative values who are seeking for constructive solutions are still a minority. With no fundamental changes the critical phase leads rapidly to a chaotic point of bifurcation between evolution and devolution. It depends on the critical mass between a minority and a majority who advocated drastic changes. A bifurcation between a deteriorated order or an improved order. Only a creative and flexible system dynamic approach leads to an efficient and effective change to solve complex problems in a complex world with unforeseen (ir)reversible developments.