And when it comes to the evidence that comes from the realm of subjective experience, our experience is surely one of the richest sources of evidence we have into all sorts of important matters. The evidence may be messy. But it's there, and there is no legitimate reason -- as I see it -- to define any source of evidence out of the process of our search for truth.
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Margee Fabyanske:
You ask, "How is it that a creature would create cultural systems that are antagonistic to that creature's essential nature?"
In your book, "Parable of the Tribes", you discuss how civilization brought on the struggle for power. And you spell out the lesson of the parable of the tribes (p. 21): " . . . no one is free to choose peace, but anyone can impose upon all the necessity for power." (All it takes is one in the sandbox who decides to throw sand!) Despite this pessimistic thought, you end the chapter with hope in the possibility that human ingenuity could possibly "design systems that use power to disarm power"---for only then can mankind be free.
The rule of power is an age-old problem that effectively snuffs out freedom of choice. We can only hope and trust in our own innate moral compass combined with our creative imagination and inventiveness to lead us in a direction of the common good.
I believe we have a sacred power in our capacity for compassion and love, which can never be under estimated. Somehow we must overcome our distrust of out differences in order to celebrate our unique qualities and common bonds which can diffuse anger and resentment and thus promote a climate for finding a common purpose.
I love your symbol of victory over evil: the human form, rooted like a tree with arms outstretched toward the heavens. (Have I got that right?)
Andy Schmookler:
Thank you, Margee. Thanks for giving this little preview of that part of the "integrative vision" that explains (a lot about) how brokenness has entered the human world. That will be the subject of at least the next two installments. It will begin with how the evolutionary framework illuminates what an extraordinary situation that our species inadvertently and unwittingly created beginning about 10,000 years ago.
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