Please distribute to others who may be interested...
You are hereby invited to a seminar in our sixth
interdisciplinary
<http://ecco.vub.ac.be/?q=node/108>series on
Evolution, Complexity and Cognition (ECCO)
Time: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2-4 pm.
(one day earlier than previously listed because of the train strike on Nov. 5!)
Place: Room B 0.036
(building B, level 0, close to the human sciences
computer rooms), on the
<http://www.vub.ac.be/english/infoabout/campuses/index.html>VUB
Campus Etterbeek (Brussels, Belgium), in
collaboration with MOSI. Coffee and drinks are
available. Free entrance: everybody welcome!
Thoughts on the future of human evolution
David R. Weinbaum (Caesarea, Israel)
The Noetic perspective (from Greek: noetikos-
mental; nous- mind) identifies the [human] mind
as the nexus of the future evolution of humanity.
At present, human evolution is a mental process
rather than a biological or technological process.
The Noetic model describes mind as a
relation-generating complex system arising as a
product of biological evolution and manifesting
certain defining characteristics such as systemic
closure, self-reference, plasticity, etc. This
model aims to integrate a systemic view with the
mental constructs of the subjective plane.
According to the Noetic model, human identity is
a dynamic constructive process that brings forth
the human observer as the subject of its
perceptive and mental states. This process is
identified as mind. Images and narratives are the
elements encompassing the experiential and mental
aspects of the identity process as they appear to
the human observer.
The idea of mind as the theater of evolutionary
processes is further explored: Mind as a complex
system can essentially be disassociated from the
historical conditions of its emergence; therefore
it is virtually unbound in its evolutionary
potential. This has deep implications on the
understanding of human nature and the human
condition. Finally, the ideas of openness and
freedom beyond utility are proposed as futuristic
directives of consciously guided evolution of
mind.
Upcoming Seminars
12 Nov.
Petter Braathen (Memetix, Oslo):
How do social systems relate to paradox?
19 Nov.
Hector Zenil (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne):
Is algorithmic the nature of Nature?
26 Nov. (to be confirmed)
Mehmet Tezcan (IES, VUB):
Autopoiesis in the EU: 'Governance by committee'
Dec. 2 (Wed.)
Solomon Marcus (Romanian Academy of Science):
Mistakes and failures as a source of creativity
More info about the ECCO seminar program: http://ecco.vub.ac.be/?q=node/108
--
Francis Heylighen
Evolution, Complexity and Cognition group
Free University of Brussels
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/HEYL.html
