-----Original Message-----
From:
Axel Dorscht <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To:
STUDIES IN WOMEN AND ENVIRONMENT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date:
Tuesday, August 24, 1999 10:31 AM
Subject: Online
Study/Training Program
APOLOGIES FOR ANY CROSS
POSTING
Feel free to pass on the information to friends,
colleague and interested parties or to repost it on other mailing
lists.
IHCMD Online Study/Training
Program
Sustaining Human Existence in Changing Conditions
and
Human Conceptual and Mental Development
Beyond Religion, Philosophy
and Science:
Setting the Conceptual and Mental
Conditions
(October 1999 to April
2000)
A. Program
The Institute for Human
Conceptual and Mental Development (IHCMD) is presenting an Online Study and
Training Program: Sustaining Human Existence in Changing Conditions and
Human Conceptual and Mental Development -- Beyond Religion, Philosophy and
Science: Setting the Conceptual and Mental Conditions (starting at the first
full week of October 1999 and continuing until the end of April
2000).
The Program is an exercise in individual conceptual and mental
development. Developing individual understanding and mental skills and
practices to comprehend and manage human existence in equitable and
sustainable ways in changing conditions, individually setting the conceptual
and mental conditions.
B. Focus and Background
The focus
and concentration of the Program are persisting and growing human, social,
and environmental conditions, problems and challenges we face today
individually, as societies and as a species globally. The objective is
understanding the fundamentals and principles of the nature and conditions
and of comprehending and managing, primarily human mental existence, the
nature, origins and common human causes and the direction of the answers and
solutions to the conditions and problems we face. The approach is
establishing clarity and coherence of mind and detailed and in-depth
understanding of the known reflected in human experience, not pushing the
frontiers of the unknown.
The Online Program will take participants
through a discussion of; (a) the fundamental and common nature, conditions,
demands and challenges, especially of human mental existence; (b) the
historical path of human conceptual and mental development, of human beings
trying to comprehend and manage their existence that has brought humanity to
where we find ourselves today; (c) where today we are in conceptual and
mental development, the understanding and the mental skills and practices we
develop and on which we rely in comprehending and managing human existence,
their limits, shortcomings and problematic human, social and ecological
consequences; and (d) the direction we need to take individually and as a
species in conceptual and mental development to address the conditions and
problems we face, change the historical path of human development and
sustain human existence in equitable ways in changing conditions and
narrowing natural parameters within the boundaries set by nature.
The
Program presents an approach to understanding beyond religion, philosophy
and science to set the conceptual and mental conditions to manage existence
in equitable and sustainable ways in changing conditions and narrowing
natural parameters. It presents a different view of the fundamentals and
principles of the nature and conditions and comprehending and managing human
existence and human development and the nature and causes, answers and
solutions to the conditions and problems we face. The Program provides a
conceptual framework to understand, and differentiate and distinguish
between natural and socio-cultural conditions and developments and between
individual and social-collective reality and conditions, needs and
challenges, and contradictions and conflicts between them. A conceptual
framework to differentiate and distinguish between natural conditions and
change that lie beyond human control to which we must respond and adjust,
and socio-cultural conditions and developments, which are the product of
human choices, decisions and actions for which we must take responsibility
and which must be corrected where they contradict and conflict with and fall
short in responding to natural conditions and demands of existence. And to
differentiate and distinguish between social-collective and individual
conditions, order and stability, and contradictions and conflicts between
them.
The Online Study and Training Program is based on a long term
and ongoing study, Sustaining Human Existence in Changing Conditions
(SHEHCMD) Study, which is part of a larger project, Human Conceptual and
Mental Development (HCMD) Project, of the Institute for Human Conceptual and
Mental Development (IHCMD). The material has previously been presented
Online as an introduction to the issues and the Human Conceptual and Mental
Development perspective in a six-week Online Workshop in 1997, an
eight-month Online Sessions in 1998 and a four-month Online Summer School in
1999. The Online Study and Training Program presents the material not merely
as an introduction to the issues and perspective but as a study and training
program of individual conceptual and mental development, of setting
individually the conceptual and mental conditions to sustain human existence
in changing conditions. (For information about the SHEHCMD Study, the HCMD
Project and Institute see the IHCMD web site at
http://www.ncf.ca/~ab097/ihcmd.htm.)
C. Conceptual & Mental
Development
The Program is designed for those intend on developing
their own understanding and mental skills and practices as a necessary first
step to deal with persisting and growing human, social and environmental
conditions and problems locally and globally and set the conceptual and
mental conditions to sustain human existence in changing conditions and
narrowing natural parameters within the limits defined by nature. The
Program is designed for those who see current efforts to be limited, with
traditional and contemporary approaches concentrating primarily on symptoms,
consequences and crises, instant relieve and short and medium term measures,
but not touching on more fundamental and deeper rooted problems and causes
and considering long term change. It is designed for those who want to move
beyond the conceptual limits and shortcomings of conventional understanding
and practice and the limits of their own conceptual framework through
individual conceptual and mental development and growth.
Conceptual
development will involve developing individually clarity and coherence of
mind and detailed and in-depth understanding of the fundamentals and
principles of the nature and conditions and of comprehending and managing,
especially mental existence and mental reality, of the nature, causes and
the direction of the answers and solutions to the conditions and problems of
existence and the conceptual and mental conditions of sustaining human
existence in changing conditions. Conceptual development involves moving
beyond generalities, unsubstantiated and unwarranted beliefs and speculation
and abstractions about the nature and conditions of human existence and
human development. It involves moving beyond individual doubt, fear and
confusion, uncertainty and insecurity. It involves individually establishing
greater clarity and coherence of mind and detailed and in-depth
understanding of the known reflected in human experience.
Mental
development involves developing individually, through constant exercise and
practice the mental skills of focusing, directing and concentrating the mind
and conscious awareness, mental discipline, flexibility and effort, being
mentally alert, active and engaged. It includes developing the mental skills
and practice of establishing and maintaining mental order, stability and
certainty, making sense of individual experience--the changing contents of
sensory perceptions, feelings and sensations, establishing clarity and
coherence of mind and detailed and in-depth understanding of the nature and
conditions of existence reflected in human experience, creating clear and
detailed image in conscious awareness and connecting them into a coherent
conceptual framework. It includes developing the mental skills and practice
to make informed and considered choices, clear and firm decisions, careful
and detailed planning and organizing of goals and objectives, systematic,
step-by-step directing and guiding actions and responses and clearly and
concisely articulating and communicating one's understanding, choices and
decisions, plans and objectives, actions and responses.
D. Who
Should Participate
The Online Study and Training Program will be of
interest to those concerned with the direction of human development and
comprehending and managing human existence in equitable and sustainable ways
in changing conditions and narrowing natural parameters within the limits
set by nature. It will benefit those with an interest and concerned and
those actively engaged in dealing with persisting and growing human, social,
economic, and environmental conditions and problems in education (both
educators and students), academia and science, international development,
public policy, NGOs and social movements. The Program will be of interest to
those concerned with issues of peace, social and economic justice and
equality, human rights, sustainable development, education and human,
cultural, social, economic, scientific-technological development and change.
The Program should be of interest especially to educators and
trainers.
E. Information and Registration
For more details
and registration information see the IHCMD web site at
http://www.ncf.ca/~ab097/ihcmd.htm or contact Dr. Axel Dorscht at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
__________________________________________________________________________
Dr.
Axel Dorscht | Institute for Human Conceptual
Tel: 1-613-233-8354 | and
Mental Development (IHCMD)
Fax: 1-613-233-8354 (call first) | 9 Second
Avenue, Suite 2
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Ottawa, ON K1S 2H2
Canada
Website:
http://www.ncf.ca/~ab097/ihcmd.htm
__________________________________________________________________________
|
