The Envisionary Ego | The Soul of The Future

About this video

• Video Title: The Envisionary Ego | The Soul of The Future
• Channel: Formscapes
• Speakers: Not specified in the transcript
• Duration: 2:14:48

Overview

This video explores the concept of hemispheric lateralization in the brain, drawing parallels with philosophical ideas from thinkers like Ian McGilchrist and Martin Heidegger. It delves into how the left and right hemispheres represent different modes of attending to the world and how the dominance of the left hemisphere, characterized by narrow, analytical thinking, has contributed to the "malaise of modernity." The video also examines historical shifts in gender archetypes and their connection to these hemispheric functions, ultimately proposing that a reintegration of the right hemisphere's holistic and creative capacities is crucial for human consciousness evolution.

Key takeaways

• Hemispheric Differences: The left hemisphere is associated with a narrow, manipulative perspective, while the right hemisphere offers a broader, holistic view of reality.
• Heidegger's Concepts: The video links McDiarmid's ideas to Heidegger's concepts of "being-as-presence" (Vorhandenheit) and "being-as-involvement" (Zuhandenheit), correlating them with the left and right hemispheres, respectively.
• Modern Malaise: A perceived over-reliance on the left hemisphere's analytical, reductionistic approach is identified as a root cause of many problems in modern thinking and society.
• Historical Gender Shifts: Traditional associations of creativity and imagination with masculinity have been reversed in modern times, largely due to industrial capitalism's influence on gender roles.
• Ego Evolution: The video traces the evolution of the human ego through various stages, from magical to mythical, discursive, and finally to the current perspectival consciousness, suggesting a future "envisionary" stage.
• Internalization of Forms: The historical process of internalizing external forms (myths, cultural norms, etc.) into the human ego is a key theme, impacting individual agency and societal structures.
• Critique of Cartesian Science: The video critiques the mechanistic and abstract approach of Cartesian science, arguing it overlooks the organic and psychical nature of reality, particularly in its treatment of life and consciousness.
• The Role of Noesis: The faculty of "noesis," a more intuitive and perceptual mode of knowing associated with the right hemisphere, is highlighted as essential for understanding and reintegrating with the world.
• The Problem of Separation: Modernity's emphasis on separation, alienation, and discrete identities, stemming from a breakdown of holistic frameworks, is identified as a central problem leading to societal and individual dysfunction.
• Empathy as Epistemology: Empathy is presented not just as an emotional response but as a fundamental epistemological faculty that allows for genuine contact with the inner reality of others and the world.