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The 'Unknown' Bias.

Posted November 4th, 2011 by Brent Simpson

Integral theory posits that in some real sense there is a spectrum of body-energy. The four-quadrant theory articulates that this is the Upper-right hand quadrant in the AQAL theory. There has been some discussion on the matter that for those very advanced in interior development there aren't MANY correlates within the social or cultural domains in which one can interface with at this time, as they have not yet been developed to any sophisticated degree in our present culture or society (which makes good sense to me). 

The premise of the argument I am going to make here is that there is a farily large unknown bias that really cannot be taken into account in developmental theories but must be held in mind when looking at the nuances of the theory, for those entering into the more advanced integral stages (as I do believe this knowledge could be helpful for an individuals progession). One of the reasons was just stated above that the kinds of activities and ways of life of the beings in the higher integral stages are not yet socially & culturally manifested. Which in turn, means we don't know exactly the kinds of abilities and lifestyles and even thinking patterns an integral mind would fully be like in an integral culture and society (we can probably do a pretty good job of estimating what Teal may be and act like, but for Turqouise and especially beyond that, the patterns of being would probably be MUCH different than the patterns of being that are enacted by those pushing into those stages today). 

There is also a potential unknown bias in early infant development. Let me be clear, I understand the pre-trans fallacy and agree with it... but feel there can be a layer or two added (that I don't remember Ken having addressed although he may have). Namely, if we are in agreement that we have potential access to mind, soul and spirit moment to moment. And that babies through their incarnation just left a realm that was far more in touch with these subtle and causal realms and therefore their soul and spirit... we can infer that the soul is more active at the time of embodiment (I have heard him say this). Aurobindo & Ken expresses many of these thoughts better than I can but... the degree to which one has gained mastery of the soul and spirit in past incarnations will play a role even in the early development of the newborn. Thereby, to some degree augmenting these early growth stages (they will not be skipped... but may be seen strangely different in some sense). Further, and this is an even more important point. There are pathologies within our society especially a society as fregmented as ours - regarding the inclusion of the healthy forms of early developmental emotional structures. These pathologies are certainly playing a role on the kinds of developmental patterns that are taking place within individuals in early growth. Which means that there is again an unknown bias as to how one ought to develop through these stages (as this development is an 'ought' -as in, this is how one ought to develop... within the confines of our our fairly fregmented/pathologically emotional culture).

 

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Yes

Posted November 5th, 2011 by Annie

Hi Brent,

Thank you for bringing this up, I too can see a few examples of this. I don't remember hearing Ken talk about it but I have not read all that he has written.

One of the most poignant manifestations of this is being gay, these are cases where children grow up knowing the obvious disparities between self and culture, within a most intimate and powerful experience. Probably not as significant today as it was when I was young, but the instability one would feel knowing that he/she cannot find expression in a harmonizing environment. The nature of this imbalance is difficult to deny, but the ways in which one will integrate it will depend upon the relationships they find.

I like this example because the expressions are solidified and made concrete in almost every activity one may get involved in, but what you are talking about regarding developmental bias is much more difficult to articulate. In some cases we may just pose the question as I heard Ken ask many times; why do some people evolve and others don't, or how can we get people to evolve?

It raises the question for me, are we really just catching up to our own interiors? Are we finding outward expressions of what has been internally brewing?

When I was young, I remember "getting" certain scriptural passages that I didn't even realize had any significance, simply because there were no outward expressions of this. It wasn't until much later that I realized it was not obvious to everyone. It seems to me that we can ask the question -- would as much dysfunction and instability arise in individuals (culturally) if we knew what it was that caused all the tension. If we were able to identify those lines of development that made the Holon out of balance and unexpressed. If we feel deeply into this idea...we must be able to catch a glimpse of what these individuals will be experiencing, it will be like walking around with two different size legs. Depending upon the Lines involved the disparities can be tremendous.

The way in which we identify a Stage of Development using SD, makes this all the more problematic, in a sense it seems to me that it is because we identify individuals according to these structures, we reinforce the same inaccuracies. We need to remove the glass ceiling, allowing them to move into the areas that they would naturally feel an inclination. We really have no idea how to define this structurally, but we can anticipate the directional path...probably adequately expressed with SD.