The Quest: Vision in an age of Crisis. Economic & Financial Crisis. Jungian Psychotherapy

S2 Ep103. Transhumanism Part 7. The Faustian pact is sealed

This is the final episode of this miniseries  on Transhumanism and Artificial Intelligence. Many authors, filmakers and the like point to the great dangers of  Artifical Intelligence - to no avail. Warnings of great danger are no deterrence for the advance of technology. Fascinated by wealth and infatuated with power, we complete the Faustian bargain that was struck at the beginning of Business Civilization – we forfeit our soul for power, wealth and knowledge.

S2 Ep102. Transhumanism Part 6. From the Luciferian to the Satanic

The archetypal roots of Transhumanism are explored. The Book of Genesis presents this in symbolic and mythical form: humans are caught in a dilemma between staying in the garden of unconsciousness or making a bid for freedom from nature and the unconscious though the awakening of self awareness and pursuit of knowledge. In doing this we become aware of death and are destined to attempt to overcome this trauma by seeking the tree of everlasting life – to become as gods.

This is the metaphysical background to transhumanism which in its radical form wishes to move at least some humans to a post-biological state that overcomes ageing and death. However the history of utopias – and Transhumanism is definitely one - is that they have a dystopian underside. This can be even be presented metaphysically as a movement from the Luciferian to the Satanic. There is a Faustian pact at the origins of business civilization. The pursuit of Artificial Intelligence and the movement to Transhumanism are its consequences. The myth of Dr Faustus is explored.

S2 Ep101. Transhumanism. Part 5. Artificial Intelligence take-off

We examine  a very recent international report on AI safety. In the face of possibly the most powerful, disruptive, and existentially threatening technological revolution in our history. Regulation is notably absent. We stumble into the unknown.

 

 

S2 Ep100. Transhumanism. Part 4. AI: The demon in the tomb

This episode considers the speed, extent, and dangers of the AI technological revolution. The dreams of radical transhumanism depend on this transformation. I  use 2 sources, both highly recommended reading:

1.  Megathreats  (2022)  by Nouriel Roubini  especially ch8.

2. The Coming Wave  (2023 ) by Mustafa Suleyman.

The episode ends with a warning dream of mine about AI …

An expedition of Western soldiers in India stumbled on an unusual tomb. It is like a big room which is guarded by a living demon, whom the soldiers decide to execute perhaps by burning. They walk backwards to the place of execution while the blue demon walks forward in a sinister, elegant kind of dance.

A cautious interpretation is offered.

S2 Ep99. Transhumanism. Part 3. AI is poised to take over human nature

I review the history of the relationship of technology and human consciousness and explore the implications of the division of the brain into a right and left hemisphere.  AI is not only going to take over most  jobs in the economy, it will take over our consciousness and we are surrendering it willingly. At root, having been convinced of the idea we have no soul and that we are simply code, we are wide open for takeover by forces, many malevolent,  we might otherwise be able to withstand.  And if I am asked what is the soul I reply:

The essence of this precious life

The seed upon the flower,

The scent within a perfume

The light that is a star;

The freedom of the wild west wind

The mist on mountain side,

The thought before you think it

She knows you from inside.

The sweetness of the desert breeze

You can’t hold in your hand,

She’s like the waters of the Nile

She comes from other lands.

S2 Ep98. Transhumanism. Part 2. Replacement of Human Nature

Transhumanism believes in a transition of Homo sapiens into a trans-human and even post-biological state made possible by accelerating technological progress, for example Artificial General Intelligence.  The recent emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) not only push the boundaries of AI but may also play their part in the Transhumanist enterprise. In reply to the question what are the dangers of such technologies to human consciousness, Gemini, one of the well known LLMs, gave a very frank and disturbing reply. All is revealed in the episode!

S2 Ep97. Transhumanism. Part 1. Enhancement of human nature

A mini series on Transhumanism

Transhumanism divides into moderate Transhumanism which believes in an enhanced human condition, and radical Transhumanism which envisages a profound alteration of our bodies and minds, even to the extent of abandoning our biological inheritance and becoming a designed new species. Both visions envisage accelerating technological change. But humans are not in charge of their technologies, rather technology itself is in the driving seat. While the record so far of a highly improved human condition looks good, for example increased life span, as well as impressive increases in GDP and the standard of living, on closer inspection the contemporary situation looks fraught with difficulty and the world economy could well be at an inflection point. Thus, the moderate Transhumanism project would be stalled, even endangered. However, as further episodes will argue this does not apply to radical Transhumanism which  is set to proceed regardless of economic conditions.

S2 Ep96. The Origins of Evil Part 3. The destructiveness in the human psyche.

What is the origin of the destructiveness in humans towards the world of nature?

We examine firstly the consequences, values and paradigms of Business Civilization such as  removal from nature, hyper-technological rationalism, intense consumerism, over-emphasis on science and calculation, exaggerated individualism and so on. These become more intensified in the contemporary period with huge destructive consequences. It is these traits that need to change in order to modify our destructive impact.

Secondly, we explore depth psychology, with reference to ideas of Freud, Jung, Klein and Grof. They all refer to a basic dualism in the unconscious. On the one hand  great creativity, on the other an extraordinary capacity for destruction. Business Civilization needs to be "put on the couch". Unless it integrates its profound negativity it cannot last.

S2 Ep95. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 9. Climate tipping point reached. Red alert.

This is the final episode in this miniseries. It covers the following points.

1. A tipping point has been reached in the climate crisis past the 1.5 degree centigrade threshold and the planet is now in a stage of unpredictable runaway effects.

2. Climate defiance is in the ascendant and there is crisis, confusion, and perhaps despair in the Green ranks. The Green agenda will, however, make a come-back as the true damaging costs of fossil fuel dependency hammer home.

3. The climate crisis has to be gone through – quick fixes are not possible. It is useful to view this whole period as a rite of passage. This does not mean humanity will necessarily get through it. We might fail or not get through intact. But what is required is a total paradigm shift in human values and in global political and economic organization. 

S2 Ep94. The Ecological Catastrophe Part 8.The green climate agenda is in reverse.

The green climate agenda is going backwards. Fifteen examples from across the world are given. Preparing for survival on a degraded planet should be a policy with the status of a national emergency.  Practical policy responses are put forward for rising seas levels.

S2 Ep93.The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 7. Psychiatric diagnosis of business civilization.

The climate crisis and the ecological catastrophe are an existential threat to Homo sapiens especially when combined with other crises of the 21^st century. This is of immense evolutionary and even metaphysical significance. As our species gained in technological power the exploitation of nature became more extensive and under business civilization this has become a world wide phenomenon.

The competitive state of the world economic and political system prevents adequate international cooperation on climate matters. Psychiatry and psychoanalysis have provided diagnostic terms that are useful when describing negative aspects of business civilization such as psychopathic, addictive, manic-depressive, and schizoid. They have also provided insight into climate denial as a defence against anxiety. But the more obvious source of problems is in our values systems, our beliefs about ourselves, nature and even the cosmos. There is in the human psyche a combination of opposites – god-like powers and a demonic destructiveness.

S2 Ep92. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 6. Too little, too late.

The COP commitments are critically scrutinised.  Even if all its  pledges were kept concerning GHG emissions, the tripling of renewable capacity, and energy efficiency  improvements - and that is a tall order - the world is heading for a 10% increase in emissions by 2030, instead of the 43% reduction required to keep global warming under the 1.5 degree threshold.

Following further research post Cop28 I see no reason to change my central warning: prepare for survival on a degraded planet.

A new attitude on the global scene is noted - climate defiance. Arguments for climate denial are also examined and dismissed as contrary to the evidence. 

The episode ends with a beautiful song The Turning of the Year by Mark Dunn of The Bringers of Change whose music albums can be found on Spotify etc. and as CDs at www.fallingarecords.com

This episode is being released a few days early in the breather between Christmas and New Year. The next and probable final episode in this mini-series  will be Feb 1st 2024. Its subject will be the spiritual, mythical, and spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis.

A free meditation programme following the Secret of the Golden Flower starts Jan 2  2024. Contact me at thepilgrimquest@gmail.com if you wish to join - up to 2 weeks late start is OK.

The Quest Lecture series (as distinct from these podcasts) starts in April 2024. Syllabus on my website www.alanmulhern.com

S2 Ep91. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 5. Cop 28 shows a world unable to avoid climate catastrophe

This episode gives a review of Cop 28 which confirms the view that despite strenuous efforts of the United Nations, the IPCC, and many other institutes and organizations the world is politically and economically unwilling or unable to avoid climate catastrophe in the decades to come.  Mankind’s economic short term interests triumph over reason and common sense. To prepare for a severely degraded world is a task totally other than what we have contemplated so far. 

S2 Ep90. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 4. Prepare for survival in a degraded world

This is the fourth episode in this miniseries on the ecological catastrophe of our age.

The GHG emissions targets are not being reached on time.

We need to prepare for survival in a degraded world.

There needs to be a spiritual vision to give us insight into the climate and other crises of our age.

 

S2 Ep89.The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 3. The wider elements of the ecological crisis aside from climate

This episode identifies the other elements of the ecological crisis aside from climate:

Biodiversity loss

Chemical pollution into land, air, rivers, and oceans

Particle pollution of the atmosphere

Deforestation and land use

Freshwater scarcity

The phosphorous and nitrogen cycle

# The episode continued by identifying Business Civilization as the immediate source of the contemporary ecological disaster.

# Next it introduced the Dasgupta Review with its investigation of the contemporary trauma of global biodiversity reduction.

# Finally it explored Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind.

S2 Ep89. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 3 - to be published October 1st 2023

There are now some changes to the structure and timing of these podcasts.

Firstly, the Spanish language podcasts, which have explored the life and work of Carl Jung, have now ended. For the forseeable future there will only be the English speaking podcasts.

Secondly, I am moving the podcast release dates generally to the first of the month - an easier date to remember rather than the mid-month timing. Hence S2 Ep89 will be released on October 1st 2023 etc.

The overall theme of the podcasts remains - the quest for vision in an age of crises. The current set of episodes are on the Ecological Catastrophe of our Age. As preparation for the coming episode you could read the highly recommended and freely available internet version of The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review. You could start with the Headline Messages (just a few pages) and then read the Abridged version. The full text is for the highly motivated student - who knows this might include yourself.

This current set of episodes is placed within the larger context of our exploration of the multiple crises of our age (dramatically referred to as the Ten Horsemen of the Apocalypse) which, in addition to the ecological, will include the economic, financial, political, social, health, military, technological, clash of ideas and ideologies (including the Culture Wars, Woke etc. ), and spiritual crisis of our age. En route we will encounter extraordinary possibilities emerging in the 21st century - such as transformations of human nature, global totalitarianism. modification, replacement or even extinction of Homo sapiens, and spiritual transformation.

As you will readily appreciate this is an ambitious undertaking, will take a number of years, and has to be done at a pace which will allow me to complete this task. So I ask for your patience. I also ask for your support, which you can do in two ways: firstly, by telling others of this podcast series; secondly by studying the content of this freely available podcast series (and its references) as seriously as you can, thirdly by leaving comments on the series. If you can accompany this with a spiritual practice, so much the better. Logic, argument and reason are important, yes, but the vision of spiritual experience is the decisive factor in the type of knowledge or gnosis we seek. As a Jungian analyst I am also very much in favour of combining this with deep self-examination. 

 I also run periodically (say once a year) a 100 day meditation online programme based on the Secret of the Golden Flower. Also there is a parallel series of lectures and meeting (called the Quest) which takes place once a month online. For more details, including contact information, you may consult my website www.alanmulhern.com

 

S3 Ep37. Últimas visiones y pensamiento de Carl Jung. Spanish Language.

Este es el episodio final de nuestra serie de podcasts sobre la vida y obra de Carl Jung. Este ha sido un proyecto conjunto entre el Instituto Venezolano de Psicología Analítica (representado por María Leonor de Planchart y Beatrice Rojas) y el Quest (representado por Alan Mulhern).

Terminamos, como deberíamos. con las propias visiones y pensamientos de Jung al final de su vida, tal como se cuentan en los capítulos finales de Recuerdos, Sueños, Pensamientos.

Estos incluyen: su experiencia cercana a la muerte; su posterior convicción de que la vida en esta tierra era como una caja tridimensional especialmente construida a la que llamamos "realidad"; sus pensamientos sobre la existencia después de la muerte; su conciencia de que esta vida era una proyección de una realidad más profunda; su convicción de que la civilización occidental necesitaba recuperar un ancla mitológica sin la cual estábamos perdidos; sus extraordinarias reinterpretaciones de la sabiduría, las religiones y las mitologías antiguas para reanimar el alma de la humanidad; y su creencia de que un amor profundo es la base del universo.

Jung escribió: “Hasta donde podemos discernir, el único propósito de la existencia humana es encender una luz en la oscuridad del mero ser”.

Pocas veces ha habido tanta luz en la oscuridad como la de Carl Jung.

S2 Ep88. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 2. Climate change - one of the most powerful influences in human history.

Life has always been dependent on and deeply interlinked with climate. The earth passes through great cycles of glacial and warming conditions with enormous consequences for the promotion or restriction and even extinction of life. Hominins, our ancestors, adapted to changing habitats and climatic environments. The genus Homo, of which Homo sapiens is but one species among others, had an even greater capacity to adapt. Nevertheless many of our hominid ancestors succumbed to extreme climate change. Homo sapiens with its higher level brain power, symbolic thought and language, wider social and trading networks, more complex tools and weaponry was the most able to manage the increasingly colder and extreme climatic conditions and consequent changing food supplies - so far.

However the extremity of environmental and climatic change continues to our own period and we are reminded of Toynbee’s acute observation that civilization has to continually manage its challenges or face extinction. The same applies to species. Our species, Homo sapiens, is now a global business civilization and despite all its creativity is in great danger.

Climate change, often very severe, quite simply has been one of the biggest factors in earth history. It has also been one of the most powerful influences also in human history.

S2 Ep87. The Ecological Catastrophe. Part 1. The rise in Green House Gas emissions and the impact on global warming

This is the start of a mini-series on the ecological catastrophe of the anthropocene. In the first episode the emphasis is on climate but subsequent ones will explore other components of this crisis, for example the great destruction of  bio-diversity, otherwise known as the sixth extinction event.

The current ecological emergency is undeniable. But current policies to deal with it are inadequate.

Can the attack upon nature be characterised as evil since it is a prime example of the destruction of life and the good?

Can something of the magnitude of Business Civilization,  the first example of a truly global civilization, reform itself to the extent required to avoid catastrophe?

Can a global leadership emerge that stops fighting and squabbling?

Will a global totalitarianism be required and will this lead to a world dystopia?

Can we rise to meet the scale of the challenge we face?

Do we realise that what is required is not just some new inventions leaving our standard of living and way of life intact  but rather a vast paradigm shift and a change in our very thinking and way of life?

Episodes for the moment will continue to  be released  around the 15th of the month but will change to 1st of the month by the end of the year.

S3 Ep36. El símbolo de Cristo - interpretación de Jung

“La descristianización de nuestro mundo, el desarrollo luciferino de la ciencia y la tecnología, y la espantosa destrucción material y moral que dejó la Segunda Guerra Mundial han sido comparados más de una vez con los acontecimientos escatológicos narrados en el Nuevo Testamento.

Cristo es este mito viviente de nuestra cultura. Es nuestro héroe cultural que encarna el mito del hombre primordial divino ...La imagen de Cristo es el arquetipo del Self”. Sin embargo, el símbolo del Cristo celestial carece de totalidad en el sentido psicológico moderno, ya que no incluye al luciferino que está separado. El cristianismo era muy consciente de esto, pero lo llamó privatio boni. Significaba la ausencia del bien más que una realidad positiva por derecho propio. Lucifer corresponde al Anticristo, la mitad oscura de la totalidad divina y humana. En el concepto cristiano, el arquetipo de la totalidad se divide irremediablemente en dos mitades irreconciliables que conducen en última instancia a un dualismo metafísico: la separación final del reino de los cielos del mundo de los condenados". Jung: Christ a Symbol of the Self. Aion CW Part 2