Crisis and renewal of civilizations : the 21st century crisis of ideas and character / Marek J. Celinski, editor.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Celinski, Marek J., editor.

Series:

Focus on civilizations and cultures.

Focus on civilizations and cultures

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civilization, Modern--21st century.

Civilization, Modern.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (357 p.)

Place of Publication:

New York : Nova Publishers, [2015]

Summary:

This book expands on the primary assumption that the human brain is a sense and purpose producing organ; we use it to understand and guide us through chaotic realities in order to impact the course of events and ourselves. Humanity's future will be a direct result of what our brains permit us to do, and this is the reason why understanding how the brain functions is so important to promote its best utilization. We need to learn how to better benefit from the human brain's innate tendency to establish new connections, which could promote flights of creativity and imagination. A unique feature of the human brain is that it is both diversified and united, allowing for a variety of sensory and expressive functions and, at the same time, for cohesive and purposeful behavior. Our mind's cohesiveness breaks down in the brain's pathological conditions, or in conditions of severe stress and deprivation. Examples of crisis observed throughout history can be understood as a projection by our collective mind of pathological states on reality. Put simply, the human mind is unable to make sense of circumstances to assure stability and continuity. It is obvious that we struggle both to separate and unify ourselves, and that every war or social disruption ultimately ends in peace and the temporary restoration of order and stability.

Contents:

CRISIS AND RENEWAL OF CIVILIZATIONS: THE 21ST CENTURY CRISIS OF IDEAS AND CHARACTER; CRISIS AND RENEWAL OF CIVILIZATIONS: THE 21ST CENTURY CRISIS OF IDEAS AND CHARACTER; Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data; CONTENTS; PREFACE; INTRODUCTION: CIVILIZATIONS AS A PROJECTION OF HUMAN NATURE; THE MIND AND ITS PROJECTIONS; HUMAN NATURE AND ITS ROLE IN CRISIS AND RENEWAL; OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK; REFERENCES; PART I: HUMAN NATURE AND ITS POTENTIAL FOR CRISIS AND RENEWAL; Chapter 1: THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN PERSONAL AND CIVILIZATIONAL CRISIS AND RENEWAL; ABSTRACT

WHY DO WE NEED CIVILIZATIONS?THE ESSENCE OF CRISIS; FROM DETERMINISM TO FREEDOM; WHICH SOCIO-CULTURAL TRADITION HELPS TO PROMOTE HOLISTIC EXPRESSIONS OF HUMAN NATURE?; THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS LEADING TO SUCCESS; CONCLUSION; REFERENCES; Chapter 2: WHAT HATH MAN WROUGHT: UTOPIAN DREAMS AND DELUSIONS; ABSTRACT; INTRODUCTION; UTOPIA: THE ANCIENT ADMONITION; UTOPIA: THE MODERN DREAM; UTOPIA: THE TWENTIETH-CENTURY REALITY; CONCLUSION; REFERENCES; Chapter 3: NON-LINEAR FUTURE: GLOBAL CRISES IN VIEW OF MEGA-HISTORY; ABSTRACT; INTRODUCTION

1. THE CONCEPT OF CRISIS: THE LAW OF DELAYED DYSFUNCTION AND THE RULE OF REDUNDANT VARIETY2. ANTHROPOGENIC CRISES: THE LAW OF TECHNO-HUMANITARIAN BALANCE; 3. GROWTH AND LIMITATION OF VARIETY: THE LAW OF HIERARCHICAL COMPENSATIONS; 4. THE SPECIFICITY OF MODERN CRISIS: "KNOWLEDGE-ENABLED DESTRUCTION"; 5. COSMIC PERSPECTIVES OF INTELLIGENCE AND UNIVERSAL NATURAL SELECTION; 6. SNOOKS-PANOV VERTICAL; 7. VIABILITY AND THE WORLDVIEW PARADIGMS: IDEOLOGY VS. CIVILIZATION?; REFERENCES; Chapter 4: HUMAN NATURE AND COLLECTIVE WISDOM IN AN AGE OF CRISIS; ABSTRACT; INTRODUCTION; OVERPOPULATION

TIME-BASED ORGANIZATION OF THE MIND

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed May 3, 2016).

ISBN:

1-63483-152-7