Evolution's Purpose: An Integral Interpretation of the Scientific Story of Our Origins

by Steve McIntosh

Does the science of evolution really prove that life, humanity, and the universe as a whole are meaningless accidents? On the contrary, as science has shown how everything in the universe is subject to evolution, including matter, life, and human culture, these very facts reveal that the process of evolution is unmistakably progressive.  And, as Steve McIntosh demonstrates, when we come to see how evolution progresses, this reveals evolution's purpose -to grow toward ever-widening realizations of beauty, truth, and goodness. McIntosh argues that the purpose of evolution is not intelligently designed or otherwise externally controlled; rather, its purpose is being creatively and originally discerned through the choices of the evolutionary creatures themselves. Without relying on spiritual authorities, the author shows how the scientific story of our origins is actually a profound and sacred teaching compatible with many forms of contemporary spirituality. Evolution's Purpose : An Integral Interpretation of the Scientific Story of Our Origins presents a fresh and compelling view of evolutionary science and philosophy, and shows how a deeper understanding of evolution itself can lead directly to a more evolved world.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Science

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 11, 2012

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you been "emerging" for awhile? Do you wonder if there's anything, philosophically, beyond "postmodern progressive spirituality"? Perhaps you've read about "evolutionary spirituality" or the Spiral Dynamics theory, which has been gaining a lot of attention in emergent Christian circles. Brian McLaren talks about it in his book 'A New Kind of Christianity,' and recently Rob Bell has been teaching it too. Bell touches on the theory behind Spiral Dynamics in his book 'Velvet Elvis' and in a recent New Yorker article. Properly understood, Spiral Dynamics is an entry-level popularization of a larger philosophical/spiritual movement known as "integral philosophy." And now, integral philosophy has been expanded and clarified in evolution's direction by acclaimed integral philosopher Steve McIntosh in this book.

'Evolution's Purpose' presents a compelling view of evolutionary science and philosophy that I think will appeal to three groups of people:

*Rationalist-skeptical readers who feel that much "science and spirituality" writing is actually pseudoscience
*Conservative Christian readers who don't trust the validity of evolutionary science, and
*Progressive/Emergent Christians who embrace evolution but are looking to deepen their understanding of its sacred dimensions while finding language to talk to those in the first two camps

If you're looking for a fresh alternative to Deepak on the one hand and Dennett on the other, 'Evolution's Purpose' is for you.

[Fr. River · Rating 1 out of 5]

EVOLUTIONS PURPOSE


By Steve McIntosh


This is a great interpretation of evolutionary science and philosphy, showing an understanding of the process of evolution. It avoids religious conflicts and following in the line of Pierre de Chartin's evolutionary concept of creation evolving according to God's plan. This book presents a realistic concept of evolution and demonstrates how God created the world in that process. It reveals great truths about the universe and is brings a very contemporary approach to spirituality.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I began trying to read this book, I wondered why I opted for it from The Speakeasy; I generally can make my way around fairly dense theology, but this is more speculative and suggestive philosophy that may have taken more words than necessary to explain, but then again, possibly not. The author defines Integral Philosophy as "essentially a philosophy of evolution that emphasizes the evolution of consciousness as a central factor in the process of evolution overall; ... it demonstrates the connection between the personal development of each person's values and character and the larger development of human history." On xxix we read, "evolution is an [unrolling, as in a parchment scroll] overarching process of becoming, partly due to choices consciously made by creation itself (thus, evolution's - or the evolving creatures' - own "purpose") that shapes physical, cultural, conscious, social, and every imaginable aspect of life imaginable.

From that perspective of integral philosophy, the book discusses values, human agency, freedom of choice, beauty, truth, and goodness. Humanity, creation, nature... I wouldn't necessarily describe Evolution's Purpose as densely written, but it does seem to ramble on without much purposeful direction. The book is at least semi-scientific, and somewhat spiritual; to me it's also not very engaging. However, it might be more interesting and more accessible to someone trained in the physical and biological sciences than in theology.

[Broken Publishing · Rating 4 out of 5]

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