The future of human consciousness

It is remarkable that few serious thinkers have speculated in public about the possible future forms that our species might take. A few Western philosophers and scientists—Nietzsche, ¹ Teilhard de Chardin ² and Yoneji Masuda ³—have touched on the next stage of evolution. In the East, others such as Sri Aurobindo ⁴ have interpreted contemporary transformations of society and culture as a cyclical manifestation of the upward spiral of human consciousness. The only genre of literature that seems to touch systematically on this matter has been science fiction—a professionally safe genre. There is no certainty of prediction required, only speculation about potentialities and possibilities—alternative futures and future alternatives. This article outlines a structural view that anticipates what may result from the complexification and reorganization of human consciousness.