Technologies of Self
"As I see it the world is undoubtedly in need of a new religion, and that religion must be founded on humanist principles. When I say religion, I do not mean merely a theology involving belief in a supernatural god or gods; nor do I mean merely a system of ethics, however exalted; nor only scientific knowledge, however extensive; nor just a practical social morality, however admirable or efficient. I mean an organized system of ideas and emotions which relate man to his destiny, beyond and above the practical affairs of every day, transcending the present and the existing systems of law and social structure. The prerequisite today is that any such religion shall appeal potentially to all mankind; and that its intellectual and rational sides shall not be incompatible with scientific knowledge but on the contrary based on it."
― Julian Huxley
There is something compelling about memes so influential that they galvanize human connection and activity in ways that advance the totality of life's experience. While the scope of a new religion is far beyond my comprehension, I often find myself interested in those technologies that have explicitly sought to alter, expand, and refine consciousness.
These technologies, ways, and means have emerged and been developed in every known culture and age. They range in intent, application, and result, but the underlying impulse has a similarity: expand capacity and understanding. That impulse could be said to underlie all human endeavors, but here the capacity is the very lens through which experience occurs. This impulse bears resonance with Evelyn Underhill's description of the mystical pursuit:
...the prosecution of a certain spiritual and intangible quest: the finding of a "way out" or a "way back" to some desirable state in which alone they can satisfy their craving for absolute truth. - Evelyn Underhill
While the desire for contact with absolute truth might be at the essence of many technologies of self, countless others pursue such technologies for more utilitarian gains.
These two impulses might be categorized as "that which is for self" and "that which is for other." Here, "self" is defined as the sole subject of any and all experience. "Other" is defined as anything extraneous to "self," which in this highly tentative framing would also include self-concepts, self-identity, ego, the world, and others.
These "technologies" range from techniques of body (breath, movement, sound) to techniques of mind (observation, concentration, imagination) to techniques of material intervention (psychopharmacology, electric nerve stimulation, biofeedback). This swath of technologies runs the gamut from the ancient to the emergent and are increasingly subject to the scientific method's rigors.
The lines of inquiry I am interested in pursuing are:
What are the differences (in intent and results) between these different techniques?
What is the role of the ethical and moral dimensions that were often embedded in the traditions that stewarded the ancient technologies of self?
Where might the ancient and emergent interact? What are some of the possible consequences of such interactions, negative and positive?
What are some emergent roles that AI and ML might play in this broad project of the intentional expansion and refinement of consciousness?
More questions will surface as the exploration deepens, but these are some initial questions.
