The potential of human consciousness - International Symposium about Big History and Global Evolution - Moscow 2017

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Presentation by Fulvio De Vita at Third International Symposium Big History and Global Evolution at Lomonosov State University of Moscow In the last portion of this Big History that involves us so closely, there appears a fundamental component: human consciousness (1). Capable of reflecting on itself, it continually expands its spatial and temporal horizons, creates the world every second, and rebels against the determinisms of “nature”. It seems to be the most advanced expression of the global process, at this point in evolution and on this planet. We intend to focus on this manifestation –consciousness–, trace some of its major evolutionary steps, describe as far as possible what it is going through now, and envisage its future possibilities, which are likely to bloom at the moment of the new evolutionary leap which lies before us. 1 By consciousness we mean that which coordinates and gives a structure to the activity of the psyche, from senses to memory.

Good Knowledge liberates

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Intervention at the panel discussion "Good Knowledge for the future of Human Being", during the European Humanist Forum in Madrid, May 2018. "Good knowledge emerges right at the start of human history to address our species’ shortcomings. Its direction implies the transformation of the given conditions that cause pain and suffering. Good Knowledge assumes the clear intention to rebel against the absurdity of death, going far beyond the limits imposed by an apparently definite and unchanging natural state. This aim of the quest to overcome adverse circumstances is to expand human freedom."

Towards discovering humanness from the realm of what has been established to freedom

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IV Symposium of the World Centre of Humanist Studies

In this time of great changes, individuals, institutions and societies are in crisis. We are going through times of urgency and possibility.

The paradigms we have been living by do not longer provide suitable answers, and the future is not entirely at sight yet.

Fast transformations wipe away the social landscape in which the preceding generations grew up, creating abysses of incomprehension and insecurity. The old world is already gone, but the new one is still to come.

Nonviolence: the only way out of the crisis today

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[ Fulvio de Vita. 2009 ] The crisis we are going through pervades all the realms of human action. This crisis has been given different names: economic crisis, intercultural crisis, energy crisis, crisis of values, spiritual crisis…

But I think that it is important to note that behind all these crisis, there is a violent attitude by which many individuals and institutions tend to face the deep changes that are occurring in our time.

International Symposium: Ethics in knowledge

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“In a southern region of the world, in the locality of Punta de Vacas, near the roof of the West and during 3 days, over 500 people from all corners of the world: academics, politicians, scientists, researchers, educators, students and specialists in a diversity of disciplines, met to interchange about the present world situation and the necessary contributions to be made from all fields of knowledge in order to improve life in the planet.”

The 1° Symposium of the International World Center of Humanist Studies: "ETHICS IN KNOWLEDGE” opened at the Victor Jara Hall of the University of Santiago de Chile on November 11th, 2008, and continued on Nov 12th at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. The framework for the need of an ethical approach for all fields of human activity at the present time was developed.

Read the already available papers (in July 2009 the upload has started)

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