c-atlas/public/data/Wilber.json

{
  "id_and_class": {
    "theory_title": "Integral Theory",
    "summary": "Integral Theory is an overarching metatheory seeking to harmonize over one hundred diverse philosophical and spiritual theories into a single, coherent framework that accounts for the human condition. It posits a developmental spectrum of consciousness, charting an evolutionary course from ancient proto-consciousness to ultimate spiritual attainment.",
    "associated_thinkers": ["Ken Wilber"],
    "category": "Anomalous and Altered States",
    "subcategory": "Developmental Metatheory",
    "core_identity_tagline": "Consciousness as an Evolutionary Spectrum",
    "classification_tags": [
      "metatheory",
      "spiritual",
      "evolution",
      "development",
      "AQAL"
    ]
  },
  "conceptual_ground": {
    "explanatory_identity_claim": "Consciousness is identified as a developmental spectrum existing within the 'Kosmos', evolving from proto-consciousness towards ultimate Spirit.",
    "ontological_status": "Monism/Idealism Hybrid",
    "mind_body_relationship": "A complex, non-reductive relationship (Dual-Aspect Developmental Monism) where mind and consciousness emerge from matter but ultimately strive to restore primordial unity with a transcendental reality (Spirit).",
    "primitive_or_emergent_status": "Primitive in its basal proto-form, leading to highly Emergent levels (Soul and Spirit).",
    "emergence_type": "Strong Emergence for higher levels (Soul, Spirit), as these are conceptualized as realms that transcend matter and life, non-reducible to their physical basis.",
    "subjectivity_and_intentionality": "Subjectivity is central, particularly in the individual quadrants of the AQAL model, detailing individual psychology and the quest for spiritual attainment/enlightenment; intentionality is implied by the goal-directed evolutionary drive toward Spirit.",
    "qualia_account": "Not explicitly detailed in the source, but implied to be inherent and structured within the developmental spectrum of consciousness and integral to the spectrum of individual experience.",
    "ontological_commitments": "The Kosmos, conceived as concentric spheres (matter, life, mind, soul, Spirit), and the structured four quadrants of the AQAL model (Interior/Exterior, Individual/Collective).",
    "epistemic_access": "Introspection, contemplative practices (meditative traditions), and comprehensive cross-cultural philosophical and psychological synthesis.",
    "constituents_and_structure": "The basic structure is the AQAL (All Quadrants All Levels) model, a 2x2 grid, organizing individual and collective expressions across internal (consciousness) and external (physical) dimensions."
  },
  "mechanism_and_dynamics": {
    "scope_of_consciousness": "Phenomenal, Self-awareness, Spiritual Attainment, Individual Psychology, and Collective Social organization.",
    "distinctive_mechanism_or_principle": "The principle of evolution across a spectrum of consciousness, organized and mapped by the AQAL framework, unifying diverse levels of reality and experience.",
    "dynamics_of_emergence": "Consciousness is a dynamic, evolutionary process driven toward increasing complexification and the restoration of primordial unity with transcendental consciousness.",
    "location_and_distribution": "Distributed throughout the 'Kosmos' across various levels: matter, life, mind, soul, and Spirit; organized systemically within both individual and collective realms (AQAL).",
    "causation_and_functional_role": "Drives the grand cosmic system of continuing complexification and the evolution of the Kosmos, ultimately serving spiritual realization and minimizing philosophical naturalism.",
    "integration_or_binding": "Integration is achieved via the meta-theoretical AQAL framework, which unifies otherwise disparate psychological, spiritual, and physical dimensions into a single coherent system.",
    "information_flow_or_representation": "Information and knowledge are integrated, categorized, and mapped across the developmental levels and quadrants of the AQAL system.",
    "evolutionary_account": "An explicit developmental and evolutionary account where consciousness emerges from proto-consciousness in non-life and evolves through life and mind toward ultimate spirit/spiritual attainment.",
    "core_claims_and_evidence": [
      "Integral Theory attempts to harmonize over 100 diverse philosophical and spiritual theories into one coherent framework.",
      "Consciousness operates on an evolutionary developmental spectrum, moving toward ultimate spiritual attainment.",
      "The core framework is the AQAL model, mapping interior/exterior and individual/collective realms."
    ],
    "basis_of_belief_or_evidence_type": "Philosophical Synthesis, Spiritual Traditions, Transpersonal Psychology, Developmental Models."
  },
  "empirics_and_critiques": {
    "testability_status": "Conceptually testable via philosophical evaluation of its coherence and its capacity to integrate existing psychological and spiritual knowledge; empirical testing of ultimate spiritual claims is speculative.",
    "known_empirical_interventions_or_tests": "Relies on insights derived from developmental psychology, consciousness studies, and meditative traditions.",
    "criticisms_and_tensions": "Not explicitly critiqued in the source, but the theory stands in opposition to philosophical naturalism and seeks to defeat Materialism Theories of consciousness, creating a foundational tension with conventional science.",
    "open_questions_and_limitations": "The explicit challenge is integrating spiritual concerns with the modern scientific worldview; the model's efficacy relies on its ability to undermine reductionist Materialism Theories.",
    "ontological_coherence": "Highly coherent within its own comprehensive metatheoretical structure (AQAL), designed explicitly to reconcile diverse ontological categories (matter, mind, soul, Spirit)."
  },
  "implications": {
    "AI_consciousness": {
      "stance": "Conditional",
      "rationale": "AI systems may achieve lower levels (matter/mind/computational complexity), but achieving the higher, non-physical levels of Soul or Spirit seems unlikely without the developmental pathway inherent in the Kosmos."
    },
    "survival_beyond_death": {
      "stance": "Yes",
      "rationale": "The theory incorporates non-physical realms like 'Soul' and 'Spirit' and posits an evolutionary path toward ultimate transcendental consciousness, aligning with the idea of post-mortem persistence."
    },
    "meaning_and_purpose": {
      "stance": "Ultimate and Cosmic",
      "rationale": "The entire theory is built on an evolutionary account of consciousness striving toward ultimate spiritual attainment/enlightenment, providing cosmic teleology and purpose."
    },
    "virtual_immortality": {
      "stance": "Conditional",
      "rationale": "Achieving true virtual immortality would require capturing or simulating the non-physical/spiritual spheres of the Kosmos (Soul/Spirit), which are necessary for the individual's full identity and highest developmental levels."
    }
  },
  "relations_and_sources": {
    "related_theories": [
      {
        "name": "Materialism Theories",
        "relationship": "Critique/Opposing"
      },
      {
        "name": "Idealisms",
        "relationship": "Compatible/Influence"
      },
      {
        "name": "Transpersonal Psychology",
        "relationship": "Influence/Overlap"
      }
    ],
    "sources_and_references": [
      {
        "title_with_names": "Integral Theory/Wilber",
        "year": 2024
      },
      {
        "title_with_names": "Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution, Ken Wilber",
        "year": 1995
      },
      {
        "title_with_names": "Integral Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy, Ken Wilber",
        "year": 1999
      }
    ]
  }
}