THE INTEGRAL APPROACH Course 1: Essential Integral

A self-paced, interactive walkthrough of the most widely acclaimed map of human potential. This course contains over 20 hours of instruction and activities. Finally, a way to discover the Integral Approach that is both actionable and comprehensive.

See a trailer video and demo of the final DVD package product.

blog page link back: http://blog.michaelgaio.com/2010/08/18/core-integral-design/

I’ve been developing this interactive, 3-dimensional model, and it was just recently accepted to be exhibited and presented at the Asian Consciousness Festival in Hong Kong this June.  You can see, interact, and read all about the model here:

www.cogspace.net

You can also download the entire abstract and descriptive paper here:

www.cogspace.net/docs/CogSpace.pdf

An excerpt from the abstract:

This model is an examination of consciousness through an interactive visual representation of the interdisciplinary knowledge domains of Cognitive Science and Consciousness Studies. As a visualization of the various scientific and academic approaches toward understanding mind and consciousness, a unified and comprehensive overview is achieved that orients our collective approach in the field of consciousness research as a whole.

The model is based on a 3-dimensional conceptual framework that assigns six (6) formally established primary knowledge domains of interdisciplinary Cognitive Science (namely: Psychology, Anthropology, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Philosophy, and Linguistics) to the geometric Cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z), and to a correlative color system (based on gradient scales of red, green, and blue), resulting in a semantic-color-space matrix for ontologically representational coordination of the topic contents. More specific knowledge areas are plotted within this axiomatic framework as sub-domains (such as Analytical Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Semantics, etc). The precise positions of subdomains are determined by metric averages derived by consensus survey of a diverse group of people, and is therefore also a representation of a collective perspective of consciousness research (not just the perspective of a single individual or isolated disciplinary field).

With this dynamic arrangement of organizational factors, the model renders a unique integral perspective and informative cartography of the “terrain”, and provides a “navigational instrument” for our explorative traversing across the frontier of consciousness research. By plotting each sub-domain in scope of the relative positions of all other domains, areas of knowledge and research concentration and lack of concentration (“unexplored regions”) become apparent. When referencing any particular disciplinary sub-domain within the manifold model, where it is at and what color it is can suggest something about it’s qualitative proximity to either more discrete and concrete or more continuous and abstract types of knowledge and research. For example, a sub-domain that is extremely neurobiological will be far less philosophical, and is placed on an extreme exterior boundary of the model (color saturation is more additive toward extreme hues). Inversely, a sub-domain that is a hybrid, somewhat balanced in interdisciplinary collaboration between linguistics and computer science, psychology and anthropology, and philosophy and neuroscience, is placed closer to the center of the model (color saturation is subtractive toward gray). The exterior of the model therefore represents the diverse areas of the more discrete and concrete–portrayed as the bright “rainbow” spectrum of colors. The interior of the model represents hybrid areas of the more continuous and abstract–portrayed figuratively and literally as the “gray area”. The closer a sub-domain is to the exact center, the closer it is to blending and fusing with an absolute, unified, and direct knowing and application of consciousness itself.

The overall result of the model is a “mind map” of the collective processes involving the differentiation and unification of interdisciplinary oppositions–the amalgamation of Interior and Exterior, Science and Art, Matter and Spirit, East and West–toward a realization of a coalescent whole.

A key element of this developing project is that the shape of the model is determined by a consensus formulation of the ontological constituents.  Among preparations and continuing development of this model, a survey will be made of a diverse group of people over the next few weeks.  In order to derive some “collective intelligence” in this formulation, some principles of “crowd wisdom” will be applied.  The more diverse the crowd, the better … so anyone can apply.  If you or someone you know is interested in participating in this survey, please contact me with the following information:

1. Name
2. Gender
3. Occupation
4. Education
5. Date of birth and age
6. Where you live
7. Any comments on why you want to be involved, or something special about yourself …

Within a week or so, the group will be selected, and the survey conducted.

Please forward this to anyone.

The CogSpace model will continue to evolve in various ways …

Thanks and happy cognitions!

See a Flash-based map that presents comprehensive information on the importance of biodiversity to human health.  This was a joint project with Harvard University’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, the Buckminster Fuller Institute, Free Range Graphics, and myself as the Flash interface designer and programmer.

See the Biodiversity map: www.earthscope.com/chge

And crack the “(Bio) DaVersity Code”, a great related Flash cartoon based on the “Davinci Code” movie: www.daversitycode.com

So interesting that we just happened to launch this on National Polar Bear day!

Also be sure to see the Species Alliance film preview.

This Flash RIA (Rich Internet Application) was based on a mapping engine I developed in 2003, officially implemented on EarthDance, and then repurposed as the “Global Network Map“, a downloadable Flash application.