The way we understand the universe will determine how we live in the world. In this 2017 article written by Duane Elgin for the Spanda Journal, he talks about how the new discoveries in science prove that the universe is one unified whole, and that it is constantly being recreated. For Elgin, the universe is never fixed – it is a dynamic entity that evolves and emerges. And humans, the highest expression of the consciousness of the universe, is instrumental in this continuous regeneration.

Elgin says that both science and the world’s major traditions of wisdom shows to us that the universe is alive, and this aliveness is an invitation for us all to discover together a pathway towards a future that is both remarkable and transformative. Only when we awaken together with others, will we be able to ensure a meaningful future for generations to come. 

Implications for AI

All the problems we encounter today – poverty, inequality, wars, illness, and even the climate collapse – are a product of the view that our universe is a cold, lifeless entity. When we lost sight of the life than permeates our universe, we also forgot our understanding of who are, and the journey we are on. We have become distracted with the search for the physical fulfillment.

With the possibility of an inhabitable earth, we are being forced to believe that only artificial intelligence and robotization can save us. What we don’t realize is that  the solution to our problems lies in our own worldview. 

If we begin recognizing the “aliveness” of the universe, and the bio-cosmic identity of the human being, then we will automatically change the way we live our lives. A natural ethic, where respect and compassion holds center, will become the norm. We will realize that the only life worth living is one which nurtures life. 

Despite the greatness that is programmed in our very being, the success of the human species is not guaranteed. Will we choose an existence wrought with indifference, fear, and cynicism? Or would we rather live in curiosity, love, and awe? 

Unlike in the past, individual enlightenment no longer suffice. If we are to transform our world, we must do it together. Only by awakening together, by moving together with equanimity and maturity will we be able to realize our evolutionary potential. Only then will we learn to live in a living universe. 

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