What is it to be a single atom in a crystal? A single ant in a colony? A single starling in a murmation?
Join me for this fun, fascinating, and far-reaching exploration of one of the essential cornerstones of integral theory — holons, or the apparently endless series of “part/wholes” that fundamentally compose reality as we know it.
Accompanied by music, imagery, and animation, this presentation will not help you better understand what a holon actually is (and what it isn’t!) but also how this understanding can radically deepen your appreciation for the natural world, and for all of the other holonic intelligences that exist alongside us on this planet.
This is the story of the universe itself. These holons give rise to the entire “great chain” of evolutionary emergence, a legacy of incremental wholeness that runs from the very first subatomic particles to emerge after the Big Bang, all the way to your own integral mind, right now in this moment.
We should note that, while I emphasize the most rigorous definition of “holons” (any whole/part that possesses its own interior), the word “holon” is also often used generically to describe any kind of whole/part we see in nature. For example, “letters, words, and sentences” — none of which actually have interiors of their own, but are rather describing a nested series of whole/parts that human beings use to communicate their interiors to each other. It is totally okay to use the word “holon” for these kinds of non-sentient components, but we should remember that “true holons” also possess their own interior realities, as I explain in the video.
Sections include:
What is a Holon?
A basic overview of whole/parts as the primary building blocks of the universe.
The Two Drives
Introducing Arthur Koestler, the man who coined the word “holons” in his book The Ghost in the Machine, and his idea that people are subject to two primary drives — to be a whole, and to be a part of a greater whole — and how these drives can sometimes lead to dark and violent places.
A Tale of Two Watchmakers
A parable of increasing integration, showing how the universe uses holons to maximize evolutionary efficiency.
Let’s Invent a Universe!
If you want to make a pie, or an integral metatheory, first you need to invent the universe. Here’s how.
Growth Hierarchies vs. Dominator Hierarchies
Aren’t hierarchies bad? Not so fast. Here’s why growth hierarchies are inherently anti-fascist, anti-authoritarian, and anti-corruption.
The Secret Life of Holons (The 20 Tenets)
The twenty rules that all holons live by, summarizing Ken Wilber’s 20 Tenets from his book, Sex Ecology, Spirituality.
What Isn’t a Holon? (Heaps, Wholes, and Artifacts)
An overview of the different kinds of holarchy (or nested hierarchy) that exist in the universe.
Inhabiting Social Holons
Taking a first-person inside perspective of various holons in a group, at multiple levels of evolution.
Finding Wholeness
How we can fulfill our drive toward wholeness — and toward being a part of greater whole — in our own lives.
We very much hope you enjoy this presentation! And be sure to keep an eye out for future “integral explainer” videos to come.
Any questions or comments? Let me know below!
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Thanks again!