Talk:Spiritual evolution

Dirk said something

The pen is mightier than the sword? Dirk Steele (talk) 18:43, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

I suppose this view encompasses the concept that an idea or thought or some esoteric metaphysical aetherical 'substance' can have a physical impact on the world. I can see why people may have this view but I do not subscribe. I take the view that memes must always exist in a physical form. As replicating patterns much like life itself. Thoughts, ideas, even spirituality can only be transmitted via physical forces. I do not believe that an spiritual form can exist - without being transfered between neurological patterns formed in the brain. Can a 'theory' exist without a physical medium? Dunno but I suspect not. --Dirk Steele (talk) 18:59, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

Spiritual evolution is not found in mainstream science anymore but back in the day some famous scientists supported it. Alfred Russel Wallace believed that a supernatural or "spiritual" force had guided the evolution of the human brain for example. Like you say the question is how can a totally immaterial substance have an impact on physical matter, how does it occur and what is the relationship?. Most new ager writers are now claiming quantum physics backs up their views becuase matter has no physical substance. DinoCrisis (talk) 19:48, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

Ummm. Is this wacky "spiritual evolution" really claimed to be somehow guiding biological evolution? The wikipedia article seems to be talking about something closer to cultural evolution.--Weirdstuff (talk) 21:22, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

It's a view similar to vitalism or orthogenesis, but the force guiding evolution is usually described as spiritual or metaphysical instead of physical. As I said this view was taken seriously back before the 1930's in biology and philosophy but is only found in occult and new ages publications in recent years. The wikipedia article is wrong, it was created originally by a new ager M Alan Kazlev but was later expanded into different definitions of spiritual evolution all on one article. Wikipedia has a problem of dumping different things on single pages, especially when it comes to fringe views. DinoCrisis (talk) 22:05, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

It's something about which I know little. But if "spiritual evolution" has multiple (possibly competing) definitions then wouldn't it be quite appropriate to mention this in an article on that subject?--Weirdstuff (talk) 10:50, 11 November 2012 (UTC)

Supporters

I snipped this:

Another supporter is somone named H.W Hodgetts he belives a lot of new age Bullshit. He has written a lot of completly wrong perfectly sound work. chances are that no one will ever read all of it.

on the basis he appears to be a random crank even given the title of his site, and not warranting mention in a section full of actually famous people. I could be wrong of course - David Gerard (talk) 17:48, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

It was also littered with typos. 141.134.75.236 (talk) 17:56, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

he wrote about 17000 (exaggeration) books he put a lot of effort into this peice of Woo Bubba41102 ^{42 is love 42 is life} 18:03, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

Question

How has the concept of spiritual/Deity of choice/'other supernatural power' assisted evolution evolved over time? 13:59, 1 March 2017 (UTC)

Honestly, i don't think there's been enough time since the establishment of systematic religion to have had an effect on evolution. The oldest religions still practiced today are probably probably Hinduism or Judaism, which (potentially) have roots around 2000 to 1500 BCE. 4000 years is not really long enough for either to have had any significant effect on human evolution, if they do at all. I'm not sure if that is what you are specifically asking though. Petey Plane (talk) 14:13, 1 March 2017 (UTC)

Or do they mean 'the evolution of the concept'? Otherwise - concepts of whom one can have children with might have an impact - ancient Egyptian incestuous marriages as against exo(clan-within-the-tribe)gamy. 82.44.143.26 (talk) 15:57, 1 March 2017 (UTC)

Alcoholic spirits

These are said to improve and become more complex with age - any connection? Anna Livia (talk) 23:40, 12 August 2017 (UTC)

My edits to refocus the article

I recently edited this article to broaden and in my view correct the focus. Previously the lede claimed that spiritual evolution is all about spiritual explanations for biological evolution, which does not fit with many uses, including uses in other RW articles which link here. I also expanded the occult evolution part and added the higher evolution part.

It's still not great, but much better IMO. To compare, the Wikipedia article is also skewed, its lede missing the meaning of biological evolution being spiritually explained, though it's covered later, and parts are very stubby. The Wikipedia article however has some useful further stuff on occult and spiritual views that could be relevant to look at for improving our article further. --ApooftGnegiol (talk) 23:15, 14 August 2023 (UTC)