Ervin Laszlo at IONS 2005 Conference

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Ervin Laszlo is widely recognized as the founder of systems philosophy. He is a highly regarded integral theorist with over 70 books and more than 400 published papers to his credit. Remarkably, he is also a classical pianist who has recorded several concertos.

In 1993, Ervin founded the Club of Budapest to “center attention on the evolution of human values and consciousness as the crucial factors in changing course – from a race toward degradation, polarization, and disaster to rethinking of values and priorities so as to navigate today’s transformation in the direction of humanism, ethics, and global sustainability.”

In this brief presentation recorded at the 2005 IONS Conference, Ervin explores the evolution of human values and consciousness in the context of technology run amok – the result of rapid, “unreflected” innovation. He notes that technology has been called the root cause of crisis throughout the history of civilization, but also its solution. He disputes the notion that technology can solve the severe problems facing the world today, arguing that we are embroiled in a spiritual crisis that must be addressed with updated values and ethics, not more mechanistic innovations.

Ervin observes that we are evolving from a classical industrial society with national control mechanisms to a seamless, interactive global society. The process is a painful one, plagued with frustration, inequality, and lack of understanding. As a result the world is becoming polarized economically, socially, and culturally, which in turn is leading to an escalation of violence and terrorism.

If we are to survive, our ethics must evolve beyond ego-centricity and even socio-centricity, to eco-centricity: a sense of responsibility for not only ourselves but for all societies and all nature. In affect, we must achieve planetary consciousness and a clear understanding of our fundamental interconnection.