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Adjutant intellect

72 posts · 9 participants · started Sep 5, 2018, 1:55 AM

Nigel NunnParticipant
Sep 5, 2018, 1:55 AM
From The Urantia Book, paper 101 section 6.4,

“The evolutionary type of knowledge is but the accumulation of protoplasmic memory material; this is the most primitive form of creature consciousness. Wisdom embraces the ideas formulated from protoplasmic memory in process of association and recombination, and such phenomena differentiate human mind from mere animal mind. […].” ( 1111.8, 101_6_4 )

On page 50 of his 1980 book, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, David Bohm proposes an interesting distinction between “thinking” and “perception”. By defining a primitive mode of “thinking” to be a more-or-less sophisticated juggling of that “protoplasmic memory material” (see 101:6.4 above), he can then contrast this with higher order modes, which he calls “acts of perception“.

From Bohm, page 50,

“It is clear that thought, considered in this way as the response of memory, is basically mechanical in its order of operation. Either it is a repetition of some previously existent structure drawn from memory, or else it is some combination arrangement and organization of these memories into further structures of ideas and concepts, categories, etc. These combinations may possess a certain kind of novelty resulting from the fortuitous interplay of elements of memory, but it is clear that such novelty is still essentially mechanical (like the new combinations appearing in a kaleidoscope).”

If a certain neural-biological capacity is required to enable such kaleidoscopic recombination (of protoplasmic memory material), and if this foundation then determines the “potential for intellectual capacity” (in animal and then human mind), then evolving such capacity must be high on the agenda of the Life Carriers?

Bohm continues:

“There is in this mechanical process no inherent reason why the thoughts that arise should be relevant or fitting to the actual situation that evokes them. The perception of whether or not any particular thoughts are relevant or fitting requires the operation of an energy that is not mechanical, an energy that we shall call intelligence. This latter is able to perceive a new order or a new structure, that is not just a modification of what is already known or present in memory. For example, one may be working on a puzzling problem for a long time. Suddenly, in a flash of understanding, one may see the irrelevance of one’s whole way of thinking about the problem, along with a different approach in which all the elements fit in a new order and in a new structure. Clearly, such a flash is essentially an act of perception, rather than a process of thought (a similar notion was discussed in chapter 1), though later it may be expressed in thought. What is involved in this act is perception through the mind of abstract orders and relationships such as identity and difference, separation and connection, necessity and contingency, cause and effect, etc.”

(David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 1980, page 50).

Let’s assume that this accumulation and juggling of “protoplasmic memory material” involves the biochemistry of neurons firing, and of forming and rehearsing neural connections. Since such neural activity is now easy for scientists to measure, a scientist who assumes a materialist model might be forgiven for mistaking such biological activity for “mind”…

On the other hand, the Urantia Book reveals that human intelligence involves the rhythmic pulsation of a set of circuit-like adjutants,

“[…]. In the mortal experience the human intellect resides in the rhythmic pulsations of the adjutant mind-spirits and effects its decisions within the arena produced by encircuitment within this ministry.” ( 1286.5, 117:5.7 )

If we associate this adjutant-based type of intellect with what Bohm called intelligence (see above quote from Bohm, p.50), and then distinguish this from the more-or-less mechanical juggling of that “protoplasmic memory material”, then the Divine Minister’s “Seven Adjutant Mind Spirits” become not so much the source of “intellectual capacity”, but rather a set of characteristic “modes of perception” into that intellectual capacity. The potential for such capacity will be determined by the bio-neural systems the Life Carriers manage to evolve, while the capacity for discovery, recognition, interpretation and choosing become a function of the perception made accessible via the adjutant level of consciousness of the Divine Minister.

In this year’s International Study Day thread (link: Paper 36: The Life Carriers), a question came up about how these “Seven Adjutant Mind Spirits” actually engage animals. Do they encircuit directly the “life” in such life-forms, or is some subtle biochemistry involved? Either way, it seems clear that the Life Carriers’ task involves the evolution of animals with whatever is required for them to be “contactable” by the Adjutants.

This issue, of evolving a necessary compatibility, is highlighted in paper 65 section 7:

“[…]. With but a single exception, the adjutants experienced the greatest difficulty in contacting with the evolving minds of Urantia organisms that they had ever had in all their functioning throughout the universe of Nebadon. On this world there developed many forms of border phenomena — confusional combinations of the mechanical-nonteachable and the nonmechanical-teachable types of organismal response.” ( 738.7, 65:7.4 )

Even more interesting is that these Adjutant Mind Spirits seek “receptivity capacity” individually and independently,

“[…]. These mind-spirits send forth their influence into all the inhabited worlds as a differential urge, each seeking receptivity capacity for manifestation quite apart from the degree to which its fellows may find reception and opportunity for function.” ( 401.6, 36:5.2 )

Since our intellect is said (1286.5, 117:5.7) to reside in the rhythmic pulsations of these circuit-like mind-spirits, and since our decisions are formed and acted upon “within the arena produced by encircuitment within this ministry” (117:5.7), this arena is clearly an important part of the Urantia Book story for us to explore

I’d love to hear comments and fresh thoughts on this topic!

Nigel
AndréParticipant
Sep 8, 2018, 9:45 PM

Hi Nigel, everyone,

… with higher order modes, which he calls “acts of perception“

“acts of perception“ = in our endeavor to expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception. 0:0.2

… perception. … reality’s perception is a consequence of adjutant of worship. 92:0.2

Nigel I think, it’s all and always a question of how we perceived relative reality. Material, morontiel or spiritual. It’s the inner pulsion “the primordial human instinct for Deity”.

Both categorize it as “ … resulting from the fortuitous interplay of elements of memory ” wich I disagree but his exercise open paths for “creative imagination” wich is excellent.

87:0.2 Human imagination cast off from the shores of self …

113:1.8 … breaks through inertia of animal legacy … from the 2 first human circles of intellectuality (the psychic circles, seven circles of premorontia attainment)

“Act of perception” is as Both said a mechanical /bio processuss.

Act upon mind infaillibly reeving God ministries wich for relative material reality could be define as experimenting Truths.

0:12.11 ... in all our efforts to reveal truth and co-ordinate essential knowledge …

Nigel … could essential(survival, spiritual) and non-essential(materialistic) knowledges be equivalent to what Both explain as “ideas and concepts, categories, etc” ? Could this “etc” include significations and valors?

André
MaraParticipant
Sep 9, 2018, 5:54 PM
Hi Nigel and André.

I’ve been mulling this over.

Nigel Nunn wrote: “The evolutionary type of knowledge is but the accumulation of protoplasmic memory material; this is the most primitive form of creature consciousness. Wisdom embraces the ideas formulated from protoplasmic memory in process of association and recombination, and such phenomena differentiate human mind from mere animal mind. […].” ( 1111.8, 101_6_4 )

In part I’ve been thinking about the differences between animal and human intellect.

42:10.4 2. Adjutant-spirit minds. This is the ministry of a local universe Mother Spirit functioning through her seven adjutant mind-spirits on the teachable (nonmechanical) level of material mind. On this level material mind is experiencing: as subhuman (animal) intellect in the first five adjutants; as human (moral) intellect in the seven adjutants; as superhuman (midwayer) intellect in the last two adjutants.

A line is drawn between the two by virtue of the moral arena endowing human intellect that is absent in animal intellect. What else is also absent in animal intellect? Personality or personhood for one thing. Potential for soul survival for another. Adjuster indwelling, among other influences.

The adjutant mind-spirits aren’t personal. The functioning of all seven of them becomes human intellect, or as you (Nigel) say *adjutant intellect*.

36:5.13 The adjutant mind-spirits experientially grow, but they never become personal. They evolve in function, and the function of the first five in the animal orders is to a certain extent essential to the function of all seven as human intellect. This animal relationship makes the adjutants more practically effective as human mind; hence animals are to a certain extent indispensable to man’s intellectual as well as to his physical evolution.

I’m struck by the reminder above that man evolves physically, and intellectually, as well as spiritually. (My dentist thinks we are evolving fewer teeth.)

Of course there are many factors and influences that should be included in the discussion, but I’ll stop here. Thanks for your input Andre.
brojoshParticipant
Sep 18, 2018, 7:45 AM
Hi Nigel and folks, Here are some ideas on Adjutant Mind Spirits in relation to the human biome, from a recent paper I wrote titled “Revelation on Fungus: Friend, Foe, & Fabulous.” Always interested in your thoughts.

Assisting mind-circuits

There exist in nature two early mind-circuits, intuition and understanding, which operate to organize the activities of early forms of life, such as the fungi. Fungi function on the intuitive arousal-system level of environmental interaction. Microbes exhibit the primordial reflex-instincts to resist a perceived threat or approach a source of sustenance. These two directional responses are encoded by millions of years of genetic programming. Mycologists are confronted with the question of whether fungi are sentient and whether they are intelligent.

On the most basic level of primitive, intuitive physical instinct we do see a type of preintelligencethat is quite sophisticated on the electrochemical-response level. It is reflexive, but it is informed over long evolution to be effective in both specific and broad ranges of function throughout nature, and including within the human body.

It is impossible to functionally separate the human organismal cells from the total physical body makeup that includes the microbiome the body is host to. The human body would die quickly without this interassociation. Likewise, the root systems of a garden or a forest are connected by vast fungal rhizome networks. If one plant is attacked by aphids, the nearby plants will immediately begin to exude substances resistant to aphids. There are numerous such examples of reflexive underground network communication.

The second evolutionary connection to assisting mind-circuits has to do with understanding. This involves conditioned learning through association of environmental events and the ability to coordinate acquired knowledge. Although it is clear that fungi operate on the most basic mind level or “circuit” of intuition, it is not as evident that such early organisms operate with the type of memory that denotes understanding. At times, however, it does seem that they may impinge upon this level. We must here also consider that the human RNA, DNA, and epigenetic DNA have functioned as informational repositories of such fungal-human interactions, to our benefit and survival. To me, such an interplay is a foregone conclusion.

–Bro. Joshua Wilson (big fan of Nigel and David Bohm!)
Mark KurtzParticipant
Sep 18, 2018, 11:19 AM
All,

Are these life energies involved in sending healing to wounds, i.e. cuts, stings, scrapes (contusions), et al?

Are these energies unable to function when nerve damage inhibits messages to the brain, such as in neuropathy and tinnitus?
MaraParticipant
Sep 18, 2018, 11:02 PM

brojosh wrote:

There exist in nature two early mind-circuits, intuition and understanding, which operate to organize the activities of early forms of life, such as the fungi. Fungi function on the intuitive arousal-system level of environmental interaction. Microbes exhibit the primordial reflex-instincts to resist a perceived threat or approach a source of sustenance. These two directional responses are encoded by millions of years of genetic programming. Mycologists are confronted with the question of whether fungi are sentient and whether they are intelligent.

I think you might be talking about preadjutant-spirit mind where mind is both nonexperiencing and nonteachable. The Master Physical Controllers minister to this level of mind.

^(480.5) ^42:10.2 The universal nonspiritual energies are reassociated in the living systems of non-Creator minds on various levels, certain of which may be depicted as follows:

^(480.6) ^42:10.3 1. Preadjutant-spirit minds. This level of mind is nonexperiencing and on the inhabited worlds is ministered by the Master Physical Controllers. This is mechanical mind, the nonteachable intellect of the most primitive forms of material life, but the nonteachable mind functions on many levels beside that of primitive planetary life.

Whereas adjutant-spirit mind functions on the teachable level – the nonmechanical level. (^(481.1) ^42:10.4)

Here is an interesting bit about fungi (plants) and bacteria (plants).

65:2.3 The bacteria, simple vegetable organisms of a very primitive nature, are very little changed from the early dawn of life; they even exhibit a degree of retrogression in their parasitic behavior. Many of the fungi also represent a retrograde movement in evolution, being plants which have lost their chlorophyll-making ability and have become more or less parasitic. The majority of disease-causing bacteria and their auxiliary virus bodies really belong to this group of renegade parasitic fungi. During the intervening ages all of the vast kingdom of plant life has evolved from ancestors from which the bacteria have also descended.

Thanks for your comments.
MaraParticipant
Sep 18, 2018, 11:30 PM

Mark Kurtz wrote:

Are these life energies involved in sending healing to wounds, i.e. cuts, stings, scrapes (contusions), et al?

This is what I found in the UB about wound healing.

65:4.3   Many features of human life afford abundant evidence that the phenomenon of mortal existence was intelligently planned, that organic evolution is not a mere cosmic accident. When a living cell is injured, it possesses the ability to elaborate certain chemical substances which are empowered so to stimulate and activate the neighboring normal cells that they immediately begin the secretion of certain substances which facilitate healing processes in the wound; and at the same time these normal and uninjured cells begin to proliferate — they actually start to work creating new cells to replace any fellow cells which may have been destroyed by the accident.

65:4.4   This chemical action and reaction concerned in wound healing and cell reproduction represents the choice of the Life Carriers of a formula embracing over one hundred thousand phases and features of possible chemical reactions and biologic repercussions. More than half a million specific experiments were made by the Life Carriers in their laboratories before they finally settled upon this formula for the Urantia life experiment.

The Life Carriers had everything to do with the formulations of wound healing and cell reproduction patterns that were approved for Urantia. Biologic evolution went forward. And the adjutant-mind spirits went forward too, encircuiting life forms that had capacity for their mind ministry. But there were disappointments and retrogressions.

^(736.4) ^65:5.1 It was a source of regret to the Life Carriers that our special efforts to modify intelligent life on Urantia should have been so handicapped by tragic perversions beyond our control: the Caligastia betrayal and the Adamic default.

^(736.5) ^65:5.2 But throughout all of this biologic adventure our greatest disappointment grew out of the reversion of certain primitive plant life to the prechlorophyll levels of parasitic bacteria on such an extensive and unexpected scale. This eventuality in plant-life evolution caused many distressful diseases in the higher mammals, particularly in the more vulnerable human species. When we were confronted with this perplexing situation, we somewhat discounted the difficulties involved because we knew that the subsequent admixture of the Adamic life plasm would so reinforce the resisting powers of the resulting blended race as to make it practically immune to all diseases produced by the vegetable type of organism. But our hopes were doomed to disappointment owing to the misfortune of the Adamic default.

And the Life Carriers learned a lot from their experiment on Urantia.

65:4.6   Since life was established on Urantia, the Life Carriers have improved this healing technique as it has been introduced on another Satania world, in that it affords more pain relief and exercises better control over the proliferation capacity of the associated normal cells.

As regards *healing*, remember to pray.

91:6.2   Prayer is not a technique for curing real and organic diseases, but it has contributed enormously to the enjoyment of abundant health and to the cure of numerous mental, emotional, and nervous ailments. And even in actual bacterial disease, prayer has many times added to the efficacy of other remedial procedures. Prayer has turned many an irritable and complaining invalid into a paragon of patience and made him an inspiration to all other human sufferers.

Sorry I went off topic a bit.
brojoshParticipant
Sep 19, 2018, 8:29 AM
Thank you, everyone. You helped me, kept me from making an error on the essay I’m writing on Fungi. Here is a clip:

Life force

The great biological division is between prokaryotic cells (fungi, and bacteria, and including the newer classification of archaea–all of which do not have a cell nucleus), and eukaryotic cells (such as those that make up the some 200 types of human cells, and that all have nuclei.)

Upon suitably constituted matter (oranismal plasm), is placed the spark of life, and that was the beginning of life evolution as it occurred in the sheltered bays of our world 550,000,000 years ago. But such early energized life plasm of archaea/fungi could not continue living without mindedness, even though it be the most primitive type of mind function one could imagine; the function of mind upon living organisms provides them the ability to organize as going concerns. The Chinese early called it chi, and the Indians called it prana organized as ascending chakras. If an organism, plant, or animal is losing chi, that means–even though it is still alive–it is losing the minded ability to associate, organize, propel, maintain, feed, adapt, and respond; it therefore is diseased or dying.

There are living, intelligent universal physical control mechanisms which provide mindedness to our fungal prokaryotes, and enable them to organize and functionally associate themselves. These master physical controller mechanisms function as automatic presence, pressure, and velocity gauges–like switching stations. Not unlike a vast cellular information network, the number of their mechanical control nodes is beyond human comprehension. They ensure that the programming of fungi worked out over hundreds of millions of years of evolution continues to have the stratum upon which the fungi can successfully operate with purpose; the controllers’ scope of function efficiently covers every cubic micron of the microbiome of our body and the biosphere of our world.
AndréParticipant
Sep 20, 2018, 1:06 AM
Hi Brojost,

Welcome to this platform.

Personnaly, I’m so curious of the subjects you developped, you opened a lot of unexplored, unconnected doors.

After reading yours 2 posts, here is what retained my attention;

germinative plasma … The original life plasm of an evolutionary world must contain the full potential for all future developmental variations and for all subsequent evolutionary changes and modifications. 36:2.17
- … whom must be permeated, impinged by a mind to rispond at what you you described intuition/understanding [mind-circuits].
- reflexive underground network communication.
- gauges–like switching stations
- chi / prana … that means–even though it is still alive–it is losing the minded ability to associate, organize, propel, maintain, feed, adapt, and respond; it therefore is diseased or dying.
Keep uploaded Brojosh,

I’ll downloaded.

Thanks

André
AndréParticipant
Sep 20, 2018, 4:58 AM

Hi everyone,

-e.g.

“Religious insight possesses the power of turning defeat into higher desires and new determinations. Love is the highest motivation which man may utilize in his universe ascent. But love, divested of truth, beauty, and goodness, is only a sentiment, a philosophic distortion, a psychic illusion, a spiritual deception. Love must always be redefined on successive levels of morontia and spirit progression.” 196:3.29

This example stripped/dispossessed/disconnected from mind’s circuit as explain by Brojost will infaillibly be perverted/regressive instead of upward/ascendant/progressive.

How creature unplugged itself from mind’s circuit ?

André
AndréParticipant
Sep 20, 2018, 6:07 AM
Hi Mark,

Mark, I red your post and inquired for such nerves damaged and was unable from science find solution … yet.

Would it be impertinent or audacious in such state refered to this mercyful unconsciously to the human Jesus but wanted and acted by His Divine nature ?

^149:1.8 It is, then, our opinion that, in the personal presence of Jesus, certain forms of profound human faith were literally and truly compelling in the manifestation of healing by certain creative forces and personalities of the universe who were at that time so intimately associated with the Son of Man. It therefore becomes a fact of record that Jesus did frequently suffer men to heal themselves in his presence by their powerful, personal faith.

André
Mark KurtzParticipant
Sep 20, 2018, 2:19 PM
André,

Interesting point you make here. It could be Michael established provision for healing linked to mind and faith. Perhaps this feature was enhanced with his elevation to Master Son. Also, he knows of the errors of humans and sons and perhaps he has provided help for us Urantians. Those energies that rush to wound sites could be now revised, upgraded a bit by him. We really do not know what the Melchizedeks are doing since Jesus’ life. Surely, mind is a huge factor for all of life and apparently is deeply involved in healing. His elevation to Master Son status changes relationships for the whole Nebadon Local Universe. These arrangements for mind, spirit, and physical energies could be altered even more as we move more toward Settled in Light and Life. This gives a lot of motive for faith.
BonitaParticipant
Feb 25, 2019, 6:15 PM
101:6.4 The evolutionary type of knowledge is but the accumulation of protoplasmic memory material; this is the most primitive form of creature consciousness. Wisdom embraces the ideas formulated from protoplasmic memory in process of association and recombination, and such phenomena differentiate human mind from mere animal mind.

Protoplasm is the colloidal substance within the cell which contains inorganic and organic elements necessary to sustain life. It is in this arena where the “communal association of chemical, electrical and other basic energies” occurs (49:1.2)’ but this activity is dependent upon the presence of life. Life is that property which urges the protoplasm to utilize its elements and energy for assimilation, growth, motility, secretion, irritability and reproduction. (41:2.5; 65:6.2)

Protoplasmic memory, therefore, is a feature of life, not only because it involves living activity within the cell, but also because it involves mind ministry. Life enlivens the protoplasm and presages mind (36:3.4)while mind provides the urges necessary for progressive growth.(36:2.18) Protoplasmic memory is not merely mechanical in nature, but rather a byproduct of the interactions between these three components: mind ministry, life, and physical energy. Consequently, protoplasmic memory is both mechanistic and vitalistic (36:6.1). There is purposeful direction underlying even the most primitive protoplasmic function, and that is because it is both living and minded. Wherever life and mind are found the vitalistic component cannot be ignored because both are dominated by spirit. Moreover, as is revealed to us in TUB, “The laws of physics are not responsive to training . . .” (65:6.8): therefore, because memory is more than simple physics, it cannot be wholly mechanical on any level or from any perspective.

Quote101:6.4 further reveals that primitive consciousness is due to the accumulation of protoplasmic memory. Where and how does this accumulation occur? I have serious doubts that memory exists as actual molecular structures accumulated and stored within neurons. Consciousness is a feature of mind, not of body. Mind is not inherent to physical energy, and consciousness is not inherent in the material level of reality. In fact, it is physical energy that is responsive to mind and not the other way around. (9:4.2)

I think memories are accumulated within the rhythmic pulsations of individualized mind ministry. Memories are made accessible with the assistance of specific neurons through their physical energy which has been vitalized by life. If this were not so, how could memories survive death? In cases of amnesia or dementia, I believe there is no actual loss of memory, only a loss of ability to access it by damaged cells. We know that human consciousness gently rests upon the living neuron (111:1.5), and therefore cannot be an integral part of it. But this musing of mine is only theory, a theory I happen to think is certainly possible.

ASSOCIATED QUOTES

49:1.2 The biologic unit of material life is the protoplasmic cell, the communal association of chemical, electrical, and other basic energies.

41:2.5 Life has inherent capacity for the mobilization and transmutation of universal energy. . . .

65:6.2 There is original endowment of adaptation in living things and beings. In every living plant or animal cell, in every living organism — material or spiritual — there is an insatiable craving for the attainment of ever-increasing perfection of environmental adjustment, organismal adaptation, and augmented life realization. These interminable efforts of all living things evidence the existence within them of an innate striving for perfection.

36:3.4 . . . From the Creative Daughter of the Infinite Spirit comes that energy spark which enlivens the body and presages the mind.

36:2.18 . . . The capacity of material creatures to effect spirit response is entirely dependent on the associated mind endowment, which, in turn, has directionized the course of the biologic evolution of these same mortal creatures. . . .

36:6.1 Life is both mechanistic and vitalistic — material and spiritual. . . .

65:6.8 Physics and chemistry alone cannot explain how a human being evolved out of the primeval protoplasm of the early seas. The ability to learn, memory and differential response to environment, is the endowment of mind. The laws of physics are not responsive to training; they are immutable and unchanging. The reactions of chemistry are not modified by education; they are uniform and dependable. Aside from the presence of the Unqualified Absolute, electrical and chemical reactions are predictable. But mind can profit from experience, can learn from reactive habits of behavior in response to repetition of stimuli.

9:4.2 . . . Mind is not inherent in energy; energy is receptive and responsive to mind; mind can be superimposed upon energy, but consciousness is not inherent in the purely material level. . . .

111:1.5 . . . Human consciousness rests gently upon the electrochemical mechanism below and delicately touches the spirit-morontia energy system above. . . .
BonitaParticipant
Feb 26, 2019, 8:43 PM
“It is clear that thought, considered in this way as the response of memory, is basically mechanical in its order of operation. Either it is a repetition of some previously existent structure drawn from memory, or else it is some combination arrangement and organization of these memories into further structures of ideas and concepts, categories, etc. These combinations may possess a certain kind of novelty resulting from the fortuitous interplay of elements of memory, but it is clear that such novelty is still essentially mechanical (like the new combinations appearing in a kaleidoscope).”(David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 1980, page 50).

It’s hard to tell here if Bohm is referring to human thinking or animal thinking. One presume’s he’s talking about humans. But the contrast with TUB is that human thought, we’re told, is mostly conversational. (91:3.1) I’m wondering how one has a kaleidoscopic conversation without the assistance of magic mushrooms. Taking into account Bohm’s enchantment with mysticism, I don’t doubt he has had many a lengthy kaleidoscopic conversation, but I digress.

My opinion is that if human thinking is dependent upon random association of memories based upon chance, then humans are mentally functioning on a level less than an animal. At least animals are capable of learning by trial and error, which has a random component, but is generally led by a purpose or desire. Learning by trial and error assumes the ability to discriminate between an acceptable outcome and an unacceptable outcome, then give it preference. Random association of thoughts by coincidence or synchronicity has no purpose and therefore makes thinking rather unproductive (and lazy too). Actually, I think they call that madness, or Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, or at least schizophrenia, where no two thoughts are connected in a purposeful rational pattern. Rational thinking must be logical, ordered, sensible and well-reasoned. Mind is unity. (102:2.5)

Oh look, a squirrel! Dinner is this evening. I need to get the mail before the wind comes and burns it up. My mother is dead but why, and if it’s going to rain my shoulder will hurt like a war inside of me. I know the Civil War was a turning point but my teeth are all fuzzy again, must be the spinach, but next time I’ll wax the floor instead of brushing. The forsythias should start budding soon but the aliens won’t ever know that I stole them to force the flowers. Flower power rules the world and my world is an explosion of dewdrops on that squirrel’s teeth which could be dinner, but I think it killed my mother’ shoulder and put her in the mail. I’ll wage a war on the little fuzzball and wind it up, turn it into spinach and set it on fire. Because I brushed the forsythias with the floor so their wax would shine for the aliens who live in the world of dewdrops which I stole. Oh look, a squirrel!

91:3.1 . . .Very much of an adult’s thinking is mentally carried on in conversational form. . . .

102:2.5 . . . Mind is unity . . .
Nigel NunnParticipant
Mar 1, 2019, 7:44 AM
Hi Bonita,

Regarding your idea of “kaleidoscopic as random“, maybe Bohm had in mind more the Urantia Book’s idea,

“[…]; these “vital organs” of power regulation are mobile and truly kaleidoscopic in associative possibilities.” (323.5, 29:3.7)

“[…], to help these pilgrims in making those kaleidoscopic adjustments in the comprehension of…” (428.5, 39:1.11)

So rather than random, maybe “endless possible arrangements”?

I think the idea Bohm was trying to convey is that much of what currently passes for “thinking” can be reduced to more-or-less clever juggling of pre-existing “protoplasmic memory material“? We might think of such “thinking” as unevaluated (“mechanical”) repetition of learned behaviors. In other words, “basically mechanical in its order of operation.“

On the other hand, the Divine Minister’s adjutant level of consciousness makes it possible for human level intelligence to function, enabling distinct modes of perception into this archive (of protoplasmic memory material).

For example, think of her adjutant “Spirit of Counsel“. In pre-human (animal) mind, this adjutant urge can do little more than engender a “herd instinct” among mammals (62:6.3). Yet in the human-level mind, I (personally) believe it can be mobilized to sponsor more sophisticated responses.

Thanks for joining in!

Nigel
BonitaParticipant
Mar 1, 2019, 12:39 PM

Nigel Nunn wrote:

So rather than random, maybe “endless possible arrangements”?

Yes, I agree that potentials are endless; but human mind is limited to certain potentials because of the presence of personality and it’s inherent ability to freely choose which requires spiritual over control providing certain limitations. Likewise, even though the body may have mechanical physical reactions, the mind has over control. Spirit over mind; mind over matter.

118.8.1 In the time-space creations, free will is hedged about with restraints, with limitations. Material-life evolution is first mechanical, then mind activated, and (after the bestowal of personality) it may become spirit directed. Organic evolution on the inhabited worlds is physically limited by the potentials of the original physical-life implantations of the Life Carriers.

118:8.2 Mortal man is a machine, a living mechanism; his roots are truly in the physical world of energy. Many human reactions are mechanical in nature; much of life is machinelike. But man, a mechanism, is much more than a machine; he is mind endowed and spirit indwelt; and though he can never throughout his material life escape the chemical and electrical mechanics of his existence, he can increasingly learn how to subordinate this physical-life machine to the directive wisdom of experience by the process of consecrating the human mind to the execution of the spiritual urges of the indwelling Thought Adjuster.

118.9.2 Mechanisms produced by higher minds function to liberate their creative sources but to some degree unvaryingly limit the action of all subordinate intelligences. To the creatures of the universes this limitation becomes apparent as the mechanism of the universes. Man does not have unfettered free will; there are limits to his range of choice, but within the radius of this choice his will is relatively sovereign.

Nigel Nunn wrote:I think the idea Bohm was trying to convey is that much of what currently passes for “thinking” can be reduced to more-or-less clever juggling of pre-existing “protoplasmic memory material“?

But does he equate that with intelligence? Intellect has control over protoplasmic memory material; there would not be memory material without intellect of some kind and intellect, or mind, is unity, meaning orderly, balanced and organized. Intellect is turning the wheel of the kaleidoscope with a purpose and a direction. And when wisdom is functioning, all of those kaleidoscopic pieces are coordinated into idea-decisions striving for supernal ideals.(101:6.7) There is order and purpose inherent in mind, as there also is in the purely electrochemical physical living substrate it gently rests upon.

I tend to think the word perception has to do with conscious meaning. I’m not sure animals appreciate meanings, but in humans, meaning is a higher adjutant function which has the capacity to appreciate value, a superadjutant function. For certain there are different levels of perception. Some perceptions are false, some are true, but all are relative to experience. What an animal perceives is clearly different than what a human perceives, and that is because of the activity of the two higher adjutants and their overlap with the Holy Spirit in the soul. Man is capable of perceiving with spiritual eyes. Anyway, that’s how I see it.
Nigel NunnParticipant
Mar 1, 2019, 1:30 PM
Bonita wrote:

“But does he equate that with intelligence?”

No, just the opposite. Maybe you misread those original quotes? To clarify, here they are again, in context.

From David Bohm, “Wholeness and the Implicate Order” (1980)

Chapter 3, Section 2

THOUGHT AND INTELLIGENCE (page 49)

“To inquire into the question of how knowledge is to be understood as process, we first note that all knowledge is produced, displayed, communicated, transformed, and applied in thought. Thought, considered in its movement of becoming (and not merely in its content of relatively well-defined images and ideas) is indeed the process in which knowledge has its actual and concrete existence. (This has been discussed in the Introduction.)

What is the process of thought? Thought is, in essence, the active response of memory in every phase of life. We include in thought the intellectual, emotional, sensuous, muscular and physical responses of memory. These are all aspects of one indissoluble process. To treat them separately makes for fragmentation and confusion. All these are one process of response of memory to each actual situation, which response in turn leads to a further contribution to memory, thus conditioning the next thought.

One of the earliest and most primitive forms of thought is, for example, just the memory of pleasure or pain, in conjunction with a visual, auditory, or olfactory image that may be evoked by an object or a situation. It is common in our culture to regard memories involving image content as separate from those involving feeling. It is clear, however, that the whole meaning of such a memory is just the conjunction of the image with its feeling, which (along with the intellectual content and the physical reaction) constitutes the totality of the judgment as to whether what is remembered is good or bad, desirable or not, etc.

It is clear that thought, considered in this way as the response of memory, is basically mechanical in its order of operation. Either it is a repetition of some previously existent structure drawn from memory, or else it is some combination arrangement and organization of these memories into further structures of ideas and concepts, categories, etc. These combinations may possess a certain kind of novelty resulting from the fortuitous interplay of elements of memory, but it is clear that such novelty is still essentially mechanical (like the new combinations appearing in a kaleidoscope).

There is in this mechanical process no inherent reason why the thoughts that arise should be relevant or fitting to the actual situation that evokes them. The perception of whether or not any particular thoughts are relevant or fitting requires the operation of an energy that is not mechanical, an energy that we shall call intelligence. This latter is able to perceive a new order or a new structure, that is not just a modification of what is already known or present in memory. For example, one may be working on a puzzling problem for a long time. Suddenly, in a flash of understanding, one may see the irrelevance of one’s whole way of thinking about the problem, along with a different approach in which all the elements fit in a new order and in a new structure. Clearly, such a flash is essentially an act of perception, rather than a process of thought (a similar notion was discussed in chapter 1), though later it may be expressed in thought. What is involved in this act is perception through the mind of abstract orders and relationships such as identity and difference, separation and connection, necessity and contingency, cause and effect, etc.

We have thus put together all the basically mechanical and conditioned responses of memory under one word or symbol, i.e. thought, and we have distinguished this from the fresh, original and unconditioned response of intelligence (or intelligent perception) in which something new may arise. At this point, however, one may ask: ‘How can one know that such an unconditioned response is at all possible?’ This is a vast question, which cannot be discussed fully here. However, it can be pointed out here that at least implicitly everybody does in fact accept the notion that intelligence is not conditioned (and, indeed, that one cannot consistently do otherwise).

Consider, for example, an attempt to assert that all of man’s actions are conditioned and mechanical. Typically, such a view has taken one of two forms: Either it is said that man is basically a product of his hereditary constitution, or else that he is determined entirely by environmental factors. However, one could ask of the man who believed in hereditary determination whether his own statement asserting this belief was nothing but the product of his heredity. In other words, is he compelled by his genetic structure to make such an utterance? Similarly, one may ask of the man who believes in environmental determination, whether the assertion of such a belief is nothing but the spouting forth of words in patterns to which he was conditioned by his environment. Evidently, in both cases (as well as in the case of one who asserted that man is completely conditioned by heredity plus environment) the answer would have to be in the negative, for otherwise the speakers would be denying the very possibility that what they said could have meaning. Indeed, it is necessarily implied, in any statement, that the speaker is capable of talking from intelligent perception, which is in turn capable of a truth that is not merely the result of a mechanism based on meaning or skills acquired in the past. So we see that no one can avoid implying, by his mode of communication, that he accepts at least the possibility of that free, unconditioned perception that we have called intelligence.

Now, there is a great deal of evidence indicating that thought is basically a material process. For example, it has been observed in a wide variety of contexts that thought is inseparable from electrical and chemical activity in the brain and nervous system, and from concomitant tensions and movements of muscles. Would one then say that intelligence is a similar process, though perhaps of a more subtle nature?

It is implied in the view we are suggesting here that this is not so. If intelligence is to be an unconditioned act of perception, its ground cannot be in structures such as cells, molecules, atoms, elementary particles, etc. Ultimately, anything that is determined by the laws of such structures must be in the field of what can be known, i.e. stored up in memory, and thus it will have to have the mechanical nature of anything that can be assimilated in the basically mechanical character of the process of thought. The actual operation of intelligence is thus beyond the possibility of being determined or conditioned by factors that can be included in any knowable law. So, we see that the ground of intelligence must be in the undetermined and unknown flux, that is also the ground of all definable forms of matter. Intelligence is thus not deducible or explainable on the basis of any branch of knowledge (e.g., physics or biology). Its origin is deeper and more inward than any knowable order that could describe it. (Indeed, it has to comprehend the very order of definable forms of matter through which we would hope to comprehend intelligence.)

What, then, is the relationship of intelligence to thought? Briefly, one can say that when thought functions on its own, it is mechanical and not intelligent, because it imposes its own generally irrelevant and unsuitable order drawn from memory. Thought is, however, capable of responding, not only from memory but also to the unconditioned perception of intelligence that can see, in each case, whether or not a particular line of thought is relevant and fitting.

One may perhaps usefully consider here the image of a radio receiver. When the output of the receiver ‘feeds back’ into the input, the receiver operates on its own, to produce mainly irrelevant and meaningless noise, but when it is sensitive to the signal on the radio wave, its own order of inner movement of electric currents (transformed into sound waves) is parallel to the order in the signal and thus the receiver serves to bring a meaningful order originating beyond the level of its own structure into movements on the level of its own structure. One might then suggest that in intelligent perception, the brain and nervous system respond directly to an order in the universal and unknown flux that cannot be reduced to anything that could be defined in terms of knowable structures.

Intelligence and material process have thus a single origin, which is ultimately the unknown totality of the universal flux. In a certain sense, this implies that what have been commonly called mind and matter are abstractions from the universal flux, and that both are to be regarded as different and relatively autonomous orders within the one whole movement. (This notion is discussed further in chapter 7.) It is thought responding to intelligent perception which is capable of bringing about an overall harmony or fitting between mind and matter.”

– – – – – [ end of Chapter 3, Section 2 ] – – – – –

From David Bohm, “Wholeness and the Implicate Order” (1980)

Nigel
BonitaParticipant
Mar 1, 2019, 2:50 PM

Nigel Nunn wrote:

No, just the opposite. Maybe you misread those original quotes?

So he’s saying that intelligence is non-mechanical but memory is? But he is also saying that intelligence is an additional or superimposed energy source that can determine if memory is relevant to a given situation. The problem, as I see it, is that memory is part of the intellect. Memory is an intellectual process and memories cannot be accumulated without intelligent recognition, so he’s talking in circles. He’s separating thought/memory and intelligence when they are all the same thing.

65:6.8 The ability to learn, memory and differential response to environment, is the endowment of mind.

111:4.1 Recognition is the intellectual process of fitting the sensory impressions received from the external world into the memory patterns of the individual. Understanding connotes that these recognized sensory impressions and their associated memory patterns have become integrated or organized into a dynamic network of principles.
BradlyParticipant
Mar 1, 2019, 3:59 PM
How does Mr. Bohms propositions fit in with the following? I’ve been fascinated lately with this third type of revelation I only recently discovered or re-discovered but had forgotten in the text – self-revelation appears to be the inherent function of mind by curiosity, the compelling need to understand and know, imagination, reason, insight, and inspiration all of which are innate in the function of mind itself, none of which is apparently mechanical in nature but requires all the Adjutants connection. I believe metaphysics is a natural and inherent byproduct of self-revelation….the revelation of reality by mind as it is observed, considered, organized, understood, and explained by the observing mind.

16:6.4 (191.7) There exists in all personality associations of the cosmic mind a quality which might be denominated the “reality response.” It is this universal cosmic endowment of will creatures which saves them from becoming helpless victims of the implied a priori assumptions of science, philosophy, and religion. This reality sensitivity of the cosmic mind responds to certain phases of reality just as energy-material responds to gravity. It would be still more correct to say that these supermaterial realities so respond to the mind of the cosmos.

16:6.5 (192.1) The cosmic mind unfailingly responds (recognizes response) on three levels of universe reality. These responses are self-evident to clear-reasoning and deep-thinking minds. These levels of reality are:

16:6.6 (192.2) 1. Causation—the reality domain of the physical senses, the scientific realms of logical uniformity, the differentiation of the factual and the nonfactual, reflective conclusions based on cosmic response. This is the mathematical form of the cosmic discrimination.

16:6.7 (192.3) 2. Duty—the reality domain of morals in the philosophic realm, the arena of reason, the recognition of relative right and wrong. This is the judicial form of the cosmic discrimination.

16:6.8 (192.4) 3. Worship—the spiritual domain of the reality of religious experience, the personal realization of divine fellowship, the recognition of spirit values, the assurance of eternal survival, the ascent from the status of servants of God to the joy and liberty of the sons of God. This is the highest insight of the cosmic mind, the reverential and worshipful form of the cosmic discrimination.

16:6.9 (192.5) These scientific, moral, and spiritual insights, these cosmic responses, are innate in the cosmic mind, which endows all will creatures. The experience of living never fails to develop these three cosmic intuitions; they are constitutive in the self-consciousness of reflective thinking. But it is sad to record that so few persons on Urantia take delight in cultivating these qualities of courageous and independent cosmic thinking.

16:6.10 (192.6) In the local universe mind bestowals, these three insights of the cosmic mind constitute the a priori assumptions which make it possible for man to function as a rational and self-conscious personality in the realms of science, philosophy, and religion. Stated otherwise, the recognition of the reality of these three manifestations of the Infinite is by a cosmic technique of self-revelation. Matter-energy is recognized by the mathematical logic of the senses; mind-reason intuitively knows its moral duty; spirit-faith (worship) is the religion of the reality of spiritual experience. These three basic factors in reflective thinking may be unified and co-ordinated in personality development, or they may become disproportionate and virtually unrelated in their respective functions. But when they become unified, they produce a strong character consisting in the correlation of a factual science, a moral philosophy, and a genuine religious experience. And it is these three cosmic intuitions that give objective validity, reality, to man’s experience in and with things, meanings, and values.

16:6.11 (192.7) It is the purpose of education to develop and sharpen these innate endowments of the human mind; of civilization to express them; of life experience to realize them; of religion to ennoble them; and of personality to unify them.

"Live loyally today—grow—and tomorrow will attend to itself. The quickest way for a tadpole to become a frog is to live loyally each moment as a tadpole."
BonitaParticipant
Mar 1, 2019, 5:00 PM

Bradly wrote:

self-revelation appears to be the inherent function of mind by curiosity, the compelling need to understand and know, imagination, reason, insight, and inspiration all of which are innate in the function of mind itself, none of which is apparently mechanical in nature but requires all the Adjutants connection.

Well first of all, if you read the descriptions of the adjutants you will not find the word revelation or reveal anywhere. They are not in the business of revelation or of revealing anything. They are mental instincts, urges, coordinators and directors, but they are not revealers. If you’re looking for revelation of any kind you have to go to the soul where the revealers live.

But yes, wisdom, the coordinator and integrator of all the other adjutants, must function in order to get to the soul because that is where the overlap in mind ministry occurs.

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