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Can process organism be compatible with emergence science? I ask this question as a novice of process philosophy and the science of emergence. That said, I do see overlap of the two in describing human behavior and belief. Whitehead poses that human decision is influenced by the past, present influences and possibilities for the future. And then those decisions become part of the past, influence others and the course of individual and cosmic life. Emergence science describes individuals live and make choices within their local communities and larger cultures and cannot live outside those influences. Individual decisions are heavily influenced by local communities and larger culture. Community and culture influence individuals down to the level of belief and cellular function. Individual decisions then influence local communities and larger culture. Are these not both worldview descriptions of interconnectedness and interrelatedness?

Thank you Joshua. Your response helps me visualize concepts that are challenging to put into words and sentences. I like visualizing that creativity is “just what the Universe does”.

I agree with what Nelson and George have contributed. I grew up with urbanites in Kansas who have a growing interest in sustainable farming that is not shared by the actual farmers in Western Kansas. In attempting to buy “local” in Kansas, I found that beef, pork, wine and honey were my limited options. I had to admit to a friend who grew up farming how little I know about the work/business itself even though my grandparents and great grandparents were small-scale farmers. As farmland is bought up by corporations, the population continues to shrink and struggle. Kansas farmers have been both helped and hurt by fluctuating government policies. There will not be sustainable and local farming for local people until the power brokers influencing politicians allow it to happen…for a profit margin. Or the powerful are forced to relinquish power.

My parents and grandparents chose a fundamentalist Christian childhood for me. I chose to continue that belief and practice in adulthood then left it gradually over the last 20 years with the final break in 2016. Brian McLaren describes deconstructing as the stage of perplexity followed by harmony. I have certainly been perplexed for years. Open-relational and process thought and practice have offered me a path to harmony.

Nelson, your forum post was moving and thought provoking. It is somewhat easy to talk of value in general terms. It is more complex and perplexing to speak of value in the practical terms of which species and habitats are protected and which are de-valued. Protecting one species from the effects of an “invasive” species is a value judgement of one life over another. There is also the balancing of wildlife preservation with protection of physical and economic lives of humans who share spaces with those animals. Theses are difficult decisions of “value” not easily addressed from philosophical ivory towers.

Robert, I appreciate your post because consciousness is a concept I struggle to comprehend. Quote from Max Planck:”I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as a derivative of consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything we regard and existing suggests consciousness.” Ilia Delio and Joseph Selbe describe consciousness or mind as the fundamental elements of the universe. Whitehead describes occasions of experience as the fundamental elements or foundational activity of reality. It seems to me they are describing the same fundamental element but using different terms. It appears to me that Whitehead is using the term consciousness as a description of cognitive and, perhaps, moral awareness. So the driverless car or AI would have experience of the environment (we hope) but no conscious awareness or moral regard for the experience. I think Delio would suggest there would be no driverless car without consciousness out of which all matter and all creativity arises. I will admit, I find these concepts challenging to wrap my head around.

Brian,
Thank you for your response. Your words describing the consequent nature of God are comforting and give perspective to what I find so challenging about living in the real world of real people and real suffering.