To survive as a species we need balance. Physically, we are capable of having a longer and healthier life than was ever imagined in the past. Intellectually, we are still capable of building on existing knowledge.

Our problem areas are both moral and spiritual. Unless we address the imbalance in these areas I can't see our species having much of a future.

Perhaps, the 'next step' is becoming God-conscious...and there will more Christs...

Jesus would be a case (rare!) of 'higher consciousness'...

I dont 'believe' that....yet

And what of spirituality?

It won't be discussed, it'll be assumed...

perhaps  universal 'unitive-ness'...

Thanks for forcing me to ponder...

Perhsps evolution will come to the Dolphins and they will learn how to communicate their

religion and we'll all learn....a lot--about sharing and getting along with others...of course there's the possibility of becoming their slaves 

I wonder; how much ego does a dolphin have?

(It's almost conforting for me to realize that I know very little about anything...)

.

Heaven on earth? No...we'll still have to deal with mortality; a current method of insuring change (progress?)

..

I'm hoping our bodies will become unnecessary which will allow us to evolve at a progressive rate spiritually.

Hi Mike:

In German, the word for intellectuality and spirituality is the same: "Geist."

"Geist" can also mean soul or spirit.

If we, Homo sapiens sapiens, were to live up our doubly sapient name, then we would, intentionally, co-creatively and actively, co-evolve ourselves in an intellectual/spirtual direction, and from an egocentric to a gaiacentric or cosmocentric perspective.

The goal of our intentional co-evolution should be the a spiritually and intellectually advanced human who thinks and acts from a gaiacentric perspective.

If we don't do that, and soon, then we will surely self-destruct.

 Hi Arminius

There is ample evidence that Homo geist is a long way off:, even here interested folk are earnestly thinking about it. Look at the science-religion debate where the the spirit-intellect divide is not just overt but often passionate. And i'm not sure that's a genetic thing so much as a deliberate cultural attempt to annihilate geist.

What about our genes? What might we become genetically? I think we'd priobably do well to shed some of our ability to almost totally embed our experience in fantastical environments of our own making, and our capacity for wishful thinking on a stunning scale. But these both seem to be very powerful and hiughly valued traits.

Would that favour some other non-homo species for selection?

Hi Mike:

After the majority of our species has been anihilated by some self-caused holocaust, the ones who are left may well advance to some higher form of consciousness, which may not only be cultural or intellectual but eventually become genetically imprinted. A triple sapient Homo, if you will: Homo sapiens sapiens sapiens.

Self preservation necessarily evolves as the strongest instinct of any species. Unfortunately, as soon as a species attains the ability for logic, it will use its newfound ability to further its egocentric drives.

The logical ape self-named Homo sapiens sapiens overuses its logical abilties to further its egocentric drives. When taken to the extreme, this will result in the self-destruction of the species. This may not be the first time in this vast universe that a species got too smart for its own good.

Can the almost inevitable self-anihilation of our species be averted?

Only if all of us, consciously and intentionally, evolve our consciousness from egocentricity to gaia- or cosmocentricity, or from dual-brainedness to triple brainedness. This would mean that we not only use our objectively thinking part of our brain to enhance the subjectively experiencing part, but systematically train ourselves to synthesize the two. An evolution from dualistic and ego-based to non-dualistic and unitive perception.

Such an evolution of consciousness, however, requires our active co-operation, co-creation or co-evolution. A focused evolution of the psyche, by the psyche, in co-operation or co-creation with the creative spirit of the cosmos.

It is either that or perish.

 I think we should call a spade a spade and re-name the species: Homo egocentrissimi stupidi, maybe... something that helps to get the message out.

And I'd still like a pelt for my descendants, with maybe a modest mane, with straight hair that doesn't shed too badly. 

I fear that survival may. however, wind back to predacious efficiency, ruthlessness and the surrender of pretentions to intelligence.

 I have called our species, "The Lonely Hominid", since we are the only true hominid left on Earth, a very tiny twig on the edge of the tree of life.

I think what we need to do first is evolve a less robust reproductive system, as too many of us is causing problems.  As birth control becomes more and more widespread, this may happen as a natural consequence.  Hmm......more sex, but less babies......that's not a bad thing!

Second, I think we somehow have to be able to impress on future generations some way to pass on "life experiences".  We are, after all, still dealing with the exact same social problems as was described 5000++ years ago.  Unfortunately, the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, so I fear we have a long way to go yet.

We can currently draw up plans to teach anyone how to build a fire, or a nuclear device, but we can't seem to teach them how to think of others as they think of themselves.

Human nature, the physical self, is still greater than piety, still holds our primary concerns.  If the physical eventually becomes less demanding, or we somehow learn how to help it that way, perhaps the spiritual will be able, finally, to come to the forefront.

We have been able to breed animals into most any shape, size and ability we want, heck, I can trace my horse's pedigree back over a dozen generations, but certainly not my own.  However, we don't apply any of that knowledge to humanity.  We barely understand our own genetics, we can't produce children with straight teeth, but we can produce cows that can make 50,000++ lbs. of milk each per year!

Could we "breed out" our species wide tendency to want to kill each other?  Or better yet, breed out simple selfishness?

Will our own current plastic, man made environment have an impact on future genetics?