An Overview of Teilhard’s Commitment to ‘Seeing’ as Expressed in his Phenomenology, Metaphysics, and Mysticism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/ecotheology.v10i2.147Keywords:
Teilhard, evolution, phenomenology, metaphysicsAbstract
Using Teilhard’s emphasis on ‘seeing’ this article explores Teilhard de Chardin’s articulation of a vision of evolution as a dynamic process in which the psychic character of physical matter evolves into ever-greater complexity and consciousness. Teilhard proposed that evolutionary complexity-consciousness is especially evident in the appearance of humans. This work considers the significance of complexity-consciousness for Teilhard as an emergent property of a matter-spirit dialectic. This article investigates Teilhard’s commitment to seeing drawing on his phenomenology of an involution of matter, a metaphysics of union with spirit, and a mysticism of centration of person. Finally, there are brief considerations of the contributions and limits of Teilhard’s thought in light of contemporary issues.
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