What was the Western Enlightenment?

August 20, 2009 | Observer Staff | Comments 0

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By Paul Alois

The Enlightenment was a time of great change in Europe as new art forms, technologies, political systems, and religions emerged. While every Westerner has learned about the visible changes of this period, few people understand that the Enlightenment was a development in consciousness itself, not a mere shift in ideas.

In fact, most of the ideas that emerged at this time only existed in post-Enlightenment consciousness. By understanding the developing nature of consciousness on our planet, practitioners of International Relations can gain new insight into the rich tapestry of the human condition.

Prior to the Enlightenment, 2-dimensional (2D) consciousness predominated in the West. To a person in 2D consciousness, reality is characterized by two poles mutually sustaining each other, creating a closed system. Good and evil, God and Devil, faith and heresy, noble and peasant; the 2D universe is rigid and fixed, and the autonomous individual has yet to emerge from it’s polarities. During this period, the Earth was conceptualized as a flat disc and time was measured by the repetitive cycles of nature.

During the Enlightenment, 3D consciousness began expressing itself. To 3D humans, reality is an open system in which the closed loop of 2D polarity can be reconciled by a third point.

Good and evil are transcended by free will, God and Devil are set apart from man, faith and heresy are tested against reason, nobles and peasants become citizens.

Most importantly, the autonomous individual begins to stand apart from his surroundings and even from time itself. After the Enlightenment, the Earth was seen as a sphere, while time was perceived as linear and segmented into abstract units such as hours and weeks.

To further clarify the point, let’s look at the Enlightenment’s intellectual forefather, Saint Augustine of Hippo (died 430 AD). In his early adulthood, St. Augustine belonged to a sect of Christians called Manicheans, who believed that the universe was split into Good and Evil. These forces manifested themselves through man, who could only passively accept the evil done through him and pray that the forces of good would prevail. Manicheans had no concept of free will or an individuated soul, and clearly expressed their 2D consciousness in their belief that the individual is completely subsumed by two poles.

After a decade as a Manichean, St. Augustine became dissatisfied, saying, “I could make no progress in it.” He turned to Plato (the original 3D thinker) and integrated Plato’s ideas of the separate soul, free will, and reason into Christianity. As St. Augustine’s writings spread through the Christian world, the seeds were sown for 3D consciousness to eventually emerge.

A thousand years later, in 1336, the Enlightenment symbolically began when Francesco Petrarch climbed Mt. Ventoux, becoming the first European to climb a mountain simply to enjoy the view. To fully grasp the significance of this act, imagine yourself standing at the peak of a mountain, gazing down at the landscape stretching out to the horizon. Feel the exhilaration and isolation of this position; there is no denying that you are a separate individual who stands apart from the flat surface of the Earth.

This act symbolized Petrarch’s individuation from the 2D consciousness of his time. Significantly, he carried a copy of Augustine’s Confessions with him. Petrarch went on to become a famous poet, scholar, and philosopher whose works inspired the Italian Renaissance.

As the Enlightenment progressed, 3D consciousness manifested itself in a variety of ways. Paintings began to have perspective and depth, while the subject of art turned from religious to human themes. Martin Luther’s Reformation (inspired by St. Augustine) asserted that every individual had the capacity to interpret God’s will for himself. Francis Bacon’s “Scientific Inquiry” posited that man could discern truth by examining his environment, an act requiring man to first stand back and differentiate himself from his surroundings.

The Constitution of the United States was based on individual rights, creating a country dedicated to 3D consciousness. Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations theorized that individuals acting on their own behalf would create an ideal economy, in contrast to the fixed economies of feudal Europe. And the list goes on….

For practitioners of International Relations who wish to understand our troubled planet, it is absolutely essential to see beneath the surface and grasp that consciousness on this planet is slowly evolving from 2D to 3D. While this shift has accelerated in the last few decades, we are still living in a world predominated by pre-Enlightenment consciousness. While this situation is not inherently bad, it is very dangerous when misunderstood. Therefore, as you go through your career, be sensitive not only to different ideas and cultures, but also to fundamentally different types of consciousness.

Paul Alois is first-year M.A. candidate in International Law and president of the Integral Theory Club.

Filed Under: February 2009 • Opinion