The March 1997 issue of Computer-Mediated Communications Magazine proposes
to inquire into the meaning of man's technological quest, to map out the
manyfold relationships between technology and spirituality, the
implications of cyberspace for humankind's spiritual quest, the eventual
spiritual nature of the medium, and the expressions of spiritual movements
that can be found on the medium.
The guest editor will be Michel Bauwens (mbauwens@iocom.be).
For a preliminary perspective on these issues, please have a look at a
report featuring conversations on these issues, by writers, philosophers,
and representatives of various spiritual and 'transhuman' movements,
located at http://www.spacebetween.com/books.html
Articles are invited on the following subjects and proposals should be send
no later than January 20 to the guest editor; the articles should be in by
February 10:
- what is the meaning of humankind's technological quest in terms of long
term views on history; positive or negative assessments of the emergence of
cyberspace (i.e. the Electric Gaia vs. Deus Ex Machina themes); points of
view of spiritual and philosophical thinkers a la Teilhard de Chardin, Ken
Wilber, Hegel.
- what is the spiritual nature of the medium, do 'soul' or 'spirit' dwell
in the medium? (i.e. the 'does prana travel the wires' theme).
- what are the psychological implications of the medium; can cyberspace
function as a 'soul-to-soul' medium, or does it fundamentally inhibit such
communication?
psycho-analyses of cyberspace from Jungian or other perspectives
- can cyberspace be a tool for broader awareness and spiritual growth? Can
there be such a thing as 'TechGnosis'? Or are the new internetworking
technologies impediments to spiritual growth.
- new technologically-oriented cyberspace religions; secular
technological religions; extroprianism and the Technological Unconscious of
the West; Techno-Paganism
- activities of old and new religious movements on the internet: what do
spiritual movements think about cyberspace and what are they doing there
- the sacred and the profane in cyberspace; efforts to sacralise and
'consecrate' cyberspace; religious rituals in cyberspace and their value;
sacred technology.
- cyberspace as an immaterial medium: how does it compare to the
immaterial realms that have always been the domain of relgious and
spiritual traditions; the magical nature of the medium; can we use magical
interfaces as navigation tools; articles on the multiples convergences
between technology and spirituality
- the relationship between cyberspace and 'real life'; the possible
obsoleteness of body and mind; transhumanism, post-biological evolution;
technological immortality
Michel Bauwens, Internet Consultant / Cyber-marketeer
IO Communications
Address: ch. de Charleroi, 182 B-1060 Brussels, BELGIUM
Tel: +32-2-534.07.37; fax: 07.57
Please visit the Cybrarian's Guide to Cyber-Marketing located at:
URL = http://www.iocom.be/pilot/cybermarketing/; <mbauwens@iocom.be>