Editor's Word Michael Purdy

Editor’s Word Michael Purdy

Another journal completed. The stone is at the top of the grade, soon to roll back down the incline ready for the next effort. I thought this would be the year we would publish two issues of the journal; however, not only did the production schedule and submissions not cooperate, but it turned out there weren’t enough funds anyway to support a second issue. So perhaps next year.

I want to personally thank all of the members of the Jean Gebser Society whose contributions made this issue possible, and I want to thank all who submitted articles. Please keep those submissions coming, we have another issue to fill this next year. Actually, we already have a good start on the next issue. Algis Mickunas has two articles on civilizational structures of consciousness that haven’t been published. Look for them in the next issue.

Please note, if you haven’t already, that the next meeting/conference of the Jean Gebser Society for the Study of Culture and Consciousness, will be October 21–24, 1999, at Governors State University, University Park, Illinois. A CFP will be included in a future mailing. The tentative topic for the conference is the Global cyber Tech & Integral Consciousness —there has already been a significant response. See the details coming soon to our website:

http://www.govst.edu/ie_journal/

There is also a new Gebser email list for the discussion of issues centered around culture and consciousness. There are presently around 20 participants, with discussion being thin at times (there seems to be a critical mass of 50 or so participants on an email list to keep discussion moving). There has been some lively discussion at several points about consciousness, and members have been actively sharing bibliographic references and querying others for information and support with academic projects. Anyone can join (assuming you have an email account).

To join send an email to:

Listproc@ecnet.net

In the message area of the email include the following:

Subscribe gebser Your_first_name Your_last_name (include your name)

That’s all. In a matter of minutes you will be informed of your inclusion and receive instructions on how to use the list. Please join us online.

By the way email is the fastest growing communication medium around, growing at 8–10% each month, compared to the web which is only growing at 3–5%. Email is becoming very wide–spread and it requires minimal technology (an old 286 PC will do) and is easy to use. With email and email lists “community” can be formed quickly and individuals can communicate with each other in an interactive exchange that can often be very responsive—almost vital. I’m loath to use terms like “vital,” though I think there are vital elements at work in these communities.

Miller’s article in this issue addresses the question of cyber consciousness. This paper stirred quite a discussion at the Gebser conference in California, PA. Many of the issues of the cyber world do ask us to rethink our approaches to consciousness. Personally, however, I think they ask us more than ever to experience and understand the embodied consciousness that Gebser wrote about. The cyber world is

a wonderful way of interacting, but it fits within the world of human experience and consciousness.

This is just one of many fascinating articles in this issue of Integrative Explorations Journal—read and enjoy. And, please join our email list to discuss these issues with others who have similar interests.