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Klamer, A. (2017). Doing the Right Thing: A Value Based Economy. 2nd ed. London: Ubiquity Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/bbb 1. Yet wanting to do the right thing is something different from knowing the right thing to do, and that in turn is something other than actually doing the right thing. (in the Preface, first page) I am happy to see that you make a distinction between wanting, knowing and actually doing. As will be-come clear in my comments, hopefully, I would emphasize that knowing (in the sense of thinking) does not automatically result into doing (changing behavior). Your conceptual framework of the five spheres is very useful, but then So what? (the title of your last Chapter 11). How to transform concepts (knowing, thinking) into actual behavior/actions/deeds? Here I would say that consciousness development or expe-riential spirituality (to be defined later on) needs to come in. Quite right. Therefore I make a distinction between being aware of values and valorizing them. The 5 spheres makes people aware of the various logics that they need to apply to valorize their values. Turns out to be quite practical. 2. … within the university, for example, where economists dismiss their own history and are proudly igno-rant of the philosophical underpinnings of their discipline. (p.x) It would be useful to make a course in philosophy of science compulsory for all undergraduate students. In this context I distinguished three different scientific paradigms in my PhD thesis: the positivist, con-structivist and transcendentalist paradigm.1 Some of the criteria used to distinguish these paradigms are ontology, epistemology and methodology. Without making underlying predispositions explicit, many dis-cussions end up in babble. In my view especially the implicit ontological assumption (what is the ultimate nature of reality?) needs to be clarified. In Speaking of Economics I argue that the search for meaning is more decisive than the search for truth. Scientists mainly bring up truth in their communication with the outside world. When they judge the work of other scientists they mainly care about whether that work is meaningful (makes meaningful connec-tions). What do you mean by a transcendentalist paradigm? 3. … the prevalence of instrumental reasoning … as a malaise of modern life (Charles Taylor) … associated with the difficulty that professionals and politicians nowadays have in answering the question “what is what you are doing good for?” (p.xi) I refer to the prevalence of instrumental reasoning as an aspect of the continual identification with the rational-empirical consciousness. See Box 1 on the next page (p.17 in my Spinoza book) on the rational-empirical consciousness2. Makes sense. Instrumentalism is easier to explain to lay people.

1 Van Eijk, T. 1998, Farming Systems Research and Spirituality. An analysis of the foundations of professionalism in developing sustainable farming systems. PhD thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands. See also chapter 2 in: Van Eijk, T. 2017, Spinoza in het licht van bewustzijnsontwikkeling 2 This text contains English and Dutch language. Sorry about that.

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4. The alternative to instrumental reasoning is substantive reasoning. Such reasoning focuses on what is important, on values and also on what is worth striving for. (p.xii) Substantive reasoning is much better than a single-minded focus on instrumental reasoning, but it is still reasoning, still part of the continual identification with the rational-empirical consciousness. You are undoubtedly right, yet I am thinking of what I call phronesis and that is what you and I practice every day all the time, like when I am writing these notes. 5. I am pleased to see that you mention E.F. Schumacher on p.xiii. Especially his second book A guide for the perplexed has been important to me. In my view it has been strongly underrated. I agree. I often refer to the distinction between convergent and divergent thinking. [Schumacher, E.F., 1977. A guide for the perplexed. Harper & Row Publishers, New York. Schumacher, E.F., 1989. Small is beautiful. Economics as if people mattered. Reprint: Harper Perennial, New York (First published in 1973)]

In bepaalde toestand ja. Maar wat doe ik als ik ruzie maak met mijn vrouw, een vakantie regel, of een vergadering voorzit? Ik weeg, wik, reflecteer, praat, en denk wat af. Dat is phronesis. 6. Robbins sidesteps the value discussion that had dictated the scientific practice of economics until then … (p.xiv). The sidestepping of values in economics had indeed tragic consequences. It is important now, in my view, that we do not in turn sidestep the underlying basis of values. I believe that ultimately values are grounded in one’s level of consciousness in the sense that a highly developed consciousness (a consciousness that has been purified from stress and has become refined) results into more society- and environment-

BOX 1: DE ONNODIGE IDENTIFICATIE MET HET RATIONEEL-EMPIRISCH BEWUSTZIJN Volgens Duintjer wordt de meeste westerse filosofie beoefend tegen de achtergrond van een bepaald soort be-wustzijn, namelijk het rationeel-empirisch bewustzijn. In deze staat van bewustzijn wordt al het ervaren en hande-len begeleid en gestructureerd door een discursief denken, dat van het ene naar het andere onderwerp springt. Het discursieve denken vindt plaats op het niveau van het discursieve bewustzijn, het gedeelte van het bewustzijn dat betrokken is op kennis die onder woorden kan worden gebracht. Het discursieve denken verwijst naar een innerlijke discourse van redenerend denken. Dit niet-aflatende denken - het voortdurende tegen zichzelf praten, het innerlijk gepraat, de interne dialoog - vindt voornamelijk onopgemerkt plaats. De dominantie van de mentale staat van het denkend-zijn is erg subtiel: het is moeilijk om zich bewust te worden van het feit dat deze staat zo dominant is vanwege de niets uitsluitende universaliteit aan de object-kant. Alles kan als een object voor discussie opkomen: we kunnen over alles (na)denken. De éénzijdigheid bevindt zich bij de meeste mensen aan de kant van het subject in de zin dat wij ons met het rationeel-empirisch bewustzijn identificeren alsof er geen andere bewust-zijnstoestanden mogelijk zijn. Het rationeel-empirisch bewustzijn is de vooronderstelde en overkoepelende (en daarom metafysische) achtergrond van de moderne wetenschap en techniek, en het heeft de neiging zich naar alle sectoren van de maatschappij te verspreiden. Het rationeel-empirisch bewustzijn houdt ons gevangen in een voortdurend discursief denken, een denken waarbinnen we continu blijven hangen in een redenerend in gesprek zijn. De identificatie van het subject met het rationeel-empirisch bewustzijn en de voortdurende uitbreiding ervan zijn echter onnodig. Duintjer vermeldt de mogelijkheid van een bewustzijn waarin het praten tegen onszelf tot rust komt, waarin innerlijke stilte samengaat met alerte aandacht of wakkerheid.

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friendly values and thus behavior. In Diagram 1 I represent my ideas about the relationship between indi-vidual actors, societal structures, consciousness and behavior. For a detailed explanation I refer to the accompanying text in my Spinoza book (p.90). Diagram 1: Conceptueel kader dat individuele actoren en maatschappelijke structuren, en bewustzijn en gedrag met elkaar verbindt (p.90 Spinoza boek)

In Diagram 2 I represent the process of thinking (p.23 in Spinoza book). Here the relationship between more refined levels of thinking (intuitive thinking) and the rational-empirical consciousness is depicted. Basically this is the meditation process as I practice it twice daily. The process of consciousness develop-ment or spiritual development I prefer to label the process of experiential spirituality in order to empha-size that what really matters is personal experience, not holy books or institutionalized rituals. The recep-tivity to gain access to the level of transcendental or pure consciousness can be trained through, for ex-ample, meditation techniques. I define experiential spirituality as the process in which one systematically trains the receptivity to gain regular access to transcendental consciousness. I purposively emphasize the importance of systematic training to gain regular experiences of transcendental consciousness, because techniques for conscious-ness development which do not result in regular experiences of transcendental consciousness cannot be easily scientifically investigated. The scientific approach demands regular and repeatable experiences, in this case experiences of transcendental consciousness. The continual identification with the rational-em-pirical consciousness can be transcended by systematic practice of meditation techniques: the regular transcending of discursive thinking replaces inner talk with inner silence (transcendental consciousness).3

3 Van Eijk, T., 2010: p.79/80. Civic Driven Change through Self-Empowerment. Societal Transformation and Con-sciousness-Based Development. Lulu

Structuren

De processen gehoorzaamheid

en identificatie

Externe normen

Het collectief

bewustzijn

Bovenste route: onvrij

re-actief gedrag

Gedrag

Onderste route:

vrij pro-actief

gedrag

Het proces van bewustzijns- of

spirituele ontwikkeling

Interne waarden

Actoren: individueel bewustzijn

Internalisatie?

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Diagram 2: Het proces van het denken

With regard to the concept collective consciousness in Diagram 1: Sociaal kapitaal of maatschappelijk vertrouwen is de onzichtbare lijm die de samenleving, bestaande uit staat, markt en maatschappelijk middenveld, bij elkaar houdt.4 In de interactie tussen de vele actoren in de markt, het maatschappelijk middenveld en de overheid ontstaat iets wat we een collectief bewustzijn kunnen noemen. Het maatschappelijk vertrouwen is gekoppeld aan dit onderliggend collectief bewustzijn. Een hoog niveau van maatschappelijk vertrouwen is een (zichtbare) manifestatie van een (onzichtbaar) coherent collectief bewustzijn. Dit collectief bewustzijn is het geheel van de samenstellende individuele ‘bewustzijnden’. Het collectief bewustzijn is de onderliggende basis van alle maatschappelijke (sub)struc-turen. De technologische, economische, politieke, sociale en culturele substructuren zijn verbonden door dit collectief bewustzijn. Alle individuen, die deel uitmaken van deze substructuren en die samen het col-lectief bewustzijn vormen, zijn verbonden door een ‘veld’ van collectief bewustzijn. Het collectief bewust-zijn is als het ware de integrerende, innerlijke structuur van een maatschappij. Het is een soort ‘onzicht-bare hand’ die de dingen bij elkaar houdt en een orkestrerende kwaliteit heeft (Van Eijk 2012).5 Omdat het collectief bewustzijn, als een hefboommechanisme met brede impact, gegrondvest is in indi-vidueel bewustzijn, is persoonlijke bewustzijnsontwikkeling cruciaal. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek laat zien dat effectieve technieken voor bewustzijnsontwikkeling het gedrag van mensen in een maatschap-pelijk verantwoorde richting kunnen sturen. In een artikel in MeJudice schrijf ik:6 “Een van de vele technieken voor bewustzijnsontwikkeling is Transcendente Meditatie (TM). De TM-techniek is waarschijnlijk een van de best onderzochte meditatietechnieken. De resultaten van onderzoek naar de fysiologische,

4 Deze alinea komt uit: Van Eijk, T. (2017), Toekomstige voedselzekerheid vereist onorthodoxe landbouwpolitieke keuzes en mentale transformatie. Civis Mundi digitaal # 53, december 2017 5 Van Eijk, T. 2012, Vervang de ‘onzichtbare hand van de vrije markt’ door de ‘onzichtbare hand van het collectieve bewustzijn’ Civis Mundi digitaal # 12, juli 2012 6 Van Eijk 2009. http://www.mejudice.nl/artikelen/detail/hoe-de-statuswedloop-kan-worden-beperkt

Grove niveaus van denken (bewuste gedachten)

Grensvlak van bewuste ervaring

Verfijnde niveaus van denken (gewoonlijk niet ervaren)

Mentale stilte (transcendent bewustzijn, bewustzijn-als-zodanig, de bron van gedachten)

Rationeel-empirisch bewustzijn

Intuïtief denken

Ervarings-spiritualiteit

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psychologische en sociologische effecten op individuen en collectiviteiten zijn in vele wetenschappelijke tijdschriften gepubliceerd (zie voor een overzicht de website van de onderzoeker Orme-Johnson)”.7

De effecten in het dagelijks leven van een verbetering van de kwaliteit en coherentie van het collectief bewustzijn zijn te voorspellen en wetenschappelijk te toetsen. Daarom kan de theorie van het collectief bewustzijn als een wetenschappelijke theorie gekenmerkt worden. Voor meer over dit onderwerp verwijs ik naar Van Eijk 1998, 2015 en 2017.8 De drie domeinen in de samenleving/gemeenschap met het onderliggend collectief bewustzijn worden weergegeven in Diagram 3 (p.182 in mijn Spinoza boek).

Diagram 3: De drie domeinen in de samenleving/gemeenschap met een onderliggend collectief bewustzijn

De drie domeinen die gezamenlijk de samenleving vormen zijn de overheid of de staat, de markt en het maatschappelijk middenveld met hun bijbehorende publiek belang, privaat belang en groepsbelang.9 De

7 Website van Orme-Johnson: http://www.truthabouttm.org/truth/Home/index.cfm 8 Van Eijk, T. 2015, Eenvoudig leven in een complexe wereld oftewel de paradox van eenheid-in-verscheidenheid. Civis Mundi digitaal # 33, oktober 2015; Van Eijk, T. 2017, Nationale identiteit en wereldburgerschap. Wat te doen? Civis Mundi digitaal # 45, april 2017. 9 Van de Donk, W.B.H.J., 2001. De gedragen gemeenschap. Over katholiek maatschappelijk organiseren de ontzui-

ling voorbij. Inauguratie Tilburg Universiteit, Sdu Uitgevers, Den Haag. Diagram 3 stamt uit Van de Donk 2001, maar is aangepast door de auteur.

Overheid

publiek belang

Maatschappelijk middenveld

groeps belang

De individuen met hun collectief

bewustzijn als schakel

tussen de drie domeinen Markt

privaat belang

Collectief bewustzijn als onder-liggende en omvattende sfeer

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centrale driehoek in dit diagram wordt gevormd door de individuen die collectief de betreffende samen-leving en haar drie samenstellende domeinen vormen. In hun rol als burger in de staat, als consument en/of producent in de markt, en als lid van maatschappelijke organisaties in het maatschappelijk midden-veld, zijn zij de uiteindelijke bouwstenen van de samenleving. Deze individuen zijn door hun drie gelijktij-dige rollen de verbindende schakel tussen de drie domeinen. Als de staat, de markt en het maatschappe-lijk middenveld op elkaar afgestemd dienen te worden om effectieve en efficiënte samenwerking te ge-nereren, dan zou dit dus logischerwijs via de individuen moeten verlopen. De structuren van de staat, de markt en het maatschappelijk middenveld zijn verbonden door het collec-tief bewustzijn, omdat alle individuen, die deze maatschappelijke structuren vormen, verbonden zijn door het collectief bewustzijn. Het collectief bewustzijn omvat en is de onderliggende basis van de staat, de markt en het maatschappelijk middenveld. Een coherent collectief bewustzijn faciliteert de interacties tussen de drie domeinen in de samenleving door het creëren van maatschappelijk vertrouwen. De meeste neuzen staan dezelfde kant op, resulterend in synergetische samenwerking tussen de verschillende be-langhebbenden. Publieke, private en groepsbelangen worden gemakkelijker verenigd. Nu wordt vooral de onzichtbare hand van de vrije markt benadrukt. Meer onderzoek naar - en nadruk op - de onzichtbare hand van het collectief bewustzijn is wenselijk. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek laat zien dat grootschalige gedragsveranderingen mogelijk zijn via het beïnvloeden van het collectief bewustzijn.10 Het geloof in de orkestrerende kwaliteit van de onzichtbare hand van de vrije markt is een niet weten-schappelijk te funderen vooronderstelling, zoals een (helaas slechts kleine) minderheid van economen betoogt.11 De effecten in het dagelijks leven van de onzichtbare hand van het collectief bewustzijn zijn echter te voorspellen en wetenschappelijk te toetsen. Wellicht kan de onzichtbare hand van het collectief bewustzijn het ongebreidelde consumentisme, veroorzaakt door de onzichtbare hand van de vrije markt, beteugelen. In Box 2 wordt geïllustreerd met welke obstakels wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar de effec-ten van technieken voor bewustzijnsontwikkeling te maken kan krijgen (zie ook p.88 van het Spinoza boek). Meditation might be, what I call a praxis, an activity that is a purpose in and of itself.

10 Zie subhoofdstuk 9.4 in mijn proefschrift: Van Eijk 1998. Zie ook hoofdstuk 9 (Wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar een techniek voor bewustzijnsontwikkeling) in Van Eijk 2010: Van Eijk, T., 2010. Economie, statuswedloop en zelfre-gulering. Civis Mundi digitaal # 1, september 2010. 11 Van Eijk, T., 2009; Van Eijk, T., 2012. Ontwikkelingssamenwerking als westerse modernisering? Civis Mundi digi-taal # 9, januari 2012.

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7. Five different spheres are available for the realization of values, or their valorization. Each sphere has a distinctive logic and rhetoric. They are the cultural, oikos, social, market, and governmental spheres.

Diagram 4: The Five Spheres: Market, Governance, Oikos, Social and Cultural

Your Diagram 4 partly overlaps with my Diagram 3. Both diagrams have the spheres of market, governance and social (maatschappelijk middenveld in Diagram 3). Diagram 3 does not have the oikos and cultural

BOX 2: IS WETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK NAAR DE EFFECTEN VAN MEDITATIE ÜBERHAUPT MOGELIJK? Zijn er technieken voor bewustzijnsontwikkeling die gedragsverandering van binnenuit kunnen bewerkstelligen op een efficiënte en effectieve manier? Een van de vele technieken voor bewustzijnsontwikkeling is Transcen-dente Meditatie (TM). De TM-techniek is waarschijnlijk een van de best onderzochte meditatietechnieken. De resultaten van onderzoek naar de fysiologische, psychologische en sociologische effecten op individuen en groe-pen zijn in vele wetenschappelijke tijdschriften gepubliceerd. David Orme-Johnson is een van de meest toonaan-gevende onderzoekers naar de effecten van meditatie, met meer dan 100 publicaties op zijn naam waarvan de meeste in peer-reviewed tijdschriften. Op zijn website staat een uitgebreid overzicht van de onderzoeksresultaten naar TM. Een van de vele tijdschriften waarin onderzoek naar de TM-techniek is gepubliceerd is de International Journal of Neuroscience. Op de website van Dr. Orme-Johnson zegt Dr. Sidney Weinstein, Editor-in-Chief: Over the past 10 years the editors and reviewers of the International Journal of Neuroscience have accepted several papers on Transcendental Meditation because they have met the rigorous standards of scientific publication. Ikzelf beoefen de TM techniek sinds 1972 en weet uit eigen ervaring hoeveel moeite de meeste wetenschappers heb-ben met het accepteren van de onderzoeksresultaten naar TM. Ik heb eerder verwezen naar Thomas Kuhn die heeft laten zien dat wetenschappers niet zo maar uit het dominante wetenschappelijke paradigma kunnen stap-pen. Ondanks de grote hoeveelheid statistisch significante onderzoeksresultaten blijft serieuze belangstelling voor grootschaliger toepassing van TM achterwege. Orme-Johnson zegt op zijn website: If you are interested in lists of research on the Transcendental Meditation technique, in studies comparing different meditation and re-laxation techniques, or in questions such as whether the research is valid, whether the effects are due to self-selection or placebo, or are otherwise inconclusive, or whether the researchers on Transcendental Meditation are objective and committed to the scientific method, or whether outside reviews have discredited the research, … in such issues as whether the TM technique has harmful effects or is a cult or religion, or whether enlightenment is just a metaphysical concept … [then check this website].

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sphere, although one could argue that these two spheres are part of the civil society. I will now first intro-duce another diagram (Diagram 5) and then come back to the similarities and differences between the Diagrams 3, 4 and 5. In Diagram 5 schets ik een holistisch kader voor het multidimensionale maatschappelijke ontwikkelings-proces.12 Dit proces wordt beïnvloed door onder andere technologische en geografische, economische, politieke, sociaal-structurele, culturele en persoonlijkheid factoren - waarbij de factoren in de hier gege-ven volgorde steeds meer omvattend zijn en meer gewicht in de schaal leggen. Zo wordt de beslissing om een bepaalde technologie te gebruiken grotendeels bepaald door economische factoren. Men zou kunnen zeggen dat de economie de technologie omvat, maar de technologie omvat niet de economie. Diagram 5: Een holistisch kader voor het multidimensionale maatschappelijke ontwikkelingsproces. De zeven cate-

gorieën van factoren zijn onderling met elkaar verbonden, maar de buitenste categorieën in de figuur omvatten de meer naar binnen gelegen factoren en leggen aldus meer gewicht in de schaal.

De eerste categorie van technologische en geografische factoren omvat ook wetenschappelijke factoren, omdat er een soort continuüm is tussen wetenschap en technologie. Economische factoren, op hun beurt, zijn sterk afhankelijk van politieke factoren. Economische zaken zijn vaak het belangrijkste onderwerp in de politiek. De politiek omvat de economie, maar de economie omvat niet de politiek. In de interactie tussen economie en politiek dient de politiek dominant te zijn, in de zin dat zij de randvoorwaarden voor een economisch, sociaal en ecologisch duurzame maatschappelijke orde moet aangeven. De verschillende categorieën van factoren of dimensies in Diagram 5 zijn onderling met elkaar verbonden: ze kunnen wel onderscheiden worden maar niet gescheiden in hun werkingen. Hoewel de categorieën onderling verbon-den zijn, zijn ze niet alle even fundamenteel.

12 Diagram 5 wordt meer uitgebreid besproken in: Van Eijk, T. 2015b, Eenvoudig leven in een complexe wereld ofte-wel de paradox van eenheid-in-verscheidenheid. Civis Mundi digitaal # 33, oktober 2015.

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Politieke factoren worden op hun beurt sterk beïnvloed door sociaal-structurele factoren, zoals bijvoor-beeld de sociale structuren van de economisch en politiek belangrijke middenklasse en het niet-gouver-nementele maatschappelijk middenveld. Het Nederlandse ‘polderen’ tussen overheid, bedrijfsleven en maatschappelijk middenveld is gebaseerd op de interactie tussen politiek en sociaal-structurele factoren. Sociaal-structurele of maatschappelijke structuren (zoals gezinnen, scholen, kerken, moskeeën, sportver-enigingen, vakbonden, politie, etc.) stellen onder anderen normen voor maatschappelijk verantwoord ge-drag. De sociaal-structurele factoren worden beïnvloed door culturele factoren en persoonlijkheidsfactoren. Maar waar ligt de grens tussen cultuur en persoonlijkheid? Volgens Hofstede (1994, blz. 5) is cultuur men-tale software13. Onder cultuur verstaat hij de collectieve programmering van de geest (mind) die de leden van de ene groep of categorie van mensen onderscheidt van de andere. Cultuur wordt geleerd, niet ge-erfd. Het komt voort uit een specifieke sociale omgeving, niet uit iemands genen. Volgens Hofstede dient men een onderscheid te maken tussen cultuur en persoonlijkheid. Terwijl een cultuur specifiek is voor een bepaalde groep mensen en geleerd wordt, is de persoonlijkheid specifiek voor een individu en ge-deeltelijk aangeleerd, gedeeltelijk geërfd. Overerving vindt plaats door middel van iemands unieke set van genen, terwijl leren wordt beïnvloed door zowel de collectieve programmering (cultuur) als unieke per-soonlijke ervaringen. In Diagram 5 vormen culturele en persoonlijkheidsfactoren één categorie. Waar de grens tussen cultuur en persoonlijkheid precies ligt, blijft volgens Hofstede een discussiepunt onder soci-ale wetenschappers. Zowel universele menselijke driften als groep-specifieke cultuurkenmerken en indi-vidu-specifieke persoonlijkheidskenmerken spelen een rol in onze mentale programmering. Omdat de persoonlijke beleving van religie te maken heeft met collectieve programmering (cultuur) en unieke per-soonlijke ervaringen schaar ik het onder de categorie van culturele en persoonlijkheidsfactoren. De insti-tutionele aspecten van religie (kerken, etc.) vallen echter onder de categorie van sociaal-structurele fac-toren. Ik veronderstel in Diagram 5 nog een ander niveau van mentale programmering en wel het collectief be-wustzijn. Zoals eerder aangegeven is het collectief bewustzijn het geheel van de samenstellende individu-ele ‘bewustzijnden’. Het collectief bewustzijn is de onderliggende en omvattende basis van alle maat-schappelijke (sub)structuren. Het collectief bewustzijn is een cruciale factor in processen van maatschap-pelijke verandering, omdat het de interacties tussen de verschillende maatschappelijke substructuren en factoren faciliteert. Het is onmogelijk om alle interdependenties tussen substructuren te overzien en deze talrijke substructuren tegelijkertijd te veranderen. Alleen de factor die alle substructuren en hun bouw-stenen (individuele actoren dus) verbindt, kan holistische verandering bewerkstelligen (zie ook Diagram 3). Het collectief bewustzijn is een soort ‘onzichtbare hand’ die de dingen bij elkaar houdt en die een orkestrerende kwaliteit heeft. Elders heb ik uitgebreid betoogd dat maatschappelijke verandering door Civic Driven Change op bewustzijnsontwikkeling gebaseerd dient te worden14. In de zoektocht naar een nieuw ontwikkelingsparadigma is het verstandig ons te richten op de categorie in Diagram 5 met de meest omvattende impact. Ik denk dat het begrip collectief bewustzijn een soort hefboom- of interventiemecha-nisme met brede impact kan leveren. Effectieve technieken voor (individuele) bewustzijnsontwikkeling zijn dan het benodigde praktische handvat.

13 Hofstede, G., 1994, Cultures and Organizations. Software of the Mind. Intercultural Cooperation and its Im-

portance for Survival. HarperCollinsBusiness, London [First published in 1991]. 14 Van Eijk, T., 2010, Civic Driven Change through Self-Empowerment. Societal Transformation and Consciousness-

Based Development. Lulu

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I agree with you that the oikos (home) is a very important element in your Diagram 4. It overlaps partly with S and that seems correct to me. In my Diagram 5 I have not put the oikos as a distinct entity, but attached it to the social-structural category. In your Diagram 4 the cultural sphere C is the most encom-passing category. In my Diagram 5 the cultural factors are part of the category cultural and personality factors. The most encompassing category is in my view the sphere of the collective consciousness, which is composed of individual ‘consciousnesses’. Intriguing. The C is the sphere of sense making. I am inclined to consider the collective consciousness to constitute and inspire a significant portion of C. It informs our actions in the other sheres and the way we understand those actions (as part of an activity in C) 8. … we value certain things and seek not just to survive, but also to realize a good life and a good society. (p.xiv) We indeed seek to realize a good life (through individual consciousness development) and a good society (through contributing to the collective consciousness). Here the interaction between individual and col-lective consciousness is central. In addition to consciousness development we can do many other things to realize a good life and a good society, but in my view consciousness development needs to be central in a value based approach. I agree. I would think that we intuit our values, discover them as it were, and we do so as we try to grasp and express what you call our collective consciousness. I do not write that down explicitly lest I am ignored all together. 9. In order to work with and on the basis of values, we need to work sensibly, using phronesis, as the Greeks call it. We need to weigh options, deliberate, experiment and evaluate, all in striving to do the right thing. (p.xv) The weighing of options, deliberating, experimenting and evaluating is all grounded in the intellect, in the ratio, in the continual identification with the rational-empirical consciousness. In my view the develop-ment of phronesis or practical wisdom also depends on consciousness development. It is based on intui-tive thinking (see Diagram 2). I agree. 10. When practices are worth striving for they can be called praxes. In chapter 7, I will distinguish four domains of ultimate goods and praxes: personal, social, societal and transcendental. (p.xv) The process of consciousness development is a praxis, aiming at the ultimate transcendental good of ‘en-lightenment’. The path towards this ideal good results into personal, social, societal and transcendental benefits. I agree. See my earlier comment 11. … it is their therapeutic and edifying role that renders the sciences particularly relevant for daily, or-ganizational and political life. (p.xviii)

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In my view it is the therapeutic and edifying role of effective and efficient techniques for consciousness development, in addition to the sciences, that renders them particularly relevant for daily, organizational and political life. Such techniques change worldviews. You are most likely right 12. It may all be wishful thinking, yet it is the responsibility of the scholar not only to see the world as it is, but also to imagine the world as it might be. (p.xxii) You are fully correct. That is why I have given a description of conventional and ideal society in chapter 8.4 of my book on Civic Driven Change (Van Eijk 2010). In table format it describes the societal facets of Science and Education, Government, Economy, Defense, Public Health, and Consciousness Development. 13. Money can buy a passport to everywhere but not to heaven. (p.3) I like the banner that you saw in Kampala, Uganda. I worked some 20 years in Eastern and Southern Africa. In my second year at Wageningen Agricultural University, in 1972, I started with the TM technique. The fee I had to pay, 80 Dutch guilders, is the best investment I ever made! The twice daily practice of the TM technique since 1972 hitherto did not result into enlightenment - far from it - but nevertheless it’s a pleas-ure to meditate. A praxis, therefore? 14. The home is a good metaphor for what an organization, a society is about. (p.7) To be at the level of the transcendental consciousness, just being, consciousness-as-such without the in-ner talk, simultaneously silence and alertness - all that is feeling at home. Ok 15. Accordingly, culture (C1, C2 and C3) matters. In the end, it is all that matters. All the rest is subordinate, or instrumental for the realization of culture. (p.10) Yes, culture matters. It is high up in my Diagram 5. Nevertheless, the category of cultural factors is in my view subordinate to the more encompassing category of the collective consciousness. Culture (C1=an-thropological sense, C2=Civilization and C3=the arts) is to my mind underlain by the collective conscious-ness - as are all the other categories of factors. I elaborated later some more and would now agree with you. 16. … ‘the transcendental part of a civilization’. This kind of culture involves the arts, the sciences and religion, as well as other domains (like those of nature lovers, and sports fans). In general, these kinds of cultural practices reach for something that is beyond earthly matters: they may express a quest for beauty, the truth, the good, the spiritual, the sacred. (p.14) Here we probably differ in opinion. I would not assign the sciences to the transcendental sphere of a civilization. A part of the scientific discipline of philosophy talks about transcendental issues, but even then it are only verbal references to the transcendental aspect of life; transcendental or spiritual practices

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or praxes are not common in the academic world. The arts can refer to transcendental aspects (for the artists and the spectators) but do not necessarily so. Similarly religions can refer to the transcendental aspects of life, and even provide spiritual practices. But more often than not institutionalized religions are dogmatic and not focused on experiential spirituality, even fighting it. I am inspired by conversations with technical people. They are searching for the holy grail, so it appears, and although they seem to be materialistic in their interest, their belief is leading. 17. The Dalai Lama will always put economic factors in the larger context of transcendental meanings. He will characterize the pursuit of money and other such aspects of the ordinary business of mankind as a distraction from the search for enlightenment. “Let go of the ego,” he will tell economists and anyone else willing to listen, “for the ego holds you back.” (p.15) It is wise to put economic factors in the larger context of transcendental meanings, as done in Diagram 5, but I do not see a contradiction between the search for enlightenment and the pursuit of money. It is true that in many (most) cases the pursuit of money (and power) ends up in distraction from the search for enlightenment, but it does not have to be like that. A simultaneous pursuit of material welfare and mental or spiritual wellbeing is possible. I have worked for money (and done some volunteer work) and meditated my whole life (I just retired from doing short-term assignments in Africa and Central Asia one year ago). Sure, we search for the right balance. 18. In Theory of Moral Sentiments Adam Smith depicts people in their moral life, acting out of sympathy for others, and seeking to be virtuous. (p.19) As depicted in Diagram 1, being virtuous or behave righteously can come about via the upper and lower route. Often it will be a combination of both routes, obeying to externally imposed norms (re-active be-havior) and listening to internal values (pro-active behavior). More attention for the lower route would well fit in your value based approach. It is a pity that Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments receives little attention. It is also an indication that the making explicit of underlying worldviews is essential. My worldview as demonstrated in the holistic framework for the multi-dimensional process of development (Diagram 5) includes the embeddedness of economic processes in the sphere of the collective conscious-ness. The Theory of Moral Sentiments is actually receiving quite a bit of attention, nowadays. See the work of Deirdre McCloskey 19. In all examples values are at stake, people are becoming or made aware of them, and then make them real by acting upon them. (p.21) I am pleased to see that you again and again emphasize not only the importance of becoming aware of one’s values, but also the ultimate goal of realizing them in actual behavior. Only in behavioral change we can see (and measure if you want to) the making real of values. In my view consciousness development is not limited to becoming aware of something, but it is rather about actual behavioral change (as depicted in Diagram 1).

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20. Valorization is the realization of relevant values, financial or not. I focus in this book on the cultural, academic and, less explicitly, religious institutions because it is their goal to do good, that is, to do the right thing. (p.22) I am afraid that the cultural, academic and religious institutions hitherto focus too little on the most es-sential valorization of all, which is the development of the full potential of individual consciousness through effective and efficient techniques for consciousness development. I am sorry that I agree. 21. A virtue is a value that we attribute to actions. A virtuous person is someone who has internalized the important virtues. As long as you and I consciously strive for practical wisdom, we probably have not in-ternalized that virtue. (p.27) In order to be virtuous persons we have to internalize the virtue of phronesis or practical wisdom. The lower route in Diagram 1 is in my view the way to go. Experiential spirituality results into phronesis, into free, pro-active behavior. Ok 22. Adam Smith uses in his The Theory of Moral Sentiments, which could be read as a treatise on phronesis, the impartial spectator as a device to check your actions (Smith, 1759). The impartial spectator is the voice you and I carry in us, that tells us whether or not our actions are right. It is our conscience speaking. (p.28) The impartial spectator or the voice inside us is called the virtue of self-will (eigenzinnigheid) by the writer Hermann Hesse. See my Spinoza book, Box 5: Hermann Hesse: Eigenzinnigheid, p.173. And also Box 7 by Otto Duintjer: Een innerlijk voorportaal en morele geboden, p.227. To my mind the ability to actually hear the inner voice and subsequently spontaneously act accordingly depends on the level of development of our consciousness. When our nervous system, the physical hard-ware that is the carrier of our mental consciousness, is contaminated with impurities (stress) we simply cannot hear the inner voice. The trajectory of spontaneously follow the inner voice is the lower route in Diagram 1. Since most of us do not have continual or regular access to the level of transcendental con-sciousness or mental silence (see Diagram 2) and thus do not have access to a fully purified or refined inner voice, supplementation with the upper route is recommended (Diagram 1). Ok 23. … one of the cardinal virtues is temperance (striking a balance between overdoing things or not doing enough) … (p.28) The fabric of life is full of the necessity to strike a balance between numerous opposites. See in this context chapter 7.5 (Tipping points and the delicate balance between self-assertiveness and self-transcendence) in my book on Civic Driven Change (Van Eijk 2010; p.123). In this chapter 7.5 Koestler (1989:241) remarks that in an ideal society the self-assertive and self-transcending tendencies “would be harmoniously com-bined in its citizens - they would be saintly and efficient, yogis and commissars at the same time”.15 Only mature integration - in which self-assertive and self-transcending tendencies are simultaneously realized

15 See for the literature references my book on CDC (Van Eijk 2010).

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- can result into progression: in societally and environmentally sound behaviour. The simultaneous reali-zation of two opposing tendencies ought to be central. Experiential spirituality facilitates the ‘living’ of opposing tendencies (Van Eijk 1998:186 & 220). Swanson & Oates (1989:164) say in chapter 7.5: “Managers know that there is a collective air about their people - an overall tone that may be optimistic and ener-getic or sullen and hostile. This collective consciousness is a summation of the individual moods and minds … In the office, managers all too frequently struggle against a faulty collective consciousness. They want to get people moti-vated, get them all pulling together for a common goal. What they run into, too often, is an apathetic, selfish tone that swallows up their best intentions. They want to create alignment - or what we have called organizational co-herence - a one-for-all, all-for-one feeling, where individual needs and corporate goals unite. What they often get, instead, is fragmented, me-first confusion, producing lassitude and passive sabotage. Focusing on collective con-sciousness can get managers out of this trap … Although it may be a difficult to manufacture a corporate culture directly by trying to teach people positive values, going to the more fundamental level [via techniques for conscious-ness development] is not difficult at all. As the quality of consciousness rises, positive values emerge spontaneously”.

In a similar way as music is more than a pattern of sound waves, more than a collection of tones, a coher-ent collective consciousness is more than the sum of its parts. Emergent properties such as the elusive ‘one-for-all, all-for-one’ feeling do spontaneously emerge in a coherent collective consciousness (Van Eijk 2010:128). Says Keith Richards of the Stones: “In principle [cooperation in a band] is not something intellectual that you can think up, and put up just like that. It just has to be there. You will have to find it. Suddenly everybody knows what they have to do. And that are the magical moments. Suddenly you have the feeling as if you are three meter long and floating in the air. That is what I always have lived for - the moment a band is on the same wavelength” (Bockris 1994:74).

Pairs of opposites such as integrity and integration, competition and cooperation, cultural diversity and universal human uniformity, self-assertion and self-transcendence are both needed. But how to strike a balance? Regular practise of TM promotes diametrical development - “the integrated growth of qualities that seem diametrically opposed” (Swanson & Oates 1989:118). Tipping points to higher levels of societal development might occur when sufficient people grow in diametrical development. Apparent opposites (paradoxes) can only be transcended and ‘lived’ at higher levels of awareness (Van Eijk 1998:220-2). Life is a succession of divergent problems: we have to learn to deal with opposing polarities that constitute the fabric of life. The unity-in-diversity of pairs of opposites (their Janus-faced reality) is revealed in spir-itual experience. Diametrical development is facilitated by consciousness development (Van Eijk 2010:129). 24. The modeling gives an idea the aura of “science.” The idea of phronesis makes us realize that too much is involved in doing the right thing, that calculation is therefore nigh impossible, and modeling quite hope-less. The process of phronesis is difficult to trace, and hard to catch in the form of rules and (predictable) patterns. Rationality suggests a neatly ordered process; phronesis evokes the image of a mess. (p.29) I fully agree. I have labelled this the illusion of intellectual holism (chapter 11.2 in Van Eijk 1998:222). Only trying to think of opposites simultaneously will not do. ‘Both-and’ thinking is difficult if not impossible. It is an illusion to believe that complex interdependencies at high levels of integration can be grasped by intellectual reasoning alone. This is beyond the discursive intellect.

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25. Substantive rationality relies on phronesis, as it requires the realization of values while weighing a complexity of factors. (p.31) Right. In my view phronesis and the ensuing substantive rationality are enhanced by consciousness devel-opment. In Wageningen in the 1970s my M.Sc. package was a combination of natural and social science (tropical crop science, tropical animal husbandry, development economics, and cooperatives & credit for non-western areas). Even with this interdisciplinary training and lifelong working in multi-disciplinary teams phronesis - based on weighing a complexity of factors - does not come about easily. In my view intellectual reasoning needs to be supplemented with consciousness development. 26. … to assume the position of the “objective” spectator in academia … (p.31) As Bruno Latour and others concluded the position of the “objective” spectator in science is unattainable. See also Table 8: Characterization of the positivist, constructivist and transcendentalist paradigms in Van Eijk 1998 (124-127), more specifically the criterion of epistemology. 27. Being about thoughtfulness, the virtue of phronesis stimulates us to be aware of what we need to know in order to do the right thing. Which knowledge is relevant? It does not take much to realize that all kinds of knowledge are called for; and most of the knowledge needed is not what you learn at school and at university. (p.31) Right, but it is not only all kinds of knowledge that are needed to acquire phronesis. As long as we identify with only the rational-empirical consciousness (Box 1) I am afraid phronesis will not easily emerge. 28. Their worldview is their perspective on the world that is relevant for them, their framing of that world, and it includes their vision in the sense of how they view the future. (p.32) Worldviews in the sense of framing of the world are inevitable, but need to be made explicit if meaningful discourse is wanted. The explicit characterization of worldviews, including the scientific paradigms in-volved, is essential (see point 26 above). 29. Whatever the ideals are, whatever people know, and no matter how thoughtful a design is, often what happens in practice is something quite different. (p.33) Fully right! See the earlier mentioned illusion of intellectual holism in point 24. 30. There is so much to know! How are we ever able to do the right thing? (p.36) Very good question! Sometimes I get frustrated because I am interested in so many different issues, but simply do not have enough time to read all the interesting articles and books that I find on my path. I can only hope that I read what at that specific moment is most urgent in my life. 31. We are what we do. When people want to change the world, they have to become active somehow. (p.36) Yes, but I would emphasize here that engagement in one or the other technique for consciousness devel-opment is also an ‘activity’ - albeit a very quiet and unobtrusive one but nevertheless essential. Meditation is often considered a private, personal matter without impact on changing the world. I consider that an

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incorrect point of view. In order to change or improve the world, you first have to change yourself. Basi-cally, we are what we are, just being, just transcendental consciousness. Perhaps the activity or praxis of consciousness development is the best thing we can do to change ourselves and consequently also the world. The individual and collective consciousness are interrelated. Possibly the best contribution we can make is to engage in one or another effective and efficient technique for consciousness development. 32. I conclude that the presumption that people are greedy and self-interested is not helpful when we try to get inside the elephant. Greed and self-interest are false guides for doing the right thing. (p.43) I will actually show in chapter 6 that the most important goods that we strive for, we share with others. That makes cooperative or social behavior the norm, and selfish behavior the aberration. (p.42) Does this make my perspective hopelessly naïve and unrealistic? (p.42) Spinoza makes interesting and unusual observations about self-interest and social behavior. My book on Spinoza’s philosophy has chapters titled: Eigenbelang en de christelijke God; Vrijheid als zelf-beschikking en vrij, pro-actief gedrag; Het concentrische ik; De rede van sociale wezens; Het welbegrepen eigenbelang van holons; Aangeboren gemeenschapszin; Sociale integratie; Zelftoe-eigening als integriteit en integra-tie; Oikeiose of zelftoe-eigening. I cannot go into details here, but Spinoza’s concept of oikeiose and your use of the word oikos are related. In my perspective cooperative or social behavior is the norm when the collective consciousness is coherent and of high quality. The most fundamental commons is the collective consciousness to which we all will-ingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly, contribute. I know that my perspective can be seen as hopelessly naïve and unrealistic but I think it is not. Perhaps my comments create the impression that I live and reason in a self-constructed bubble, but I do not think so - taking into account my long-term working experience in various African and Central Asian countries as well as more than 25 years living in an inter-cultural, -ethnical and -religious oikos (my wife and daughter are from Tanzania). Moreover, I always emphasize the scientific research done on the individual and collective effects of the TM technique (see Box 2). Better naïve than shortsighted. Interesting. Need to go back to Spinoza 33. In classical economics, virtues played an important role. Adam Smith dedicated an entire book to the discussion of Moral Sentiments (Smith, 1759). Yet, standard economics has silenced such a discussion for being normative and therefore not scientific. (p.49) As you correctly indicated earlier on all discussions and conversations are normative or value-laden. Also the so-called scientific conversation of standard economics is inevitably value-laden. See also the points 2, 26 and 28. 34. … the American owner convinced movie stars to wear his shoes in order to generate status value for the shoes. (p.50)

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Status value has indeed incredibly much impact. In an article in Me Judice I refer to the book of Frank on Luxury Fever.16 Consciousness development results into more independent persons who are less sensitive to status. 35. As Aristotle and other Greek philosophers teach us, virtues are internalized behavioral values. An hon-est man is honest simply because he is, and not because he fears punishment, or expects compliments. Being able to do the right thing is reserved for virtuous people. You need to be aware of your values; you need to assess the situation. But when it comes to being honest and loyal, you just do it. (p.58) The virtues as internalized behavioral values refer to the lower route in Diagram 1; it is pro-active free behavior, you just do it. Punishment or compliments belong to the upper route of re-active behavior. What you call virtuous people Spinoza calls the ‘weldenkenden’. And Spinoza indicates that this is a very small group of people. From my (undoubtedly biased) perspective Spinoza and you focus too much on becoming aware of something (values) and too little on awareness as such (transcendental consciousness). If there is content of consciousness (thoughts, being aware of values), then there must be also a carrier of that content, the consciousness-as-such.17 Being able to do the right thing demands more experiential spiritu-ality. 36. It takes training and endless practice to get it right, to be virtuous in one’s actions … Most of the train-ing we get takes place at home, on the street, in the schoolyard and later at work. (p.58) The training and endless practice takes place in the upper route in Diagram 1 where we are constantly trained in the societal structures of the home, the school, the work place, the civil society. When we get adequate training and practice the externally imposed norms may become internal values in a process of internalization. Basically this internalization process is a black-box process; we do not really know what happens inside the box. More attention for the lower route is desirable. 37. Finding the right middle ground is, as Aristotle already taught, the crux of being virtuous. (p.59) Finding the right middle ground between pairs of opposites constitutes the fabric of life (see point 23). Yet this is not a merely intellectual exercise or practice. 38. Being honest, therefore, is easier said than done. It requires the interiorization of all seven virtues in such a way that their enactment is automatic and does not require conscious deliberation. (p.60) The enactment of virtues indeed needs to be automatic (lower route in Diagram 1), yet this is easier said than done. It demands more attention for consciousness development. 39. Overseeing this, it becomes understandable why we humans are so often clumsy, inadequate and even stupid in what we do … An interesting issue that arises in this context is whether we can learn to be virtu-ous, whether we get better as we grow older and more experienced? (p.60)

16 Frank R.H. (1999). Luxury Fever - Money and Happiness in an Era of Excess. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Van Eijk, T. 2009, http://www.mejudice.nl/artikelen/detail/hoe-de-statuswedloop-kan-worden-beperkt Me Judice, 2 juni 2009. A more elaborated version of the Me Judice article can be found in Civis Mundi: Van Eijk, T., 2010. Eco-nomie, statuswedloop en zelfregulering. Civis Mundi digitaal # 1, september 2010. 17 See also page 16 in my Spinoza book.

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Spinoza referred to the often clumsy, inadequate and even stupid behavior of humans as the large majority of the ‘onweldenkenden’. Perhaps most of us get [somehow] better as we grow older and more experi-enced, yet the current situation of the world may be cause for some concern. In order to learn [faster] to be virtuous supplementation with consciousness development might be required. 40. I distinguish the domains of a) personal values, b) social values, c) societal values and d) transcendental or cultural values - transcendental as these values transcend the personal and the social … (p.61) Here you define transcendental as transcending the personal and the social. Perhaps you need to be more specific here. What is there to be found exactly in your worldview beyond the personal and the social spheres? In your Diagram 4 the cultural sphere C is the most encompassing category (point 7). But this cultural sphere C remains somehow vague to me. It seems to be a blend of transcendental and non-tran-scendental components. Please elaborate. I focus on the values that transcend all the others, that point at something above, some-thing metaphysical and meta-social. 41. These values transcend the personal, the social and the societal, and are therefore called transcenden-tal values. Transcendental values include historical, artistic and scientific values. (p.63) … And then there are the religious or spiritual values. In our relationship to the transcendental - to that what is more, to the metaphysical - we realize values such as holiness, sacredness, enlightenment. (p.64) You distinguish a domain d) of transcendental or cultural values (point 40). This can imply that transcendental and cultural are substitutable concepts or terms. In my view this can create confusion. I would place historical, artistic and scientific values in the cultural domain or sphere. Only a spiritual value as enlightenment I would label transcendental, since this truly involves transcending the rational-empirical consciousness. I try to avoid terms such as holiness and sacredness since these concepts are easily associ-ated with institutionalized religions, which often oppose experiential spirituality. I agree 42. Norms are rules that guide, direct and discipline social behavior. They usually are manifestations of one value or another. (p.69) Correct, that is why I distinguish in Diagram1 between norms and values. 43. This goes to show that the process of phronesis involves a great deal more than the rational decision making that economic models imagine … The process of phronesis is more interpretive than analytical. It is much more allusive and therefore much more difficult to study. Phronesis is also much more difficult to practice. Then again, I do not think you and I practice rational choice as imagined in the economic model. But we practice phronesis all the time, no matter how complicated it is. For that is life. (p.72) Life is indeed full of phronesis. Its interpretative and elusive character make it difficult to study and prac-tice. That is why we need to go beyond the supposedly rational decision making of the continual identifi-cation with the rational-empirical consciousness. We need to go beyond intellectual reasoning to develop a praxis of phronesis. But as long as our phronesis is not fully developed, we better use our ratio to double-check or verify our intuitive choices.

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44. With regard to sharing knowledge you say: But that is not going to happen if I am the only one doing the work. The people sitting in front of me are actually having to do the hard work because they have to make sense of the noise that I make, transform that noise into something that has meaning to them and appropriate that somehow. (85) In my view the process runs as follows: data → information → knowledge → behavior. Data have to be organized in some form or another in order to become information, after which infor-mation has to be internalized in order to become personal knowledge, after which the internalized knowledge has to be transformed into actual behavior. The internalization and transformation processes are black-box processes. The input is information and the output is knowledge, but what happens in the internalization process? You can share data and information, but can you share knowledge? Knowledge is personal because it has to be internalized by you. And then new knowledge does not necessarily result into behavioral change. How does that come about? One could argue that the norms in Diagram 1 are information that needs to be internalized in order to become internal values. Externally imposed norms can be enforced, or identified with through frequent repetition, and thus result into re-active behavioral change (upper route). But how do internal values re-sult into pro-active behavioral change (lower route)? It is a black-box process, but scientific research indi-cates that techniques for consciousness development result into positive behavioral change. 45. Such a practice is called a commons. You benefit from it by participating in and contributing to it. (p.86) The collective consciousness is a commons in the sense of a social practice in which people participate and contribute to it. Sure 46. Even though many only make use of such a commons, some people are apparently willing and able to sustain and further the commons. The latter contribute and apparently derive some satisfaction from do-ing so. Because a commons is open to outsiders, it is not a shared good as defined here. A shared good excludes people who do not participate and contribute. A commons is shared by those working on it, par-ticipating and contributing, but it does not exclude outsiders from using it. (p.87) This description of a commons suits the collective consciousness well. The hitherto relatively few people who are actively contributing, and thus sustaining and furthering the commons of the collective conscious-ness, are the ones who regularly practice a technique for consciousness development. They derive defi-nitely satisfaction from doing so, because in the process their personal consciousness gets refined or en-hanced. Even outsiders (here persons who do not practice a technique for consciousness development) co-produce or co-create the collective consciousness, since each individual consciousness is part and par-cel of the collective consciousness. These so-called outsiders however contribute less to the coherence and quality of the collective consciousness. 47. … the market exchange is rather an epi-phenomenon, that is, external to the social practice that con-stitutes a shared good, or a commons. Standard economics misses the point entirely, and therefore cannot distinguish the most important goods that we try to realize each and every day. (p.89) Right, the market exchange is rather an epi-phenomenon to the commons of the collective consciousness. In Diagram 5 the collective consciousness encompasses and thus carries more weight than the category

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of economic factors. However, since the market exchange in standard economics is still dominant in to-day’s world, we have to conclude that the quality and coherence of the collective consciousness is not good enough yet to override this dominance of the market exchange. This calls for more attention to, and more importantly engagement in, effective and efficient techniques for consciousness development. 48. The standard economic perspective is blind for social behavior because it only distinguishes private and collective goods. It is for this reason that it conveys the impression that people are mainly self-interested and inclined to free ride when and where they can … Social behavior is quite normal and that is because shared and common goods are common. They even make up a big part of our daily activities. (p.98) The commons of the collective consciousness does not only make up a big part of our daily activities, but underlies the totality of our daily lives. Social behavior and trust are grounded in collective consciousness. Free riding on the collective consciousness is only possible in the sense that without an individual contri-bution (in this case engagement in a technique for consciousness development) one still profits from the collective consciousness that some others might try to uplift through regular practice of techniques for consciousness development. 49. Nelson Mandela: I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. (108) To my mind the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities can best be realized through enhancing the coherence and quality of the underlying collective consciousness. This is an ideal, just as personal enlightenment is, but in principle everybody with a normal functioning nervous system can contribute to it. You do not have to be highly educated, rich or otherwise privileged to make a contribution. I agree 50. A friend of mine, who practices Zen, keeps telling me that the purpose is not to have a purpose. His idea of a good life is to let go, to drop goals and desires. His remarks have an influence on me. The influence gets even stronger when I am reading Zhuangzi, Lao Tzu, and other great eastern thinkers, or the western mystic Eckhart or philosophers like Kierkegaard. In the end my friend is right. When we keep probing and press on asking “so what?” and “what for?” we all probably end up with the insight of wise gurus such as Buddha and Jesus … Even in the quest for a state without aim and without ego, I detect an ideal, a striving of some sort. It gets my friend to meditate, for example, and to have sessions with Zen masters … The purposes can also be a practice in which we are involved, like the practice of Zen, or the practice of art. The purpose is then intrinsic, that is to say, intrinsic in that practice. (p.110) Correct. The quest for a state [of consciousness] without aim and without ego involves letting go. It is the letting go of the continual identification with the rational-empirical consciousness (see Diagram 2). But this letting go does not come automatically. It demands a time investment in techniques for consciousness development. My ultimate purpose is enlightenment or more correctly stated ‘to be engaged in the grad-ual process towards enlightenment’. The intrinsic purpose of my practice of twice-daily meditation is the process of meditation itself. Meditation is then a praxis. The TM technique is perhaps quite special in the sense that it is based on an attitude of innocence, an attitude of ‘take it easy’. It does not involve concen-tration, but is based on a relaxed, comfortable or laidback use of a mantra.

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51. In a modern instrumentalist mindset there is no need to articulate the purpose or ideal. As Charles Taylor points out, the consequences of an instrumentalist frame is that we are allowed to eschew naming our objectives (Taylor, 1991). He calls it the ethics of inarticulacy (Taylor, 1989). (p.110) In addition to articulating our ultimate purposes, ideals or values, it is necessary in my view to articulate or make explicit particularly our ontological presuppositions, as indicated before. cf my worldview. We have one whether we articulate it or not 52. The Buddha had articulated the ideal as enlightenment. Questions linger. What is honor good for? What are salvation and enlightenment good for? (p.111) … Taylor calls the special goods hypergoods. They are goods that “not only are incomparably more important than others but provide the standpoint from which these must be weighed, judged, decided about.” (Taylor, 1989, p. 63) The Roman orator, politician and philosopher Cicero coined the notion of the summum bonum to indicate the end that is an end in itself (Cicero & Gardner, 1958). In the term that I used to characterize the process of phronesis (see chapter 4), these goods are the ideals that people, organizations and societies strive for. (p.112) Enlightenment is indeed a hypergood or summum bonum, an end that is an end in itself. It indeed provides the standpoint from which [other goods] must be weighed, judged, decided about. But then you need at least a kind of description or idea of this ideal state of consciousness. 53. Taylor’s list is, as he himself recognizes, not very helpful. Taylor sees its shortcomings, its vagueness, as symptomatic for the prevalence of the instrumentalist mindset. (p.112) In order to break the prevalence of the instrumentalist mindset, or the continual identification with the rational-empirical consciousness, we need techniques for consciousness development. Although the en-gagement in techniques for consciousness development also might have a vague connotation, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. In this context the making explicit of the current three different underlying scientific paradigms might also be helpful (point 2). 54. Another way to get an inkling of the ultimate goods is to ask people to design and articulate their utopia, or their ideal world. (p.113) See point 12 where I refer to a description of an ideal society. 55. They were too down to earth to be able to imagine anything transcendental. (p.113) As a tropical agronomist working with small farmers in the countryside in Africa you need to be down to earth. This, however, does not exclude interest in transcendental issues. It is exactly the combination of down to earth work and transcendental praxis that makes me happy and might be effective. One could also argue that transcendental praxis is the most practical or down to earth contribution that a person can make to the development of a good society. Academics of Wageningen University have the reputation of being pragmatic, but unfortunately transcendental praxis is not yet part of this pragmatism. My Ph.D. thesis at Wageningen University in 1998, although labelled ‘revolutionary’ by the Ph.D. committee, did not receive any attention in the scientific community. Getting attention is another matter!

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56. I will call a practice that is directed at a good to strive for, at the realization of a hypergood, ultimate good, or summum bonum, a praxis. That good is intrinsic to the praxis, generating intrinsic values. (p.114) Thus the praxis of consciousness development or experiential spirituality generates intrinsic values as de-picted in the lower route of Diagram 1. 57. Craftsmanship is a praxis. So is religion, and science. Art, too, can be a praxis. And so might parenting be, I think. And teaching, ideally. (p.115) Yes, ideally craftsmanship, science, art, parenting, teaching and institutionalized religion are praxes, but all these praxes are preferably grounded in the crucial praxis of consciousness development. This would be so because the sphere of the collective consciousness encompasses all these praxes (Diagram 5). More-over, the external effects of the praxis of consciousness development on the other praxes can be scientif-ically validated. 58. A “good” family is a praxis with the “better” family as the good to strive for. People, who say that their friendships and their children are most important to them, will do all kinds of things for the sake of these social goods. These goods must also be good in and of themselves in order to qualify as ultimate goods. If there still is a next answer to the question “what are they good for,” then they are instrumental or subsid-iary goods. (p.115) … Although the idealist in me wants to continue probing, the pragmatist in me recog-nizes that social goods signify to numerous people ends in and of themselves … Could a group of people, a community be a good in and of itself? Who am I to say? Who are you to say, for that matter? … They experience the group as an end in and of itself. As far as they are concerned, the probing stops at the group. (p.116) Indeed, from a pragmatic point of view you are correct: who are we to say? However, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi always said: knowledge is structured in consciousness, meaning that at different levels of conscious-ness people have different levels of knowledge, have different views on daily reality. Still it is their reality, which we have to respect. So the probing can stop. When people grow in consciousness, they may expe-rience different realities. For me the ultimate good is enlightenment, but I also want a good or ever better family because I as a person feel better with a better family. In this context I would like to refer to my book on Spinoza’s philosophy in which Maarten van Buuren says (p.56): Spinoza zet de christelijke ethiek op zijn kop, maar hij doet dat op kousenvoeten doordat hij traditioneel christelijke deugden zoals liefde en vriendschap warm aanbeveelt. Maar Spinoza doelt niet op de christelijke onbaatzuchtige liefde en vriendschap … maar op een liefde en vriendschap gebaseerd op eigenbelang … dat wil zeggen een vriendschap en liefde waar we sterker van worden. Spinoza bedoelt met liefde en vriendschap een op eigenbelang gerichte wil tot macht. De diepste essentie van liefde en vriendschap, de oorzaak waaruit ze ontstaan, is dit eigenbelang … Zijn ethiek is een omkering van de gangbare moraal. Overigens zal elke lezer diep in zijn hart moeten toegeven dat Spinoza gelijk heeft, want we hebben allemaal geleerd ons zo goed mogelijk, dat wil zeggen met alle ons ten dienste staande middelen, te handhaven in het bestaan. En als we heel eerlijk zijn, moeten we toegeven dat we over dit op eigenbelang gerichte gedrag graag een christelijk sausje gieten, zodat ons gedrag er aan de buitenkant uitziet als onzelfzuchtig en altruïstisch.

Spinoza spreekt over een op eigenbelang gerichte liefde en vriendschap. Ik denk dat dit een juiste inter-pretatie is. Uiteindelijk houden we van andere mensen omdat dit gevoel van houden van onszelf een goed gevoel geeft. Liefde ontstaat uit eigenbelang zoals Spinoza zegt en daar is niets mis mee. In het geval van liefde en vriendschap gaan eigenbelang en algemeen belang hand in hand.

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59. From Diagram 7-2: Four domains of ultimate goods or praxes to strive for: some examples selected by me: Transcendental goods or praxes: grace, enlightenment, the path (Tao), harmony, feeling whole, one. Societal goods or praxes: harmony, solidarity, unity, high civilization. Personal goods or praxes: wisdom, peace of mind, autonomy. Social goods or praxes: being part of a strong, vital, inspiring, supporting community. (p.117) Transcendental goods: in order to experience these goods, personal experience of transcendental con-sciousness is necessary. Societal goods: the realization of these goods depends on the coherence and quality of the collective consciousness. Personal goods: the degree of wisdom, peace of mind and auton-omy realized depend on the development of one’s personal consciousness. Social goods: the quality of a certain community depends on the coherence and quality of the collective consciousness underlying that specific community. 60. Young people will say that something like having fun is their personal thing. But is it? I suspect that fun is rather something that they want to share with their friends, so I would call fun a social good. If so, fun cannot be a hyper or ultimate good no matter what people say. Then again, who am I to state so for another? (p.118) In Eastern philosophy one would say that ultimate happiness can only be found in the state of enlighten-ment. There are different gradations of happiness or fun. The ideal of permanent happiness demands enlightenment, a state of consciousness in which the transcendental consciousness and another state of consciousness (waking or sleeping or dreaming) are permanently simultaneously experienced. This sounds incomprehensible and at the level of the rational-empirical consciousness it is inconceivable, it is literally unthinkable, beyond our understanding. It can only be directly experienced. Again, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. 61. [Transcendental goods] are like the Holy Grail that we humans pursue without ever being able to get a hold of it. (119) That is true for almost all of us, but at least we need to be on the road towards the Holy Grail. 62. In the end all probing gets us to name a transcendental good … The lesson of Tao is that we are either on our path or not. It is not something we can aim for. The wise men and women will tell us to let go, to cease aiming, and to just be. Such way of being will show up as a practice, or praxis involving meditating, reflecting, being silent, showing compassion and so on. (119) Yes, the lesson of Tao is that we are either on our path or not, on our path toward just being, toward experiencing the transcendental consciousness, the consciousness-as-such without content. The letting go of the continual identification with the rational-empirical consciousness demands a technique for con-sciousness development, it requires a time investment and thus some effort. We cannot aim for Tao in the sense that we are certain to become enlightened, there is no guarantee of enlightenment, but we can systematically train our receptivity to gain regular access to transcendental consciousness (see my defini-tion of experiential spirituality in point 6 under the Diagrams 1 and 2).

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63. Priests, monks, nuns, imams dedicate their lives to the realization of transcendental goods. They do all they can, at least in principle, to contribute to the transcendental dimension in such a way that others can benefit. The same applies to some artists and scientists, musicians, healers, seers, gurus and so on. (120) Priests, monks, nuns, imams, artists, scientists, musicians, healers, seers and gurus can in principle con-tribute to the transcendental dimension in such a way that others can benefit, as well as any other persons with professions not mentioned here can contribute to the quality and coherence of the collective con-sciousness. The field effect of the collective consciousness makes that not only the individuals who are engaged in techniques for consciousness development benefit, but all the members of a certain collectiv-ity (be it a family, village, city, country or the whole world).18 64. When the articulation of ultimate goods is merely instrumental, it is a lie … when the people of an organization determine a mission for the reason that it sells well, they are lying to themselves and others. (p.121) I am afraid that the managers of (some or many?) commercial companies, who are caught in an instru-mental mindset, use concepts such as ecological sustainability and social entrepreneurship merely as sell-ing points. 65. How to speak about stocks? Capital, power or sources? Source it is … So I have been looking for another term. Power is a possible term to use, as having a stock of some kind empowers the owner. Stock repre-sents a power. But “power” also generates associations that need to be sidelined before going ahead. I settle for the notion of sources. (p.130) Spinoza offers a very interesting and controversial view on the notion of power. Hij spreekt van de deugd van de ‘handelingsmacht’ (agendi potentia) of ‘handelingsbekwaamheid’ (agency in het Engels) zoals ik het liever zou noemen (subhoofdstuk 1.7: Macht in mijn boek over Spinoza’s filosofie). Empowerment is een belangrijk begrip in de ontwikkelingssamenwerking. 66. Some sources we have received. They are a gift. Think for example of individual talents. We will say that the great violinist is gifted. But being born into a good oikos is a gift, too, as is being part of a strong society. Some of us may go much further to consider all we have as gift of God, Allah or nature. (p.131) Our individual talents and being born into a good oikos and strong society are indeed gifts of Nature (the concepts dharma and karma might apply here). Spinoza would say that being a member of the small group of the fortunate and privileged ‘weldenkenden’ comes with the responsibility to consider the interests of the large group of ‘onweldenkenden’. 67. With regard to the sources that enable the realization of a good life (p.131) you mention: the arts are an important source, of course. It is a source good for the valorization of all kinds of values. Do I need to elaborate? Each person will fill in this source differently. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion moves my wife and me to tears, but leaves my children indifferent. Pink Floyd played loud gets me and at least two of my children going while my wife will shout in order to demand that the volume be turned down. (p.135)

18 For more on this field effect: Van Eijk, T., 2010, Neoliberalisme en de rol van religie in ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Civis Mundi digitaal # 2, december 2010 [met name paragraaf 10: Het collectieve bewustzijn]; Van Eijk 1998 [sub-chapter 9.4: The field effect of consciousness]; Van Eijk 2010 [subchapter 6.5 in the book on Civic Driven Change: Field-effect of consciousness: more societal trust and synergetic cooperation].

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The Stones played loud gets me going, but I have not attended a classical concert in my life (not a part of the oikos of my parents). I have been at five live performances of the Stones in The Netherlands over the last five decades, the last one in October 2017 and they still move me. Their music is part of my realization of a good life. As Keith Richards says in point 23: music can create magical moments. 68. Only recently, I discovered that the books of Karl May that I read as a 10-year-old boy had a profound influence on me. The intense bond between Old Shatterhand and Winnetou has made me long for a friend-ship that does not require words. (p.136) I was also overwhelmed by the books about Old Shatterhand and Winnetou when I was at primary school. I vividly remember that I had to cry when Winnetou died in one of the books. The first movie that I ever saw, in a cinema in my village, was about Old Shatterhand and Winnetou. I also read all the books about Arendsoog and Witte Veder and now I am living in a neighborhood with streets named after these youth time heroes. 69. What then are the roots of the tree of life? What sources secure everything else we own and make sure that we do not drift and get lost? Deirdre McCloskey … suggested the answer to me: according to her, faith, hope and love are the most important of all sources. They are fundamental for a good life. (p.138) … The question is “what feeds a source like faith?” [faith stands for trust] A strong oikos could be a contrib-uting factor, but quite a few people will mention a religion, a spiritual practice or a passion of some kind. (p.139) To my mind the roots of the tree of life are formed by our consciousness (as also Diagram 5 indicates). Our most important source is our consciousness. One of the favorite expressions of Maharishi was: water the root to enjoy the fruit. Through effective and preferably efficient techniques for consciousness develop-ment we all can develop this inexhaustible personal source and thus contribute to the collective con-sciousness. The daily praxis of experiential spirituality waters the roots of the tree of life. Our individual and collective consciousness feed the sources of faith (trust), hope and love. 70. How rich are we with our civilization, health care and welfare? Or are the Ugandans better off with their strong and extended families and their deeply-rooted local cultures? (p.141/2) In my view we are better off than most Ugandans. The relatively small political and economic elites in most African countries enjoy a level of material welfare far above the average Dutch person, and even above the Dutch elite. But the large majority of the people in the countryside and urban slums suffer from a lack of material welfare and probably also mental wellbeing. Why would otherwise so many people migrate to the cities and some abroad? The traditional extended families are breaking down rapidly these days. All cultures are deeply rooted and have their advantages and disadvantages. In my book about De-velopment and Work Ethic in sub-Saharan Africa cultural issues are thoroughly discussed.19 Some chapter titles are: The Weber thesis; Farming as a way of life; Homo economicus; The process of enculturation; Work ethic and gender; Work ethic, clock and Christianity; Culturally determined human capital; Work

19 Van Eijk, T., 2010, Development and Work Ethic in sub-Saharan Africa. The mismatch between modern develop-ment and traditionalistic work ethic. Lulu. [Dit is een verkorte Engelstalige uitgave van Van Eijk 2007 met één addi-tioneel hoofdstuk]. Van Eijk, T., 2007, Ontwikkeling en arbeidsethos in Sub-Sahara Afrika. Het belang van gedrags-verandering en bewustzijnsontwikkeling. KIT Publishers, Amsterdam.

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ethic and Economy of Affection; Work ethic and mimetic desire; Social engineering; Work ethic: social and cultural capital; The need for pro-active nonconformists. 71. The problem with the conventional statistics of wealth and poverty is that they measure what can be measured and leave out the most important possessions … At any rate, comparing qualities makes even less sense than comparing the quantities. (p.142) You are fully right. Another issue is that the conventional statistics in Africa are quite unreliable. But also the Dutch GNP is calculated in a weird way: when I buy vegetables in a shop it shows up in the statistics, when I grow my own vegetables and eat them it is not part of the GNP. Most African farmers produce most of their own food but that does not show up in the statistics. The determination of a happiness index as done by Ruut Veenhoven of Erasmus University in Rotterdam makes probably more sense. Isn’t happi-ness the ultimate goal of all of us? And isn’t permanent happiness realized in enlightenment? 72. Cultural inequality is the inequality in the distribution of cultural sources, such as civilization, art, spir-ituality or what some people would call a meaningful life … This is the most substantive form of inequality. We have no clue what it is. As far as I know, no attempt has been made to develop a measurement or indicators to get a sense of the magnitude of cultural capital and its distribution. Perhaps it is even sense-less to try … A monk without any financial wealth whatsoever would end up dirt poor in Piketty’s account, but may be richer than most of us in terms of cultural accounting. (p.142) As already indicated, I make a distinction between cultural and spiritual capital. Indicators of spiritual capital can indeed not be developed. This capital cannot be directly quantitatively or qualitatively meas-ured, but the indirect effects in daily life of different levels of spiritual capital can be measured. For exam-ple, a person with a high level of spiritual capital (thus a person with a highly developed consciousness) will perform better on all kinds of measurable indicators such as physical health, mental health, school performance, work performance and happiness index. Scientifically validated outcomes require statistical analyses, which in turn require samples of sufficient size. Peer-reviewed research on the individual and collective effects of the TM technique shows statistically significant results (points 6, 7 with Box 2, 32 and 44). In my view the distribution of spiritual capital is uneven and in general terms spiritual capital is poorly developed at a global level. With a highly developed spiritual capital the world would be in a much better shape, since this would result into a coherent global collective consciousness of high quality and thus in better performance of all the other encompassed categories of factors (Diagram 5). 73. Taking stock … How to do so? Usually we do so using phronesis, our practical wisdom, weighing qual-ities of the various sources. We figure out that we have neglected friendships, need to invest in our spiritual sources, or may take another job to increase the financial capital. Measurements play a limited role in this process of phronesis. It really is a matter of practice and experience … it is the daily practice of generally muddling through. (p.144) Our phronesis, our practical wisdom, indeed demands an investment in our spiritual sources. The inevita-ble daily practice of muddling through can be greatly improved by consciousness development. 74. In order to determine how important a source is, imagine what it would mean for your life, organization or society if you or it would be without? (p.144) Without the spiritual source of twice-daily meditation I would feel greatly inconvenienced.

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75. When I connect the anthropological meaning of culture (C1) with the meanings of culture as civilization (C2) and art (C3) I see the sphere of C as encompassing the other four. (p.155) As already indicated in Diagram 5, the sphere of C indeed encompasses the other four spheres of M, G, O and S. But in my view an even more encompassing sphere exists: the collective consciousness. 76. I offer the model of the five spheres to inform worldviews of people and organizations seeking the right thing to do. (p.164) Yes, worldviews are crucial, but in my view need to start with a making explicit of underlying ontological, epistemological and methodological presuppositions (point 2). 77. And you may wonder, as I do, whether the spheres as they function now in current societies are suffi-ciently in balance or whether some kind of correction is called for … The inclusion of S and O furthermore indicates that other coordinating mechanisms are at work besides the pricing mechanism of M and the regulatory mechanism of G. I refer to the socializing and moralizing forces in S and O. And when the dis-cussion turns to the qualities of life, to issues of meaning, to the question of civilization (“are we experi-encing a loss of civilization, or not?”), we need to distinguish a distinctive cultural sphere. (p.165) I concur with you that the spheres as they function now in current societies are not sufficiently in balance. To my mind the collective consciousness is the factor that can balance the M (market), G (government) and S (civil society) as depicted in Diagram 3 (point 6). In Diagram 3 the civil society also includes your O. Besides the pricing mechanism of M and the regulatory mechanism of G you refer to the socializing and moralizing forces in S and O. Since the collective consciousness encompasses M, G, S and O all the coor-dinating mechanisms at work in these four spheres will improve with a coherent and high quality collective consciousness (Diagram 5). In Diagram 1 the societal structures in the upper route encompass fami-lies/households (O), commercial companies (M), governmental organizations (G), NGOs (S), labour unions (S), cooperatives (S and M), churches/mosques (S), schools (S) etc. The processes of obedience and iden-tification in the upper route, as regulatory, socializing and moralizing mechanisms, enforce external norms. Supplementation with the lower route of consciousness development focused on the direct reali-zation of inner values (the qualities of life) is advisable. 78. … the strong civil society that is needed for a good functioning market and an effective government. (p.165) In short, the Dutch ‘polder model’. 79. This shows that the most important regulating forces are social, or cultural, in kind. People are social-ized in the way they manage the traffic. (p.166) This socialization of traffic rules (or externally imposed norms) via social and cultural forces refers to the internalization process in Diagram 1. 80. Accordingly, developed, non-communist countries moved first from M to G (after the Great Depression of the thirties), then moved back to M (in the eighties), to return to more G during the financial crisis of 2008-2014. (p.167)

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It might well be that a coherent and high quality collective consciousness can counterbalance the rather abrupt swings between M and G, so that financial and economic crises become less frequent and severe. 81. … Foucault’s notion of governmentality … is what characterizes neo-liberals. They are people who op-erate in G [in government organizations], or think in terms of G [as also managers in large private compa-nies do], and adopt the logic of M as a strategy in their politics. Neo-liberals, therefore, are governors, or people who identify themselves with governors, who advocate free markets and entrepreneurship, as man-agerial solutions for societal problems … They are the politicians who want to liberalize markets and pri-vatize government organizations. Yet because they are governors, they also seek ways to somehow stay in control. That is why we have witnessed a surge in supervisory institutions, regulations and accounting procedures. (p.167) This is a beautiful summary and explanation of today’s managerial overkill! The governmentality of neo-liberals is unsuccessful. Managerial solutions for societal problems will never work. I have labeled this the illusion of intellectual holism (points 24 and 29). The surge in supervisory institutions, regulations and accounting procedures is based on a lack of trust, which in turn is grounded in an incoherent and low quality collective consciousness of the collectivity concerned. Instead of govern-mentality we need trust-mentality. Instead of the logic of M we need the logic or invisible hand of the collective consciousness. 82. It is not that one strategy excludes the other, but we need to be aware of the consequences of choosing one strategy rather than another. The choice may matter for the values that we ultimately succeed in realizing. (p.168/9) It is correct that one strategy does not exclude the other, but we best focus on the most encompassing sphere in order to gain as much impact as possible. The various categories of factors or spheres in Diagram 5 are interdependent but do not carry equal weight. By focusing on the most encompassing factor, on the invisible hand of the collective consciousness, the interactions among the other factors will be facilitated, simply because the building blocks of all the other spheres are individual persons with their individual consciousness (see also Diagram 3). 83. … we have to operate in all five spheres. (p.171) Correct, that is why Diagram 5 is so relevant. We need to understand the logic, rhetoric and values of all the spheres if we want to be effective. Unfortunately, the sphere of the collective consciousness is hith-erto largely neglected, but your book opens possibilities to correct this fault. 84. How to motivate people to do right? As we saw in chapter 9 each sphere generates a distinctly different system of regulation, stimulus and discipline. (p.173) The central question is indeed how to motivate people to do right? Are people externally and/or internally motivated? Diagram 1 with its upper and lower routes suggests that people are both externally and inter-nally motivated, yet the lower route hitherto gets much less attention. A recent example is the large scale, institutionalized fraud with manure in my home area, South-Eastern Brabant. The last few decades have clearly shown that G and M (including the Rabo Bank) do not work. S in the sense of civil society (farmers’ organizations, cooperatives, etc.) have also failed. It also indicates that S in the sense of social environ-ment can have negative consequences when most farmers follow suit, i.e. copy the illegal behavior of their colleagues in order to survive in the inevitable rat race to the bottom of the unsustainable system of

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industrial agriculture. The different systems of regulation, stimulus and discipline have all failed. Ulti-mately it is all about ethics.20 Perhaps the most effective guidance in how to motivate people to do right can be found in the lower route of Diagram 1, for the time being supplemented with tough measures in the upper route. 85. Once you picture S, so much of what keeps people occupied every day suddenly makes sense. It will make, for example, cooperative and even altruistic behavior seem normal. (p.183) Yes, S is important and all over the place. S is underlain or triggered by the collective consciousness. Co-operative and altruistic behavior become more normal with a coherent and high quality collective con-sciousness. 86. The social sphere is also the sphere in which power has to be realized, since power is the force to influence or determine the activities of others. Power is a relational thing. So is trust. It is in the social sphere that trust comes about, or is lost. (p.183) Macht is inderdaad een relationeel ding. Met betrekking tot het begrip macht, zie subhoofdstuk 3.2 (Zelf-beschikking en bundeling van macht) in mijn boek over Spinoza’s filosofie. Daarin zegt de Franse filosoof Etienne de La Boétie in zijn Discours de la servitude volontaire (Vertoog over de vrijwillige slavernij, 1577) dat het zich onttrekken aan de werkingen van de macht soms belangrijker kan zijn dan het vormen van tegenmacht. [Met macht is het] precies zoals met een vuur dat van een vonkje groeit en steeds groter wordt zo lang het hout vindt om te branden. En zonder dat er water op is gegooid om het te blussen, maar alleen doordat er geen hout meer bij wordt gedaan, verteert het vuur zichzelf - omdat het niets anders heeft om te verteren - en verliest alle kracht, en is geen vuur meer.21

Als men de disciplinerende macht niet (meer) gehoorzaamt, wordt zij als een wortel die geen vocht vindt en sterft. De filosoof Bruno Latour zegt: Macht is niet iets dat men kan bezitten - het moet inderdaad eerder als een gevolg dan als een oorzaak van actie gezien worden ... De maatschappij is niet hetgeen dat ons bij elkaar houdt, het is wat bij elkaar wordt gehouden. De sociale wetenschappers hebben het gevolg voor de oorzaak aangezien, het passieve voor het actieve, hetgeen gelijmd wordt voor de lijm. Het verwijzen naar een reservoir van energie, of het nu om ‘kapitaal’ of ‘macht’ gaat, om het gehoorzame gedrag van de massa’s te verklaren, is dus zinloos. Dit reservoir is vol voor zolang men het niet nodig heeft, dat is zolang anderen het plichtsgetrouw vullen. Het is leeg wanneer men het nodig heeft, dat is wanneer de anderen het niet langer vullen. Er valt niet te ontkomen aan deze paradox. Hoe veel macht men ook schijnt te accu-muleren, het is altijd nodig het te verkrijgen van de anderen.22

De val van de Berlijnse Muur is een indrukwekkend voorbeeld waarop Latour’s interpretatie van het be-grip macht van toepassing is. Zo gauw een bepaald aantal mensen macht op een andere manier gaan

20 Ingezonden brief over MESTFRAUDE. Het onderscheid tussen de geest en letter van de wet is zoek. NRC 17 Nov 2017. nrc_handelsblad_2017-11-17-mestfraude 21 de La Boétie: in Achterhuis 1988:275. Achterhuis, H., 1988. Het rijk van de schaarste. Van Thomas Hobbes tot Michel Foucault. Uitgeverij Ambo bv, Baarn, Nederland (2e druk). 22 Latour 1986: in Leeuwis 1993:107. Latour, B., 1986. The powers of association. In: J. Law (ed.). Power, action and belief: A new sociology of knowledge? Routledge & Kegan Paul, Boston. pp.264-280. Leeuwis, C., 1993. Of comput-ers, myths and modelling. The social construction of diversity, knowledge, information and communication technol-ogies in Dutch horticulture and agricultural extension. Wageningen Studies in Sociology no. 36, Wageningen.

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interpreteren, i.c. power to the people, worden regeringen machteloos. Overheden en politieke macht-hebbers weerspiegelen slechts het collectief bewustzijn van de bevolking. Hoewel een enkele autoritaire politieke leider door charisma, retorische gaven, symboolpolitiek en/of een repressief regime enige in-vloed kan uitoefenen op het gedrag van zijn onderdanen, is het uiteindelijk toch zo dat deze leider het collectief bewustzijn van de bevolking weerspiegelt. Ook autoritaire of totalitaire machthebbers hebben niet voldoende macht om bevolkingen van vele miljoenen mensen aan te sturen. Zij hebben slechts macht in zover en zolang de bevolking hen toestaat om macht te hebben. You say: power is the force to influence or determine the activities of others. Zie punt 65 waarin Spinoza spreekt van de deugd van de handelingsmacht. 87. When we articulate our actions [in S], we contribute, participate, cooperate, collaborate, donate, co-create, and co-produce. (p.187) All this is easier with a coherent and high quality collective consciousness of collectivities. 88. In poor areas people have access only to the social sphere beyond the oikos; in developed areas they have access also to a developed M and G. (p.188) It is true that in many poor areas people only have access to O and a relatively strong informal S for their survival. The next paragraph is from my book on Civic Driven Change (Van Eijk 2010:36-7): Hyden (1980) argues that the main cause of the weak state in Tanzania is the economy of affection [a strong informal S] which results into an uncaptured peasantry with exit-options. The Tanzanian state and its authoritarian style of politics represent in his view “desperate attempts by African elites to gain control in the face of their structural lack of power” (in: Van Cranenburgh 1990:48). Although present-day Tanzania has various political parties, the overwhelming dominance of the ruling party since independence makes it de facto a one-party state. According to Van Cranenburgh (1990) the Tanzanian state is simultaneously hard and soft. The hard aspect of authoritarian policy-formulation and implementation can only change when farm-ers succeed in enhancing their countervailing power. The soft aspect of limited actual impact of the state on the behaviour of farmers can change when via this countervailing power farmers’ interests will be truly accommodated. They will then respond positively to the enabling environment created by the state. How-ever, since the material and mental gap between the (as yet unorganised) farmers and the ruling elites is large and elites normally do not give up their privileged positions voluntarily, it is not clear how this gap can be bridged peacefully. If the current political parties cannot bridge the gap between farmers and state, who can? The stalemate in the relation between farmers and state continues. The apparent paradox of a simultaneously hard and soft state results from terminological ambiguity. It would be better to speak of a simultaneously authoritarian and weak state. An authoritarian or ‘hard-handed’ state is not necessarily effective in its attempts to impose behavioural change and thus cannot be called ‘strong’. Autonomy in policy formulation is no guarantee for success in policy implementation (ib:51). The weak formal state, the weak formal civil society and the strong informal economy of affection constitute together a complex arena for Civic Driven Change initiatives.23 The weak G, weak M, weak formal civil society and strong informal S make that in many Sub-Sahara African countries the real power, surprisingly, rests with the relatively large group of rural people and poor city dwellers. However, since these people are not well organized this informal power is not translated into actual political and economic power. The informal S needs to be formalized in for example strong farmer

23 See for the literature references my CDC book.

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cooperatives. Moreover, the informal economy of affection tends to infect G resulting in widespread in-stitutionalized corruption. To my mind this complex situation can be alleviated by the sphere that encom-passes G, M, S, O and C: the collective consciousness. 89. The social values [of S] such as the values of community, friendship, solidarity, social cohesion, social inclusion, status, a sense of belonging, and membership. (p.188) These social values fit in well with the concept of the collective consciousness. A coherent and high quality collective consciousness facilitates the realization of these social values. 90. Operating in markets requires social skills; it is a reason to consider markets as socially-embedded, as socio-economists tend to do. When you enter a market you will notice how much socializing it requires from you. (p.214) I would say that M, G, S, O and C are consciousness-embedded. 91. When colleagues argue that we need to leave more to the market, I point at the possibilities in S. How about social enterprises? How about cooperatives? And how about focusing on qualities instead of quan-tities? In the end it is not one sphere or the other … we will need to find the right balance among the five spheres. (p.216) Especially cooperatives are interesting organizations. They are simultaneously social organizations and commercial enterprises. In larger cooperatives one has to find the right balance among the five spheres of S, M, G, C and O. I have been training farmer leaders in cooperative development in several countries (for Agriterra in Arnhem) and it is obvious that also C plays a role. In principle societal and transcendental goals can be simultaneously realized through effective and efficient techniques for consciousness devel-opment. But in the day-to-day practice of development cooperation this is for the time being a bridge too far. 92. The what-question also inevitably pops up in interviews with journalists. They want to know “what needs to be done?” In their case the question actually is: “What should politicians do?” … Only if I were to have answers to such questions, and if those answers are noteworthy somehow, would [this] book be worth their attention. Such a query is typical for the instrumentalist worldview: if there are no instruments for politicians, then it can’t amount to much. (p.218) In my view there is an instrument for all of us: consciousness development. The simple answer to the what-question is: if you want to change the world, start with yourself. That is the bottom line. 93. So who cares about values? Softies, clearly. People who cannot face the harsh reality of money and whatever is measured with money. The point of the value based approach is … to see how we all move around in a world of values, busy realizing the values that are important to us. (p.218) Yes, softies from the perspective of the standard economics approach, but fortunately the effects of tech-niques for consciousness development in the real hard world can be measured. Unfortunately, experience teaches that even with peer-reviewed, statistically significant research results most people are not inter-ested. To leave an established paradigm seems virtually impossible.

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94. Because the value based approach is about values, or qualities, the standard remark is that it is there-fore normative … [But] we all provide a perspective on the world and make others look at it in a special and, therefore, value-laden way. (p.218-9) Indeed, all perspectives are value-laden. That is why I provide a detailed characterization of three under-lying paradigms (point 2). 95. Values drive most decisions. Values make people do their most important things, whether they are at home, on the street or at work. (p.220) Right! The lower route in Diagram 1. 96. The resources, or possessions, of people consist of goods worth striving for, like the engagement in praxes, meaningful activities, and conversations. (p.222) Conversations about the meaningful activity of consciousness development or experiential spirituality are interesting and stimulating (as done in some philosophy and institutionalized religions), but the actual praxis is more important. Spiritual capital is in my view the most fundamental form of capital as it under-lies all other forms of capital. 97. What [the students] want is to be able to name a practice a praxis, since doing the praxis is what gives real satisfaction in the end. (p.226) In the end the praxis of consciousness development (experiential spirituality) gives most real satisfaction. The ultimate goal of life is (preferably permanent) happiness. 98. By evoking [the notion of the shared good and the S of the social sphere] I can quite convincingly state that altruistic behavior is … the norm … How individualist can we be if our most important possessions are goods that derive their meanings and values from the sharing with others? When [staunch liberals or lib-ertarians with their radical individualism] retort that this is about enlightened self-interest I am okay … (p.227) Effective and efficient techniques for consciousness development will gradually result in better (more so-ciety- and environment-friendly) individual and collective behavior. Collective behavior is the sum total of individual behavior, but also the field-effect of consciousness plays a role (point 63). In this way self-inter-est and collective interest are co-produced in the praxis of experiential spirituality. Enlightened self-inter-est it is, literally and figuratively. Life is literally about the ultimate ideal of individual enlightenment, which results spontaneously in figurative enlightenment for others in the sense of better behavior. Dit was de laatste opmerking over uw boek. Hieronder volgen nog enkele verwijzingen naar andere re-cente literatuur die gerelateerd is aan uw boek. Uit NRC Handelsblad 9/10 december 2017: Dacher Keltner (1962) is hoogleraar psychologie aan de uni-versiteit van Berkeley, Californië, waar hij aan het hoofd staat van het Social Interaction Lab. Ook is hij oprichter en mededirecteur van het Greater Good Science Center, een interdisciplinair onderzoeksinsti-tuut waar geluk, compassie, verbondenheid en altruïstisch gedrag worden bestudeerd. Keltner schreef onder andere de boeken Born to be good - the science of a meaningful life en The power paradox - how we gain and lose influence. Hij zegt: “… als je macht ziet als je capaciteit om een verschil in de wereld te

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maken, om levens van anderen te beïnvloeden - dus ook in positieve zin - in feite is er [dan] sprake van macht in elke intermenselijke relatie ... Macht kan ook voor grotere verbondenheid zorgen, en juist dat leidt weer tot een groter geluksgevoel.” Deze opvatting van macht doet sterk denken aan hetgeen Spinoza zegt over de deugd van de handelingsmacht (punten 65 en 86). Keltner zegt ook: “ … in werkelijkheid is macht iets dat anderen aan iemand geven. Niet iets dat je in je eentje grijpt. Zelfs een dictator heeft men-sen nodig die hem macht gunnen.” Dit komt volledig overeen met hetgeen Etienne de La Boétie en Latour zeggen (punt 86). Tenslotte merkt Keltner op: “Geluk, zo blijkt keer op keer uit onderzoek, vind je toch vooral tussen mensen.” Dit stemt overeen met uw gedachtegoed over de sociale sfeer en gemeenschap-pelijke goederen. Op de website van MeJudice staat een recent artikel over rationele empathie van de bedrijfsethicus Harry Hummels.24 De samenvatting van dit artikel luidt: maatschappelijk verantwoord ondernemen wordt door velen van groot belang geacht. ING Bank heeft dat bijvoorbeeld vormgegeven door een partnerschap met Unicef. Maar waarom doet een bedrijf dat? Bedrijfsethicus Harry Hummels bespreekt deze casus en plaatst het in het licht van oproepen tot empathie alsmede de constatering van filosoof Devisch die be-weert dat we juist te veel empathie hebben. Volgens Hummels vormt de casus ING een illustratie van rationele empathie zoals Adam Smith die voor ogen had. Van een dergelijke empathie kan men nooit te veel hebben. Volgens Niek Koning, landbouweconoom te Wageningen, vereist de toekomstige wereldvoedselvoorzie-ning een mentale transformatie. Hij benadrukt dat het vrije-markt-liberalisme het wereldvoedselpro-bleem niet kan oplossen.25 In een recente bespreking van het uitdagende boek van Koning schrijf ik het volgende.26 Politieke wil door mentale transformatie De titel van het laatste hoofdstuk in Konings boek is Where there’s a will, there’s a way. In zijn laatste subhoofdstuk The problem of political will zegt Koning dat de uitvoering van zijn beleidsaanbevelingen afhankelijk is van de politieke wil van veel actoren. De vraag is dan hoe de benodigde politieke wil ontwik-keld en gemobiliseerd kan worden? Uiteindelijk, zegt Koning in de laatste zin van zijn boek, is er een ‘men-tale transformatie’ nodig van de burgers in vooral Europa en de VS. Helaas geeft hij niet aan hoe zo’n grootschalige mentale transformatie tot stand gebracht kan worden. Wel merkt hij op dat verschillende van zijn beleidsaanbevelingen collectieve actie op internationaal niveau vereisen en dat collectieve actie alleen kan ontstaan in effectieve gemeenschappen met sterke vormen van sociale solidariteit. Gewoonlijk overstijgen zulke gemeenschappen niet de natiestaat, of op zijn best een cluster van natiestaten. Volgens Koning gaat economische ontwikkeling gepaard met een verruiming van normen van wederkerigheid, em-pathie en vertrouwen, maar die verruiming vindt plaats in concentrische cirkels. De meeste burgers voelen een sterkere band met hun landgenoten dan met vreemdelingen. Hoewel in Europa en de VS een univer-sele ethiek is ontstaan die veel burgers aanzet tot denken over manieren waarop een wereld zonder hon-ger daadwerkelijk gerealiseerd kan worden, moet dit denken nog wel in daden worden omgezet.

24 http://www.mejudice.nl/artikelen/detail/gulle-bedrijven-en-het-vermeende-teveel-aan-em-pathie?utm_source=Me+Judice&utm_campaign=99747f2e8b-Me_Judice_Maandelijkse_nieuwsbrief&utm_me-dium=email&utm_term=0_d478cc1d36-99747f2e8b-46279229 25 Koning, N. (2017), Food security, agricultural policies and economic growth. Long-term dynamics in the past, pre-sent and future. Earthscan from Routledge. 26 Van Eijk, T. (2017), Toekomstige voedselzekerheid vereist onorthodoxe landbouwpolitieke keuzes en mentale transformatie. Civis Mundi digitaal # 53, december 2017.

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Anders en meer denken is niet afdoende De ‘mentale transformatie’ van Koning behelst een transformatie van het denken over het economische ontwikkelingsproces. Deze mentale transformatie moet in ruimere vormen van sociaal kapitaal resulte-ren. Het groepsdenken dient ruimer te worden en we moeten buiten de gevestigde denkkaders gaan den-ken, zegt Koning (2017:218). Dat is nuttig en noodzakelijk, maar ik ben van mening dat een mentale trans-formatie meer inhoudt dan alleen een andere vorm van denken. Met alleen het gebruik van ons rationeel-empirisch intellect lossen we complexe problemen niet op. De aanhoudende problemen in de Neder-landse landbouwsector, bijvoorbeeld, laten zien dat een multidisciplinaire geïntegreerde aanpak moeilijk van de grond komt. De ongewenste neveneffecten van de moderne industriële landbouw (zoals milieu-vervuiling, mestproblematiek, massale ruimingen van landbouwhuisdieren, humane gezondheidseffec-ten, en negatieve gevolgen in ontwikkelingslanden) getuigen van ons onvermogen om ecologische, tech-nologische, economische, politieke, sociale en ethische dimensies met elkaar te integreren.27 Mentale transformatie door bewustzijnsontwikkeling Adam Smith zegt in zijn veronachtzaamde boek The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1790) dat aan de markt morele opvattingen ten grondslag moeten liggen. Koning benadrukt dat de toekomstige wereldvoedsel-voorziening een mentale transformatie vereist. Zijn boek is zonder meer een aanrader voor economen, beleidsmakers en ontwikkelingsdeskundigen. Zijn stoutmoedige beleidsadviezen, die ingaan tegen het do-minante vrije-markt-denken, zijn zeker de moeite van het overwegen waard, maar bij voorkeur aangevuld met bewustzijnsontwikkeling. Zoals meer auteurs komt Koning op de laatste bladzijden van zijn boek tot de conclusie dat de aanbeve-lingen alleen daadwerkelijk uitgevoerd kunnen en zullen worden wanneer een mentale transformatie plaatsvindt. Weinigen geven echter aan hoe zo’n mentale transformatie dan gerealiseerd moet worden. Ik hoop dat ik hier enigszins in die lacune heb kunnen voorzien. Voor meer over mijn gedachtegoed verwijs ik graag naar mijn website: www.toon-van-eijk.nl P.S. Hieronder nog wat aangetroffen type fouten: - The table on p.41, third row: should be Instrumental reasoning: focus on means versus Substantive rea-soning: value based. - p.54, at the end of the Box: to contribute soguring out what they can do to realize their values. This sentence is not clear. - p.61: symbolic value is mentioned twice. - p.111: in the list of Taylor is mentioned inner depth. What does this imply? - p.163: Figure 9-3: Five systems of control and regulation: the text under C is not correct. It is the same text as under S. C is about intrinsic motivation. All others are external regulations and controls. - p.164: My objective is a moral one as it is my purpose is to figure out … : remove the last is. - p.168: a failing bank or personal misfortune) …: remove the bracket. - p.186: civilization (C3). Civilization is C2 in earlier chapters. - p.187: of social exchange, of reciprocity: is repeated twice.

27 Van Eijk, T. (2015), http://www.mejudice.nl/artikelen/detail/met-alleen-multidisciplinariteit-komen-we-er-niet Me Judice, 23 september 2015.

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- p.194: Accordingly, following Smith we should now put the market first, and prioritize it over any other sphere. Not now, but not. - p.196: Their purpose is instrumental in the sense that they seek maximal financial gain for work, great products, and social returns). Remove the bracket. - p.200: The subsequent listing clarifies the different types of ownership. Types of ownership. This has to move to above the table. - p.205: Note that these sentences would be illogical in the spheres of the market, society, and culture. They would not make sense in the sphere of the market either. Two times market? - p.224: Self-interested common prevails. Self-interested behavior prevails? An addition to financial capital - Human capital. Not clear what is meant.