Abstract:

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

Author: John A. Grim, Mary Evelyn Tucker