| The sequence of visions |
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| The prehistoric visions that made us human: |
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| Transformative vision of the natural world (dominant in Paleolithic) |
| | emerges with the earliest modern humans |
| | based on transformations in nature, human reproduction, lunar cycles |
| | associated with the alchemical use of fire and water to transform materials |
| Kinship vision of human society (dominant in Paleolithic and Neolithic) |
| | emerges as human population expands and spreads out geographically |
| | based on keeping track of distant family relationships, marriage taboos, etc. |
| | embodied in social structure of tribes and clans |
| Spirit vision of inner experience (dominant in Neolithic and Bronze Age) |
| | emerges among early shamans -- possibly with aid of psychedelic plants |
| | spiritual energy, healing, trances, journeys to spirit realm |
| | source of music, dance, art, story -- everything that makes us fully human |
| | first "countercultural" vision -- challenges the accepted Paleolithic way of life |
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| The ancient visions that made us civilized: |
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| Cosmic Order vision of the heavens (dominant from Bronze Age to fall of Rome) |
| | emerges in Neolithic -- based on observation of the sun and stars |
| | megaliths, pyramids, astrology |
| Aristocracy vision of human society (dominant c. 800 BC - 1100 AD) |
| | emerges in Bronze Age -- accompanies development of elite classs |
| | warrior cultures, heroic ideal, patricians vs. plebians |
| Revelation vision of inner experience (dominant 450 AD - 1490 AD) |
| | emerges c. 800 BC - 450 AD -- prophets and philosophers |
| | leads to major world-religions |
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| The medieval visions that sought to upgrade the human enterprise: |
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| Emanation vision of the material world (dominant c. 1100 - 1735) |
| | early hints in late Bronze Age and Classical era, emerges c. 450 - 1100 AD |
| | Ptolemaic system, crystalline spheres |
| Hierarchy vision of human society (dominant c. 1490 - 1848) |
| | early hints in Classical era and Dark Ages, emerges c. 1100 - 1490 |
| | feudalism, then early nation-states |
| Reason vision of inner experience (dominant 1735 - 1916) |
| | early hints in Dark and Middle Ages, emerges c. 1490 - 1735 |
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| The modern visions that led to the rise of the West: |
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| Scientific Materialism vision of the physical universe (dominant 1848 - 1965) |
| | early hints in late Middle Ages and Renaissance, emerges 1735 - 1848 |
| Democracy vision of human society (dominant 1933 - 2011) |
| | early hints in 17th-18th centuries, emerges 1848 - 1916 |
| Chaos vision of inner experience (dominant 1965 - ) |
| | early hints in 18th-19th centuries, emerges 1916 - 1965 |
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| The post-modern visions that re-unified the world: |
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| Holism vision of the natural world (dominant 2011- ) |
| | early hints in mid-19th to mid-20th centuries, emerges 1965 - 2011 |
| Horizontalism vision of human society |
| | early hints from 1930's to 1990's, emerges 2011 - |
| Creative Imagination vision of inner experience |
| | early hints from 1970's |