The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History
This article summarizes the Tree of Knowledge (ToK) System (Henriques, 2003; 2011), and compares and contrasts its depiction of cosmic evolution as four “dimensions of existence” (i.e., Matter, Life, Mind and Culture) with Big History’s eight thresholds of complexity. Both systems share the concern...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Big History Association
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Big History |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jbh.journals.villanova.edu/index.php/JBH/article/view/2469 |
| _version_ | 1797670374098337792 |
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| author | Gregg Henriques Joseph Michalski Steven Quackenbush Waldemar Schmidt |
| author_facet | Gregg Henriques Joseph Michalski Steven Quackenbush Waldemar Schmidt |
| author_sort | Gregg Henriques |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article summarizes the Tree of Knowledge (ToK) System (Henriques, 2003; 2011), and compares and contrasts its depiction of cosmic evolution as four “dimensions of existence” (i.e., Matter, Life, Mind and Culture) with Big History’s eight thresholds of complexity. Both systems share the concern with the current fragmentation in academic knowledge and advocate for a more consilient and integrative vision that places the disciplines in coherent relationship to each other, and both views argue that such efforts are needed to advance wise decision making in the context of the accelerating rate of change. The major differences between the two perspectives are found in how the ToK conceptualizes the different dimensions of existence. Following Matter, the dimensions of Life, Mind and Culture are seen as emerging as a function of different semiotic or information processing systems that give rise to strongly emergent properties. In addition, given its emphasis on psychology and the mental dimension of existence, the ToK highlights some aspects of cosmic evolution that have not been featured prominently in most models of BH. The article ultimately suggests that there is potential for a fruitful synergy between the historical emphasis of BH with the more psychological focus of the ToK System. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:58:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f28833b7677417bb0f639d9743e2c3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2475-3610 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:58:48Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | International Big History Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Big History |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f28833b7677417bb0f639d9743e2c3c2023-09-30T00:48:48ZengInternational Big History AssociationJournal of Big History2475-36102019-07-0134117https://doi.org/10.22339/jbh.v3i4.3410The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big HistoryGregg Henriques0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8177-3774Joseph Michalski1Steven Quackenbush2Waldemar Schmidt3James Madison UniversityKing’s University College, Western OntarioUniversity of Maine at FarmingtonOregon Health & Sciences UniversityThis article summarizes the Tree of Knowledge (ToK) System (Henriques, 2003; 2011), and compares and contrasts its depiction of cosmic evolution as four “dimensions of existence” (i.e., Matter, Life, Mind and Culture) with Big History’s eight thresholds of complexity. Both systems share the concern with the current fragmentation in academic knowledge and advocate for a more consilient and integrative vision that places the disciplines in coherent relationship to each other, and both views argue that such efforts are needed to advance wise decision making in the context of the accelerating rate of change. The major differences between the two perspectives are found in how the ToK conceptualizes the different dimensions of existence. Following Matter, the dimensions of Life, Mind and Culture are seen as emerging as a function of different semiotic or information processing systems that give rise to strongly emergent properties. In addition, given its emphasis on psychology and the mental dimension of existence, the ToK highlights some aspects of cosmic evolution that have not been featured prominently in most models of BH. The article ultimately suggests that there is potential for a fruitful synergy between the historical emphasis of BH with the more psychological focus of the ToK System.https://jbh.journals.villanova.edu/index.php/JBH/article/view/2469tree of knowledge systemcosmic evolutiondimensions of existenceconsilient visionacademic knowledge. |
| spellingShingle | Gregg Henriques Joseph Michalski Steven Quackenbush Waldemar Schmidt The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History Journal of Big History tree of knowledge system cosmic evolution dimensions of existence consilient vision academic knowledge. |
| title | The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History |
| title_full | The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History |
| title_fullStr | The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History |
| title_short | The Tree of Knowledge: System A New Map for Big History |
| title_sort | tree of knowledge system a new map for big history |
| topic | tree of knowledge system cosmic evolution dimensions of existence consilient vision academic knowledge. |
| url | https://jbh.journals.villanova.edu/index.php/JBH/article/view/2469 |
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