Noosphere

I've been interested in this concept of a noosphere for a long time. I think Timothy Leary pointed out that that the number of networked computers on earth was approaching the average number of neurons in a human brain. With a person linked to each of these devices I felt that we were looking at the birth of a new prigoginic level of organization. A mind made up of other minds. That is to say, a global consciousness that was bigger than any one mind. Weather patterns and geology are mechanical. Ecosystems are biological. Networks are psychological. So, I took some time to reflect on the parallels between global mass media and psychology. How was the global information network like a human brain. Moreover, how had global thinking changed since the advent of this global network? Polarity was one theme I encountered in the last 30 - 40 years. I wondered if the opposing viewpoints organizing in the world were analogous to the right brain / left brain polarity in the mind. Do these competing viewpoints become part of a decision making system in the Gaian mind? In the human brain the corpus colosum handles communication between the right brain and left brain. It coordinates there perceptions of the data they recieve and relays the conclusions to the other half. I wondered if we could expect the rise of a "mediator mind" in the global network... a bridge...

So back in the message board days, I started this thread to get some thoughts together. It was interesting but, the group was much too eager to turn it into a political conversation. Of course politics is polarized, but it is only one theater of polarity. Everytime I see a poll which comes out nearly 50/50 on public opinions, I think back to this idea.

Clearly a noosphere is emergent, but what is its nature? When I get my review of Schizmatrix together, I'll have more to say on that topic...