A second theory I often turn to for support of the Implicit Cosmology is Rupert Sheldrake’s Hypothesis of Formative Causation.
The process of an organism’s cell dividing into a particular kind of cell (skin , bone, blood) is known as morphogenesis. The mechanism controlling morphogenesis remains unclear despite the many theories designed to explain the process. Biologist Rupert Sheldrake’s proposal that a nonphysical memory field controls the process, helps solve the black box puzzle. He refers to the organizing field as a “morphic field” (morphogenetic field).
Sheldrake provides a good overview of his theory in Morphic Resonance and Morphic Fields – an Introduction. The following summary of the hypothesis is based on my understanding of it and how I think it applies to the Implicit Cosmology:
- Morphic fields are self-organizing wholes as bound by Organizing Principles, especially the Principle of Perceptual Agreement in the Implicit Cosmology.
- Morphic fields are not bound by space or time. They are nonlocal. Put another way, they are unique to and support specific species as the population evolves over time and wherever an instance of the organism exists in the world.
- Sheldrake explains that morphic fields control morphogenesis via a process he describes as morphic resonance guided by Nature’s Habit. That is, organisms form in the same way they have always formed. They do so by what I refer to as the expression of intended order by the species’ collective morphogenic mind. This appears to be essentially the same process involved in the of etheric-to-physical formation of transform ITC phenomena.
- Morphic fields are hierarchical in a similar way as fractals. Comparing to the Mandelbrot Set, they are specific to a part of the organism while being a part of the whole organism. Sheldrake refers to the nested morphic field controlling individual cells or groups of cells as holons. Each holon represents a local attractor for the part of the organism under its influence.
Think of a holon as a discrete “mind” controlling a local collective of entities (skin cells for instance) but which is also part of the collective of holons composing the top fractal of what I refer to as the morphogenetic mind for that species. Think in terms of a cell life field in the etheric expressing the biological cell in the physical. Again, mind acting on conceptual space to express an objective presence.
- Nature’s Habit does not mean every change in behavior of the organism is included in the Nature’s Habit memory. It means that successful changes that further the survival of the organism are more likely to be included. It appears Worldview in the Attention Complex is modified in much the same way. The current state of Worldview and Nature’s Habit has considerable momentum. Sheldrake has referred to this point in terms of Nature’s Habit being evolved in small increments by the influence of successful, creative solutions to environmental challenges.
