Principles for a Planet of Cities underlie the Intelligences that enable the generation of Capitals for the Human Hive.
Principles for Planet of Cities
I have written extensively about the Intelligences that are needed to consciously and conscientiously evolve any given city. Much of the literature on sustainability has addressed the Capitals of the Human Hive. The first three of these emerged from the Brundtland Commission, who identified core Capitals as: Economic, Environment and Social. To these have been added: Cultural, Natural (plus others).
Having defined a Principle, the next question I ask myself is: What are the qualities of Principles that could govern a Planet of Cities? As a core set of principal qualities I suggest we consider these:
Natural – the Principles must be derived from how Nature operates. This would embrace the sum total of our Cosmo-Bio-Anthropo-centric heritage (A-B-C).
Planetary Contexting – the Principles must take into consideration human life in relation to all life on the planet and the context of each city to all cities.
Fractal – the Principles would apply at multiple scales of human systems. Principles for a Planet of Cities should be applicable at planetary, city, collective and individual human scales.
Living Systems – the Principles would enable the flourishing of human systems so they can survive, connect with their environment and reproduce. Such systems are by definition complex adaptive systems.
Sustainability Principles are the sub-set of Principles that enable Living Principles to operate. They create the conditions for stabilizing structures and capitals to emerge(as noted above).
Resilience Principles are the sub-set of Principles that enable Living Principles to be flexible enough to respond and adapt to changing life conditions (in any and all of the A-B-C spheres) so that a Planet of Cities can continue to evolve. Resilience Principles operate at a deep genetic and memetic level.
Integrating – the Principle of Integration means that the Planet of Cities would be able to integrate the life demands of individuals, collectives, at all scales, evolutionary levels, internal realities (consciousness and culture) and external realities (biological and systemic) in developmental embrace.
Evolutionary – the Principles are based on evolutionary conditions that are evidenced in all of the A-B-C spheres as a continuous unfolding of universal Life through information, energy and matter.
Spiritual – the Principles must embrace the Planet of Cities not only in the A-B-C spheres, but also in the realm of consciousness as a subtle or spiritual energy that underlies all other Principles. This Principle is the core of what enables the planet as Gaia to develop its “Reflective Organ” through the Human Hive. The Spiritual Principle has a representation in all cultures in all cities, but the most fundamental expression is what we call the Master Code: Take care of yourself, take care of each other, take care of this place, take care of this planet.
Fantastic! A glorious collection! Should we call these “Meta-Principles” for Principles for a Planet of Cities???
I can’t think of any you left out!
I would love further unpacking of this below, because there are some assumptions and interconnections I think would be valuable to make clearer and more explicit to us: Normally we would think of this Reflective Organ stuff to be more about THINKING, about the ordinary human consciousness, not about spiritualy-expanded consciousness. I say that because some people who say that your meta-principles of Natural and of Evolutionary cover the same territory. So how is Spiritual more than what they cover?
This Principle is the core of what enables the planet as Gaia to develop its “Reflective Organ” through the Human Hive.
Typo here
I say that because some people who say
I meant to say “I say that because some people WOULD say….”
[…] « Principal Qualities of Principles for Planet of Cities […]