This episode explores the development of self-consciousness in the Paleolithic stage of humanity. Part of the Story of the Noosphere series. Presented by Human Energy.

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About the series:

As a word, “noosphere” is a loose synonym for three different meanings: the history and destiny of Homo sapiens; an emerging planetary nervous system, an emerging superorganism.

Throughout this series, we explore the conditions that gave rise to the noosphere:

1. Heredity The transfer of genetic and cultural information from parents to offspring, generation to generation.

2. Tools Instruments and technological devices that aids in accomplishing tasks.

3. Self-Consciousness Conscious of one’s own acts or states as belonging to or originating in oneself : aware of oneself as an individual.

4. Communication A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.

5. Population A body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in common, the total of particles at a particular energy level.

7. Cerebralization The developing capacity of a species to form an idea, mental image or understanding something.

8. Convergence To come together and unite in a common interest or focus.

Across five different stages of humanity:

• Paleolithic (300,000 – 11,000 years ago)

• Neolithic (11,000 years ago – 3,000 BCE)

• Classical (3,000 BCE – 1400 CE)

• Modern (1,400 CE – present)

• Future

This series of short films explores the ways humanity is building the nervous system of a superorganism, called the noosphere. As we deepen our understanding of this noosphere we begin to discover a collective sense of meaning and purpose that will help us address our global challenges.

Our series is narrated and hosted by Brian Thomas Swimme (https://storyoftheuniverse.org/) and produced by Human Energy (http://humanenergy.io/). Human Energy was founded to share a new scientific and cosmic story introducing the Noosphere as a source of meaning for future generations in our globalizing world. The project addresses the challenges of unprecedented technological and social change which, together with the scientific picture of an aimless universe, have created a crisis of orientation.

The Third Story of the Universe (https://humanenergy.io/the-three-stor…) offers a meaningful way to understand this moment in the history of our species. This new cosmic story contrasts with rigid interpretations of religions and myths (the First Story) as well as current versions of science that eliminate meaning and purpose from the universe (the Second Story).

Humankind is experiencing a cosmic transition as we continue to interconnect technologically and cross-culturally. Together we are forming the Noosphere, a shared sphere of culture, technology, and thought weaving human beings into a mindful global envelope, even a new form of life as a superorganism. This process has existential and world-historical significance for all of us.

We are scientists, scholars, engineers, artists, and storytellers working to highlight the Noosphere by telling the Third Story. We are beginning to visualize the Noosphere’s formation and history; study its potential future scenarios as humanity takes more and more control of its future course; and explore how human beings connecting across the world may realize themselves socially and individually in its development. Topics Covered: Symbolic Consciousness Human Evolution Paleolithic Age Noosphere Language Cosmology Planetary Mind Learn more here: https://humanenergy.io/our-mission/